Mwte welcomes public back to sacred Chaudire Falls

Chaudire Falls, closed from public view for a century, will reopen with an elaborate sound and light show Friday, but not everyone is ready join the welcome back party.

Mwte, a production meant to celebrate Indigenous culture, premieres Friday night as part of ongoing Canada 150 celebrations in the capital. Spectatorson apublic viewing platform will see the roiling water of the falls illuminated to a soundtrack ofupbeat music mixed with voice tracks in the Anishinaabelanguage.

Ottawa 2017 organizers partnered with multimedia entertainment studio Moment Factory to producethe looping, 10-minute show after consultingwith members of theAlgonquins of Pikwkanagn First Nation, as well as local Mtis and Inuit communities.

GuyLaFlamme, Ottawa 2017 executive director, told CBC Radio'sOttawa MorningMwte will be a "spiritual" experience on the Ottawa River.

"It's not historical whitewash. We're talking about the dark side of our history, residential schools, getting people to realize that First Nations have been in this area for 10,000 years," he said Thursday.

"It's a multi-sensory experience as you feel the mist from the falls, the sound, the beautiful light projection. At times, it's going to feel like a rock concert."

Show a 'mockery,' elder says

But elder Albert Dumont, a spiritual adviser from the KitiganZibiFirst Nation, said the entire production is disrespectful to Indigenous culture.

"It's mockery that Canadians some people at least ...mock our spiritual beliefs with glitz and lights and that kind of thing," Dumont said.

"They would never do that with anybody else's spiritual beliefs. Nobody would ever allow that, whether it's the holy people of a synagogue, mosque, or church. They would never allow that to occur at a sacred place of theirs."

Dumont has been a vocal critic of the Zibidevelopment on Albert Island, and ofacraft festival tied to Canada 150 celebrations held thereearlier this year.

'Reconciliation is a 2-way street'

Christina Ruddy, amember of the PikwkanagnFirst Nation and board member of Ottawa 2017, said those who worked on the show knew some in the Indigenous community would be opposed toMwte, but kept an open mind throughout development.

She said Ottawa 2017 had a "deep appreciation" of Indigenous culture, and included the voices of Indigenous youth on the soundtrack.

"Reconciliation is a two-way street," she said.

"If we can achieve a public viewing of the falls the first time in over 100 year, if we can do it culturally, if we can do it to educate, it's OKif people don't agree, but there's going to be people who want to be here, too. And we need to be cognizant of the fact that we're all in this together."

Dumont said he has no plans to see the show and would rather see no development at the site at all.

"We need more sacred sites, not less."

Mwteruns Oct.6 to 22from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. and again from Oct. 23 to Nov. 5from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

• Listen to the full interview with CBC Radio here