The Downtown Wallaceburg BIA has introduced a new series of street banners on James Street created by local Indigenous artists, following a call issued on social media earlier this year.
Coordinator Brandy Verbeem said artists were asked to depict what Truth and Reconciliation meant to them, resulting in six pieces now displayed on 34 light posts throughout the downtown.
The project was supported through councillors Aaron Hall and Amy Finn’s portions of the Hydro One Council Ward Funding Program.
One of the banners, with Dancing Children, was created by Abee Naudee‑Southgate. She said the piece represents the 215 Indigenous children whose remains were found in an unmarked mass grave on the grounds of the former Kamloops Residential School, a discovery that intensified national conversations about residential school trauma and remembrance. Naudee‑Southgate said the banner also reflects her own family’s history, including the story of her father’s father, a residential school survivor. Her father built a hidden room in their home to protect his ten children, along with others from the neighbourhood, when residential school agents arrived. The children were instructed to hide in the attic and remain silent until the danger passed.
Harmony Blackbird created another banner titled We Are Still Here. She said her piece represents the endurance of language and culture despite the impacts of colonization. The stars symbolize ancestors, including those who died in residential schools or never returned home. The fire within the sun reflects a spirit that was never weakened. The silhouette of a woman represents Mother Earth, shown with a sweetgrass braid in recognition of Bkejwanong, known for its sweetgrass. Water imagery is included to reflect stories central to the community.
The remaining banners were created by John Williams, who contributed three pieces featuring a feather, cardinals and an orange design with butterflies, and by Gretchen Gamble, who submitted a piece centred on a turtle.
The installation comes ahead of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30, which honours survivors of residential schools, the children who never returned home and the families and communities affected.
Here are some more photos from the day:
