On the Eve of Autumnal Equinox

So much has transpired during this season of rapid growth. Two major exhibitions, a five year strategic plan, a public art launch, and a long distance kiss in Zurich. It's been tough to keep up with documenting and reporting when there is so much on the go these days.

Still, and always, we do our best to keep going, trying new things, and returning to support the initiatives that have impact. 

If you haven't already, please swing by to see GATHER in Toronto, now extended through November 28th. Next Saturday we're welcoming a group of premiere lacrosse experts to chat a bit about the history,  meaning and connections of the ballgame. Noon to 2 pm at Market Gallery, 95 Front St E, 2nd floor. Registration is free.

On Sunday, I'll be hosting a creative Culture Days workshop in Oakville at the Queen Elizabeth Park Cultural and Community Centre [2302 Bridge Road] from noon to 2 pm. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: Tara Chadwick 786.671.8272

Oakville, Canada  [September 21, 2026] -  Papalotl Project will join communities across the country in We Want More History!, a nationwide celebration of history programming focused on the weekend of September 25–27, 2026.

On Sunday, September 27, Papalotl Project will host a public program that invites community members to investigate human impacts on historical biodiversity and actions we can take to support mitigating effects of the anthropocene. The event is at Queen Elizabeth Park Cultural and Community Centre from noon to 2 pm.

In addition to Ontario Culture Days, the program is also part of We Want More History!, a coordinated, national celebration of history programming designed to strengthen civic health, build community trust, foster democratic dialogue, and showcase the essential role of history in public life. At a time of heightened public interest in how American history is interpreted, this program supports trusted public institutions where people already gather to learn, reflect, and engage. Timed to coincide with National Public Lands Day, We Want More History! will feature libraries, parks, museums, historic sites, schools, and community organizations across the country hosting talks, exhibits, walking tours, community conversations, film screenings, storytelling events, hikes, paddles, and other programs that connect people with the stories of the places they call home.

"We founded #PapalotlProject more than a decade ago to engage communities with inspiring, educational experiences. Out of a lifetime of researching, educating, presenting and evaluating, Papalotl Project is sparking a new era in building community. Grounded in history, science, nature, and rhythm, this participatory presentation includes multigenerational audiences in creating unique time and site specific engagements." said Tara Chadwick, AHA member, and founder of Papalotl Project.

Community members of all ages and abilities are encouraged to attend. Admission is free and registration is not required.

For more information, visit www.instagram.com/papalotlproject or contact Tara Chadwick at 786-671-8272.

About Papalotl Project

Papalotl Project brings people together to share traditional knowledge through art, storytelling, music and dance. 

Tara Chadwick and her family share elements of their Mesoamerican cultural heritage, creating safe spaces and a model for neighbors to exchange knowledge-filled stories from their own historical and lived experiences. 

Each presentation includes a central element honoring those who came before,  acknowledging the role of Indigenous People in ensuring the long term wellness of ecosystems that today comprise the cities, forests, parks and agricultural lands across our continent.

About We Want More History!

We Want More History! is a nationwide celebration of history focused on the weekend of September 25–27, 2026. The initiative brings together libraries, parks, museums, historic sites, schools, and community organizations to create opportunities for people to explore the stories of the places they call home. It is organized by the American Historical Association, Organization for American Historians, American Library Association, Urban Libraries Council, American Association for State and Local History, Association for Rural and Small Libraries, Association for the Study of African American Life and History, National Council for the Social Studies, National Council on Public History, Explore Kentucky, and Yale University's Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition.

Summer Solstice 2026

Finally a few moments to reflect on my second ever Indigenous Peoples Day... 

Last year, June 21 was a home coming, seeing friends and family I've missed over these past three decades. Thirty years ago this month, I set out to spend some time with my mother's relatives, and learn more about this maternal homeland. I'd missed Canada's first Indigenous Peoples Day and the expanding national dialogue and prioritization that came after. The world, including Toronto, has learned so much these past few decades, about Indigeneity, respect, and reconciliation. Court cases generations long finally concluded, clarifying the relationship between Canada, Canadians, and the living generation of Indigenous People who have been placed here to care for and protect this continent since the beginning of time. 

Through all the changes, big and small, the documentation of history continues in legislation, academia, industry, and art. Of all the forms, I find art most engaging, memorable and impactful. 

So it is that the annual Pow Wow and Festival at Fort York, has continued, in varous iterations, since its inception in the early 2000s. 

On this (my second ever) Indigenous Peoples Day, I find myself in awe and wonder that so many Toronto residents and visitors have the interest and motivation to be present, active and join these events, whether a workshop, performance, or artist talk.

My hope is that we can carve space to fully realize both the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People enacted on this Day (June 21, 2021) as well as the 94 Calls to Action that our late great Honourable Murray Sinclair left as our first set of homework. 

It is within this context that we see what we each can contribute to the greater good, while ensuring space sharing and a multiplicy of voices carry the essence of all our creation stories into the future we make by walking the path together.

June 21, 2026