Toronto's Many Faces

647-555-1212.

The (Native) Aboriginal Community

Toronto owes its name and origin to the Huron, Iroquois, and Ojibwa nations who first used the area as a shortcut for trail and canoe routes between Lakes Ontario and Huron. The Humber River was then named Taronto, first by the Huron Indians who once populated the area, and later by the Seneca nation (an Iroquois tribe) who settled on the banks of the river in the area now occupied by Toronto.

This area remained a Seneca domain until the mid-17th century. In the early 18th century, the Ojibwa began moving into southern Ontario, and the Mississauga Indians (an Ojibwa tribe) gradually replaced the Iroquois along the north shore of Lake Ontario. Their most important village was located on what is now Baby Point. By 1805, all of the lands surrounding present-day Toronto were appropriated (The Toronto Purchase) from the Mississauga Indians. Native people remained in the area, but lived primarily on their own territories.

Today, Toronto is home to approximately 25,000–30,000 Native people, and a large number of Métis. The Ojibwa and members of the Iroquois Six Nations Confederacy make up the largest group in the community. One-third of the province’s Native reserves are located within 200 miles of Toronto, and the city’s Native community has grown significantly in the last three decades, as people leave the reserves for job opportunities in the city.

Toronto is the headquarters for the federal regional offices of the Department of Indian Affairs, and is home to a number of political, cultural, and service organizations representing reserve and non-reserve Natives. One of the many organizations is the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto. The centre offers services to help bridge the transition from life on the reserves to the city, and provides facilities for cultural groups, and social gatherings.

Native culture is exhibited by groups who perform ceremonial dances and by theatre groups such as the Native Earth Performing Arts, which stages plays articulating the views and concerns of Native people. The first Native Canadian ballet was staged in 1989. Toronto is also one of the major distribution centres in Canada for First Nations and Inuit art, sculpture, and crafts.

Native people have contributed to the city in the fields of art, sports, education, and politics. Lacrosse, the national sport of Canada, was first played as a game-ritual between villages of Native people. A downtown Toronto street bears the name of Tom Longboat, a renowned long distance runner who won the 11th annual marathon race in Toronto in 1907 and was later elected into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. Brant Avenue as well as Brantford, Ontario—the home of the Six Nations Indian territory—were named after the Mohawk leader Joseph Brant (Thayendonegea). The Grand River reserve is now the home of the Six Nations Iroquois but was originally purchased for them from the Mississaugas when they came to Canada from their traditional territory in New York, following the American Revolution.

Other notable Toronto Native individuals include Orenhyatekha, a medical doctor and prominent businessman in the 1890s, and O.M. Martin, a brigadier during the Second World War who was appointed a magistrate for the county of York. Symphony conductor John Kim Bell composed In the Land of the Spirits, the first Native ballet, and playwright and producer Tomson Highway is a Dora award winner. George Armstrong, former coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team, is a past recipient of the Charlie Conacher Memorial Trophy for his humanitarian contributions.

Places to Go

The mezzanine level of the fourth Toronto Dominion Tower, located on the south side of Wellington Street, features a permanent display of Native Canadian art. Located on the Canadian National Exhibition park grounds are statues of animals and mythical creatures. The shapes and details are taken from Native mythology and religious beliefs.

A large totem pole adorns the lawns of the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto, (Tel. 416-964-9087, www.ncct.on.ca, 16 Spadina Rd.) The centre hosts Native theatre, readings, art exhibits, and conferences. It also operates the Native Craft Shop.

The Algonquians Sweet Grass Gallery, (Tel. 416-703-1336, www.tasggi.com, 668 Queen St. W.,) specializes in authentic Canadian Native arts and crafts such as moccasins, pottery, beadwork, and various works of art.

Toronto art galleries that carry works by Native artists include: Gallery Phillip, (Tel. 416-447-1301, www.gevik.com, 75 The Donway W., Suite 202,) and Armen Art Gallery, (Tel. 416-924-5375, www.ravenspirit.ca, 16 Wellesley Street W), which displays contemporary Native art. The Royal Ontario Museum, (Tel. 416-586-5549, www.rom.on.ca, 100 Queen’s Park) exhibits works by Toronto artist Paul Kane who traveled around the Great Lakes in the 1840s sketching Native people in their homelands.

Native people have contributed to the domestication of grapes, berries, pecans, and other nuts, and the cultivation of tobacco, corn, potatoes, peanuts, squash, melons, tomatoes, and maple syrup. Native cooking includes many versions of nabos (soups made from available vegetables and meats). Pakwejigan (a quickbread based on corn or wheat flour) accompanies most traditional meals. Sagamite (a thick mixture of meats, beans, and corn simmered in a cast-iron kettle) is often the central dish at any Iroquois occasion.

The Native Canadian Centre of Toronto features a totem pole in its courtyard.

