05/21/2026
Another mural complete!
This mural speaks to the connection between past, present, and future generations through Indigenous teachings, identity, and responsibility to one another and to the water.
The silhouettes in the sky represent our next generations — our future. Within them are the Seven Grandfather Teachings, reminding us that our children carry the knowledge we teach today. They are the ones who will continue the journey forward. If we learn, heal, and grow together, they will walk a stronger and better path than the generations before them. The teachings guide them with love, respect, bravery, honesty, humility, wisdom, and truth.
The four women standing together represent the present generations — the people living today who hold the responsibility of caring for the water, the land, and one another. Their hands gathered around the water symbolize unity, protection, and shared responsibility. Water is life, and how we care for it reflects how we care for our people.
Their skirts carry the colors of the Medicine Wheel, representing the four directions, the four races of humanity, and the understanding that although we come from different paths and experiences, we are all one people connected together. Embedded within the skirts are symbols representing the three Indigenous peoples of Canada: the Inukshuk for Inuit peoples, the Métis infinity flag for Métis peoples, and the Medicine Wheel representing First Nations peoples. Together, these symbols honor resilience, identity, and unity among Indigenous communities.
The rocks beneath the women hold the silhouettes of Elder faces — our grandfathers, ancestors, and forefathers. They represent the past generations and the foundation upon which we stand today. Their teachings keep us grounded and remind us that our strength comes from those who walked before us. Even when unseen, the ancestors remain present, supporting and guiding future generations.
The sturgeon swimming below carries deep meaning within the mural. As one of the oldest fish species, the sturgeon represents survival, resilience, wisdom, and ancient knowledge. It has lived through countless generations, adapting and enduring much like Indigenous peoples themselves. The sturgeon moves beneath the waters carrying memory, teachings, and spirit from the ancestors to the generations yet to come. It reminds us that culture, teachings, and identity survive when we continue to protect the waters, listen to our Elders, and pass knowledge forward.
Together, the mural reflects the cycle of generations — ancestors beneath us, present generations standing together today, and future generations rising above us — all connected through teachings, identity, water, and spirit.
