INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY TOONIE DESIGNERS

 

Artwork created by three Indigenous women will now be in the hands of millions, on the first Canadian coin to feature the collaborative work of multiple artists.

In Ottawa on Tuesday, the Royal Canadian Mint unveiled a commemorative toonie to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day.

Megan Currie, a Dene woman from English River First Nation in Saskatchewan who lives in Regina, said having her work featured is "quite an honour," especially to share the space with two other Indigenous women.

"It's a circulation coin so to know it's going to be in the hands of all Canadians is quite fantastic and is hopefully an opportunity to have them sit and reflect on everybody's role in reconciliation," Currie said.

The other artwork on the coin was made by Jennine Krauchi, a Winnipeg Métis artist, and Myrna Pokiak, who is Inuvialuk from Tuktoyaktuk, N.W.T.

Currie said the Royal Canadian Mint reached out to her over a year ago, inviting her to put forward different designs for the coin. She put forward three concepts and one was chosen.

"Central to the design is a blooming flower representing a new day but within that flower is a representation of a person holding up a child and that represents that there is hope for our future," she said.

Attached to the middle flower there are two other blossoming flowers which Currie said represent the sun, a new day and a new beginning.

 

To read the complete article, see:
Indigenous Peoples Day toonie features message of hope, artist says (https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/commemorative-toonie-megan-currie-design-1.6885566)

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