M'Wikwedong band fears losing its cultural centre

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"We are family and we want stay in our home," say the people of M'Wikwedong.

The M'Wikwedong Native Cultural Centre in Owen Sound has been based in a house rented from Westside United Church for the last two years.

The church has informed M'Wikwedong that they must vacate the property by Sept. 30.

On July 22, about 20 members of the M'Wikwedong, including a drum circle, formed a picket line outside the church to make a protest at being turned out.

An offer to purchase the building for $120,000 was made by the group. After being initially accepted by the church, it was turned down.

The church had been informed it must accept an offer of $130,000 from a construction company.

Some Church ministers joined the picket line.

On July 25, the people of M'Wikwedong were informed that the offer from the construction company had been rejected by the church presbytery, and the M'Wikwedong are invited to a mediation meeting with the church at the end of August.

Leeann Eamer, directer of the cultural centre, said, "The protest was very peaceful, which is what we wanted."