The largest concentration of Iroquois in Canada can be found at the Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation near Brantford, Ontario—a twohour drive from Toronto. The territory is the largest in Canada, and features the Woodland Culture Centre, (Tel. (519) 759-2650, www.woodlandcentre.on.ca, 184 Mohawk Street, Brantford). Her Majesty’s Chapel of the Mohawks, (Tel. (519) 756-0240, www.mohawkchapel.ca, 301 Mohawk St, Brantford) was the home of Emily Pauline Johnson, (1861–1913). Johnson, the daughter of a Mohawk Chief and an English woman, is best known for her poetry celebrating her Native heritage. To the east are the territories at Tyendinaga and Akwesasne. All the territories have retail outlets that sell Native Indian arts and crafts.

Religious Centres, Schools and Other Institutions

Native people practise a number of religions, including Amerindian religions. Many members of the Six Nation Territory follow the Longhouse way of life. In Toronto, a Native religion closely related to traditional Algonkian practices is observed. The First Nations in North America at the time of contact with Europeans had their own forms of spirituality. This spirituality forms the basis of the manner in which they live their lives. In their systems, spirituality is the basis of social, economic, and political systems.

The creation stories of each of the Nations provides the framework for understanding the elements of life, such as land, water, and air. These stories determined laws to live by, the laws of nature, and the laws of human and non-human relationships. The belief is that all aspects of the Earth are alive—each with their own responsibilities to ensure that all life continues and that all life forms are connected, each one needing the other to survive.

For all of these gifts that are provided on Mother Earth by the Creator, it is humanity’s responsibility to show gratitude. This gratitude is demonstrated in ceremonies, which are a key element in the lives of the Iroquois people. It is believed that tobacco, sage, sweetgrass, and cedar are sacred gifts from the four directions. Burning these in ceremonies and giving thanksgiving prayers are ways of purification and communication to the Creator. Gratitude is also demonstrated in daily thanksgiving each morning, as well as in various gatherings, such as Pow Wows.

Many Native people today practice one of the many Christian religions that were brought into their territories by European settlers. There are several different denominations that have established themselves. Some Native people have assumed leadership roles in the churches, such as Rev. Stan McKay from Northern Ontario who served as the first Aboriginal Moderator of the United Church of Canada.

Native ceremonies often include the burning of sacred herbs, such as cedar (Ojibwa), sweetgrass, sage and tobacco. The smoke is meant to purify the environment and cleanse the participants. The smoking of the pipe creates a communion between the spirits to whom it is offered and those who smoke the pipe. Feasts are held to offer food to the spirits, and a bowl of water symbolizing the life-blood of Mother Earth is shared. Dancing and healing rituals are often part of the ceremonies.

  FIRST NATIONS SCHOOL OF TORONTO, (Tel. 416-393-0555, 935 Dundas St. E), teaches Native ways based on traditional beliefs and ancestral practices. Its aim is to carry on the spirituality passed on to a select few who believe and practise the old ways.

Holidays and Celebrations

Throughout the year, celebrations are held marking the seasonal changes in nature.

  NEW YEAR’S MORNING. On January 1, children of the Six Nations Reserve go from home to home to collect gifts of homemade pastries, candy, and other treats.

  BREAD AND CHEESE DAY, is celebrated on Victoria Day, May 24. Residents of the Six Nations Reserve form a line outside the community centre, and band councillors distribute offerings of bread and cheese. There are also cultural displays, horse racing, and ball games.

  THANKSGIVING DAY celebrations are held in Autumn to give thanks for the beauty of nature and the rich harvest of food.

  PIPE OF PEACE SMOKING CEREMONY is the most important ceremony. These Pow Wows are held from time to time for the development of friendships and the promotion of culture, featuring foods, crafts displays, singing, dancing, and drumming.

  HARVEST CEREMONIES for corn, strawberries, and other foods are regulated by the seasons, the moon, and the growth of plants.

  CHRISTIAN HOLIDAYS AND EUROPEAN DAYS, such as New Year’s Eve and Christmas, are often celebrated. Natives have incorporated their own traditions into these celebrations.

  TREATY DAYS are observed (though not always celebrated).

  POW WOWS are now annual events, and include: International Pow Wow, held at the Rogers Centre in Toronto; Pow Wow at Six Nations, usually held in July in Toronto; and in August in Mississauga. Most of the larger First Nations also hold events in their own communities. Pow Wows traditionally bring together people from various communities for social gathering and thanksgiving. People wear their finest outfits and participated in feasting, dancing, and singing.

See Holidays and Celebrations in Glossary.

Media

  ABORIGINAL VOICES RADIO, 106.5 FM. (Tel. 416-703-1287, www.aboriginalvoices.com, P.O. Box 87, Station E) Radio station which plays Native Canadian and Native American music.

Organizations

  ASSOCIATION FOR NATIVE DEVELOPMENT IN THE PERFORMING & VISUAL ARTS, (Tel. 416-972-0871, www.andpva.com, 60 Atlantic Ave., Suite 111), assists in the development of programs that encourage persons of Aboriginal ancestry to become involved in the performing and visual arts, including theatre, music, dance, literature, and film.

  NATIVE CANADIAN CENTRE OF TORONTO, (Tel. 416-964-9087, www.ncct.on.ca, 16 Spadina Rd). One of the first organizations established to help Native people in the city. Services offered include individual counselling and referral, and the provision of social, recreational, and cultural programs. The centre publishes the monthly The Native Canadian and sponsors Native theatre, readings, art exhibits, and conferences. Executive Director: Larry Frost.

