‘Full and compelling’: New book sheds light on 13,000 years of Indigenous history

Niagara Falls has been around for about 12,000 years, but there is evidence that points to Indigenous people occupying lands along the Niagara River for 1,000 years before the natural wonder started flowing.

That’s according to Jim Hill, Niagara Parks’ senior manager of heritage, one of many people who were at Old Fort Erie on Friday to celebrate the publication of ‘Landscape of Nations: Beyond the Mist’, a 256-page coffee table book featuring works from 17 authors, numerous photographers, mapmakers and artists, that chronicles the history of Indigenous peoples who have lived within the Niagara region.

He said the project started as an idea close to two decades ago, but contributors spent the last three years putting everything together.

Hill told Fort Erie Radio in an interview that the anthology is part of an effort to do “a better job at telling the Indigenous perspective,” and that it illustrates the “much larger history and culture of Indigenous people here in Niagara,” as well as touching on the U.S. side of the border.

Niagara and beyond is “deeply rooted” in Indigenous history, said Hill, noting that place names are examples of this, such as Ontario, Canada, and Niagara.

“Those are all Indigenous words,” he said.

‘Landscape of Nations: Beyond the Mist’ was co-edited by Rick Hill, a renowned educator of Indigenous cultures, histories and arts who currently serves as an Indigenous innovations specialist at Mohawk College.

“It’s the first time we’ve brought together an overview of the total history,” he said in an interview with Fort Erie Radio before a number of contributors, including himself and co-editor Tim Johnson, delivered remarks at Friday’s event.

He said the book tells “so many points of view,” and that he even gained knowledge from involved authors as the book was taking shape.

“Some of these stories, I had no idea,” he said.

During his speech, he said Truth and Reconciliation has been an integral part of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people working together.

“I’m not so sure we could have done this 40 years ago,” he told the room on Friday.

“We all want to learn more about the Indigenous presence in our backyard,” he said.

Johnson is senior advisor for heritage and legacy with Niagara Parks Commission and Plenty Canada, a non-profit organization that facilitates access to and shares resources with Indigenous peoples and other community groups.

He is also executive producer of the multiple award-winning documentary, ‘RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World’.

He said he couldn’t be more gratified by the depth of content that the book’s scholars, Indigenous knowledge holders, and artists contributed to its pages.

“This magnificent book does something truly remarkable,” he said.

“It greatly expands understanding and comprehension of the deep Indigenous history along the Niagara River corridor while simultaneously revealing the place-based learning power inherent at heritage destinations throughout the Niagara Parks system, extending 56 kilometres from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario.”

Both Hill and Johnson are former Smithsonian Institution executives.

Niagara Parks chief executive officer David Adames said it was a “very proud day” being able to unveil the project, consisting of the “voices and talents of so many to tell the full and compelling story” of Indigenous people in Niagara.

Following the launch, copies of the book will be available for purchase across Niagara Parks retail stores and other participating locations across the region such as the Niagara Falls History Museum, Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum, and Fort George.

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