A new space for Indigenous, Black, and other racialised two-spirit and Indigiqueer youth, the Willow River Centre, will open on Saturday Octotober 7th. The new centre, in downtown Kitchener, is being coordinated by two of the founders of O:se Kenhionhata:tie, Amy Smoke and Bangishomo, and comes after years of organising in Waterloo Region.
While the Willow River Centre is just getting underway, a pathway that that led to this point started on June 20th, 2020, when O:se Kenhionhata:tie, also known as Land Back Camp, was launched by Amy Smoke, Bangishimo, and Terre Chartrand in what was known as Victoria Park in Kitchener.
The camp quickly became a hub of activity and as a post on their website states, it was observed by those involved that "most of the young people at the camp were also Two Spirit, queer, trans, and/or non-binary. Land Back Camp had become an Indigenous queer and trans space for young people to reconnect and learn about their Indigeneity".
From the original site in Kitchener, organisers also set up an intentionally short-lived land reclamation in Waterloo Park in the fall of 2020. In the next year, O:se Kenhionhatatie was set up in the Laurel Creek Conservation area through a collaboration with the Grand River Conservation Authority. In 2022 and 2023 Land Back Camp worked with and supported the tent encampments in Kitchener.
All through this time Land Back Camp organisers have been participating in political processes with local governments around supporting Indigenous spaces. Now, a little more than 3 years after O:se Kenhionhata:tie's founding, the opening of the Willow River Centre represents a new phase of organising.
This show features an interview with Amy Smoke, who along with her friend Bangishimo, is set to coordinate the activities at the new Willow River Centre in downtown Kitchener once it opens on October 7th.
Smoke spoke of the goals and of the importance of the centre, the youth she hopes the centre will serve, and a bit of the process in getting to this point.
Smoke also discusses recent targeting of the centre by an individual who used to participate in Land Back Camp, and the impact the action has had on Indigenous, Black, and other racialised communities, and two-spirited and queer communities. The police became involved in the situation after the vandalism was reported. After arranging to turn himself in, the perpetrator of the chalking was charged with:
- Mischief to Religious Property under $5,000
- Criminal Harassment
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime under $5,000.
The man was released on his own recognizance and will be in court October 26th at 9am.
CKMS News has been in contact with the man, a self described "former ally" who had a falling out with others at Land Back Camp, including Amy Smoke and Bangishimo. The man defended his actions as acts to bring accountability to what he says were misappropriated funds stemming from several fundraising campaigns that Land Back Camp has undertaken. The man's name has not been released by the organisers of the Willow River Centre, nor by the police .While CKMS News is aware of the man's name, CKMS News has determined that, at this time, it is not in the public interest to publish or broadcast the name.
Smoke, clearly frustrated and angry about the situation, said of the man "They need an intervention, they need some help. They're not okay"
After this difficult discussion, the interview moves back to positive things around the Centre with Smoke inviting folks to the opening ceremonies at the Willow River Centre on October 7th from 9am-2pm "but probably later". The address is 243 King St E, near the Kitchener Farmers Market.
Smoke concludes by encouraging folks to check out the many events happening around the National for Truth and Reconciliation.