Monday, July 5, 2021

Monday Mural

 I'm linking up at Monday Mural 


July 2021 - Toronto ON

In Partnership with Myseum of Toronto, Elder Duke Redbird’s Wigwam Chi-Chemung (translates as pontoon longboat) floating art installation is back on display at Ontario Place South Marina from June 21 to October 17.

Click here for more Ontario Place photos.


Elder Duke Redbird is a poet, artist and educator with a passion for sharing his knowledge.




In 2018, after noticing what he described as a non-existent Indigenous presence along Toronto’s waterfront, he had the idea to change that. He purchased a houseboat that would become a vessel for sharing and celebrating Indigenous history with Torontonians.

Philip Cote is the artist, the Anishinaabe-Algonquin painter, historian, young spiritual elder and educator’s work is everywhere in Toronto.
Seeing his culture reflected around the city is something Cote didn’t have growing up in Toronto. It wasn’t until he immersed himself in cultural practices (he’s now a Pipe Carrier, a Sweat Ceremony leader and a Sundancer) that a desire to research and reclaim Indigenous history took hold in his work.


Elder Duke Redbird is answering someone's questions.




Cote’s side of the boat portrays a thunderbird and otter. Water is an appropriate place for people to come and ask questions about history, he says, as water represents the edge of the physical and spiritual worlds – where life comes from.





Cote recently collaborated on TTC maps of important Indigenous historic sites.
For more of Cote's work, click on Cote in the labels/tags below this post.

For the month of June, the TTC honoured Toronto’s rich Indigenous history through a campaign that highlighted different Indigenous historical sites in the north, south, east and west end of the city, near existing TTC routes and stations. Each poster featured historical facts about the site to educate Torontonians about its significance.

The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC)would like to thank the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Huron-Wendat First Nation and Young Spiritual Elder Philip Cote, MFA, for their collaboration on our Indigenous History Month content.

I saw this one as we were taking the subway to Yorkville.



5 comments:

  1. ...this is fabulous on so many levels. I'd love to see it in person.

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  2. I am SO impressed with this. The museum on the river is wonderful and it's great to see the First Nation is being honored in Toronto. I love these murals, Jackie.

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  3. Beautiful murals on both sides of the boat, and so nice that Indigenous people are being honoured.
    Thanks for participating in Monday Murals Jackie.

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  4. Really nice work! Have a good week.

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