  NATIVE EARTH PERFORMING ARTS INC., (Tel. 416-531-6377, www.nativeearth.ca, 55 Mill St., #74, Suite 300 & 305), is a not-for-profit Native theatre company dedicated to the development of a theatre that articulates the concerns and viewpoint of this country’s Native people. The company performs at various theatres throughout the city. Managing Artistic Director: Yvette Nolan.

  ONTARIO FEDERATION OF INDIAN FRIENDSHIP CENTRES, (Tel. 416-956-7575, Fax 416-956-7577, www.ofifc.org, 219 Front St. E), is an umbrella organization for Aboriginal centres. Executive Director: Sylvia Maracle.

  NATIONAL ABORIGINAL ACHIEVEMENT FOUNDATION, (Tel. 416-926-0775, Fax 416-926-7554, www.naaf.ca, 215 Spadina Ave., Suite 450), is a nonprofit organization that arranges assistance, grants, and scholarships for Native youth to study in the arts and business. They also sponsor fundraising events, including Canada’s first Native ballet,In the Land of the Spirits, and hold an annual achievement event, televised on CBC TV. Chief Executive Officer: Roberta Jamieson.

  INDIAN AND NORTHERN AFFAIRS CANADA, (Tel. 416-973-6234, Fax 416-954-6329, www.ainc-inac.gc.ca, Toronto office: 25 St. Clair Ave. E., 8th floor).

  INDIAN COMMISSION OF ONTARIO, A mediation body between the First Nations in Ontario and the federal and provincial governments.

  MÉTIS NATION OF ONTARIO, (Tel. 416-977-9881, Fax 416-977-9911, www.metisnation.org, 103 Richmond St. E., Suit 404).

  NATIVE WOMEN’S RESOURCE CENTRE, (Tel. 416-963-9963, Fax 416-963-9573, www.nativewomenscentre.org, 191 Gerrard St. E), provides support services, including family court, life skills, and job training. Run by and for Native women. Executive Director: Linda Ense.

  WIGWAMEN INC., (Tel. 416-481-4451, www.wigwamen.com, 25 Imperial St., Suite 310), is a non-profit housing corporation established in 1972 and managed by Native people. General Manager: Angus Palmer.

Prominent Torontonians

Allen (Ahmoo) Angeconeb, artist; Roberta Jamieson, Chief of Six Nations, Former Ontario Ombudsperson and first Native woman lawyer in Canada; Harry Laforme, judge, Ontario Indian Commission.

Sources: Larry Frost (Native Canadian Centre), Ron Robert, Sylvia Thompson.

The Afghan Community

Toronto’s Afghan community made its presence known on February 15, 1989, when members paraded down Yonge Street to celebrate the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan. The rich culture of the Afghans can be discovered during the community’s religious and cultural celebrations throughout the year.

Most of Toronto’s Afghans are political refugees who were displaced in the late 1970s during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, a republic in Central Asia. Afghans began arriving in Canada in 1982, and today there are 45,000 Afghani Canadians scattered throughout Toronto, with a concentration in the Keele and Sheppard area.

Members of the community speak Pushto and Dari. Many Afghans have been highly educated in their homeland in such disciplines as engineering and journalism, and have established themselves in the professions. Others have started their own businesses, which range from grocery stores to carpet stores and auto repair shops.

Afghan House, in North York, is the community’s main cultural institution, where Afghans celebrate their cultural values with festivals and political events. The organization, which publishes a newspaper and a magazine, aims to educate Canadians about the culture, history, and politics of Afghanistan.

Places to Go

Afghan carpets, ceramics, gifts, and figurines are available at a number of carpet stores in the city including Mohammad Yousof Rug Co., (Tel. 416-359-1690, 163 Queen St. E). Saleem Caravan & Barakat Foods, (Tel. 416-269-6600, 565 Markham Rd).

Religious Centres, Schools and Other Institutions

Ninety-nine percent of the community is Muslim and most of the rest is Hindu. The mosque frequented by Afghans is the Afghan Association Mosque and Cultural House.

  AFGHAN ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO MOSQUE, (Tel. 416-744-9289, Fax 416-744-6671, 29 Pemican Court, Unit 6).

  AFGHAN ASSOCIATION MOSQUE AND CULTURAL HOUSE, (29 Pemican Court, Unit 5).

Holidays and Celebrations

  NEW YEAR’S DAY is celebrated on March 21, when members of the community gather together for musical events and cultural activities.

  EIDS are the major Muslim religious celebrations. The first Eid is at the end of a month of fasting, followed two months later by a second celebration. During this time Afghans visit each other, offering best wishes over a cup of tea.

See Holidays and Celebrations in Glossary.

Media

  NAYAB MAGAZINE, (Tel. 416-803-2353, 85 Emmett Ave, Suite 305). Newspaper for the Afgani community. Editor: Mr. Ghafar Hamid.

  THE AFGHAN MONTHLY, (Tel. 416-744-9289, 100 Tempo Ave, Suite 305). A monthly publication by the Afghan Association of Ontario.

