Environmental stewardship artwork by the Anemki Wajiw mountain keepers and Elders now on display
By Rick Garrick
THUNDER BAY — Environmental stewardship artwork by the Anemki Wajiw mountain keepers and Elders was recently highlighted on a 10×20-foot billboard facing Anemki Wajiw (Mt. McKay) on James St. in Thunder Bay. The artwork was created with inks made from wild plants and water from Anemki Wajiw during the Fort William First Nation-Lakehead University Climate Change and Health Adaptation program held in mid-August on Anemki Wajiw. The billboard, located just north of the James Street Swing Bridge, was scheduled to be up for four weeks from Nov. 7-Dec. 5.
“It’s very noticeable because it’s not advertising anything — it’s got a message, which is Listen to Anemki Wajiw, or in Anishinaabemowin, Anemki Wajiw Manidoo Bizindaw,” says Betty Carpick, an Indigenous land-based artist based in Thunder Bay who taught the mountain keepers how to make the inks during the Climate Change and Health Adaptation program. “There’s kind of a direct impact and then also something to think about. People have responded really favourably. In Thunder Bay, a billboard can be easily seen by lots of people because we’re not that big of a city.”
Carpick, who also provided handmade copper carbonate ink for the mountain keepers to use on their artwork as a homage to the copper quarried by Indigenous people on Lake Superior, says people loved the idea of having the mountain keepers’ artwork installed on the billboard.
“It’s like you collected all these pieces of art by youth and Elders and it’s available 24/7,” Carpick says. “It doesn’t matter whether you’re walking or driving, you can stop and enjoy it or just drive by and enjoy it.”
Lindsay Galway, Canada Research Chair in Social-Ecological Health and associate professor at Lakehead University, says the Climate Change and Health Adaptation program, which was about understanding the intersection between climate change, land and health, included interviews with Elders and the creation of a quilt in 2021.
“One of the key findings from that work from Elders was just how important youth are and the need to continue building intergenerational relationships,” Galway says, noting that the work was grounded in the idea of exploring land care-taking and land defending through relationship building, and in particular, intergenerational relationship building. “[This year], we were up there on the mountain creating beautiful artwork using materials from the land that were gathered in a respectful way and throughout that process we’re building respectful relationships, and I think that in addition to the beautiful art that was created, that was a really beautiful thing that emerged.”
Galway says Gail Bannon, culture and recreation coordinator at Fort William, shared that all of the Climate Change and Health Adaptation program participants she had spoken with were so proud to see their artwork on the billboard.
“So I think that sense of pride of seeing their work in such a beautiful and visible way in our community was really important,” Galway says. “Part of what we wanted to do was ensure the youth, the mountain keepers felt heard, so I think displaying the work the way we did was another layer of feeling heard and feeling respected.”
Galway says the Climate Change and Health Adaptation program included a focus on participants talking about their gifts.
“So seeing the billboard and seeing it so visible and making it seen in our community we hope [will] further that feeling and recognition of the gifts that each and every one of the youth that participated in the mountain keepers program carry and will continue to carry forward with them,” Galway says.
Sarah McPherson, a Couchiching citizen from Treaty #3, photographed the artwork and designed the billboard.