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Sky Stories brings 17th-century stargazing and navigation to life.
Summary
Sky Stories is a new winter program at Sainte-Marie among the Hurons that presents 17th-century uses of the night sky from Jesuit and Wendat perspectives; tours run Friday to Sunday and tickets cost $8.85 and must be booked in advance.
Content
Sky Stories is a new winter program at Sainte-Marie among the Hurons that explores how people in the 17th century used the night sky. The program pairs Jesuit astronomy with Wendat (Huron) cultural teachings and living-history interpretation. Guests begin in the modern visitors' centre and follow guides through historic buildings on the reconstructed mission site. Sainte-Marie was founded in 1639 and later rebuilt as a living-history museum.
Key details:
- The experience begins in the visitors' centre with a 15-minute introductory film and an overview of how the night sky shaped worldviews, navigation, and seasonal knowledge in the 17th century.
- Guides lead a brief outdoor walk and speak on the North Star from both French Jesuit and Indigenous perspectives.
- The tour visits the Church of St. Joseph, where interpreters discuss Jesuit astronomical activity, and the Longhouse, where Wendat perspectives on constellations and seasonal cues are shared.
- The program notes that Jesuits were active astronomers in the 17th century and that Wendat use of stars included marking seasons and guiding travel; an example given links the Big Dipper's spring position to maple-tapping time.
- Tours are held Friday to Sunday during the winter, tickets are $8.85 per person and must be booked in advance, and portions of the experience take place outdoors or in unheated buildings.
Summary:
The program offers an evening that combines 17th-century astronomy, Indigenous teachings, and immersive storytelling at a reconstructed mission site. Tours run Fridays through Sundays during winter and require advance booking; ticketing and scheduling details were provided by Sainte-Marie among the Hurons.
