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Indigenous artists celebrated through mural events

Twenty-one Indigenous artists are adding colour to the city through six murals.
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A group of people attend a spray painting session at the Arctic Indigenous Wellness Camp on Aug. 9. Strong People, Strong Communities has set a goal to create six murals around Yellowknife. Photo courtesy of Kalina Newmark

Twenty-one Indigenous artists are adding colour to the city through six murals.

Non-profit organization Strong People, Strong Communities is behind the initiative.

“It is an opportunity to celebrate Indigenous excellence through art and to enjoy this special time together with Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists from across the North and Canada,” said Kalina Newmark, co-founder of the mural project with her sister Mahalia Yakeleya Newmark. “We wanted this week to be a week of celebrations — of our Indigenous excellence and beauty, an opportunity to teach and learn from one another and to reclaim space with these beautiful Indigenous murals.”

At the Yellowknife Field House parking lot, mural painting is open to the public from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Aug. 12.

There is also a Dene medicine walk at 1 p.m to 2 p.m. and a Dene cream making at 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Arctic Indigenous Wellness Camp on Aug. 12.

An artist talk at the Mildred Hall teepee with artists Lianne Charlie, Melanie Jewell and Kyla LeSage is set for 7 p.m. to 9 p.m on Aug. 12.

On Aug. 13, there will be a drop-in event for the public at the Yellowknife Field House parking lot from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

On the last day of the mural events, Aug. 14, another drop-in event is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., also at the Yellowknife Field House parking lot. Robert Voudrach is expected to perform songs there from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.

The mural events started on Aug. 9 with a spray paint workshop with Peatr Thomas at the Arctic Indigenous Wellness Camp.

Anyone wanting to attend the activities is asked RSVP by emailing strongpeoplecosmmunities@gmail.com