November 16, 2019
Queenston Heights Park, Niagara-on-the-Lake
Valour and Victory
Valour and Victory: Honouring Indigenous Veterans at the Landscape of Nations Commemorative Memorial
Queenston Heights Park · November 16, 2019 · 11:00 a.m.
Guests are invited to meet in front of Queenston Heights Restaurant by 10:45 a.m. ahead of the procession to the Landscape of Nations Memorial ceremony at 11 a.m. Please come dressed for the weather as this event will take place rain or shine.
The Battle of Queenston Heights on October 13, 1812 served as an extraordinary expression of historic alliances that extended back generations and marked an essential moment in the emergence of a fledgling country whose borders and character were being tested and defined. In recognition of the contributions and sacrifices made by Six Nations and Native Allies in supporting their British and Canadian compatriots, and securing victory at pivotal events at Queenston Heights and throughout the War of 1812, we commence this year an annual Memorial, Honouring, and Reconciliation Service to remember those who secured our freedom by exhibiting both strength and peacemaking skills.
Getting here
Queenston Heights is located at 14184 Niagara Parkway, Queenston, L0S 1J0 · (905) 262-4274
Program
Procession to the Landscape of Nations Memorial, led by Jordan Smith
Greetings, Travis Hill
Thanksgiving Address, Jordan Smith
Honour Song, Jordan Smith
Welcoming Remarks, Commissioner Betty Disero
Historical Address, Jim Hill
Reflection, Rick Hill
Moment of Silence
Laying of Wreaths, Richard Merritt and Tim Johnson
Tobacco Ceremony, Michele-Élise Burnett and Sergeant Raymond Starks
Lament
Sacred Fire, Fred Bowering, Fire Keeper
Landscape of Nations: The Six Nations & Native Allies Commemorative Memorial affirms the proper place of First Nations peoples at the core of Canadian history and signals their ongoing role in contemporary life and national affairs. After 207 years, we will gather at the precipice of Queenston Heights with a clear vision and the capability to address an historic omission—the acknowledgement of Canada’s first allies.
We recognize not only sacrifices made during the War, but also the historic entreaty of peace and reconciliation made at Niagara on August 31 and September 1, 1815, between the Haudenosaunee of the Grand River and those of New York who had allied with the Americans. The War of 1812 witnessed a civil war among the nations of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy fighting on both sides of the conflict. At this solemn service to mark National Aboriginal Veterans Day, we remember the fallen, the dedicated, and the faithkeepers whose valiant efforts forged a lasting peace.
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