Indigenous past honoured
In celebration of National Aboriginal Day, and National Aboriginal History Month, Niagara Parks held a celebratory event at Queenston Heights on Saturday.
The event, held at the site of the Landscape of Nations memorial, saw local indigenous speakers talk about their culture, heritage and indigenous people’s contribution to Canada as we know it today.
Gary Parker, a local representative of the indigenous community, opened ceremonies in the language of his people, by offering a thanksgiving address to the people and the area.
“I went on to thank the people … the trees and the animals … I also acknowledged our sun and our stars and our moon as they keep us on our cycles,” Parker translated to the audience after he finished.
Parker said he thinks the memorial, with such a wide range of people coming through the region, is great for Niagara.
“It’s a way of understanding how Canada became Canada and all the steps it took to accomplish that, and our native people who were instrumental in making that happen.”
Tim Johnson, former co-chair of the Landscape of Nations Committee, said the event was also about establishing an annual day to commemorate the memorial, unveiled last October.
He said the weather for the October anniversary is “iffy,” so the committee and Niagara Parks are picking a date in the summer for an annual commemoration.
Johnson said the committee plans for a similar date in subsequent years.
He then gave a short history of the wampum belt, which was used by various Indigenous tribes to record political and diplomatic events and often read and discussed before new treaties were accepted.
Niagara Parks commissioner Joan Andrew offered words from Niagara Parks.
“It’s my honour to be here as we take part in this gathering of public commemoration of our shared history and the celebration of the cultures of indigenous peoples.”
She said the parks commission is pleased to be able to honour the contributions of the Six Nations and their allies during the War of 1812.
The event also celebrated the Silver Covenant Chain, a series of treaties and alliances developed between the British and indigenous tribes.
The “silver” part was denoted as a “qualitative enhancement” of the original term, the Covenant Chain, commonly known as the Chain of Friendship.
People in attendance were taken on a short tour through the memorial, created by indigenous artist Raymond Skye.
Skye said it’s a little overwhelming to see his art displayed as a representation of his heritage.