Kahnaw:ke breaks ground on new cultural community centre

Construction is starting on Kahnaw:ke's new community centre to promote and preserve language and culture.

Kawennanron Lisa Phillips, executive director of the Kanien'keh:ka Onkwawn:na Raotitihkwa Language and Cultural Center (KORLCC),says the centre has long been a dream for the Kanien'keh:ka (Mohawk) community, south of Montreal.

She says a foundation was laid for the centre in 1982, but it didn't come to fruition until now. Construction should finish by 2026, and Kanien'kha (Mohawk language) classes which Phillips took herself will have a permanent home there.

"We have the generations here and we love it, from our elders to our youth, that's what this community centre is all about," said Phillips.

The building will be a multi-purpose arts centre that houses the KORLCC, a museum, the Turtle Island Theatre Company and a visitors centre. It will be built in a wooded area adjacent to Kahnaw:ke Survival School on Route 132.

Kahnaw:ke Grand Chief Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer was overjoyed to break ground Saturday.

"In our community, when we put our minds and our hearts together, we can do amazing things," she said.

Louie John Diabo, the construction project manager, couldn't agree more.

"It's a once in a lifetime opportunity in the community, the largest project we've ever seen. For me, it's a reclamation of our language and our culture," he said.

The ground needs to be prepared for excavations that are set to start this winter.

The Kahnaw:ke community had been working to secure funding for the project since 2016. It will cost a little more than $55 million, with $11 million coming from Quebec and $16 million from the federal government.