How a Hindu Statue in Ontario is Completely ignorant and Disprespectful towards Indigenous Natives of North America

Recently, a 51 foot(Hmm 51, who's obsessed with this number) statue was set up in Ontario. Being that of a Hindu Deity, king Rama. While news outlets claim this is a "Canadian Diety", this is extremely disrespectful and completely wrong! This is a dangerous step. As a historian and advocate for human rights, I belive this is a step over the rights of our very own Indigenous Native Americans. Canadians can honor foreign deities, but to assert then as Canadian is a scary move. I call on the Canadian Government to issue statements to clarify this to the misinformed Canadians who will think this is accurate history and continue to dismantle the real Indigenous history on THIS continent. 

Image sourced from Wikipedia 

Erecting a Hindu statue of a deity in a location considered a major epicenter for North American Indigenous history is a highly problematic and dangerous decision due to fundamental issues of Indigenous rights, cultural sovereignty, and Canada's commitment to Reconciliation.

Here are the key reasons why this is a dangerous and harmful action:

1. Continuation of Cultural Erasure and Dispossession

Replacing Indigenous Presence: Placing a monument from a settler or immigrant culture (even a non-European one) in a space explicitly significant to Indigenous history and identity is seen as a modern form of cultural displacement. It visually and symbolically replaces the original, continuous Indigenous presence with a foreign religious assertion.

Echoes of Colonialism: Historically, European powers established their dominance by tearing down Indigenous markers and erecting Christian symbols. While the motivations of the Hindu community are different (often focused on visibility and pride), the act of establishing a foreign religious monument on a site of deep Indigenous significance repeats the colonial pattern of superseding Indigenous spiritual and historical claims to the land.

2. Violation of Indigenous Cultural Sovereignty

Denial of Sacred Space: Many Indigenous cultures view the land itself as sacred, not just as a location for a monument. If the site is an ancient village, burial ground, ceremonial place, or a key part of oral history, installing any non-Indigenous structure—especially a large religious icon—is a profound desecration and a violation of spiritual rights.

Lack of Consent and Consultation: In the era of Reconciliation, the process of consulting and obtaining free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) from the relevant First Nation, Métis, or Inuit community is paramount. Proceeding with such a project without the full support of the rights-holders is an act of disrespect and political aggression.

3. Undermining Reconciliation

Reconciliation is Land-Based: Reconciliation in Canada is fundamentally about acknowledging the historical injustice of land dispossession and restoring Indigenous authority over their traditional territories and heritage. An action that further marginalizes Indigenous history by imposing a non-Indigenous monument in a key heritage site directly contravenes the spirit and goals of Reconciliation.

Prioritizing Settler Identity Over Indigenous Rights: It sends a message that the desire of a relatively recent immigrant community for visible identity and recognition is given priority over the fundamental and inherent rights of the original peoples of the land, deepening divisions and resentment.

4. Fueling Inter-Cultural Conflict

Distraction from Core Issues: Such a controversy shifts the public conversation away from the urgent needs of Indigenous communities (clean water, housing, land claims, justice) to a debate over cultural inclusion, which is often a lower priority than basic human rights and self-determination.

Creation of a Target: In a climate where monuments are often sites of protest and political contention (as seen with statues of Canadian colonial figures), the installation of a new, highly visible, and controversial religious statue could become a focal point for protest and confrontation, risking the safety of community members and further politicizing a sacred landscape.

In short, the danger is that the statue acts as a neocolonial marker, asserting an immigrant or settler claim to a space that Indigenous communities are actively working to reclaim and define on their own terms as part of their sovereign rights.

North America’s tallest Lord Ram statue unveiled in Mississauga, Canada : r/mississauga https://share.google/vhjiVDLsmXb9WtlCc

Rama - Wikipedia https://share.google/HGQvcgbtuH2AliUd0