First Nations Garden: The Tree of Peace (Garden Tours) [Montréal Botanical Garden]

White Pine (Pinus strobus) Photo: Normand Fleury

Hardwood Forest

The Keepers of the Deciduous Forest
The Sugar Maple
The Basket Tree
The Gifts of the Earth
From Plump Berries to Fruit Paste
Fruits as Big as Damsons
Well-Travelled Nuts
The Power of Herbs
Women of the Corn
Plants of Light and Spirit
The Tree of Peace»»
The Three Sisters
The Art of the Longhouses
Tangled Grain Wood
The Mystery of Annedda

Conifer Forest

Northern Territory

Knowledge, Know-how

HARDWOOD FOREST

The Tree of Peace

The white pine can grow to a height of more than 35 metres and is one of the largest trees in Eastern Canada. It flourishes in full sunlight, and is easy to spot because of its size and shape. In the forest, it serves as a point of reference for the Algonquin, and has always been used for a variety of purposes by other nations. For example, the Iroquoians would hollow out pine trunks to make dugouts, the Huron-Wendat built fences of pine logs, and all the First Nations made pine-based remedies. In addition, the pine has becomed the emblem of the League of the Iroquois and a symbol in myths, diplomatic discourse and Iroquoian artistic representations. The pine, the Tree of Life, the Tree of Peace and the Celestial Tree, was one of the strongest images used by Grand Chief Kondiaronk in a speech made the year before the peace treaty of Montréal was signed in 1701: Today, the sun has scattered the clouds, revealing this wonderful Tree of Peace...