This page is about the mural project that took place at St. Thomas Aquinas from March 2 - 6, 2015.
Over 100 students from different classes took part in a mural project involving critically acclaimed Métis artist Christi Belcourt and traditional Ojibway Storyteller Isaac Murdoch from Serpent River First Nation.
The idea behind this project is based on Anishinaabewin: using Indigenous Knowledge for the future. Based on an Ojibway story, Jiignong Aadsookan ~The Sacred Fisher Story, students and teachers learned about the importance of Indigenous Knowledge, and how that understanding can provide insight and answers to today's issues pertaining to environmental sustainability, contributing factors to climate change, destruction of the earth, and the role students can take to become active in creating positive change.
The week-long project began with an opening ceremony conducted by Nancy Rowe from New Credit First Nation and Maurice Switzer from Alderville First Nation. Students had the honour of witnessing two women who travelled with Nancy to present Métis artist Christi Belcourt with moccasin vamps that will be later joined with 1800 other pairs of vamps that are apart of a national campaign called Walking With Our Sisters – a national effort to address the growing number of missing and murdered indigenous women across Canada. Hearing the woman share about the murder of their cousin one year ago was a moving experience for all. Following the opening ceremony, Isaac Murdoch from Serpent River First Nation, told the Sacred Fisher Story, upon which the mural is based.
Students, staff and community worked tirelessly from 8am to 11pm in order to complete the 4-panel mural in just four days! At the end of the week, we had an unveiling ceremony that included invited guests from our Board and other boards, Ministry of Education and various media outlets. We were honoured to have Peter Schuler from New Credit First Nation conduct the ceremony as well as MaryLou Smoke from Batchewana First Nation and Dan Smoke from the Seneca Nation to also speak at our unveiling ceremony.
Overall, it was an incredible experience for everyone involved. The message was clear: we are in a sacred story right now! The earth is in trouble and needs our help. How our story ends will depend on what role we will play. Will you be a hero or a villain?
The idea behind this project is based on Anishinaabewin: using Indigenous Knowledge for the future. Based on an Ojibway story, Jiignong Aadsookan ~The Sacred Fisher Story, students and teachers learned about the importance of Indigenous Knowledge, and how that understanding can provide insight and answers to today's issues pertaining to environmental sustainability, contributing factors to climate change, destruction of the earth, and the role students can take to become active in creating positive change.
The week-long project began with an opening ceremony conducted by Nancy Rowe from New Credit First Nation and Maurice Switzer from Alderville First Nation. Students had the honour of witnessing two women who travelled with Nancy to present Métis artist Christi Belcourt with moccasin vamps that will be later joined with 1800 other pairs of vamps that are apart of a national campaign called Walking With Our Sisters – a national effort to address the growing number of missing and murdered indigenous women across Canada. Hearing the woman share about the murder of their cousin one year ago was a moving experience for all. Following the opening ceremony, Isaac Murdoch from Serpent River First Nation, told the Sacred Fisher Story, upon which the mural is based.
Students, staff and community worked tirelessly from 8am to 11pm in order to complete the 4-panel mural in just four days! At the end of the week, we had an unveiling ceremony that included invited guests from our Board and other boards, Ministry of Education and various media outlets. We were honoured to have Peter Schuler from New Credit First Nation conduct the ceremony as well as MaryLou Smoke from Batchewana First Nation and Dan Smoke from the Seneca Nation to also speak at our unveiling ceremony.
Overall, it was an incredible experience for everyone involved. The message was clear: we are in a sacred story right now! The earth is in trouble and needs our help. How our story ends will depend on what role we will play. Will you be a hero or a villain?
How the project began:
I teach an Alternative Education Program along with another teacher and we had changed rooms at the beginning of the semester. The walls were very bare and I thought it would be nice to paint something to liven the room up. In the beginning of the semester, Isaac Murdoch from Serpent River First Nation was at our school presenting in classes on different topics pertaining to his history and culture. While in our class, he told the Fisher Story (there is actually a part 2 as well!) and when he was finished, the students said, "Let's paint that on the wall!". After Isaac left to go back up north, we spoke over the phone about how we could paint the story. During that time, Isaac had contacted Christi Belcourt and told her about what we were planning to do and why. Christi said that she wanted to help and suggested we do a mural....a really big mural, but in pieces so that it could travel...and so it began!
