Learn a little of Toronto's history as told through its plaques.

Taber Hill

Photos by Alan L Brown - July 2007

In Taber Hill Park on the east side of Bellamy Road is a large hill. It's actually an ancient Indian ossuary. There are two plaques attached to a rock at the top of the hill. The 1961 plaque in the photo by the Township of Scarborough says:

Site of an ancient Indian ossuary of the Iroquois Nation. Burials were made about 1250 A.D. This ossuary was uncovered when farm lands were developed into residential properties in 1956. This common grave contains the remains of approximately 472 persons.

Photo by Alan L Brown - July 2007

This plaque on the other side of the rock is an Iroquois Prayer by White Cloud approved by the Iroquois Council February 2, 1960. Here's what it says:

O Great Spirit whose voice I hear in the winds and whose breath gives life to all the world, hear me. I am a man before you, one of your many children. I am small and weak. I need your strength and wisdom. Let me walk in beauty and make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunsets. Make my hands respect the things you have made, my ears sharp to hear your voice. Make me wise so I may know the things you have taught my people, the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock. I seek strength, O Creator, not to be superior to my brothers, but to be able to fight my greatest enemy, myself. Make me ever ready to come to you with clean hands and straight eye, so that when life fades as the setting sunset, my spirit may come to you without shame.

Related web page
Iroquois

Plaque Location Co-ordinates: 43.759797 -79.234471

More First Nations pages

More Scarborough pages

Here are the comments for this page.

Posted June 10, 2010
The next question is naturally anticipated: What prompted the Iroquois to use the immediate area as an ossuary as early as 1250 and how did they know it was the remains of ancestors. My guess is that It would appear the Iroquois people had an oral recollection of that location being a repository of bones, 175 years after they left and the area put to the plow. I would also guess that farmers, upon uncovering a bone that was obviously of human origin and not wishing to desecrate anything further, would offset them to a pile that may have eventually developed into something like the mound that's now there-although much smaller. That's what farmers usually did with things they plowed-up. I have old rock piles out-lining my property N. of Port Hope in testimony of the practice.

Posted April 11, 2010
I know there was a school called Tabor Park Voc. School located at Midland & Egl.Area, i believe it's now an Educational Bldg? I went to Tabor Park Voc. School located at above address in Scarborough back in the 60's, anyone out there that went there too?Carol Miles

Posted July 28, 2009
Thank you for honouring this sacred place.

Posted June 22, 2009
That's a beautiful prayer. I think it may show up at our next Scout's Own.

Posted April 26, 2009
What's the history of Taber Hill?

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