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Three-part series scheduled to premiere September 10, 2026, on Bell Fibe TV1
FORT ERIE – Echoes of the Ancestors is a new three-part documentary series produced by Michael Summers and Mitch Baird of the McLean Consulting Group, is scheduled to launch September 10 on Bell Fibe TV1.
The series explores the cultural and historical significance of Indigenous burial grounds and archaeological sites in the Fort Erie region, including the Orchid and Surma ossuary sites and the area surrounding the Peace Bridge. Through archaeological research, community perspectives and conversations with Indigenous knowledge holders and heritage professionals, the documentary connects the region’s ancient Indigenous presence with questions that remain urgent today.
Across three episodes, Echoes of the Ancestors examines what archaeological discoveries can teach us about the communities that lived, gathered and traded along the Niagara River and Lake Erie. It also considers the responsibility to treat burial grounds, ancestral remains and cultural materials with respect while communities navigate development, infrastructure and preservation.
“This documentary is about learning from the land, listening to the people who carry this history, and helping viewers understand that Indigenous presence in Fort Erie reaches far beyond the written record,” said Mitch Baird, producer. Host and producer Michael Summers adds “We hope the series becomes a useful starting point for education, respectful discussion and stronger collaboration.”
The production brings together interviews and perspectives from Indigenous knowledge holders, archaeologists, historians and community partners Including Ron Williamson of ASI Heritage, Rick Hill, Six Nations knowledge keeper and Order of Canada Recipient, Fort Erie Mayor Wayne Redekop and many others.
Filming took place in Fort Erie over two years, and included locations connected to the Niagara River, local archaeological history and the documentary’s central themes of memory, responsibility and cultural continuity.
Originally published in the Two Row Times, September 9, 2026 (Volume 14, Issue 4), page 2.