Kahnawake cultural community gets $1 million for new building
It has been a decade in the planning and breaking ground at the new culture and language centre in Kahnawake just got a $1 million step closer this week.
The Magic Palace poker house donated the money which will go to construct a new home for the Kanien'kehá:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center (KORLCC), Turtle Island Theater, the community tourism office, and other organizations in the Mohawk community on across the St. Lawrence River from Montreal.
"We felt a responsibility to be good business community members and were lucky enough to be given the opportunity when we were asked to contribute to such an important project for our community," said Magic Palace CEO Louis John Diabo.
The donation comes after Playground Poker Club donated $1 million in the summer, and Mohawk Online donated $5 million in July. The capital campaign in the community needs to raise $16 million to construct the new facility.
The building's new museum will attract visitors from across the region while the cultural centre continues its work revitalizing and growing the language and other aspects of culture.
"A lot more people are coming here; they want to find out about the Kanien'kehá:ka (Mohawk)," said Mohawk Council of Kahnawake Grand Chief Kahsennahawe Sky-Deer. "It will be an opportunity to educate people from the outside. We're so close to Montreal, a major metropolitan city, people come from all over Europe and the world pretty much, so if we have a cultural centre like this showing our perspective, I think it's going to go a long way in building relationships. There is still a lot of racism and lack of understanding when it comes to Indigenous people."
The plans include a 4,800-square-metre building on three acres of land bordering Highway 132.
The architecture of the structure is designed to be in harmony with the greenery around it.
The hope is to break ground on the $35 million centre next year.
The cultural centre runs a two-year Kanienʼkéha (Mohawk language) immersion program, which will finally have a permanent home.
"We've been in operation for 45 years," said KOR executive director Kawennanoron Lisa Phillips. "Our mandate is for language and culture, and we run the adult immersion program, which is in its 20th year."
The hope is to break grown in the spring and do a final ribbon-cutting ceremony in 2025.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.