Community invited to attend War of 1812 unveiling ceremony on National Aboriginal day

06/13/2013

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK), on behalf of Mohawk Legion Branch 219, is inviting the community to attend a special ceremony to commemorate Kahnawà:ke’s role in the War of 1812. Specifically, a monument that includes the names of Kahnawà:ke warriors who took part in the Battle of Chateauguay will be unveiled.

The event will take place at the Cenotaph on Aboriginal Day, Friday, June 21st and will last approximately one hour.  A parade will leave the Legion at 10:40am and arrive at the Cenotaph at 11:55am. It will include a performance by a local dance troupe and several speeches. The highlight will be the unveiling of the monument and the reading of the names of the 73 warriors who received commendations for their role in the battle. They were part of a much larger Kahnawà:ke contingent that participated in the engagement with American troops.

“Our event is taking place this year because we’re coming up on the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Chateauguay this fall,” said Louis Stacey, President of the Legion. “Kahnawà:ke has a long history of military prowess and we are very fortunate that history actually records the names of our people who fought on that day. We feel that this is a great opportunity to commemorate them properly.”

“Most of our neighbors have no idea that Kahnawà:ke played such a key role in the War of 1812,” said Chief Christine Zachary-Deom, who will speak at the event. “It’s no exaggeration to say that, had our ancestors been unsuccessful, there is the real possibility that the country they now call Canada might not exist as they know it today.”

Representatives of Le Regiment de Voltigeurs de Quebec, whose predecessors fought alongside the Mohawks at the Battle of Chateauguay, have confirmed their participation. Consul General Andrew C. Parker of the U.S. Consulate in Montreal will also be attending, along with the Dominion Chairman Tom Irvine of the Royal Canadian Legion. 

The ceremony is being organized by the Legion with the support of the MCK.  Events have been taking place across Canada since last year.