Our History

Overlooking beautiful Tatamagouche Bay that joins the French River (beside the Centre) and the Waughs River (other side of Tatamagouche town). Tatamagouche Centre is located on the sacred gathering place used for thousands of years by the M’ikmaq. It was the site of high bush cranberry, sumac, sage, sweetgrass and cedar, fish bones sweetening the soil for planting the three sisters. The area remains the unceded, unsurrendered land of the Mi’kmaq. Takumegooch (pronounced Targe me gooch) means where two rivers met and the current of one crossed the current of the other. Takumegooch was a spiritual hunting and gathering site where Mi’kmaq lived, conducted ceremony and were buried. Sacred Mi’kmaw burial grounds line the edges of the property and are also found on the Island opposite the Centre.

The Mi’kmaq, then part of the wider Wabanaki Territory including part of present-day Maine and Gaspe Quebec, entered Peace and Friendship Treaties in 1725 with the British Crown but neither ceded nor surrendered their land at that time. The Treaties were meant to form the basis of Peace and Friendship. We are still at work at righting relations and reconciliation from the violence and genocide that has occurred between our nations since this time and continues to this day.

We continue to ask how to live into our Treaty responsibilities in terms of telling the truth, righting relations, being aware of what we centre, making space for healing and living into our obligations around our friendships and this land, these waters.

From 1710 to 1755, the Acadians lived in the area and created a dyke system (still evident) to allow farming in marshlands. Following the forced expulsion of the Acadians, persecuted French Huguenots lived for a time on Centre grounds. Later, under Naval captain, Alexander Campbell built Campbell House (the oldest house in Tatamagouche) in 1823. At that time, the Centre was the site of shipbuilding and lumber industry. In 1954, a flat tire, led United Church Ministers John Stewart and Elton Davidge to stumble on this site. The United Church purchased the land in 1955 to form a Training Centre for United Church leaders, lay people and communities. Since that time, Tatamagouche Centre has come to support diverse communities of spirituality, faith, racial and gender identities.

Ours is a long history of ongoing violence, friendship, reconciliation and repair. The United Church and its predecessors managed schools in Ontario and Western Canada – the number ranging from thirteen in 1927 to four in 1966. By 1969, the federal government took over the management or closed all of the United Church residential schools. The residential school system brought harm and cultural dislocation to children by removing them from their families and communities.

Survivors began to recount their experiences of cultural, physical, psychological, and sexual abuse in United Church residential schools and brought legal action against the different bodies responsible for the schools. Indigenous members of the United Church also called for justice and reconciliation. In response, the General Council of the United Church delivered an apology to the Native Congregations in 1986 and the Moderator of the United Church offered an apology in 1998. Since 2003, the United Church has worked with other denominations and Survivor groups to promote a national truth-telling and healing process. Part of that process was the Peace and Friendship Neighbours Project founded around 2005 to lay the ground for reconciliation, peace and friendship and raise awareness about Residential schools, Treaty rights and responsibilities, land, water and livelihood defense. Accompaniment during the Esgenoôpetitj fishing disputes were an early part of this work.

For decades, Tatamagouche Centre has been a meeting place for those who deeply care about spirituality, leadership, and social justice. From the early days of winter sessions in the 50’s and 60’s, the human relations emphasis in the later 60’s and 70’s, to current programs such as the Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network and solidarity accompaniment with First Nations Communities, the Centre has touched the lives of thousands of people. Tatamagouche Centre is a leader and innovator, offering at least 10 programs each year. We also provide warm hospitality to hundreds of faith, community and other organizations as well as offer self-contained, private retreat space.