Preparing for the project:
Now that this project was going to be much larger than originally planned, I wanted to get as many people involved as possible. I sent out an email to my school staff and explained the project. I arranged for Isaac Murdoch to come down the week before we started painting so that he could speak to classes that couldn't paint, but wanted to hear the message and do something with their class. Also, while he was down the week before, he spoke to 60 elementary teachers at a PD session they attended through our board.
With the help of students, we created a promo video to show classes to get students excited and inspired about the project and the very important message. The video (see below) highlighted Josephine Mandamin and the Water Walks she has been doing since 2003 as a way to show how easy it is to get involved and create an impact on others to do the same. We also wanted to raise awareness about our water and celebrate the amazing work First Nations people have doing protect our environment.
Ceremony:
Recognizing the sacredness of this story and the land, it was vital to have guidance from our Elders and to begin in a good way. We also wanted to acknowledge the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of New Credit. We were honoured to have the following guests at our school:
Nancy Rowe - New Credit First Nation
Peter Schuler - New Credit First Nation
Christi Belcourt - Metis Nation
Isaac Murdoch - Serpent River First Nation
Maurice Switzer - Alderville First Nation
MaryLou Smoke - Batchewana First Nation
Dan Smoke - Seneca Nation
I teach an Alternative Education Program along with another teacher and we had changed rooms at the beginning of the semester. The walls were very bare and I thought it would be nice to paint something to liven the room up. In the beginning of the semester, Isaac Murdoch from Serpent River First Nation was at our school presenting in classes on different topics pertaining to his history and culture. While in our class, he told the Fisher Story (there is actually a part 2 as well!) and when he was finished, the students said, "Let's paint that on the wall!". After Isaac left to go back up north, we spoke over the phone about how we could paint the story. During that time, Isaac had contacted Christi Belcourt and told her about what we were planning to do and why. Christi said that she wanted to help and suggested we do a mural....a really big mural, but in pieces so that it could travel...and so it began!
Preparing for the project:
Now that this project was going to be much larger than originally planned, I wanted to get as many people involved as possible. I sent out an email to my school staff and explained the project. I arranged for Isaac Murdoch to come down the week before we started painting so that he could speak to classes that couldn't paint, but wanted to hear the message and do something with their class. Also, while he was down the week before, he spoke to 60 elementary teachers at a PD session they attended through our board.
With the help of students, we created a promo video to show classes to get students excited and inspired about the project and the very important message. The video (see below) highlighted Josephine Mandamin and the Water Walks she has been doing since 2003 as a way to show how easy it is to get involved and create an impact on others to do the same. We also wanted to raise awareness about our water and celebrate the amazing work First Nations people have doing protect our environment.
Ceremony:
Recognizing the sacredness of this story and the land, it was vital to have guidance from our Elders and to begin in a good way. We also wanted to acknowledge the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of New Credit. We were honoured to have the following guests at our school:
Nancy Rowe - New Credit First Nation
Peter Schuler - New Credit First Nation
Christi Belcourt - Metis Nation
Isaac Murdoch - Serpent River First Nation
Maurice Switzer - Alderville First Nation
MaryLou Smoke - Batchewana First Nation
Dan Smoke - Seneca Nation
Our flyer we used prior to beginning the project
Prior to our mural project, this video was shown to inspire students to take action and get involved!