  VOICE OF AFGHAN SOLIDARITY RADIO, AM 1430, (Tel. 416-937-1414, 6 Radcliffe Rd). Producer: Halim Amini.

  ZARNEGAAR, (Tel. 416-438-7784, 2376 Eglinton Ave. E., P.O. Box 44504), is published bi-weekly. Editor: Mrs. Mahboob.

Organizations

  AFGHAN ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO (CANADA), (Tel. 416-744-9289, Fax 416-744-6671, 100 Tempo Ave. Suite 305). Provides counselling services in orientation, interpretation, translation, immigration, assistance filling out forms, and employment and housing information. Heritage language classes are also held. The organization sponsors Afghan refugees from Pakistan, Iran, India, and other countries.

  AFGHAN WOMEN’S COUNSELLING & INTEGRATION COMMUNITY SUPPORT ORGANIZATION, (Tel. 416-588-3585, Fax 416-588-4552, www.afghanwomen.org, 789 Don Mills Rd. Suite 312), provides free services to Afghan women such as English classes along with a daycare during classes for their children.

  SABAWOON AFGHAN FAMILY EDUCATION AND COUNSELLING CENTRE, (Tel. 416-293-4100, www.safecc.org, 1200 Markham Rd., Suite 219), is a non-profit organization that provides counselling and awareness education. President: Wassay Shefa.

  CONSULATE GENERAL OF AFGHANISTAN, (477 Richmond St. W. Suite 901).

  AFGHAN CANADIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, (Tel. 416-409-4928).

  AFGHAN SENIOR ASSOCIATION, (Tel. 416-741-6633).

Prominent Torontonians

Dr. Saira Markovic, physician and surgeon; Elder M. Akram Lodin; and Elder Hadi Wafi.

Contributors: Jan Alekozai, former Executive Director, The Afghan Association of Ontario (Canada); Mr. Ghulam Ferotan, Mr. Khaled Akbar.

Source: Nasrin Hotaki, Amini Halim.

The African Communities

African art and culture can be found in city arts and crafts stores, restaurants, and in performances by African theatre and musical groups such as the 1988 World Drums Musical Festival held at Roy Thomson Hall. Writers, including Wole Soyinka, Nigeria’s Nobel Prize winner for literature, have lectured at the city’s universities, where African studies programs are offered.

Toronto’s African communities represent a diversity of cultures, races, religions, and linguistic groups from the second largest continent in the world. African Blacks, Whites, Asian Indians, and other ethnocultural groups who are viewed as African after several generations of settlement on the continent are represented. Among these later groups are Asian Indians of Muslim, Hindu, and Goan Christian religious-cultural backgrounds, Europeans of British, Portuguese, Afrikaner-Dutch, and Jewish ethnocultural origins, and people of mixed descent.

The first Africans to come to Canada were brought as slaves as early as 1628. From 1791 to 1792 many returned to Africa from Nova Scotia. Immigration to Canada before 1950 was sparse, increasing between 1968 and 1970 when many Africans from Ethiopia, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Zambia, the Republic of South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zaire arrived in Toronto. In the 1970s, a large number of Ugandan Asians immigrated to Canada after they were expelled by President Idi Amin. The city also gained new citizens of Portuguese descent who left newly independent African nations such as Angola and Mozambique.

Immigration continued throughout the 1980s and 1990s with the return of many African students of the 1960s. The African communities are spread throughout the city and are largely represented by the countries of Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Uganda, Angola, Mozambique, Sierre Leone, Somalia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

Many African Torontonians share cultures with European and British communities in the city. The Cape Verde community, which numbers around 500, originates from the African island nation ruled by Portugal from the 15th century until achieving independence in 1975. For the most part, the community associates with Toronto’s Portuguese, sharing a common language, religion, cuisine, and the celebration of festivals and holidays. The Cape Verde Community Centre of Toronto was the community’s first organization in the city.

Other Northern African nations represented in the city include Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia, and the Western Sahara.

People from Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Somalia, and Kenya represent a large majority of Toronto’s Eastern Africans.

Amharic-speaking Ethiopian students began arriving in Canada in the 1960s and 1970s. Following the 1974 Ethiopian revolutions, refugees fled to neighbouring African countries and eventually immigrated to Canada, many settling in Parkdale and downtown Toronto. The Ethiopian Association in Toronto was formed to assist newcomers to the community.

Italian and Tigrinya are spoken by Toronto’s Eritreans who represent nine different cultural groups. Eritrea, independent from Ethiopia, was occupied by Italy during the Second World War. In the late 1980s, refugees from Eritrea arrived in the city, often immigrating indirectly from countries such as Sudan, Italy, and Greece.

In 1972, with the Africanization of Uganda by Idi Amin, some 50,000 Ugandan Asians were expelled from the country. Approximately 7,000 arrived in Canada, with about 40 percent settling in Toronto. Included in this group were the Gujarati Hindus, traditionally a business caste in India and East Africa, and Goan Indians.

The majority of West Africans in the city are from the countries of Ghana, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Liberia, and Toronto’s largest West African community, Nigeria. Representatives from these West African nations who studied in Toronto in the early 1960s later returned and settled in the city.

