Peel Trail Unveiled

As part of National Indigenous History Month, the City of Montreal will unveil an urban trail that highlights the encounter between Indigenous cultures and newcomers to the island of Montreal. Ohén:ton Í:iente ne Ratitsénhaienhs Kahsenahawe Sky-Deer and Ratsénhaienhs Ross Montour, of The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke were joined by Montréal Mayoress, Valérie Plante, Minister of Culture and Communications of Quebec, Mathieu Lacombe and the Minister responsible for Relations with the First Nations and Inuit of Quebec, Ian Lafrenière.

Together, the collaborating with the City of Montreal on the installation of a series of sculptures on Peel Street entitled (Tsi niionkwarihò:ten)/Our Stories, Our Way: Peel Trail highlighting archaeological discoveries on Peel and Sherbrooke streets. A series of bronze works were unveiled and others will appear in public spaces throughout the city. When completed this fall, they will form a route of eleven (11) stations, each consisting of two spheres: one representing the indigenous experience and the other representing the non-native perspective. Passers-by can sit and listen to the story of the encounter and cohabitation between the Iroquoian peoples and the first European settlers. The first work is by Kyra Revenko and MC Snow.

Between 2016 and 2019, archaeological excavations carried out at the corner of Sherbrooke and Peel streets revealed traces of the presence of an Iroquoian village dating from the period 1300-1400 AD, long before the arrival of the first Europeans. Eventually, in the fall, the work will be unveiled at 11 stations from the Lachine Canal to Mount Royal.