Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung Historical Centre
Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung Historical Centre (KNCWN), the Place of the Long Rapids, is a historically significant meeting place located along the banks of Manidoo Ziibi (Spirit River or Rainy River) in Northwestern Ontario. The site contains the largest concentration of known burial mounds in North America and was designated a National Historic Site of Canada by Parks Canada in 1970. For thousands of years, the people of Rainy River First Nations (RRFN) have acted as caretakers of the river and those who rest along its shores.
KNCWN is owned and operated by RRFN and offers interpretive tours and galleries, a collections space with over 16,000 artifacts, a gift shop that showcases artwork by local Indigenous artists, and a restaurant with a menu that includes traditional Ojibwe ingredients. KNCWN is an educational resource for the community, and allows RRFN to educate visitors about Ojibwe history, language, geography, culture, and traditions. Through these activities, the site continues to serve as a gathering place, a role it has played for thousands of years.
Company History
The Centre opened in the late 1990’s, but the area has seen intermittent occupations by Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples for thousands of years. The Centre employs around 10-15 RRFN community members on a seasonal basis.
The Centre serves as the cultural core of the community, a place for community members and visitors to gather to experience the rich history of Manidoo Ziibi. In addition to representing the history and traditional lifeways of the Anishinaabeg, KNCWN plays host to community gatherings, staff meetings, holiday buffets, and other community events, allowing the community to continue their deep connection with the site.
Company Facts
-Declared a National Historic Site of Canada
-Contains the largest concentration of Indigenous burial mounds in North America
-The grounds have over 10km worth of trail systems for hiking, biking, skiing, and snowshoeing
-The site has a unique ecosystem that is preserved through annual or bi-annual burns
-There is a geocache on the site
