From left to right: Grandmother Kathy, Christine Durocher, Isabelle Dooner, Rachel LaSalle, Carmel Whittle, Ulyn Georgette. (Gabrielle Vinette, EAP)
The Russell Branch of the Township of Russell Public Library hosted the opening ceremony for Echoes From This Land: Visioning and Revisiting the Truth & Reconciliation 94 Recommendations on September 19, bringing together more than 30 people for an afternoon of art, teachings and reflection.
The print-based exhibition brings together work by Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists and creators who interpreted the 94 Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada through visual art.
The exhibition is being presented in partnership with the No Borders Art Festival, Indigenous Grassroots Circle of Eastern Ontario and Circle of Art, Opirg-Gripo Ottawa. It will remain on display at the Russell Branch until the end of October.
The opening ceremony included teachings and a smudging ceremony led by Elders, as well as artistic presentations. Artist Sandra Villeneuve presented her collage, Erin Okrainec performed on the fiddle and Jacqueline Rosa recited poetry.
Carmel Whittle, director of the No Borders Art Festival, said bringing the exhibition into public spaces is an important part of creating opportunities for communities to engage with Indigenous perspectives.
“I think it’s important that we recognize the fact that people open up spaces for Echoes From This Land to be here, and that’s an act of decolonization,” Whittle said during the ceremony.
She said the project began through a national call that invited people across Canada to select one of the 94 Calls to Action to explore through art. Not all participants were artists, she noted, and some had never worked with a pencil before.
“That wasn’t the point,” Whittle said. “The point was that we got together through the support of many knowledge keepers, pipe carriers, Elders and residential school survivors.”
The project took approximately two years to complete and was conducted largely online. Whittle said participants had opportunities to learn from the stories and experiences shared throughout the process, including stories that were difficult to hear.
She described the project as a reminder that individual efforts toward reconciliation may seem small, but can contribute to a larger collective effort.
“We’re all a drop in the bucket,” she said, encouraging people to learn more about the Calls to Action and consider how they can contribute to reconciliation.
Whittle also emphasized the importance of recognizing the Indigenous histories connected to the lands where people live. She said participating in the project led many people involved to learn more about their own histories and relationships with the land.
France Séguin-Couture, CEO of the Township of Russell Public Library, welcomed the participants and said the exhibition aligns with the library’s strategic goal of highlighting local talent, culture and heritage.
“Through art, we can learn, listen, and create spaces for dialogue and understanding,” she said.
Séguin-Couture said the exhibition provides an opportunity for people to discover different perspectives while reflecting on truth, reconciliation, culture and heritage.
She also thanked the artists, Elders and others who contributed to bringing the exhibition to Russell Township, describing the library as a place where different voices and cultures can be seen, heard and shared.
Russell Township Coun. Lisa Deacon also spoke during the ceremony, highlighting the importance of having the exhibition accessible to the broader community.
“I’m glad that we’ll have two full months to really soak in it,” Deacon said. “Because I do hold a lot of hope for the future, the future of this place and the people who call it home.”
Deacon said she believes art can help communicate ideas that can sometimes be difficult to express through words alone.
“I find that often art helps us say the things that we struggle to say out loud,” she said.
As chair of the Township’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee, Deacon also highlighted municipal efforts related to the Calls to Action.
She said the committee has worked with municipal administration to identify Calls to Action that relate to municipal responsibilities and examine how those recommendations can be reflected in local government.
Deacon also announced that a smudging ceremony would take place at the Russell Township municipal office on September 28, alongside the raising of the Survivors’ Flag. The flag features artwork representing different Indigenous nations and identities across Canada and honours survivors of the residential school system.
The Echoes From This Land exhibition remains open to the public at the Russell Branch until the end of October.
