Photo: © Courtesy of The Circle of Turtle Lodge
Since 1999, the Circle of Turtle Lodge (CTL) has provided opportunities for people of Indigenous heritage to reclaim their culture, advance their healing, and build community in the Ottawa Valley.
From its early days, CTL has created spaces for learning, gathering, and cultural connection. It published Anishnabe 101, a primer that has helped countless readers better understand Indigenous culture. It hosted retreats like Getting the Basics at Golden Lake and Anishinabikwe Rising workshops, where women learned traditional arts and crafts, shared Moon Ceremonies, and gathered in Talking Circles. More recently, it opened Nenaawteg, which became a vibrant space for connection between summer 2022 and fall 2023 in Pembroke, and then in Renfrew from 2024 to 2026.
Learning, Gathering, & Reclaiming Culture
CTL programming includes Indigenous delivery of the KAIROS Blanket Exercise© (KBE) through its official Collaboration Agreement with KAIROS Canada. It is an interactive way of learning the history most Canadians are never taught. Participants step onto blankets that represent the land and take part in an exercise that explores the experiences of First Nations, Inuit, and later Métis peoples.
By engaging participants on an emotional and intellectual level, the Blanket Exercise supports learning, reflection, and empathy. The exercise always concludes with a Sharing Circle.
In June 2026, CTL hosted its first annual Algonquin Elders Conference in partnership with the Waterfront Campus of Algonquin College in Pembroke. The gathering featured Elders and Knowledge Keepers from within CTL’s own membership and explored the Medicine Wheel.
CTL carries on this seasonal wheel in its land-based programming at Healing Waters, its Land Back gathering place on
Brennan’s Creek in Killaloe, where each season is celebrated for its rich bounty and gifts. For CTL, Healing Waters is a physical expression of its purpose and a step toward justice.
Funding Indigenous Futures
Like many grassroots organizations, CTL faces the constant challenge of stable, secure funding. Its operations rely heavily on volunteers and short-term project grants, which rarely cover core costs. Meanwhile, the need is immense. Renfrew County is home to more than 8,400 Indigenous people, but the Indian Act restricts the local First Nation’s ability to help anyone outside its membership. Without a Native Friendship Centre, services for other Indigenous people are limited. Even as one of the few lifelines available, CTL can only do so much with its own strained resources.
You can help by using the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action as a guide. Call to Action #92 urges the private sector to go beyond words and take meaningful steps. Supporting CTL is one such step.
Over the past 25 years, CTL has published books, hosted retreats, created cultural spaces, delivered educational programming, and built places for gathering and healing. With stable support, it can continue strengthening that work. By investing in CTL, partners have the chance to fill a critical service gap, support Indigenous self-determination, and be part of something lasting: a sanctuary for culture and healing in the Ottawa Valley.
More from The Circle of Turtle Lodge – Reviving Indigenous Culture and Promoting Healing in Renfrew County
You can support CTL by purchasing books from its shop, making a donation, or becoming a Partner in Reconciliation through ongoing sponsorship.
Get your free copy of Global Heroes, jam-packed with positive news, straight in your inbox.
We are an independent not-for-profit organization, and a registered charity, based in Deacon, Ontario, which is at the head of Golden Lake in unceded Algonquin Territory.