|
Garrison
Garrow with his parents, Harriet and Peter Garrow, and Jennifer
Camelon, Interim President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint
(far right) at the unveiling of the Royal Canadian Fancy Dance
coin.
|
Garrison Garrow, Kanienkehá:ka
artist and designer of several collectable mint coins, unveiled
his latest 'Fancy Dance' just before the grand entrance to the First
Peoples' House 17th Annual Powwow at McGill University, Montreal,
QC.
The Fancy Dance coin
is meticulously designed reflecting not only the pomp and pageantry
of the fancy dance, but more importantly, the pride and cultural
heritage of contemporary Indigenous people. Rarely seen colors on
the coin portray the fancy dancer in his transformative passage
from powwow dancer to an artist totally engaged in movement, ritual
and heritage; reflecting a deep sense of movement and heart pounding
rhythm found only at powwows. As with many fancy dancers, they mesh
their own cultural traditions with borrowed traditions; hence the,
'Thunderbird of the Plains peoples to the Iroquois design on the
dancer's apron.'
The fancy dance is said
to originate from the Ponca Nation in the midwestern United States
and was later popularized at wild west shows. It is considered to
be a relatively new style of dance by integrating different types
of western and midwestern dance into it. Male fancy dancers are
known to be athletic and have a great sense of showmanship along
with style developing their own dance routine.
Garrow stated, "It
was a difficult challenge to do this design because it is a Fancy
Dance and there is a lot of energy in that dance and there is a
lot of power. I wanted to try and capture some of that in a static
image. I hope that I did that."
Mark Miller, a Kanien'kéha
speaking Member of Parliament for Ville-Marie-Le Sud-Ouest-Île-des-Surs,
praised the coin for its craftsmanship and symbolism.
"Federal governments
banned this type of regalia that people wear so proudly today. It's
being brought back from a very dark place," said Miller. "Our
governments, our people, were complicit in putting it down. Today
is but a symbolic gesture but a very important one
to keep shining the light on the beauty in the traditions that keep
the culture, the language and the lives of people vibrant."
After the unveiling of
the Royal Canadian Mint coin, powwow singers began to play in the
big tent with torrents of rain outside, "Welcome to McGill
University under the rain," said Louis Arseneault, Vice-Principal
Communications and External Relations.
Arseneault added, "This
land has long served as the site of meeting and exchange amongst
Indigenous people... We acknowledge the diverse Indigenous peoples
whose footsteps have marked this territory on which peoples of the
world now gather."
"The Royal Canadian
Mint prides itself on telling the fascinating story of Canada through
coins and celebrating First Nations, Inuit and Métis cultures
is fundamental to achieving that goal," said Jennifer Camelon,
Interim President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. "Our
beautifully coloured coin celebrating the dazzling art of the Fancy
Dance is yet another opportunity for Indigenous artists from across
Canada to share their talent, traditions and cultures."
The Fancy Dance coin
has a face value of $30 is 50 millimeters across and is a collector's
edition, with a mintage limited to 3,500. It's one of several coins
released by the Mint over the years to honor First Nations, Métis
and Inuit.
|
Garrison
Garrow's painting depicting and honoring the game of lacrosse,
was used by the Canadian Lacrosse Federation.
|
This isn't the first
coin designed by Garrow. He also designed a medal that was gifted
to Pope Benedict XVI in Rome, Italy during the Canonization of Kateri
Tekakwitha in 2012, "When Garrison agreed to take on this project
he wanted to portray Kateri in a different light. He didn't draw
her wearing a headband as so many others have, nor a leather dress.
On her dress, he drew designs on her collar showing the Sky Domes
and Two Row Wampum. Underneath her collar on her blouse he showed
her holiness with prayer beads. He showed her beauty as she looked
face front instead of the raised look as others showed. On the back
of the medal was displayed her turtle clan (Iakoniahton), as well
as the flowing of green plants growing upward similar to the look
of a Tree of Peace."
Garrow's artistry is
also demonstrated by the Canadian Lacrosse Federation's use of his
painting, "Wes Patterson at Work" to honor the game of
lacrosse.
|