“Three fires must burn day and night, in the longhouse,”our guide told us.
“If the three fires stop burning, that means that there are bad spirits present and we must build a new longhouse,” he said speaking as though in the past.
We were walking through a massive wooden and bark longhouse, similar to one that would have housed six families in the past. It was one of many structures in an authentically recreated historical Huron village named, Village des Hurons, or in the Wendat language, ONHOUA CHETEKO8E, located fifteen minutes outside of Québec City.
Once we had walked through the high wooden fence surrounding the village, we entered a world of the past with those of the Huron–Wendat First Nations community. A welcome dance greeted us, as young people dressed in beaded deerskin moved gracefully to a drum beat and chant.
Our guide, Pierre, told us with pride, of the history of his Wendake ancestors, who were named Huron by the early French explorers.
We learned of the three sisters of the Huron diet, corn, squash and beans that were grown and harvested to add to trout, salmon, venison and other hunted meats. We saw how fish and meat were smoked to preserve them for use in the winter. The skills that the Huron learned were shared with the French explorers when they arrived, helping them to survive in a world foreign to their ways of life. We visited a sacred shaman’s hut, as well as the Sweat Lodge, a small conical shaped hut of bark that would hold up to eight men. A fire with added sage, white tobacco and sweet grass was believed to have a purifying effect.
The Village des Hurons offers the visitor a chance to taste traditional Huron food in the restaurant, given the Huron name, NEK8ARRE, and serves such specialties as Wapiti Tartar, a meat dish made of wapiti (elk), egg, nuts, onions and herbs.
Outside the Village des Hurons, hiking paths spread out in the forested area. On the banks of the St. Charles River is Canots Légaré where visitors can rent canoes, kayaks, voyager canoes or take a trip in a replica wooden tour boat. Several handmade birch bark canoes adorn the collection.
Moving from the past into the modern town of Wendake, the HÔTEL –MUSÉE PREMIÈRES NATIONS offers a four star boutique hotel with an on- site museum and restaurant.
The modern architecture of this hotel is reminiscent of a longhouse. In the lobby, three fires are constantly burning in glass open fire pits, reminding us of the three fire tradition of the longhouse. In the lobby are couches draped with wolf skins, lamps made of birch bark, First Nations art and framed beadwork.
In the hotel, La Traite restaurant brings the outdoors inside with views of a serene forest setting. Modern decor incorporates items from the Huron culture. Chef Martin Gagné offers cuisine inspired by traditional ingredients and creates memorable meals with a gifted touch. The lunch menu, called THE MIDDAY FIRE includes three courses known as the Preamble (starters), Essentially (main course), and Happiness (desserts). Arrowhead soup is made from what was known as The Three Sisters of ingredients- corn, squash and beans. Brook trout with First Nations salsa, Simmered rabbit with woodland mushrooms, or Huron-Wendat style flank steak were the main offerings on the day we visited. The dessert course of Happiness, offers sweets made of ingredients such as berries that would have been a staple of the traditional diet. Fair Trade coffee, or Inuit Herbal Tea is offered to complete the meal. Corn bread and bannock is served in a basket made of bark. Attention to detail makes this a unique cultural dining experience.
“How life has changed,” I thought, as I entered the comfortable guest room at the hotel, remembering the wooden platforms covered with fur that was used by the Huron sleeping in the longhouse. Each room includes beaver pelt pillows on the beds, lamps made of natural wood, fur skin rugs, and First Nations art work. A balcony with a seating area creates a place to rest beside the forest.
The Museum that is part of HÔTEL MUSÉE PREMIÈRE NATIONS contains an important exhibit of First Nations items of interest those of all ages.
The village of Wendake, established in 1697, has much to offer the visitor and has a centuries long history of legendary hospitality. Street signs bear names in the Wendat language, with a French translation. A modern amphitheatre, (L’AMPHITHÉÂTRE) offers innovative summer entertainment, employing local performers as well as other talent from Quebec. Notre-Dame-De-Lorette is a chapel still standing on the same ground since 1730, displaying a combination of French and First Nations liturgical objects that adorn the alter.
This year round destination offers many winter activities, including snow shoeing, dog sledding and an international dog sled race know as the Course de Chiens de traineaux.
The dynamic First Nations community of Wendake has woven the past and the future into a living experience that welcomes the visitor and has kept the fires of the past, burning proudly into the future.
Planning your trip.
Historical Village – Village des Hurons in the village of Wendake – www.huron-wendat.qc.ca
Accommodation – HÔTEL –MUSÉE PREMIÈRES NATIONS – hotelpremieresnations.ca
Canoe and Kayak rental – Canots Légaré – www.canotslegare.com