Nova Hollandia Reenactment
Bringing Atlantic Canada’s forgotten 17th Century history to life!
Nova Hollandia Reenactment is a cross-cultural collaborative group of reenactors from New Brunswick and Nova Scotia committed to telling the largely-unrepresented 17th century stories of early Canadians. From early Indigenous interactions, French presence and Alexander’s Scots at Charlesfort, to the Acadian Civil War, English raids and invasion — and through the unlikely iteration as Nova Hollandia and beyond — NHR strives to create meaningful connections where cultures collided on these Maritime shores in times of extraordinary change.
With a focus on unrepresented voices, evidence-based research, and historical vocational, civilian and cottage industry preservation, NHR offers an immersive and engaging experience to both interpreter and visitor alike. We believe it’s important to understand the experiences, ideas and events of the past, and in the transformative power of education to change people's lives for the better. By igniting those conversations, those lessons from history allow us all to be better equipped to deal with the challenges of today. We’re passionate about the historical education of the public, working in partnership with Parks Canada and heritage sites, including Place Fort La Tour and Fort Anne (Charlesfort) among others. We are committed to creating a fun, friendly and safe environment, and value open communication, innovation, inclusion and diversity. Our membership reflects a strong desire for a far-reaching, dynamic and diverse array of impressions.
If this sounds like you, get in touch!
Reviving the Spirit of 17th Century Atlantic Canada
Founded in the Fall of 2024, Nova Hollandia Reenactment is the fastest growing living history group in Atlantic Canada, and is the only group in Canada focusing on early-mid 17th century history. This ‘late renaissance’ period saw massive cultural shifts in Europe, truly marking the end of the medieval period and the start of the modern world. The Atlantic Canadian provinces have a unique local connection to this history, as a crucible for the early interactions of European and Indigenous cultures.
Our groups presentation’s are tailored to the specific culture and target historical period of our host sites – from 1629 Scots at Fort Anne to 1645 French at Place Fort LaTour. Where the venue has no specific history of its own, we research the history of the surrounding area, to be able to bring a local connection. Whilst currently focusing on the period of 1621-1645, we are looking to expand to cover the whole period 1604-1696 over the next few years; as well as diversifying further from our current French and Anglo-Scottish portrayals.
Historical Crafts & Demonstrations
Nova Hollandia Reenactment
Unlike many groups, we treat military and civilian impressions as equal parts of the same story (in fact many members impressions encompass both aspects). The group is working toward developing a range of heritage crafts, but can currently offer in-depth demonstrations of period cookery, archery, music, gambling and card games, as well as the arms and armour of the period. This can include pike drill as well as firing displays with muskets and cannon (!). Moving beyond simple “show and tell” displays, NHR strives to recreate a more immersive and authentic experience through members actively performing their crafts, as well as a series of scripted and improvised vignettes. Again, where possible these are linked back to local historical events.
Military Drill
Games
Fur Trading
Period Cooking
Watch our Trained Band drill with musket and pike
We regularly play period dice games - we can even teach onlookers!
The Fur Trade was a key aspect in drawing Europeans to North America, and we reflect on aspectsof this
A sensory reconstruction of 1600s culinary life. We explore period-accurate recipes, fire-pit management, and the preservation techniques vital for survival.
Get Involved with Nova Hollandia
Whether you're looking to book an educational demonstration for your event or you're interested in joining our ranks of historical reenactors, we'd love to hear from you. Experience the heritage of 17th-century Atlantic Canada through costume, crafts, and community.