Who knew...? And walking the Edge.

 Today, Team Canada visited the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) where we spent the morning looking at all of the exhibitions inside. 

We learned that Land Acknowledgement's are used to acknowledge the history of Toronto and the First Peoples, the ROM acknowledges that the museum sits on the ancestral lands of the Wendat, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and the Anishinaabek Nation which includes the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. 

Students had the chance to visit the exhibitions, and took time to look around the First Peoples Exhibition where they learned about the history of Toronto and those who inhabited the land prior.  

"First stop inside was the First Peoples gallery, which had some of the most amazing pieces of art/Jewelry/tools/carpentry/stone masonry to mention only a few.  The reading on each of the pieces were really interesting but also a little emotional as the stories read where both hard to take in and even harder to believe actually happened, to say I felt ill at some of the stories of fighting and the real devastation and heart ache these people had to go through and are still currently in 2023!! The intricacy of the art, clothing and ceremonial wear was just breathtaking, from hundreds of hours of intricate bead work to stitching and sewing that could take month all to create a both a practical and beautiful baby basket, blanket or caribou skin outfit. Nothing was ever wasted, caribou would be hunted and eaten, the skin then used to make clothing and cloth that would be used to make and use as art or for battle flags and the bones used to make sculptures, smoking pipes or toys for the children. A favourite game was that a skull usually of a smaller animal than a caribou such as a bird or small mammal such as an artic hare would be dried out and a string attached and the children could either use it to practice threading techniques or play a game called Skull and Pin, the artic hare skull in which holes would have been drilled would be flung into the air and the player would have to catch it with the small pin through one of the small drilled holes."- Emma Carlyle

Toronto has been home to people for over 10,000 years, and in the museum we experienced traces of this, from tools, to clothes and even diary entries from the 1700's!

We were also able to view the Tusarnitut - Music born of the cold exhibition, showcasing a diversity of Inuit musical expressions and connections between Inuit visual arts and two prominent musical genres: drum dancing and throat singing.  through sculptures, prints, drawings and installations themed around music from the 1950s to the present, this exhibition explores the fundamental role music plays in Inuit life, while providing a rare opportunity to appreciate differences in style and content among artists in regions.

After the Rom students then separated, 2 to do the Edgewalk, 2 to the baseball and others went to enjoy Kensington market and China Town. 

"After watching members of the group complete and conquer  their fears at the Edge walk on Friday and have them all say how brilliant it was I felt I could not leave Canada without completing it - I felt that returning home without having given it a shot would have been a regret! Thankfully, Clair felt the same and that Sunday we conquered our own fears! All though, scary at the beginning, it was amazing how relaxed you became after being out on the edge for a few minutes and enjoying the view! It really was one of the best experiences that I will never forget! " - Kerryn Law

"A we walked to the lift to head up to being the walk, we were cheered and applauded by all that was around us! Hannah had spoken to me about this and had said she felt emotional at this point with the cheering, and I must agree that it was emotional. It was a big deal what we were about to do, and it was nice that it was recognised as that.  After a few minutes of being up there and completing the activities with everyone, I started to feel more at ease and began leaning back and forward with a bit more confidence.  The entire walk was being recorded and we had our photos taken.  The whole experience was incredible and the sense of pride and achievement I was feeling was overwhelming, it was such a buzz. The half hour walk felt like it went past so quickly, and I would most definitely go back in a heartbeat!  

After coming down I felt on such a high and could not believe that I had just completed a world record! The edge walk is in the Guinness Book of World Records as the highest hands-free external walk in the world.  On completion of the walk, we received a certificate to certify that “Clair Windsor has conquered the Edge Walk and left fear on the ground by walking the circumference of the CT Tower at a height of 356 meters above Toronto!”   - Clair Windsor 

 

Even going up to the top and being attached into the cords I still did not feel nervous but instead super excited and taking my first steps outside I was so taken aback by the view … 

...that was until I was the first to be asked to take a step forward and put all ten toes over the edge! 

One of our students Kriss, enjoyed the baseball so much he arranged to go for a second time, this time the roof of the Rogers Center was open, so he was able to view Kerryn and Clair on the Edgewalk!! What a view! 

Other students took a walk and headed for Chinatown and The Kensington Markets, they were able to try some street food and have a look around. Students mentioned the differences in Culture at the Markets, there were so many different stalls and food available from all over the world, and found the setting interesting, as there was so much to see. 

We all then met up again and headed to the harbour for a city cruise, here was saw breathtaking views of Toronto's skyline, and enjoyed a guided tour learning more about the city as we viewed from the boat. 

"The information we attained from the boat ride consisted of the CN tower costing 63 million, the Toronto Blue Jay's stadium cost 600 million to build as well. We also got to see the Royal Canadian Yacht club building which looks quite similar to the White House. Interestingly Toronto harbour is the beginning of the longest street in world that spans from Toronto all the way to Vancouver, which is approximately 1803 kilometers. And also, the birthplace of the character Superman. I learned today that Toronto was founded by Lord Simco in 1793 and made the first steps to abolish slavery" - Ross Douglas

Another long, but great day! Everyone was looking forward to resting on return, some went out to try some new food at a local restaurant before returning home for some well earned rest.