A few Nigerian students came to study in Canada as early as the 1930s and 1940s, but the largest groups to settle in the city arrived in the late 1960s and in the early 1970s following the Nigerian Civil War. Nigeria is a country with over 200 ethnic groups and languages. There are a large number of Yoruba, and some 2,000 Ibo-speaking peoples in the city. The Nigerian community’s religious activities centre around St. Bartholomew’s Church on Dundas Street. There are also several Nigerian soccer clubs active in the city.

New settlers from the Central African nations of Zaire, Rwanda, and Burundi have also made Toronto their home.

The largest African communities in the city are represented primarily by the Republic of South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria and Angola. There are 50,000 South Africans living throughout the area, with concentrations in Thornhill, Mississauga, and Oakville. From 1973 to 1983, some 16,000 South Africans, mainly of non-Black ethnic origins, entered Canada. These included English-speaking South Africans of British and Jewish descent, and smaller groups of Afrikaners (Dutch-French Huguenot), mixed descent, Asian Indians, Chinese, and a small number of Black Africans.

Traditional African costumes

Members of Southern African communities in Toronto have organized social clubs and newsletters. English-speaking South Africans of British, Jewish, and Afrikaner origins hold rugby matches, and braai (barbecues) where delicacies such as boerewors (spicy farmers’ sausages) are grilled on a wood fire.

Places to Go

A number of shops selling African art, crafts, and other imports are found throughout the city. Volta Records, (1921 Eglinton Ave. E., and 16 Arrow Rd.), carries African music.

There are several Ethiopian restaurants in the city. On weekends, Ethiopian musicians perform. Popular dishes include kitfo (spicy steak tartar) and injera or enjera (a pancake-like leavened bread). Teff flour (fermented wheat), traditionally used to make injera, is found only in Ethiopia, but Toronto’s chefs use suitable substitutes. Popular accompaniments to a meal are wat (spicy lamb or goat) and tej (a fermented honey drink). You can experience Ethiopian cuisine and culture in Little Ethiopia on the Danforth between Greenwood and Coxwell.

Kantamanto Food Market, (Tel. 416-235-1470, 1288 Wilson Ave.) offers African and Caribbean Foods; Makola Tropical Foods, African and Caribbean Foods, (Tel. 416-789-3908, 3035 Dufferin St.); East End Tropical Market, (Tel. 416-286-0516, 287 Morningside Ave.), Wholesale and West Indian Foods. Manager: Kingsley Marfo; Soma International Foods, (Tel. 416-747-6500, 246 Eddystone Ave). Wholesale prices, exeter corned beef, vegetable salads, tiitus sardines, original quaker oats, ghana cerlac, original tinapa.

A strip of restaurants is located on the west end of Bloor Street, Queen of Sheba, (Tel. 416-536-4162, 1198 Bloor St. W), features Ethiopian cooking, including injera and wats (chicken, lamb, and beef) seasoned with berbere (a hot red-pepper sauce); Abyssinia Restaurant, (Tel. 416-588-1666, 933 Bloor St. W); Selam Restaurant, (Tel. 416-588-5496, 875 Bloor St. W) Another restaurant is: Addis Ababa Restaurant, (Tel. 416-538-0059, 1184 Queen St.W) Several Toronto stores carry African, and East and West Indian foods, such as kokonte, cassava (tropical plant with starchy roots), gari (fermented cassava), abe (palm nut soup) yams, cocoyam, and hot kenkey. These include: India Africa Grocers, (Tel. 416-241-5435, 2121 Jane St.); and Ray’s Tropical Foods, (Tel. 416-248-9690, 1640 Jane St).

Somali Halaal Food Market, (Tel. 416-244-8248, 2371 Weston Rd.), carries halal meat (slaughtered in a ritual manner fulfilling the special dietary requirements of Muslim law) and food products for Somali cooking.

South African meat delicacies such as wors (sausage), sosaties, kingklip, salmon, and beef biltong (similar to beef jerky) are available at Florence Meat Supply, (Tel. 905-842-2066, 81 Florence Dr. in Oakville).

Religious Centres, Schools and Other Institutions

Most African Torontonians are followers of Christianity, Islam, or Judaism. Many Ethiopians belong to the Ethiopian Coptic church, while Falashas (Black Jews), an Ethiopian subgroup, practise an ancient form of Judaism.

  ALL NATIONS FULL GOSPEL CHURCH, (Tel. 416-665-9964, 4401 Steeles Ave. W).

  ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA AND CARE CANADA, (Tel. 416-924-9192, 600 Jarvis St).

  BRITISH METHODIST EPISCOPALIAN CHURCH, (Tel. 416-534-3831, 460 Shaw St).

  CROATIAN ISLAMIC CENTRE, (Tel. 416-255-8338, 75 Birmingham St).

  FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, (Tel. 416-977-3508, 101 Huron St).

  ISLAMIC FOUNDATION OF TORONTO INC., (Tel. 416-321-0909, 441 Nugget Avenue).

  JAMI MOSQUE, (Tel. 416-769-1192, 56 Boustead Ave).

  MEDINAH MOSQUE, (Tel. 416-465-7833, 1015 Danforth Ave).

