Sainte-Marie was the 17th century fortress and headquarters for the French Jesuit mission to the Wendat (Huron) Nation. This village played a large role in the history of the Wendat people and was the site of the 350 year reunion of the Wendat Nations that took place in 1999.
In 1639 the Jesuits, along with lay workers, constructed a palisaded community that would include barracks, a church, workshops, residences, and an area sectioned separately for the Wendat people whom they believed would be better instructed in the ways of Christian living, if they stayed with them at Ste. Marie.
By 1648, Sainte-Marie was a small wilderness village surrounded by the palisades to protect them from unwanted intruders and the Native people of the region. Because of the way they treated the Native people, they did have reason to fear.
After archaeological and historical research,
Sainte-Marie among the Hurons has been recreated
on the original site. |
