YWCA NWT’s Gotı̨lı Kǫ̀ building now sports a new mural designed to provide a warm welcome and mark 60 years of the organization’s work in the North.
The charity, which supports northern women and families by offering accommodation and other services, invited Tłı̨chǫ artist James Wedzin to create the mural for the Yellowknife building.
The finished mural was unveiled at a ceremony last week.
“We wanted people, when they come into the YWCA space, to feel welcome,” said YWCA NWT executive director Hawa Dumbuya-Sesay, “and so it was really important for us to have a mural that reflects the diversity of the clients that we serve – recognizing that about 80 percent of our clients are Indigenous clients, especially Indigenous women and their children, but we also have other diverse groups of clients that are coming in for support.”
Wedzin said he sat down with people staying at the YWCA and the group’s staff to gather their ideas before he began to paint.
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“I was drawing it in front of them to get an idea – every little detail, even the kids running with the butterfly, I drew that in there,” describing his process to Cabin Radio.
Wedzin said the finished work reflects “the community and the people, what they want on there.”
“It’s symbolizing or showing the community come together as one, as a family,” he said.
Rami Kaur, president of the YWCA NWT board, said the mural represents for her that the organization is here to stay and here to serve northern communities.
“It also speaks to not only the women that we serve, but the women behind the services,” said Kaur.
“It takes a lot of courage for people to do this work. It’s not just the day in, day out, it’s the emotional turmoil. These are the forefront warriors that really show up every single day.”
