Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer, a former grand chief of the Mohawk community of Kahnawake, Quebec, reflects on the importance of preserving the Kanien’kéha language, which she learned through one of the community’s first immersion schools in the 1980s. This language education fostered pride and identity amid a history of colonial oppression, including the Indian Day Schools where Indigenous languages were suppressed. To support cultural revitalization and healing from the legacy of residential and day schools, Kahnawake is constructing a new $56 million cultural arts centre set to open in March 2026. The centre will host language immersion programs, traditional ceremonies, arts, and expanded theatre facilities, aiming to inspire youth to embrace their heritage beyond the classroom.

The project, nearly a decade in the making and supported by federal, provincial, and Hydro-Québec funding, represents a long-held community dream to reclaim and celebrate Mohawk culture. The centre will also serve as a gathering place promoting healing and reconciliation, concepts deeply rooted in restoring the community’s traditional ways. While fundraising efforts continue to cover the remaining costs, leaders like Sky-Deer and others involved express optimism that the centre will empower future generations to reconnect with their language, culture, and identity, helping to mend the wounds caused by Canada’s colonial history.