The indigenous people used the sweet sap of maple trees long before the arrival of Europeans. During the 'Maple Moon' they would collect sap from maple trees. Indigenous people knew that maple sap has many healing and nourishing properties. It helped them survive the harsh winters.

They shared this knowledge with the European settlers. The French settlers learned how to tap the trees from the First Nations people.

Maple syrup was used as a trade item in the form of dried sugar slabs.

Since 1700s production of maple syrup and other products has been going on. Even today indigenous people are very knowledgeable about which trees are best to tap, when and how to collect the sap.

Canada produces 71% of the world's maple syrup.

Today in Canada maple syrup industry brings in more than 500 million dollars. [ link ]

Colonialism, Maple Syrup, and Ways of Knowing