  ST. BARTHOLOMEW ANGLICAN CHURCH, (Tel. 416-368-9180, 509 Dundas St. E).

Holidays and Celebrations

Members of more than a dozen African nations represented in the city celebrate their respective liberation or republic days with cultural displays, dancing and dinners.

  GHANA NATIONAL DAY is celebrated by the community on March 6.

  REPUBLIC DAY. On April 19, the Sierra Leone community celebrates Republic Day.

  SOUTH AFRICAN REPUBLIC DAY is commemorated on May 31, with a reception held at the South African Consulate.

  MOZAMBIQUE INDEPENDENCE DAY is celebrated by the community on June 25.

  SOMALI UNION AND INDEPENDENCE DAY, July 1, sees more than 1,000 Somali Torontonians gather to celebrate. The event commemorates the independence of Northern Somalia from Britain, which took place on June 26, 1960. Celebrations include singing, dancing, food, and film presentations.

  CAPE VERDE NATIONAL DAY is celebrated on July 5.

  NEW YEAR’S DAY is celebrated by members of the Ethiopian community with festivities on September 11.

  ETHIOPIAN NATIONAL DAY is celebrated on September 12.

  NIGERIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY is celebrated by the Toronto community on October 1.

  UGANDAN NATIONAL DAY is commemorated on October 9.

  CHRISTMAS AND EASTER are celebrated by Ethiopian Orthodox Christians according to the Julian calendar. The faithful fast the day before Christmas and attend an evening church service. At 2:00 a.m., a big breakfast that includes meat, dairy products, and injera is eaten.

  BURUNDIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY is celebrated on July 1, to commemorate Burundi’s independence from Belgium in 1962.

See Holidays and Celebrations in Glossary.

Media

  AFRICA TODAY, CHRY 105.5 FM, York University Community Radio, (Tel. 416-736-5293, www.yorku.ca/chry, 4700 Keele St., Sunday, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.).

  BLACK PAGES, (Tel. 416-784-3002, Fax 416-784-5719, www.blackpages.ca, 1390 Eglinton Ave. W)

  CRESCENT INTERNATIONAL, (Tel. 905-474-9292, 300 Steelcase Rd. W., Unit 8, Markham). A bi-monthly news magazine of the Islamic Movement.

  PRIDE (AFRICAN AND CARIBBEAN NEWSPAPER), (Tel. 416-335-1719, 5200 Finch Ave. E., Suite 200A). Publisher: Michael Van Cooten.

  SOUNDS OF AFRICA, CKLN 88.1 FM, (Tel. 416-595-1477, www.ckln.com, 380 Victoria St). Saturday, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Features the latest rhythms from the African continent along with concert listings and information.

  AFRICAN WOMEN AND FAMILY, CIUT 89.5 FM, (Tel. 416-978-0909 ext. 203, Fax 416-946-7004, www.ciut.fm), Saturday, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Station Director: Bryan Burchell.

Organizations

Almost every group, nation, or tribe of African descent is represented by clubs or cultural groups in the city, including:

  AFRICAN COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES, (Tel. 416-591-7600, 76 Gerrard St. E., 2nd floor).

  AFRICAN WOMEN RESOURCE AND INFORMATION CENTRE, (Tel. 416-214-4823, 203 Sackville Green).

  CANADIAN-AFRICAN NEWCOMER AID CENTRE OF TORONTO (CANACT), (Tel. 416-658-8030, 21B Vaughan Rd., Unit 114). Assists refugees and African immigrants with the immigration process, problems, and government agencies. Organizes workshops, educational programs, and the All African Conference.

  ERITREAN CULTURAL AND CIVIC CENTRE, (Tel. 416-516-1246, 120 Carlton St., # 309).

  ERITREA RELIEF ASSOCIATION OF CANADA, c/o Eritrean Cultural and Civic Centre. A developmental and educational organization with 10 branches. Assists the people of Eritrea and offers an educational program that includes lectures.

  ERITREAN CANADIAN COMMUNITY CENTRE, (Tel. 416-658-8580, Fax 416-658-7442, 50 Euston Ave).

  ETHIOPIAN ASSOCIATION IN TORONTO INC., (Tel. 416-694-1522, 2064 Danforth Ave., 3rd floor). Provides assistance to newcomers, sponsors refugees, and offers heritage programs and computer training courses. Publishes a newsletter.

  FRIENDS OF THE SPRINGBOKS, (Tel. 416-920-5466, 1491 Yonge St., Suite 300). A South African travel club which helps organize reunions and provides special low air fares and insurance plans. The organization publishes a bi-monthly newsletter and organizes wine and cheese parties where more than 500 members attend. President: Lucille Sive.

  ORGANIZATION OF BLACK TRADESMEN AND TRADESWOMEN OF ONTARIO, (Tel. 416-921-5120, 22 College St., Suite 104).

  SOMALI CANADIAN ASSOCIATION, (Tel. 416-742-4601, 925 Albion Rd). President: Osman Ali.

