La Maison amérindienne

With a different approach

Created by the “Ushket-André Michel Foundation” with the objective of fostering a greater awareness of the First Nations, La Maison amérindienne, is a multi-nation site acknowledged as a cultural and socio-economic enterprise. It is also a place for sharing, exchanging and bringing people together through various museum-related, environmental, agricultural and gastronomical activities.

The site: a magical place

The Abenakis called it Wigwomadensis, the hill shaped like a Wigwam. Before the arrival of the European colonists, the native Indians climbed the summits of mount Saint-Hilaire to offer sacrifices to their divinities, but also for its flora, its fauna, and its commanding view of the Iroquois River which is now called the Richelieu River.

It is on the side of this mountain, recognized by UNESCO as a World Biosphere Reserve, that you will discover the country’s first off-reserve Amerindian cultural house located at the heart of a maple grove in an urban environment. April 22, 2008 (Earth Day). The Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada designated La Maison amérindienne and its maple forest as a national place of reference for maple products for the maple sugar industry. To the sound of drums and traditional songs, you will appre ciate the know-how of the native Indians and take part in the harvesting and transformation of maple sap according to traditional methods. You will taste Amerindian cooking and breathe in the scents of an ancient forest.

The white Indians

For the most part, these people were French. Called “coureurs des bois,” they adopted the Indian way of life and were attracted by the freedom and respect for nature that it entailed. Our official history records very few of their exploits, even though these men had a major influence on the development of the continent. La Maison amérindienne sheds light on, among other things, the reasons why Paul-Esprit Radisson, who came from Avignon, in the south of France, created the great Hudson Bay Company with his brother-in-law, Des Groseillers.

Riopelle “the superior trapper“

The artist Jean-Paul Riopelle loved great northern and wild spaces, as well as the Amerindians who inhabited those regions and shared the wilderness with the animals for so many centuries. He was a friend of André Michel and in order to help the museum and contribute to its operation, he donated the print run of his serigraphy named “Oie aux herbes sauvages”. After his death, his wife Huguette Vachon, donated all of the Indian artifacts that he cherished. The “Salon Riopelle” showcases some of them, as well as some of Riopelle’s own works.

To purchase a serigraph by Riopelle is to support our mission and our activities.
Format: paper, 76 X 81 cm
Limited edition: 150 numbered and signed by the artist Certificate of authenticity

André Michel “portrayer of the Amerindians”

The initiators of the foundation took inspiration from the work and social efforts of the ethnographic painter and sculptor André Michel, recognized throughout the world for his colossal artistic works, his achievements with museums and his implication for many decades with Amerindian communities in the three Americas.

With his innovative ideas and his creative touch, the artist gave soul to this magical site which is La Maison amérindienne, where two worlds come together in harmony. Chances are, you will come across him on your visit. With his Provence accent, he may tell of his first contacts with his Indian friends, his long journeys in the woods and the native peoples’ ways of life amid the natural world.

Seasonal exhibitions; A museum to savour

From water to mouth
You will discover that long before the arrival of the Europeans, the Amerindians had discovered the sap from the maple tree.

Dancing and rituals before harvesting the maple sap had the power, it was believed, to increase the amount of sap harvested. Traditional objects, literature, and a film will complement your visit.

Summer: “I spy… corn”
More than 1000 years ago, the natives lived along the Richelieu River and planted corn. How did this plant originating from Central America land here? With the help of legends historic texts and artifacts, visitors will discover that “maize” was a womens’ domain.

Fall: Pumpkin flavoured good
Come and discover the many facets of this misunderstood and underestimated traditional Amerindian food. You will learn, among other things, that by their shapes and sizes squashes can be traditional, unusual or even bizarre, and that with their vibrant colours they sure catch the eye. But where did they appear for the first time? And how important were they for the Indians of the Americas?

The boutique

Our selection of objects hand-crafted by native artisans according to traditional techniques certainly make for beautiful souvenirs. You can get your friends to try our maple syrup, made according to traditional Amerindian methods, or our famous no-dough sugar pie.

The temporary exhibitions

The mission of La Maison amérindienne is to present First Nations and contemporary art events so that dialogue may be fostered without losing sight of the aesthetic process. Exhibitions also seek to portray the social context of today’s First Nations. Isn’t art a reflection of life, mythology and spirituality?