Nations of the Three Fires Confederacy

This section of the mural represents the story of the Three Fires Confederacy, an alliance of the Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi Nations whose shared history is deeply connected to the Mississaugas and the territory that is now Southern Ontario. The three prominent figures represent the founding Nations of the Confederacy and their unity, cooperation and collective strength.

Against a purple sky, stars, flowing black lines and a radiant sun-like symbol represent guidance, ancestry and the connection between people, land and the cosmos. The figures wear distinctive traditional adornments, feathered headdresses and symbolic regalia.

The imagery also reflects the Confederacy’s historical alliance and efforts to defend the territory during a period of conflict in the late 1600s. The Three Fires Confederacy united to protect the land, and the Mississaugas were invited to join that effort. Following the conflict, the Mississaugas remained in the region as protectors of the territory, establishing a lasting presence that continues today.

Together, these elements honour the shared history of the Three Fires Confederacy and the Mississaugas’ enduring relationship with this territory.