The Battle of Nepean Point

A story about a famous Canadian monument that's unfinished, inaccurate, celebrated, loathed, shamed, shunned, loved...
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French subtitles by: Marika Lapointe
Artist Jeff Thomas' Website (check out 'Seize the Space' portfolios, 'Champlain Series 2000 - 2011'): jeff-thomas.ca/
If you've somehow never listened to A Tribe Called Red: goo.gl/fWU4Sv
Where Ottawa's head is at today in regards to Nepean Point (see: no mention of the statues in future plans): goo.gl/jT4unb
An example of what Ottawa needs more of in terms of Indigenous-focused-and-made monuments, by artist Llyod Pinay, the National Aboriginal Veterans Monument: goo.gl/zNWSGg
The 'Scout' was named in a naming ceremony in 2013, but the plaque remains vague: goo.gl/xhsg3G
A few notes:
- Originally the 'Scout' was supposed to be in a canoe, the citizen's collective at the time weren't able to come up with the fundraising to finish it.
- Originally there was no 'Scout', only a couple months later did people at the time think they should honour the Indigenous who led Champlain through the country along the Ottawa River.
- Champlain was only in Ottawa briefly (4 days recorded in some places), so he really has next to nothing to do with the capital. Some have argued that if there's got to be a settler up there, it should be John A. or another notable Ottawan.
- The 'Scout's' new location divides opinion of Indigenous voices- some have said it should have stayed where it was.
- There is no recorded historical image of Samuel de Champlain, some guy posted his own portrait on Champlain's map collection and from then on we've never thought twice.

[@TheJttv]

I live in Rochester, NY just over an hour from the border with Canada. I have spent more time in Canada than I can count. Yet I feel like my knowledge on Canada is very much lacking. Thank you for teaching me more about your amazing country.

[@Canadiana]

Great to hear that we have viewers tuning in from outside of Canada too! Thanks for watching!

[@isaacbalson2990]

This is fast becoming my favourite channel. Keep up the great work!

[@End-Putler4eva]

I agree! Loving it!

[@Fkruus]

This is awesome, I hope your channel explodes soon, it certainly deserves to.

[@JosephKulik2016]

Dear Forest: This channel Will NEVER explode in popularity because it seeks to tell the raw truth about Canadian history rather some self serving version of Canadian history. For most Canadians, it is much more comforting to embrace a past based on glorious fabrications of history, rather than confronting its ugly side as well. ... [e-mail]

[@SanRevolution20]

4:52 What a great shot..

[@shedingles]

I hope your channel becomes popular, the quality of these is stunning and deserves to become recognized. I'm surprised you have so little subscribers for the quality of the content you make. Keep it up!

[@Canadiana]

Thank you so much! We hope our channel becomes popular too :)

[@lesleyluck4937]

Interesting. Curious to learn more. Thanks for the link.

[@don3293]

Excellent channel to understanding the country's history! Very interesting stories!

[@DaveDeBaeremaeker]

I was just informed of this series by a co-worker. Just watched the first three episodes (this one being the last one viewed hence the comment here). I love it. It is a nice bite-size chunk of history. As a Canadian living in the US, I have realized lately that I don't know a lot about the history of my country, and these sorts of series help fill in the gaps. I have subscribed, and am looking eagerly forward to the next episode.

[@Canadiana]

Thanks for watching/subscribing, and thanks to your coworker for the recommendation! That's exactly our mission-to try and help fill in those gaps in an entertaining way. The more we can grow the channel the sooner we can start to cover the hundreds of stories outside the realm of driving distance for us, so every subscription is cherished!

[@markdemell3717]

Not as different from the U.S. as I thought.Tragic.

[@mikethe1wheelnut]

so you consider this your country? I'm canadian, born and raised, apparently. there is no country I identify with though. Several of my friends have named themselves "citizens of the world". If I was proud of this world, I might do that.

[@thesage1096]

4:53 wow that perspective .... if i had to interpret that view id say ".... as the Indian rests in a quiet corner, at one with the nature around him, observing the proud European from a far, standing tall on an elegant man-made pedestal placed firmly upon the lands of the former's ancestors..."

[@broorb4104]

the shot at the end was really cool, of both statues looking at each other

[@GHOSTVAPOR]

180 Degree turn now 6 years later , The Point have been Renamed " Kiweki Point " and everything been Re-Designed

[@geoffreystuttle8080]

Bring on more indigenous peoples' public art works. You can't reconfigure evidence of past belief systems but you can surely illustrate the contemporary response and show current belief systems through art. It's all our history after all, and we'd better understand it.

[@DrewMtl]

Beautiful juxtaposition of the scout in his field and Champlain up high being photographed. 4:20

[@k.n.v.b1113]

amazing

[@tracydee1857]

*applauds* Well Done!!!!

[@joint-heirwithchrist5241]

History in school was never this cool.

