NationTalk: (Brantford/Six Nations, ON) – The Woodland Cultural Centre is pleased to announce that the Barry and Laurie Green Family Trust has awarded a grant of $450,000 toward the production of essential finishing elements required to establish the Mohawk Institute as a pinnacle, best in class, nationally significant heritage museum and site of conscience that reveals the history and legacy of Canada’s Indian Residential School policies and the impacts on the children who were placed there. Work on the Mohawk Institute is among the most important and relevant Indigenous community-based, and led, projects in the country.

“We are humbled by the generosity and support of the Barry and Laurie Green Family Trust towards our efforts to share the history and legacy of the Mohawk Institute Residential School and its impact on our communities and families,” said Woodland Cultural Centre Executive Director Heather George. “Truth telling is at the foundation of healing and relationship-building between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada and this gift will ensure the powerful truths of Survivors are accessible to the widest audience possible through the development of multimedia storytelling tools.”

The resources will support ongoing Indigenous led guidance of the work including the filming and production of an orientation film; self-guided tour programmed handsets that in addition to English and French will now include Indigenous languages; an exhibit guide book that will explain the broader context of Indian Residential Schools within Canada, including their purpose, impact, and the experiences of Indigenous children; a comprehensive digital exhibition that captures, packages, and presents the enormous quantity of information and resources contained in the physical exhibition to bring this important knowledge “beyond the building” to reach audiences all over the world; and the production and performance of the primary public program entitled Continuance: Immersive Commemoration, a spectacular architectural media and integrated dance production that tells the story of the Mohawk Institute by Kaha:wi Dance Theatre.

“The inclusion of all of these components will serve to ensure that onsite visitors, and audience members across the country, including educators, benefit from the compelling information provided within this important heritage site,” said Project Director Tim Johnson, who facilitated the engagement. “We’re excited to be working in partnership with these highly perceptive and accomplished donors who appreciate and understand the significance a project like this has for Indigenous communities and for a nation that continues its journey navigating through matters of Truth and Reconciliation.”

The Mohawk Institute, as a site of conscience, stands as a crucial emblem of both the historical injustices faced by Indigenous communities and the ongoing struggle for reconciliation and justice. Originally established as one of the first residential schools in Canada, its legacy is deeply intertwined with the forced assimilation and cultural erasure experienced by Indigenous children.

“Investment in the Woodland Cultural Centre reflects our core mission — to promote reconciliation with and social justice for all First Peoples,” said the Family Trust’s Executive Chairman Barry Green. “We wish to thank Tim Johnson and the project team for their consummate leadership as this outstanding production comes to fruition. Laurie and I are grateful and honoured for the opportunity to help support this most important and meaningful project.”

Today, the Mohawk Institute serves as a powerful reminder of the resilience of Indigenous peoples and the need for continued awareness, education, and acknowledgment of past wrongs. By preserving its history and fostering dialogue, it helps ensure that the painful lessons of the past are not forgotten, and that meaningful steps are taken towards healing and honouring the rights and dignity of Indigenous communities.

For more information contact the Woodland Cultural Centre’s Executive Director Heather George.

Woodland Cultural Centre
184 Mohawk Street
Brantford, Ontario  N3S 2X2
hgeorge@woodlandculturalcentre.ca
(519) 759-2650