Kingsville Honours National Day for Truth and Reconciliation with Banners

The Town of Kingsville is commemorating the second annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The creative work of a local Indigenous artist Danny Dumont will be showcased.

Banners will be on display on street poles in September to remind people that Friday, September 30, 2022 honours the lost children and survivors of residential schools, their families and communities.

September 30 was named the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation by the federal government in 2021 after mass graves of children were found in approximately 300 sites at former residential schools across Canada.

Communications & Public Relations Coordinator Tara Hewitt presented the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation street light banner to Kingsville Council. The Town of Kingsville consulted Caldwell First Nation, the Government of Canada, and the Can-Am Indian Friendship Centre of Windsor on the designs.

Councillors unanimously approved banners featuring four illustrations by Dumont. “Nothing like this had ever happened to me before. When the vote to use my art was unanimous I was floored to have something of this magnitude in my life,” he said.

First Nations, Inuit and Metis people are represented in three of the illustrations. Children who were lost at residential schools are represented by the fourth one.

Dumont has been involved in woodworking for many years. Seven years ago, his creativity turned in a different direction, when he received proof of his indigenous roots. He has been soaking up everything he can about his newly discovered culture ever since.

He said he used to feel like a square peg in a round hole but at age 70 when he learned of his indigenous roots, he felt as though an empty place had now been filled.

Dumont told the Kingsville Times, “A relative of mine had traced his side of the family back to the 1400s in France and found indigenous roots in his searches. I am Mohawk and French on my mom’s side, and also have indigenous roots on my dad’s side.”

He is especially focused on native drum making. He started using them as a canvas for his art and found this was well received. “The spirits of my ancestors help me to create. I try to use only the old ways of creating art,” he said.

Kristine Verbeek of K Design Studio was selected to do the Graphic Design layouts for the banners and put the different elements of the artwork together. She said, “We merged together the beautiful orange National indigenous design elements, with hand-illustrated art of local artist Danny Dumont. Each element is very meaningful.”