A NEW VISION FOR SKA-NAH-DOHT

It takes a village.

In our 50-year history, we’ve come to understand something the Haudenosaunee have known since time immemorial: this is a special place.

The lush and fertile grounds of the Great Lakes area have sustained the Haudenosaunee for thousands of years. But climate change threatens to impact both the environment and the communities that depend on it.

That’s why we work in partnership with the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority; to preserve the natural and cultural heritage of this place, not just for ourselves but for generations to come.

Our work is guided by one simple truth: reconciliation and conservation are intrinsically linked. By addressing historical injustices, and empowering Indigenous peoples to celebrate and share traditional ways of knowing, we can better combat the global climate crisis.

The time is now.

The place is Ska-Nah-Doht Village and Museum.

For background on Ska-Nah-Doht's 50 year history please view youtube video of Alison Klages (Ska-Nah-Doht Museum Curator) February 24, 2024 presentation at London's History Symposium.

For media coverage of Ska-Nah-Doht and this campaign please view Lower Thames Valley Conservation Foundation page.

A PLACE FOR ALL PEOPLES

Where culture and climate resilience meet, and local understandings of land give rise to new ways of seeing the world.

A Place to Learn - A place of insight and inspiration to learn about local Indigenous history, culture, and environmental stewardship.

A Place to Heal - A place of understanding and belonging, where all peoples can find solace, joy, and a profound sense of home.

A Place to Remember - A place of deep retrospection to remember our shared history and honour our connection to the natural world.

Feel the natural connection.

Ska-Nah-Doht Village and Museum was conceived by four educators during a road-trip to Toronto in 1966. It features a recreation longhouse village, heritage log cabins, and an indoor museum.

The Village is reflective of those inhabited by the Haudenosaunee along Antler River (or the Thames River) close to 1,000 years ago. Find your way through the palisade maze. Then enter a longhouse and imagine cooking supper in a clay pot over a roaring fire. Pretend to grind corn into flour in a wooden mortar and pestle.

Though the Village is not built on an actual site, three Haudenosaunee villages were located within proximity to our recreation in the years 800 to 1,200 CE.

The Museum offers hands-on exhibits focused on Indigenous culture and displays of artifacts from the museum’s archaeological collection.

OUR VISION

To revitalize the Ska-Nah-Doht Museum and create a world-class Indigenous Learning Centre in the Longwoods Road Conservation Area.

More Than a Museum

01 - Revitalizing the existing facility to improve functionality, enhance energy efficiency, and extend the lifespan of the Ska-Nah-Doht Museum.

02 - Building an innovative, multi-purpose Learning Centre to support environmental learning, community engagement, and relationship building.

03 - Developing purpose-built administrative spaces and storage facilities to increase programming capacity and ensure the future of our collections.

04 - Improving accessibility to enhance the overall visitor experience.

Budget

The total estimated cost of the project is $2.35 million.

>$850,000 has been secured in government grants to date.

>$1.5M needs to be raised for:

New 2000 sq ft Hall, Kitchen, Accessible Washroom $995k
Revitalize existing building (siding, roofing, furnace) $223k
Gallery 1, Offices, Artifact Storage Addition $488k
Gallery 2 (where current offices are located) $70k
Accessible Elevator $200k
Furnishings $60k
Permits and Professional Services $129k
Fundraising $150k
Taxes $40k

Phase 1 Costs: $1.3M - As of May 14, 2024, a Federal Economic Development Grant Agency for Southern Ontario - Canada Community Revitalization Fund) for $750,000 was received in 2021. Donations received so far for Phase 1 - $132,746.34. Total funds received for Phase 1 are $882,746.34. Funds remaining to be raised for Phase 1 are $417,253.66 to meet the $1.3 million. Phase 1 will wrap up in September, 2024.

Phase 2 Costs: $870,000 - As of May 14, 2024, a grant of $100,000 has been received for an accessible elevator. Funds to be raised through donations $770,000.

A Community United

"These types of partnerships and spaces are extremely welcomed and important as we enter into a new era of renewed relationship, which is based on sharing and respect."

—Chief, Jacqueline French - Chippewas of the Thames First Nation

"This project will further the goals of Truth and Reconciliation, and engage our non-Indigenous community in progressive environmental initiatives."

—Chief, Mark Peters - Munsee-Delaware Nation

Become a force of nature.

We ask our community leaders and partners to consider a major investment in our Campaign.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Thank you to Ronald Williamson who generously donated $100,000 to this campaign!

“I am so pleased to contribute to the campaign to enhance the facilities at Longwoods Road Conservation Area and Ska-nah-Doht. It has been a centre for natural and collaborative Indigenous education for half a century and is the embodiment of the life lesson that natural and cultural heritage are inextricably linked. This significant complex deserves our support.”

Ronald F. Williamson, PhD – AS I • Providing Archaeological & Cultural Heritage Services

Lower Thames Valley Conservation Foundation

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