The Indigenous augmented reality experiences were made possible through funding support from FedDev Ontario through the Tourism Growth Program. We gratefully acknowledge the leadership, vision and cultural expertise of Louis Harris, Heartland Forest’s Staff Member, and the creative development work of Meld Media, whose collaboration brought these interactive storytelling experiences to life. Two experiences were developed – ‘Three Sisters Garden’ within Heartland’s Indigenous Friendship Garden, and ‘The Indigenous Creation Story’, within Heartland’s Nature Centre’s Turtle Tales exhibit.

FedDev Ontario website: https://feddev-ontario.canada.ca/en
Meld Media website: https://www.meldmedia.com/

What Is Augmented Reality?

Augmented reality is a technology that uses your phone or tablet to add digital images, audio, and information to what you see in the real world. As you explore the garden, you can unlock interactive content that deepens your understanding of the Three Sisters — corn, beans, and squash — and their cultural, agricultural, and ecological significance. As you explore the Indigenous Creation Story mural, you can activate interactive storytelling elements that reveal the teachings, characters, and meanings woven into the artwork, creating a deeper and more engaging connection to the story of Sky Woman and Turtle Island.

How it works

The augmented reality experiences use the Snap Chat app.

Bring the Indigenous Creation Story Mural to Life

Discover the Indigenous Creation Story through an immersive augmented reality experience located inside the Nature Centre, adjacent to the Turtle Tales Exhibit.

Using your phone or tablet, this interactive feature brings the Creation Story to life through layered digital images, audio, and storytelling. As you move through the exhibit space, you will engage with teachings that share the origins of the land, the role of Sky Woman, and the significance of Turtle Island.

This innovative experience offers visitors of all ages a meaningful and accessible way to connect with Indigenous knowledge, culture, and storytelling traditions. By blending technology with tradition, the exhibit creates a powerful opportunity for learning, reflection, and deeper understanding.

We invite you to visit the Nature Centre and experience the Creation Story in a whole new way.

Discover the Three Sisters Garden in a Whole New Way

During the Spring, Summer and Fall, step into an immersive experience at our Indigenous Three Sisters Garden with our new augmented reality (AR) feature. This innovative addition blends digital storytelling with the natural beauty of the garden, bringing the teachings of the Three Sisters Story to life. For the Indigenous Friendship Garden location visit our property map and reference #20.

THE LAUNCH

Heartland was pleased to launch the portable ‘Three Sisters’ exhibit at Toronto’s MULTIfest event in mid-October 2025 followed by our largest community event, PumpkinFest in late October. The portable exhibit allows the community to experience the story during the winter season.

Q: What is this experience all about?

It’s a spatial interactive story in Augmented Reality that tells the story of the Three Sisters. The project is funded by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, and it will live as a location-based experience at Heartland Forest Nature Experience in Niagara Falls, as part of the Indigenous Friendship Garden that features a planted Three Sisters garden at the site.

Q: Can you tell me more about the origin of the Three Sisters?
This experience is based on a Mohawk/Haudenosaunee interpretation of the Three Sisters. The story connects to the traditional farming practice of planting corn, beans, and squash together—each supporting the others’ growth. It also reflects the importance of storytelling in Indigenous culture as a way of teaching values, preserving history, and strengthening community.

Q: Is the Three Sisters story unique to the Mohawk / Haudenosaunee?
The story of the Three Sisters is told across many Indigenous nations, but this experience shares one version of the story, others might differ in details but the themes and lessons are the same.

Q: Why Augmented Reality?
Augmented Reality allows the story to be experienced spatially—bringing the Three Sisters to life in an immersive and interactive way. It bridges traditional storytelling with contemporary technology, inviting people to engage with culture and history in a new dimension.