About the Exhibition
This exhibition explores the Mohawk Institute’s 140+ years of operation through a multifaceted approach. Guided by Survivor testimony and the experiences of children, the exhibition will discuss the institutional history and examine the roles of entities involved, including the Government of Canada, the New England Company, Indian Affairs, the Anglican Church, and others. Rooted in Survivor Truths, the exhibition aims to illustrate the impacts and legacy of the Indian Residential School system.
What's Included in the Exhibition
The project comprises a structural travelling exhibit featuring multimedia units equipped with interviews with Survivors of the Mohawk Institute, and an interactive tree installation with an integrated sound system that will say the names of the 60+ impacted communities, as spoken by Survivors, intergenerational Survivors, and youth. This exhibition has been translated into French and Mohawk, and can be accessed via a QR code. In addition, a digital timeline will also be accessible through a secondary QR code, available in English, French, and Mohawk.
Mobile Exhibit
A fabric mobile exhibit using custom pop-up banners has also been developed. The exhibition content is the exact same; it just provides an opportunity for the voices of Survivors to reach further. Intended for events, corporate or school setups, and small museums or cultural institutions. Although not equipped with multimedia units or the interactive tree element, the exhibit features QR codes to view the Survivors’ interviews, digital timeline, and translations.
Video Recordings
Featuring a series of short videos exploring the lived experiences of Mohawk Institute Survivors, detailing daily life, forced labour, food, and abuses. This section will also include one organizational overview video exploring the work of the Survivors’ Secretariat. Lastly, to supplement the participation of the Survivors’ Secretariat and Mohawk Institute Survivors at the Permanent Peoples Tribunal held in Montreal, Quebec, in May 2026, we have created a long-form video discussing the atrocities that occurred at the Mohawk Institute, utilizing discourse from the 1948 United Nations Genocide Convention.
