Spirit Walk

 Proceeding into the evening twinkle of candle lights on the path down into the Pickering museum Village, our group of fifteen descended into the woods. Forgotten cedar and earthy scents from a light rain immediately fill within you. You are within nature. Tonight I am taking the ‘Spirit Walk.’  Sorry folks. You snooze, you lose and you will have to wait until next September when the volunteer drama group of the museum, Backwoods Players, presents it’s sold out Farmers’s Rebellion of 1837 story again.

Our guide in an 1800's costume enters in the darkness to introduce the story and what we can expect. Down the path we go and, we are interrupted by an absentee ‘aristocrat’ landlord of Pickering Township in the 1800’s. No city, no roads, few bridges for the men and women living in the area. The muddy streets into York that receives favour from the Tory leaders of the day. He doesn’t need his land, all extra grants given him for his privilege of serving in the King’s army. 

At the bottom of the hill by the river we meet a young immigrant family; mother, father and their daughters who have been travelling with others by foot, ox and cart from the New Brunswick colony through the Kingston roads. What a laugh in their adventures of meeting up with those not accustomed to patience and perseverance in their story about a woman stuck in the mud with her cart and ox. We are introduced to young people who grow to be central later in this historic event.

Dark into the path, out jumps a hardened backwoods wife long used to the hardships of fending for oneself and defending herself against the elements and animals. You feel in the moment and time of her pursuit of (I won’t say what). Did I forget to mention that the story is told as though you are listening to the spirits past? It is as if, all are alive and real in dramatizing the moments up to a significant moment in time in Canada’s history. It was a life and government changing time, but not alas for these young citizens of York (Toronto) and the Upper Canada area (Ontario).

A restored Brougham Central Hotel is our next stage as we enter inside, where the men meet to talk, drink, break bread and discuss the matters of their lives. 

No schools for their children, only home schooling as the Tories have a different system for some than for others. No say in any local matter, or than the height of their fences. Frustrations are mounting. Farm failures from a bad few years and repossession of land. Within the night glows a tin chandelier with candles on wooden floors, tables, chairs, a simple cabinet and a lack of nice things, and the dark woods outside. It was a time of discussing politics around the table. Loyalty was within a man’s heart when they had to leave the United States during the revolution and give up their world there to remain loyal to the King of England. 

Start again to make a living from the land.

I won’t go further as it tells too much. Only to say that I was moved to tears and caught up in these people, now real to me in this Backwoods Players’ portrayal of Peter Matthews and his world at this time. It could be at the Royal Alex but they would have a hard time moving the blacksmith shop, hotel, church, one room schoolhouse and original log home of 1820.

We enjoyed hot apple cider, cheese and buns in the one-room schoolhouse (1820), where we learn about the prisoner box collection, reproductions by carver Darryl Withrow, are from 1837 Rebellion prisoners who carved in jail on the boxes' dedications in poetry and art.

By Kathie Vanular, Senior Outreach and a memory when an Education Instructor at Pickering Museum Village (2009)