  SOUTH AFRICAN NETWORK, (P.O. Box 112, Port Credit Postal Station, Mississauga). This social club, established in 1987, organizes an annual dinner dance in November, country hikes, a picnic in May, a prawn evening, and a braai (barbecue) in September. It also publishes a newsletter. Contact: Mr. Debbo.

Consulates, Trade Commissions and Tourist Bureaus

  CONSULATE OF THE GAMBIA, (Tel. 416-923-2935, 102 Bloor St. W., Suite 510). Honorary Consul General: Irving Gould

  CONSULATE OF SOUTH AFRICA, (Tel. 416-364-0314, 2 First Canadian Place, Suite 2300). Consul: Patrick Evans.

  AFRICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, (Tel. 416-265-8603, 6 Chevron Cres).

Prominent Torontonians

Mr. Shimeles Asseffa, President, Ethiopian Canadian Association; John Nana Opoku Boahene, Consular General of Ghana; Wilson Lagunju, President and CEO, 1st Capital Financial Corporation; Emmanuel Ayiku, Publisher, Ghanaian News; Rev. Paulette Brown, Pastor, Presbyterian Church, Canada; Ms. Fatma Khalid, President, Tanzania Canadian Association; Sam Kabu Asante, President and CEO, D&S Personnel Services; Joseph Kobina Annan, President and CEO, Canada Africa Business Council Inc.; Mrs. Agnes Summers, CEO, Makola Tropical Foods-Toronto; Nana Asare Bediako, Ashanti Chief of Toronto; Prof. George Dei, President, Ghanian Canadian Association; Ms. Hawa Jilao, President, Somali Canadian Association; Dr. John Kitakufe, President, Uganda Canadian Association; Prof. Njoki Wane, President, Kenya Canadian Association; Kojo Atuahene, President, Gloryland Shipping Enterprise; Festus Bayden, Executive Director, Bankay Financial Services; Bruce Shapiro, Chair, Canada-South Africa Chamber of Business; Tunde Olagundoye, Director, Canada Nigeria Chamber of Commerce; Edmund Kwaw, Barrister and Solicitor; Paul L. Tiago, CEO, Global Systems Analysis Inc.; Charles Agyei-Amoama, Deputy High Commissioner of Ghana; Dr. Otto, Medical Doctor, Family Physician Clinic; Richard Emode, President, Geomatic Inc.; Dr. Charles Edebiri, Executive Director, All Nations Development Agency; Dr. Sylvester Osamusali, President, Delta State Cultural Association.

Contributors: Momoh Kakulatombo, consultant, Race Relations Directorate; Ferdinand Odeligbo, Program Director, African Resource Communications Centre; Francis A. Omoruyi, Commissioner, Parking Authority of Toronto; Mahad Ali Yusuf, public relations officer, Somali Immigration Aid Organization (Toronto).

Sources: Stanley Ansong, Adrian Melville-Richards, Francis Omoruyi, Lucille Sive, Maria Teixeira, Bridget Ubochi, Joseph Annan.

The Ahmadi Muslim Community

In the fall of 1992, members of the Ahmadiyya community in Toronto began to attend prayers at Bai’tul Islam, the largest specially designed mosque with a minaret in Canada, located north of Canada’s Wonderland. The mosque features two large prayer halls, and other facilities that make it the cultural and religious centre for the Ahmadiyya community.

Close to 40,000 Canadian Ahmadi Muslims live in Ontario. Ahmadiyyat is a missionary movement that was founded in 1889 by Hazrat Mirza Ghulma Ahmad of Qadian (1835–1908). He proclaimed himself to be the Messiah, in fulfilment of the prophecies found in the Bible, Mahdi, and Quran, and as foretold in the Holy Quran and sayings of Prophet Mohammed. The movement has a membership of more than 200 million followers around the world. Ahmadi Muslims are well established in Pakistan, India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, the Caribbean, East and West Africa, Europe, and North America.

The first Ahmadis in Canada came in the 1950s, but the majority arrived in the 1980s and 1990s, composed primarily of refugees from Pakistan. The centre for community activity is Bai’tul Islam. The Mission House, located on a 25-acre property in Maple, Ontario, holds published translations of the Holy Quran in 54 languages and selected verses in 118 languages. Affiliated with it are newspapers, women’s and youth groups, and sports teams, which hold various events.

Throughout the year the Ahmadiyya Movement and its different auxiliary organizations hold several events. One of the most significant events for Canadian Ahmadis is their Annual Gathering in the first week of July. 20,000 Ahmadis attend this three-day event from different parts of Canada, USA and other countries. The Annual Convention is occasionally attended by the Supreme Head of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam, His Holiness, Mirza Maskoor Ahmad Caliph IV. When His Holiness is present, the attendance at the Annual Convention is increased substantially.

Muslim Television Ahmadiyya International (MTA Int.) is a unique network which is owned and operated by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and is fully financed by its worldwide members. It is the first 24-hour Worldwide Muslim Television direct to home channel. Programs are produced by communities in over 150 countries.

Places to Go

  AHMADIYYA MOVEMENT IN ISLAM, (Tel. 905-832-2669, 10610 Jane St, Maple). The national headquarters of the movement.

For restaurants and specialty stores, see the chapters on Pakistani and East Indian communities.

