Kahnawà:ke receives $11M from Quebec for new cultural and arts centre

Kahnawà:ke is one step closer to having a new arts centre to promote and preserve language and culture. 

The Quebec government announced Tuesday that it will contribute $11 million to the project. 

The Kanien'kehá:ka (Mohawk) community, south of Montreal, has been working since 2016 on financing the construction of a multi-purpose arts centre that will house the Kanien'kehá:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center (KORLCC), Turtle Island Theatre Company, and a visitors centre.

"Not only is it a home for these three organizations, but it's also a home for the community … to celebrate our own language," said Ietsénhaienhs (council chief) Jessica Lazare from the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke.

Ian Lafrenière, Quebec's minister responsible for relations with First Nations and Inuit, said it is an important project for the community.

"I'm very excited about the creation of this centre, and I cannot wait to come back for the grand opening," he said.

Quebec's funding for the project comes the Government Action Plan for the Social and Cultural Well-Being of First Nations and Inuit, funding to implement calls to action for the Viens Commission, and the Aboriginal Initiatives Fund.

The new centre, which will be located in a currently wooded area adjacent to Kahnawà:ke Survival School on Route 132, breaks ground this fall. The building will include spaces dedicated to language teaching, a theatre, a multi-purpose community room, a museum exhibition space, and an amphitheatre to teach and gather outdoors.

The target for opening will be in 2025. It comes with a $55.746 million price tag. In addition to Quebec's funding, the federal government pledged $16 million for the project and a capital campaign is underway with a $16 million fundraising goal.

"We're more than halfway there," said Ohén:ton Í:iente ne Ratitsénhaienhs (Grand Chief) Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer.

Waiting for a theatre

The Turtle Island Theatre Company, one of the partners in the project, has been without a building since 2013 and hasn't been able to offer programming for children until partnering with another community organization earlier this year.

"Our community, our children, our youth, our elders, and our future generations are really going to have the opportunity to have resources to learn and grow," said board member Jessica Hernandez.

"My son is going to be graduating high school this year. He didn't get to have that opportunity to have those experiences that I did. My heart hurts a little bit for him for that."

Cultural centre's old building condemned

For the last two years, the cultural centre has been using temporary office space. Their previous building was condemned and is slated for demolition this week. 

"It's very emotional for us leaving that building even though it was time to go when it was falling down," said Lisa Phillips, executive director of the Kanien'kehá:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center.

"The work that we do, everything language and culture lived and breathed inside that building, inside those ugly walls."

Lazare is a graduate of the organization's two-year Kanien'kéha Ratiwennahní:rats language immersion program and had first-hand experiences with "squirrels and the weird smells" in the condemned building.

"It's almost a relief to see this building is happening, that this dream that these women … have held together for so long is becoming a reality for us, for our community," said Lazare.