Sovereign Allies/Living Cultures: First Nations of the Great Lakes

Sovereign Allies/Living Cultures explores the participation of First Nations warriors in the War of 1812 and, in the War’s aftermath, the fate of their communities and cultures.

The exhibition’s Sovereign Allies section focuses on the First Nations who allied themselves with the British Crown in their efforts to prevent American expansion into their territories. The British, for their part, needed and valued the warriors’ forest warfare skills.

The Living Cultures section explores the ways in which First Nations cultures have remained vital despite centuries of contact with European cultures.

Curated in collaboration with First Nations advisors, the exhibition features nearly 100 objects and original art works exclusively drawn from the ROM’s collections. It is complemented by videos which cover topics ranging from conservation of a British Red Ensign to First Nations elders and historians reflecting on the War of 1812 and the importance of traditional beliefs and cultural practices today.