A new mural by Behchokǫ̀ artist James Wedzin tells the story of women, girls and communities living in the North and the work towards healing, interconnection and cultural safety within the space.
The debut of the impressive painting brought together community members, artists and leaders in downtown Yellowknife for the YWCA NWT’s 60 year anniversary.
The mural’s unveiling took place at Gotı̨ li Kǫ̀ on 54 Street followed by an open house celebration on Thursday in Yellowknife.
Wedzin explained that the painting shows how “boundaries in our community intersect as one.”
“Without words, art can tell a story about how all of the community and all of the people, get together, all different nationalities become one within the beautiful landscape that we have.”
Wedzin expressed gratitude for the opportunity to show his art and with a rich canvas of color, create a “family portrait of the landscape.”
The artist explained the painting brings together all of the dynamic elements connected to the land, from the people to the spirits of the Ancestors, the sky, waters and all of the life within.
Wedzin said he worked with Elders as he painted who asked him questions as he worked. They shared their visions of families sitting in the fields filled with leaves and greenery.
Wedzin explained the vibrant colors of the painting are meant to represent the cultural diversity of the women and the ways the different communities “come together as one” “sharing our land.”
“It came naturally to me, this is what I do as an artist.”
Silhouette structures in the background of the landscape represent the YWCA’s work in bringing the community together, said Wedzin.
Birds and butterflies within the painting are symbols representing happiness.
“When you hear the birds and when you see the butterflies in the summertime, people having picnics and gatherings, you can see the people filled with smiles and the family coming together.”
The figure of an eagle hovers atop of the painting with wings outstretched. Wedzin explained that the eagle depicted alongside the figures of Ancestors shows their constant presence and their protective powers.
“Our Ancestors are looking over us,” Wedzin said.
“We share the land with the eagle, the ravens, the caribou and the wolves.”
The artists explained that even though the animals do not appear on the land, in the painting, they are still present.
Wedzin said that when he began working on the painting he had no idea how it would turn out, but as he worked on it he found that it was through the colours the painting came to life.
Wedzin spent months working on the painting, beginning with the sky.
“When I first came here, the background when I did the sky, that was just one day,” explained the artist. “Then I came back, added more colours, added more people.”
“[The elders] asked for a little girl running with a butterfly,” reflected Wedzin. He motions to the figure of a young girl in the painting, who is moving towards the viewer, as a butterfly flies in the space between them.
Wedzin said the butterfly is meant to show the “distance.”
“Art tells a story without words,” explained Wedzin and share that work with the public is an important aspect of the creation process.
Throughout the painting the landscape is also a place of testimony.
A red dress blowing in the wind is depicted in one area of the painting to represent the Missing and Murdered women, girls and Two-Spirit people.
On the other side of the painting, a medicine wheel is depicted.
The work conveys the “connection, healing, resilience and community” of the women who have walked through the doors of Gotı̨ li Kǫ over the years, said Hawa Dumbuya-Sesay YWCA NWT Executive Director.
Dumbaya-Sesay thanked Wedzin for his work to bring a vision of that history to life.
Dumbuya-Sesay said that the vision depicted by the mural is deeply related to the broader struggles and changes taking place at centres like Gotı̨ li Kǫ, which translates to “path to recovery.”
“For 60 years the YWCA has advocated for supporting women families and youth across the N.W.T. Our work has changed over time, but our purpose has remained the same, which is to provide safety, support, opportunity and hope for women and girls across the North,” reflected Dumbuya-Sesay.
“This mural belongs to all of us, to the women, to the families and to the youth who have shaped our work, and to the staff and volunteers who are carrying it forward.”
Also in honour of the organization’s anniversary, Dumbuya-Sesay thanked all the people who have helped to advance the work of the organization.
“Their support has helped us open the doors to provide safe spaces, strengthening programs and work alongside women during the most challenging times in their lives.”
Dumbuya-Sesay honoured lifelong members and leaders including Julie Green, former president of the organization.
Green played an important role in helping advance a meaningful dialogue and accountability in the YWCA’s national apology and Reconciliation process related to the organization’s history and involvement in residential schools.
The history of the YWCA has not been without controversy, in 2024 local and national organization leaders apologized for the YWCA’s historic involvement in colonial assimilation programs.
In 2024 they issued a formal apology to Indigenous communities for their historical involvement in the operation of residential schools and other colonial institutions.
The YWCA NWT committed to creating a Reconciliation plan including the implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Recommendations.
In 2024, the YWCA NWT appointed their first in-house Elder to offer guidance and direction regarding Indigenous issues and community based responses, as well as guide initiatives enacting the TRC’s recommendations.
“The mural helps visually tell the story of YWCA NWT’s work supporting women, families and youth, while promoting healing, interconnection and cultural safety within the space,” said organizers in a special announcement this week ahead of the unveiling.
As Alayna Ward, with the YWCA NWT, pointed out the mural occupies a central location in the entry of Gotı̨ li Kǫ̀ transitional family housing building and office.
“A lot of the staff are located there and that’s where a lot of the programs take place as well. We have a lot of traffic that comes in and out of that location, as well as a lot of families that live in that location. So the place of the mural would be right at the entryway,” explained Ward earlier this year.
The organization is made up of more than 80 front line staff, who work in housing, legal, childcare, family and youth programs, as well as the family violence shelter, which is among the few territory-run shelters of its kind in the North.
The YWCA’s services from housing, to family violence shelter, to legal assistance, childcare along with their youth programs are growing in demand.
“Over the years, we’re just finding that more and more need is coming from the community where with the issue of housing insecurity, and the increase of gender-based violence across Canada, and more so in the territory. We’re finding more and more women and families are seeing it themselves and are facing this situations and they need help,” said Dumbuya-Sesay.
