 All Are My Relatives - a Mural by Nancy Deleary, an accomplished artist & Cultural Coordinator at Chippewas of the Thames First Nation Completed at the St. Thomas Public Library, the mural 'All Are My Relatives' by indigenous artist Nancy Deleary highlights the importance of storytelling, and will captivate the next generation of children who gather to read books and listen to speakers in the outdoor reading garden. This mural connects with the specific setting at the Library, as well as the surrounding neighbourhood. The upper portion of the artwork, visible from the street, features a fire, row of corn, and an extraordinary night sky, a spectacular setting for the central characters including a storyteller and those gathered to listen by the fire.  Mural on Mondamin Street side of the St. Thomas Public Library Symbolism and Mythology This mural connects with the specific setting at the Library, as well as the surrounding neighbourhood. The upper portion of the artwork, visible from the street, features a fire, row of corn, and an extraordinary night sky, a spectacular setting for the central characters including a storyteller and those gathered to listen by the fire. In the lower corners of the piece, there are animals that will draw visitors into the setting. The muskrat is key to the Indigenous Recreation story, as following the great flood, the semiaquatic rodent brought life back to earth from the depths through a morsel of sand. Viewers will note that the muskrat has a bandolier bag, which has always been a part of First Nations and Native American attire. There is also a mother bear and cub in the design. Similar to the muskrat, the mother bear is wearing a bandolier bag, symbolizing that all of creation has been given a set of original instructions and responsibilities that they have always maintained. The animals are situated in the space to remind human beings that we share the natural environment. This is emphasized by how the bear and cub are positioned on rock formations that visually extend the reading garden amphitheatre. All living things are in the same spot. The bear is traditionally considered a protector and maintains a very close relationship to the earth.  Language The corn in the design connects to the adjacent roadway, Mondamin Street, as Mondamin is the Ojibwa word for corn. Prompted by this fact, Deleary noted that there are other local street names that reference First Nations culture, such as Hiawatha, Meda, Omemee, and Owaissa. The names were inspired by the work of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the American poet popular in the 19th century who has since earned a mixed reputation. His epic poem ‘The Song of Hiawatha’ features Indigenous characters, and apparently influenced the naming of streets in the Great Lakes region; however, he took considerable license in his work and many would view the poem now as an example of cultural appropriation. With the mural design, Deleary has referenced this historical note while simultaneously rooting the word again in the context of First Nations culture.  Mural found at Chippewa Community Centre by Nancy Deleary. Anishinaabeg translates to "people from whence lowered". ARTIST STATEMENT by Nancy DelearyI grew up not knowing anything about who I am as a member of the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation. I could not speak my original language; I did not know what Chippewas did, and I had heard no stories about where we came from and what we had done. This situation we were and still are in for many of us, was designed to be this way. A thousand years ago my ancestors prophesized that there was going to be a force that would come to this land and disrupt their way of life. A great migration of the Anishinaabeg1 began that saw many people leave their ancestral lands and travel west to settle around the Great Lakes and beyond to safeguard themselves. The language, knowledges and ceremonies were hidden and only recently have been surfaced to reteach those of us who were forced to forget. There is currently a movement throughout the First Nations and Native American people of this continent to revitalize and reclaim who we are. We have been told to share our knowledges, for it is our perspective that will aid in the situation our earth is in now. The detrimental effects of climate change are set in motion and decisions need to be made to secure life for the future. We are now remembering, and we are now speaking.” “Anishinaabe.” “People from whence lowered” Benton-Banai, Edward. The Mishomis Book. Saint Paul, Indian Country Press, Inc. 1979. Read More: Artist Bio
The ‘Track to the Future’ mural project is coordinated by Railway City Tourism in collaboration with Andrew Gunn Consulting and young & free press with generous financial support from the Estate of Donna Vera Evans Bushell.
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