[@That70sGuitarist]

While I'm pleased with the recent renovations to Kiweki Point (formerly Nepean Point) I am less than thrilled with the outright elimination of the Astrolabe Theatre. I saw a lot of great Canadian acts perform at that theatre, most notably Harmonium and Garroloup, two amazing Quebecois bands from back in the day. Getting rid of the colonialist past (as represented by the statues) is one thing, but destroying a great legacy of musical and theatrical performances is something else entirely. For the record, I'm a musician and performing artist, so the loss of any great venue cuts close to home for me.

[@AndrewVanBeekOttawa]

You’re going to have to do an update to this one when they finish the renovation of the Point. It’s just a pile of dirt right now. Great video.

[@Joe-vm6ds]

Agreed. I really hope when they finish all the work there that they at least address this part of the Point’s history

[@sirhxgh4721]

now its even more hidden behind the cafe. I ran into it by accident and was like..what kind of position for a statue is that. seems u guys have all the answers

[@shinnith]

........no pressure but make another vid quarantine is killing me man

[@Canadiana]

We are working on putting out a new Short as we speak. We've been pitching to funders and have researched over 100 new full-length episodes over the last couple months. Fingers-crossed.

[@blackouthorus1519]

Honestly you should look up the cree blackfoot war theres quite bit of history there

[@cartel7796]

do a video on the orillia statue lol

[@abnormal1879]

Fun fact... Kanata (Canada) is a Mohawk word for village. Tiens is another Mohawk word. It means to squat. Kanatiens (Canadians) literally translates to the village squatters.

[@AmokCanuck]

That's a bit of a stretch

[@abnormal1879]

@@AmokCanuck no it's a literal translation.

[@jonmce1]

No it would not have been a Mohawk term. The people who lived in the area were called by various names St Lawrence Iroquois would be reasonable. These were the people Cartier met when he came up the St Lawrence. When Champlain arrived later on, they were gone, believed to having been completely wiped out by the Mohawk. Their pottery style has been found and dated among the further west in some Huron villages suggesting there were some refugees that survived what essentially a genocide.

[@abnormal1879]

@@jonmce1 lol it is a Mohawk term regardless of what you are blabbing on about.....Kanata = Canada...Tkaronto= Toronto is also a Mohawk word,... kaniatari:io = Ontario is also a Mohawk word.

[@jonmce1]

@@abnormal1879 It can be anything you wish but that still does not make the source of the word Canada. Claiming some one is babbling simply to cover your own ignorance is not a convincing argument. The name was derived from ST Lawrence Iroquoian and used by Cartier. The Mohawk who were traditional enemies were not in the area at the time. Although both were Iroquoian tribes it does not mean they spoke identical languages any more than German and English are identical. Iroquoian tribes even if right beside each other had language differences such as the Neutral and Huron. For that matter even Iroquois is not Iroquoian it means snake of man killer in Algonquin. The term Toronto is not Mohawk. The 5 nations occupied the area for only a very short time before the Ojibwa kicked them out wiping out their couple of villages. No body is sure of what the derivation is it may be Iroquoian but could mean Neutral or Huron both of whom occupied the area for a long time before the 5 nations wiped them out. Ontario is from a Huron not Mohawk derivation. Not sure why you feel you must run around slapping a Mohawk label on everything but it might help if you learned what you are talking about before attacking others.

[@bobbysharks5797]

Born and raised in ottawa this is remarkable thank you.

[@jonmce1]

The scout was someone showing a newcomer around a area he knew. That is simply not much in comparison to Champlain's achievements, in fact by the end of his exploration he would have known a far greater territory than the scout would have. So no the piece is a nice bit of political correctness but poor history. On the hand I think the size difference is wrong and the Indian statue does not reflect the specific culture of the tribe he cam from so should be melted down.

[@timothydurkan]

😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@mikethe1wheelnut]

..why is nothing about this surprising..

[@wrdisbnd]

Great content but who approved these wardrobe choices?

[@omenncs]

Just because he's lower down doesn't mean shit, not to mention making him the same size as the main statue would be dumb the statue would be way too big for the platform

[@susantrott3338]

You are absolutely correct! Considering much of Ottawa and Nepean are sitting on non-ceded land.

[@ZeroBoostBuick]

I agree the Indian statue was demeaning to Indian people. But if Indians want more bronze statues of themselves all over Ottawa they should learn how to cast bronze and I'm sure they'll find a place for their statues. At least I hope.

[@mariolongtin8271]

I hate how the Europeans/French came over here and stole the indigenous land. I feel like we owe them soooo much more.

[@jordand1144]

They get everything for free as it is

[@mariolongtin8271]

@@jordand1144 Not even close, have you been to a reserve? They don't even have the infrastructure for proper roads let alone careers.

[@jordand1144]

@@mariolongtin8271 yes because they are too busy getting paid by the gov to work on their own house.

[@user-qs7gx7rp7m]

Best to read some of that history a bit before declaring something inacurate publicly

[@mariolongtin8271]

@@user-qs7gx7rp7m You must delusional if you don't know our true history

[@Blue72Bronco]

Indigenous people definitely got the shaft. Now with trudeau the canadians are getting the shaft. Give Canada it's freedom back

[@markdemell3717]

Throw Champlain into the river.

[@saadsyed7531]

Wait till you see the statue in the middle of old Quebec City.. it’s racist as f*k 😂