Religious Centres, Schools and Other Institutions

The Ahmadiyya movement in Islam has 30 Namaz Centres (prayer centres) and 4 large mosques in Toronto.

  BAI’TUL ISLAM MOSQUE, (Tel. 905-832-2669, 10610 Jane Street, Maple)

Holidays and Celebrations

  JUMA’T-UL-WIDA, last Friday of Muslim Holy Month Ramadhan.

  EIDUL FITR, at the end of Ramadhan, on 1st day of Shawal (according to Muslim Lunar Calendar).

  EIDUL ADHIYA, on 10th of Zil-Hajj.

  MUSLEH MAUOOD DAY, held on February 20, celebrates the prophecy about the second Caliph, Hadrat Mirza Bashirudin Mahmood Ahmad.

  SEERATUN NABI DAY is dedicated to discuss the life and teaching of the Prophet of Islam.

  KHILAFAT DAY, on May 27, is held to educate the public about the institution of Caliphate, (Khilafat) the supreme head of the Ahmadiyya Movement. A symposium with lectures is held on this day.

See Holidays and Celebrations in Glossary.

Media

  AHMADIYYA GAZETTE CANADA, (Tel. 905-303-4000, 10610 Jane St., Maple). A national monthly magazine published in Urdu, English and French.

  MUSLIM TELEVISION AHMADIYYA, (Tel. 905-303-4000 / 416-748-1231, www.alislam.org/mta). Canada Jama’at launched the world’s first Muslim television station to broadcast programs on Islam 24 hours a day throughout the world.

  MUSLIM TELEVISION AHMADIYYA INTERNATIONAL (MTA INT.), (Tel. 905-832-2669, www.mta.tv), is a unique network which is owned and operated by the Ahmadiyya Muslims.

  NEW CANADA (URDU-ENGLISH), (Tel. 416-481-7793, P.O. Box 994, Station Q). Leading voice of south Asians.

Organizations

  AHMADIYYA MOVEMENT IN ISLAM, CANADA, (Tel. 416-425-1951, www.ahmadiya.ca, 63 Baker St). President and Missionary in Charge: Malik Lal Khan. At the same address: Khuddam ul Ahmadiyya (youth wing), Ansarullah (senior wing), Lajna Amaullah (women’s wing), Nasi’rat ul Ahmdiyya (young ladies’ wing), and Atfalul Ahmadiyya (children under 16 wing).

  HUMAN RIGHTS AND RACE RELATIONS CENTRE, (Tel. 416-481-7793, 1-888-No Slurs, www.race-relations.ca, 120 Eglinton Ave. E., Suite 500). Community based resource centre dealing with issues of equity, multiculturism, racism, and immigration. President: Hasanat Ahmad Syed.

Prominent Torontonians

Lal Khan Malik, President of the Ahamdiyya Community; Khalifa Abdul Aziz, lawyer; Hasanat Ahmad Syed, President, Human Rights Race Relations Centre; Abdul Aziz Khalifa, Vice President of Ahmadiyya Community in Canada; Mubarak Ahmad Nazir, Vice President of Ahmadiyya Community in Canada; Kaleem Ahmad Malik, Vice President of Ahmadiyya Community in Canada.

Community members at prayer on the eve of Ramadan (the Muslim holy month)

The Albanian Community

Among the first Albanians to settle in Toronto was a businessman, Mr. Shamata, who arrived around 1902. He owned and operated his shoe store on Bloor Street West for more than 50 years.

Albanians, known as Shqipetare (Sons of the Eagle), are direct descendants of the Illyrians, the oldest inhabitants of Southeastern Europe. The first wave of Albanians to arrive in Canada arrived between 1904 and 1906. They settled in the greater Toronto area, working in factories and restaurants. Early cultural activities centred around konaks (boarding houses), religious organizations, and nationalist clubs. The second wave of immigrants came to Canada after the First World War. Among the new settlers was Sejdali Qerim, a prominent businessman who helped found the first mosque in Toronto.

Following the Second World War, many families immigrated to Canada from Albania, some settling in Ontario. Others entered Canada from countries such as Greece, Yugoslavia, Italy, and Turkey. The early 1990s saw another wave of Albanians immigrating to Canada, many settling in Toronto. Many of these recent settlers include professionals such as engineers, doctors, teachers, and accountants.

Toronto’s Albanian community currently numbers around 20,000. There are several Albanian social and sports clubs and organizations in the Toronto area, including: two soccer teams (Illyria and Kosovo-Albania), the Albanian-Canadian Community Association, and the Canadian Albanian Relief Effort, which carries out charitable work for Albanians in need.

Albanian emigrants in Canada after the Cold War

Most of the Albanians who live in Toronto came after 1990 when Albania opened its doors at the end of the Cold War and the collapse of Yugoslavia. The first Albanians who arrived in Canada after the Communist era of Eastern Europe were those who claimed refugee status. Obviously Canada hosted a number of Albanian emigrants as permanent residents as well. According to Canadian immigration consulting firms approximately another 1,000 Albanians came to Canada after immigration increased dramatically due to the economic crisis in Albania in 1997 and the 1998 conflict in