Last Friday afternoon, a ceremony was held to celebrate the unveiling of a new sculpture in the First Nations Peace Monument at DeCew House Heritage Park.
The sculpture ‘Sunflame’ was created by Douglas Cardinal, a renowned Canadian Architect from the Siksika Clan, who also designed the First Nations Peace Monument itself.
The monument celebrates the contributions of First Nations People during the war of 1812.
Canadian heroine Laura Secord first encountered First Nations warriors in DeCew’s Field late in her fateful journey. They escorted her the final kilometer of her courageous trek to DeCew House to warn the British forces of an impending American invasion.
Following her warning, British and First Nations forces were able to mount an offensive that resulted in a definitive defeat of the American invaders in the Battle of Beaverdams, arguably changing the course of Canadian history.
With the installation of the new sculpture in the First Nations Peace Monument, DeCew House Heritage Park is now finally complete.
Cardinal, along with representatives of the local Indigenous community, as well as political dignitaries, were all in attendance at the ceremony.
The afternoon was emceed by the Senior Indigenous Advisor to the Friends of Laura Secord, Tim Johnson.
“It’s been seven years since we first unveiled and dedicated the First Nations Peace Monument,” he said. “We gather here to re-dedicate this incredible artwork and park, following renovations that included creating an Indigenous garden and additional landscaping, sidewalks providing better public access, formative signage, and the unveiling of a second sculptural creation by the esteemed and internally renowned Siksika architect Douglas Cardinal.”
The president of the Friends of Laura Secord, Caroline McCormick, also delivered an address.
“We knew that improvements needed to happen at this site,” she told the crowd. “We worked on increasing accessibility, esthetics and education. The thing that is happening today is celebrating that remarkable centrepiece created by Douglas Cardinal. It is very symbolic and we were so honoured to have his continued input into this project.”
Then it was time for local politicians to say their piece.
“This site holds deep significance, a place where First Nations people made a lasting contribution to the fabric of this Region and this country,” said MP Vance Badawey. “This monument is a reflection of our shared past, of our present and our future.”
“This memorial celebrates reconciliation with First Nations peoples,” said Mayor Terry Ugulini. “It is intended to generate a deeper understanding of the important role the First Nations played in the founding of Canada. ”
MPP Jeff Burch took his time at the podium to share his gratitude for everybody who came together to work on the project.
Landscape Architect Julia van Der Laan de Vries, together with Director of Horticulture at Niagara Parks Charles Hunter, explained their vision for the park.
“We wanted to do a landscape that gave it breathing space but still let you enjoy the park from a distance and come use it for what you need without crashing into it,” van Der Laan de Vries said. “Charles did the planting plan because he’s the smart guy when it comes to the plants. I helped with the layout but we did use the Cardinal flower in honour of Douglas Cardinal.”
During the ceremony there was also a spoken word presentation by acclaimed Indigenous author January Rogers, and the Ohnia:kara Singers sang and danced a few songs.
After an Honour Song performed by Phil Davis and Gary Parker, attendees were invited to walk around the monument and reflect on the importance of the project that is now finally complete.
