New mural from Indigenous artist unveiled at University of Waterloo

A new mural by an Indigenous artist has been unveiled at the University of Waterloo. Here’s why.

An Indigenous artist hopes a new mural will inspire curiosity and a sense of belonging.

The artwork by Tsista Kennedy was unveiled at the University of Waterloo on Friday.

Kennedy is known for his digital Anishinaabe Onyota’a:ka woodland-style art, which is now proudly on display at the Dana Porter Library.

“On the other side [of the mural] you have an Indigenous family, you have a cradleboard with a little baby in there,” he explained. “If you take a look at the lefthand side of the mural there’s all these different lines going through the animals and the people and then going back to that family. All of that embodies us as Indigenous people and our connection to the land and how our culture is deeply rooted into that.”

School officials said the artwork is part of the library’s decolonization efforts.

“I think that Indigenous representation really matters,” Kennedy said. “Whether that’s non-Indigenous people coming through here and just wondering what its all about or Indigenous people who find it really meaningful to be represented in spaces like this. I think it’s great to have it up.”

This is not the first time Kennedy’s artwork has been showcased in Waterloo Region. He also designed ‘Every Child Matters’ artwork that appeared on a Grand River Transit bus in 2023.

Saturday is Indigenous Peoples Day.