Charmaine Jenner (Tauchkwe), a self-taught Woodland Style artist from Neyaashiinigmiing, has been selected to have one of her paintings installed as a piece of public art as a community-funded symbol of reconciliation efforts.

The project grew from conversations among a group of neighbours in the village of Oxenden at a summer picnic intended to celebrate Canada’s 150, where they quickly realized that if we are looking back at the early inhabitants of the village, the last 150 years is only one part the story, with First Nations people having stewarded it for over 10,000 years. As a group of neighbours, they set to work to figure out what they could do to honour the much longer history of the First Nations who originally lived here and to begin an effort to help right the many historic wrongs in First Nations / settler relations.

They researched the Treaties and held a gathering to learn from renowned local First Nations historian Lenore Keeshig-Tobias, and put together a Call for Proposals for First Nations artists to propose a piece of large-scale public art. Installing the art on the property that they now own marks a public acknowledgement that the drive for private land ownership by settlers and colonizers is exactly what forced the relocation and dispersion of the local First Nations onto reserves. In this case the residents of the South Side of Colpoys Bay in Saugeen Ojibway Nation Territory were relocated to Neyaashiinigmiing and to Beausoleil First Nation on the Christian, Beckwith and Hope Islands, so the Call for Proposals was directed at artists with connection to these regions.

The project received three very strong submissions, and the Jury, including local residents and Indigenous artists, youth and leaders, settled on Charmaine’s Crane because of both the beauty of the piece and the layers of symbolism and teachings embedded within it. Crane (Ajiijak) represents leadership and speaks on behalf of the people for the good of the Community and Nation.
The Crane lives in harmony with the land, the water and takes to the air with grace and ease. We can all learn how to speak up for, and take care of the land, air and waters, so that our future generations may enjoy the beauty and sacredness of Creation.

source: media release