On a gorgeous Saturday in July, Chaplain Ed Janzen led a dozen students and a few staff on a biking and learning tour of the Queen’s Bush area in Ontario, which includes Glen Allen, Macton, and Wallenstein. This area was the location of a Black Settlement, beginning in the 1840s, before Mennonites acquired the land.
Using the “Roots and Routes” guide created by Redeemer University Professor Timothy Epp who was Grebel’s 2021 Bechtel Lecturer, the group visited an historical plaque, numerous homesteads, the original location of several churches or missions, as well as a few schools and a cemetery.
The pamphlet advises visitors to “keep in mind that our stories and histories are often intertwined with those of others whom we might not at first consider.” With this caution, Ed provided background research, archival photos, and personal accounts at each stop of the tour. At the end, students wrote short reflections on the importance of place and being physically in a spot of historical significance.
One student wrote, “There’s something special about learning this history on the land where it happened. The stories of the Black settlers are truly inspiring; that despite all of the forces working against them, many persevered to keep the land they worked so hard to clear it and farm. There is so much to be learned from their drive and hope.”
Another student wrote, “Today’s bike ride of Queen’s Bush has guided me to reflect on the history of the many people who have called this land their home. This land has been the canvas for resilience and prosperity for Black Settlers. This land has been a place of community, of comradery, of struggle, and of celebration.”
