Two Nacho Nyak Dun FN Artists Paint Mural to Reflect Openness and Diversity

Tuesday, 29 August 2017 14:03

Photo: First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun Facebook.

Ashely Washburn-Hayden and Taiya Melancon painted the C-Can in downtown Mayo in pride rainbow colours, while incorporating traditional Northern Tutchone culture

What was described as an ugly C-Can in downtown Mayo, is now a painted mural showcasing the diversity of the community. Earlier this summer two women, Ashely Washburn-Hayden and Taiya Melancon took up the challenge of designing and painting the mural. Washburn-Hayden and Melancon wanted to also demonstrate their nįtrą (Respect) and tsunia (kindness) for all.

The design was inspired by traditional Northern Tutchone beadwork patterns. Joella Hogan, the Heritage Manager for the First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun says the project came together following, a few First Nation’s citizens attending the gay pride parade in Toronto earlier this summer.

“I was looking at this ugly C-Can and thought, we really have to do something about this and pretty it up. But I didn't really know what.” “This was in June and there was a lot of buzz on social media about gay pride month and we had some young people attend the pride parade in Toronto and that had a big impact on some of them. I just thought I would like a mural painted on this C-Can to reflect the diversity of the community and to show our love and openness to everyone in our community.”

Hogan says she gave free rein to Washburn-Hayden and Melancon to design the mural, with the two talented artists exceeding her expectations. “I thought of these two young women, who are very talented artists in Mayo. I said to them I want the pride flag somehow represented on this C-Can. Go crazy! But somehow have it reflect our community and our culture. I was blown away when they started sending me pictures of their in-progress work and how stunning it was. It was inspired by traditional Northern Tutchone beadwork patterns and the outline of these designs, but in the colours of the pride rainbow, and it was just absolutely stunning.”

“Its the colours of the [pride] rainbow horizontal across the C-Can. But what these young women did was is they took the shapes of beadwork patterns, that you would find on slippers or vests, these different flowers and kind of did the outline silhouette of the patterns on the C-Can. And so, the colour is actually the negative space behind it."

While the First Nation is taking a greater role in revitalizing the downtown and regaining their connection to the waterfront, through projects like this and the Legion Hall renovations, Hogan wanted the mural to spark a community discussion, which she thinks it did.

“One of the things I wanted it to do was promote discussion and dialogue around openness and acceptance in our community, and I think it did that. They had a lot of people taking pictures and talking about issues our community faces.”

Hogan says she hopes this mural project is the catalyst for future beautification projects in Mayo.

(Dan Jones Whitehorse August 29, 2017)