See Ontario – Queenston Heights Park | Arts & Recreation

WRITER: GEOFF BUTLER

Location: Queenston Height Park

Info: Queenston Heights Park sits high atop the Niagara Escarpment in the north end of Niagara Parks, Queenston Heights Parks offers picturesque hiking trails, picnic areas, tennis courts, two picnic pavilions and a children’s splash pad. Queenston Heights Park is also home to the Landscape of Nations Memorial and serves as the southern terminus of Canada’s oldest and longest marked footpath, the Bruce Trail.

Website: https://www.niagaraparks.com/visit/nature-garden/queenston-heights/

Today, we travel to beautiful Queenston Heights Park. We will stop and visit the Landscape of Nations Memorial.

On October 13th, 1812, the Battle of Queenston Heights was fought, resulting in a significant victory. Unfortunately, Major-General Isaac Brock and his aide-de-camp Lieutenant Colonel John MacDonell were killed. The victory at the Battle of Queenston Heights was largely due to our Indigenous allies’ heroic efforts.

The Landscape of Nations, the Six Nations and Native Allies Commemorative Memorial unveiled in October 2016, is dedicated to the significant role and sacrifices of the Six Nations and our Indigenous Allies at the “Battle of Queenston Heights and throughout the War of 1812.” The memorial also recognizes the ceremony of peace and reconciliation held in Niagara in 1815, “restoring peace amongst the Indigenous nations who fought on opposing sides during the war.”

The Memorial design was created through a collaborative project with Canadian artist and landscape architect Tom Ridout and Raymond Skye. “The design of Landscape of Nations resulted from a commemorative public art project that envisioned a landscape memorial of exceptional meaning and aesthetics that conveyed the significant role Indigenous peoples played in the defence and founding of Canada.”

This beautiful outdoor living memorial tells a story and has several notable features:

As you enter the monument, you pass two beautiful life-like bronze statues created by Six Nations artist Raymond Skye of two prominent Mohawk Chiefs, John Brant, son of Joseph Brant (Ahyouwa’ehs) and Major John Norton (Teyoninhokarawen).

Norton and Brant stand at the entrance of an archway of steel rods symbolizing the traditional “home of the Six Nations or Haudenosaunee or ‘People of the Longhouse.”

The Wampum Belt Walkway represents the ‘Two Row Wampum Treaty’ between the Haudenosaunee and early European settlers.

The Turtle symbol represents the Six Nations creation story, “the earth was created on the back of a giant turtle when Skywoman fell from the sky.”

The Memory Circle, shaped into a sunray pattern, features eight limestone stones honouring the names of the Six Nations and Indigenous allies who fought in the War of 1812 carved into bronze plaques. The circle commemorates the ‘Ceremony of Peace and Reconciliation’ held at Niagara in 1815.

The Tree of Peace, an eastern white pine, symbolizes the Haudenosaunee constitution or the ‘Great Law of Peace.’

The Landscape of Nations is a special and sacred living memorial commemorating our Indigenous allies “contributions and sacrifices on Queenston Heights and, equally important, throughout the War of 1812.” It is a must-visit site if you are in the area.