It’s titled All Are My Relatives and the eye-catching mural along the west wall of St. Thomas Public Library is significant in that it highlights the importance of storytelling.
Painted by Nancy Deleary, a cultural coordinator at Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, she explained in this time of healing, Indigenous People are finding their voice and again becoming the storytellers they once were for thousands of years.
Deleary noted, “First off, knowing this is a library, and this is a place where stories are stored, I wanted to relay the importance of storytelling in our culture.
The spectacular work is part of the city’s Track to the Future mural project supported financially by the Estate of Donna Vera Evans Bushell.
Just days before the inaugural National Day of Truth and Reconciliation Sep. 30, a small ceremony was held to officially unveil the spectacular mural along the west wall of St. Thomas Public Library.
Look carefully and you’ll see several animals, including a mother bear and her cub and Deleary explained their significance.
In the top left-hand corner the mural, you will spot a trio of thunderbirds. They bring change, advised Deleary and, along with several other animals depicted, are a reminder to us all that we share the natural environment. Which explains the significance of the title of her truly memorable mural.
And then there is the corn prominently visible across the mural. The Ojibwa word for corn is Mondamin, the very same as Mondamin Street, which parallels the library’s west wall.
In Anishinabe tradition, Mandaamin or Mondamin is the spirit of the corn.
The mural will provide a magnificent backdrop for the outdoor reading garden at the library.
