An event was held in Oxenden to honour Indigenous Peoples Day and Indigenous History Month, ahead of the unveiling of a painting next month.
The Oxenden Indigenous Art Project organized event on June 25, saw over 100 people attend festivities, according to Martha McGloin, a member of the project.
The art project is a community project which aims to contribute to the spirit of reconciliation through art.
“We wanted to bring together our neighbours and people from the First Nations community to learn more about First Nations culture but also build new relationships and we had an incredible response,” says McGloin.
McGloin says some of the festivities included a sacred fire, singers and drummers, as well as dancers.
McGloin says they have commissioned an Indigenous artist from Nawash to create a painting which will be placed in the middle of the community.
“We are going to mount it on the main intersection here in Oxenden as a kind of acknowledgement of the Indigenous keepers of the land for a long time before settlers arrived,” says McGloin.
McGloin says the piece Ajiijak, or The Crane by artist Charmaine Jenner Tauchkwe, will be enlarged to 10″ and situated on the wall of the old general store in Oxenden.
Tauchkwe describes the Ajiijak as a symbol of leadership who uses its voice to speak on behalf of the people for the good of the Community and Nation.
Crane Painting (Image provided by Martha McGloin)
The painting will be unveiled on Aug. 13.