Our Guests Biography's
Christi Belcourt
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Christi Belcourt is a Metis visual artist with a deep respect for the traditions and knowledge of her people. The majority of her work explores and celebrates the beauty of the natural world. Author of Medicines To Help Us (Gabriel Dumont Institute, 2007), Beadwork (Ningwakwe Learning Press, 2010) Christi’s work is found within the permanent collections of the National Gallery of Canada, the Art Gallery of Ontario, Gabriel Dumont Institute, the Indian and Inuit Art Collection, Parliament Hill, the Thunder Bay Art Gallery and Canadian Museum of Civilization, First People’s Hall. Christi is a past recipient of awards from the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, the Chalmers Family Fund and the Métis Nation of Ontario. In 2014 she was named Aboriginal Arts Laureate by the Ontario Arts Council and shortlisted for the Premier’s Award. She is currently the lead coordinator for Walking With Our Sisters.
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Isaac Murdoch
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Isaac Murdoch, whose Ojibway name is Sacred Rawhide, grew up in the traditional setting of hunting, fishing and trapping. During his many years living off the land, Isaac has learned many of the stories and legends that accompany many of the Sacred Sites and Values placed on Mother Earth and has become a wonderful narrator and advocate for these precious treasures. His many years of experience of conducting ceremonies have helped him maintain a special balance between man and nature and he is known for his advocacy for getting the younger generation in-touch with the land and these Sacred Sites. Through his company Ojibway Connections, Isaac spends most of his time teaching young people the traditional skills of living off the land and has facilitated dozens of Cultural Camps over the years. Isaac has travelled internationally as an advocate and spokesperson and has had the opportunity to meet with people such as Pope John Paul II, Queen Elizabeth & Prince Charles as well as many Canadian dignitaries including Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
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SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
March 2nd: Opening Ceremony, Storytelling & Painting
9:30am Opening Ceremony & Sacred Fisher Story (chapel)
Nancy Rowe from Mississaugas of New Credit First Nation (to honour the traditional territory we are on)
Welcome Song on hand drum - Students from Mrs. Williams class
Isaac Murdoch from Serpent River First Nation & Christi Belcourt, Metis Visual Artist - story telling
Special Guests:
*Maurice Switzer from Mississaugas of Alderville First Nation (Anishinabek News)
*JoAnn Henry from the Ministry of Education
*Pamala Tylee from the Ministry of Education
11:30am Break for lunch
12:00pm Set up & painting begins (room 303)
Nancy Rowe from Mississaugas of New Credit First Nation (to honour the traditional territory we are on)
Welcome Song on hand drum - Students from Mrs. Williams class
Isaac Murdoch from Serpent River First Nation & Christi Belcourt, Metis Visual Artist - story telling
Special Guests:
*Maurice Switzer from Mississaugas of Alderville First Nation (Anishinabek News)
*JoAnn Henry from the Ministry of Education
*Pamala Tylee from the Ministry of Education
11:30am Break for lunch
12:00pm Set up & painting begins (room 303)
March 3 - 5: Painting of Mural (all day in room 303)
March 6th: Mural Unveiling Ceremony
9:00am Unveiling of Mural & Ceremony (library)
Students will be presenting the mural and sharing about their learnings throughout the project
Students will be drumming & video presentation to highlight the project
Dish With One Spoon wampum belt teachings will be shared with respect to sustainable living & actions that will be taken moving forward
Special Guests:
*Isaac Murdoch from Serpent River First Nation
*Christi Belcourt Metis Artist
*Pete Shuler from Mississaugas of New Credit First Nation (to honour the traditional territory we are on)
*Maurice Switzer from Mississaugas of Alderville First Nation (Anishinabek News)
*Dan & MaryLou Smoke
*School board representatives
*Colinda Clyne from Upper Grand District School Board
*Local media outlets & APTN
Students will be presenting the mural and sharing about their learnings throughout the project
Students will be drumming & video presentation to highlight the project
Dish With One Spoon wampum belt teachings will be shared with respect to sustainable living & actions that will be taken moving forward
Special Guests:
*Isaac Murdoch from Serpent River First Nation
*Christi Belcourt Metis Artist
*Pete Shuler from Mississaugas of New Credit First Nation (to honour the traditional territory we are on)
*Maurice Switzer from Mississaugas of Alderville First Nation (Anishinabek News)
*Dan & MaryLou Smoke
*School board representatives
*Colinda Clyne from Upper Grand District School Board
*Local media outlets & APTN
