Convergence
City of Calgary 2023
This mural was created through three community engagement meetings that brought together Indigenous Elders and Artists of Treaty 7 with FilipinX Community Leaders and Artists of Mohkinstsis/Calgary. The sessions took place at Arts Commons during the spring and summer of 2022. Our two communities discussed the themes of Empathy, Equality, Equity and the Environment. We also discussed commonalities we share in our respective cultures and some facts about our histories. Each session began with teachings from both community elders, with our conversation accompanied by Philippine and Indigenous cuisines.
The mural was designed by Kristy North Peigan and Gladzy Kei and was shared with our Indigenous Elders and FilipinX Community Leaders who added their feedback and final suggestions.
The mural was painted in July & August of 2023, with the Augmented Reality added in October 2023.
Scan or click the QR code below to activate the AR experience.
There are many symbols in the design of the mural which reference our community engagement meetings.
Handshake
The handshake represents unity, coexistence, empathy and the deep connection and relationship that our two communities are building together now and going forward in the future.
Eagle Wings
The eagle wings represent both freedom of cultures from colonization.
Water Flowing
The water flowing is shaped like an infinity symbol to represent Metis. It also represents the convergence of the Bow River and the Elbow River and a prominent meeting place in Mohkinstsis Calgary.
People Immigrating
The smoke represents people immigrating from the Philippines to Canada.
Sweetgrass
The sweetgrass represents healing and protection for the people.
Coconut Tree
The coconut tree is vastly abundant in the Philippines and is one of the main sources of food and nourishment for the people.
The Philippine Sun
The sun rays represent the provinces that courageously defied and revolted against the Spaniards; this is also a reference to the Philippine flag.
Carabao
The carabao is a domestic swamp type water buffalo native to the Philippines it helps farmers harvest rice and also symbolizes hard work and perseverance, traits that are dear to people of Philippine heritage.
Rice Terraces and Farmers
The Banaue Rice Terraces are located on the mountains of Ifugao and were carved there about 2,000 years ago by the ancestors of the present day Philippines.
Alon
The waves represent the Philippine sea, which is also a great source of food and livelihoods for many Filipinos.
Bamboos
Bamboo grows abundantly in the Philippines and has been used for a lot of purposes, such as: construction, food, musical instruments, and farming, to name a few. It was also used as a surface for writing Baybayin (Indigenous alphabet) through carving using a knife to write the symbols.
Tipi Smoke
Smoke coming out of tipis to show that these are living tipis. Living tipis are usually shown as painted, but we cannot paint designs on tipis without stories passed to use as artists, so blank tipis are shown instead. The smoke connects upward to the smoke that forms the figures
Buffalos
The buffalos represent our livelihood and teachings. They were our way of life and gave us everything we needed to survive. They are our symbol of honor and generosity. They are sacred beings, whose migration paths we followed as nomadic peoples.
Chinooks
The chinooks coming out of the Rockies are regionally specific and unique to this environment. How we’ve adapted to strong winds and environmental shifts dictated our design and functionality of our dwellings among other cultural teachings.
Tree Leaves
The leaves coming out of the trees are a design choice showing movement caused by unseen forces, air currents that tie to the chinooks. But like the spirits are unseen, so is the air and both are still taken into consideration as part of the living world and include the spirit world.
Drum & Drumsticks
The drum and drumstick represent the beating of the drum. A drum beat mimics the human heart and connects us to the music and stories. This is a symbol of our songs and stories that have survived cultural genocide and enabled us as a people to remember our cultural teachings and stories.
This is the fourth FilipinX Mural in Mohkinstsis/Calgary and it is important to have public art that showcases our stories, communities and culture.
You can check out the mural in person at the parking lot on the west side in between the building of Good Neighbour and the Bow Tower at 149 5 Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2G 5T1.
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FilipinX Kasaganaan Artist Collective 