Debwewin Miikan

In 2021, Oshawa City Council directed City staff to explore renaming Bagot Street to a name that is connected to local Indigenous history.

The name Bagot was used as a street name as early as 1868, according to the Oshawa Museum. Although there is no historical record regarding the name Bagot Street, it was common practice to name streets after prominent political figures such as Governor Generals. Therefore it’s presumed that Bagot Street was named after Sir Charles Bagot.

Charles Bagot was responsible for leading the Bagot Commission, which, through its final report in 1844, recommended a broad range of measures to establish control over Indigenous peoples, including creating boarding schools to isolate Indigenous children from their families and promote Christianity.

City Council approved the development of an Indigenous Working Group to:

• develop guidelines for a new name; and,
• recommend new names for consideration.

The Indigenous Working Group was formed in June 2023 with representation from members of the Williams Treaties First Nations, the Oshawa and Durham Region Métis Council and the Urban Indigenous community.

The Indigenous Working Group agreed upon the following criteria to guide the recommended name change:

• Not be an individual’s name;
• Focus on Indigenous language reclamation;
• Be reflective of the area and how this route may have been utilized in the past by the local Indigenous peoples;
• Be a name that is meaningful, reflects local historic events and/or places and distinguishing characteristics of the area.

The Indigenous Working Group agreed that Indigenous community members should be broadly engaged in suggesting new names for Bagot Street. As a result, Indigenous communities were invited to contribute suggested names from November 2023 to April 12, 2024.

The Indigenous Working Group chose Debwewin Miikan as the recommended name to put forward to City Council.

Debwewin (Duh-Bway-Win) is an Anishinaabemowin word that means “Truth” (Anishinaabemowin is the language of the Anishinaabeg, which is the First Peoples of this territory). This word was chosen to commemorate the City’s recognition of the truth of Canadian history and its commitment to Truth and Reconciliation.

The word Debwewin is also meaningful as “Truth” is one of the Seven Grandfather Teachings in Anishinaabe knowledge and culture. Furthermore, it is understood that Truth needs to come before Reconciliation.

Miikan (Mee-Can) is an Anishinaabemowin word that means “Road”. The Indigenous Working Group recommended that the street name be completely in Anishinaabemowin to be respectful to the original language of this territory as well as encourage language revitalization.

Language revitalization and the promotion of Indigenous languages as a fundamental and valued element of Canadian Culture is an important way to honour the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action. Calls 10, 13, 14, and 15 are all calls to government to acknowledge Indigenous language rights and strengthen language revitalization.

By restoring Anishinaabemowin to public spaces, we are not only honouring the original stewards of the land but also actively supporting the survival and growth of a language that has been systematically marginalized.

Language is at the heart of people’s identity, shaping how they understand the world, express their culture and connect to their ancestors. For the Anishinaabeg and many Indigenous communities, languages like Anishinaabemowin carry centuries of knowledge, spirituality and worldviews.

The intention of  renaming Bagot Street is not to erase history. In fact, it’s hoped the renaming, will unveil a different part of history to Oshawa residents and encourage all community members to learn more about the residential school era in Canada and every Canadian’s role in reconciliation.

City staff are currently collaborating with the Indigenous Working Group to create educational signage to be installed at the site to commemorate the renaming, so the history of Sir Charles Bagot will not be erased.

The logo that appears on the new Debwewin Miikan street sign is the logo of the Anishinabek Nation and is known as the Thunderbird.

The Indigenous Working Group requested to feature the Thunderbird on the newly renamed Debwewin Miikan street sign as a means to honour and reflect the Anishinaabeg culture and history of this territory. The Thunderbird is a powerful and revered figure in Anishinaabe teachings, symbolizing strength, protection and connection to the natural world.

By incorporating this symbol, we acknowledge the enduring presence of the Anishinaabeg and their deep cultural ties to this land. The symbol serves as a reminder of Indigenous sovereignty, resilience and deep ties to the natural and spiritual world. As a City, we hope this stands as a testament of our commitment to reconciliation and respect for Indigenous ways of knowing.

The total approximate costs associated with the actual renaming of Bagot Street was $1,000, similar to the costs associated with any street renaming in Oshawa.

Visit oshawa.ca/TruthAndReconciliation for information about the City’s journey toward Reconciliation and a list of resources for learning.