Manager of Indigenous Programs and Relationships, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Banff, Alberta
Dawn has led Indigenous Relationships and programs at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies in Banff, Alberta since 2019. She supports staff to continue to strengthen Indigenous relationships through action-inspired dialogue. Programs and events continue to focus on relationship development with Indigenous communities linked to the Bow Valley and the Museum collections, to share stories about how objects were made and who made them, identify relatives in photographs, films and those who made the living objects. She has led the development of a new Indigenous accessibility policy for users of the Museum Indigenous collections. She has led a number of initiatives including: a Nakoda AV film project, Living with Nature/ Indigenous histories in the Bow Valley, Buffalo Treaty dinners and conversations, National Indigenous events on June 21 and September 30, as well as develop and maintain partnerships and funders. She has also developed a mural program, focused on mentorship on the Museum and Cave and Basin grounds and initiated the hiring of Indigenous staff at the Museum. Click here to learn more!
Murals to date include:
Four Seasons Mural 2020 In partnership with the Town of Canmore Arts and Events and Chiniki College. Workshops at Chiniki College and installation at the Nordic Centre in Canmore. Lead by Artist AJA Louden with 15 Stoney students from Chiniki College.
Sitting Wind/Trade Routes Mural 2020 Lead by Artist AJA Louden, artists visited the Museum vault to research and develop the idea with the late Stoney Historian Buddy Wesley. Painted by Kyle Kaquitts, Jarron Poucette and Chris Morin, Sitting Winds' (Frank Kaquitts) grandchildren.
Landscape/Ma Koch Wastay 2021 Stoney artists Gordon Wesley and Jarron Poucette were mentored by AJA Louden to research at the Museum and develop landscape/animal themed murals.
Bird Mural 2023 Metis artist Tiffany Wollman and Blackfoot artist Hali Heavyshield were commissioned to create a mural based on the bird exhibit taking place inside the museum.
Cave and Basin, Stories of This Place, Parks Canada 2022-2024. The purpose of the Cave and Basin Mural Boxes project is to honour the rich Indigenous history and contemporary significance of this place through an art initiative that shares visual stories from a diversity of Indigenous community perspectives, making these stories visible to all site visitors in the form of colorful murals created by emerging Indigenous artists. Mentored by artist AJA Louden to research at the Museum and Parks Canada. In 2022, Indigenous Artists Nathan Meguins from Tsuut'ina, Blackfoot Artist Ina Old Shoes and Stoney Artist Gordon Wesley were commissioned. In 2023, Lillian Rose and Elisha Mae Jimmy from Ktunaxa, Tania Willard and Snutetkwe from Secwepemc and Metis artist Brandon Atkinson were commissioned. Two Stoney and two Blackfoot artists will be commissioned for the project in 2024.
Click the links below to learn more about this project!
Banff murals explore Indigenous connections across the Rockies
Stories of This Place: Indigenous Public Art Connects Culture and Place
Honouring Indigenous Presence Through Treaty 7 Artists' Mural Artwork
Nurturing Connections to Nature, Culture, and Community Through Indigenous Art
