Page Content Kwakiutl (Welcome Statue), 1972Artist: Simon Charlie (Hwunumetse')Category: Public ArtworksAddress: 9050 Bramalea Road, BramptonThis statue was commissioned for a the The Township of Chinguacousy’s new municipal offices and was unveiled on July 19th, 1972. Aboriginal Canadian artist Simon Charlie was selected for the commission, informing this sculpture were two previous commissions including The Indians of Canada pavilion at Expo 67 which included a totem pole and "welcome figure" carved by Charlie and two Kwakwaka'wakw (Kwakiutl) artists, as well as a sculpture created for the 1971 centennial of British Columbia. The name of the sculpture refers to a Pacific Northwest coast tribe. MediaArtist InformationSimon Charlie (Hwunumetse') was a renowned Coast Salish artist who was named a 2003 recipient of the Order of Canada for his contribution to education and preservation of his cultural heritage. In addition, Charlie received the National Centennial Medal in 1967 and the Order of British Columbia in 2001. He was prolific, and his totem poles stand in the Royal BC Museum, the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa, New York, Chicago, Holland, New Zealand, and Australia. His artworks and masks are found in collections in North and South America, Europe and Japan. Charlie was passionately committed to the preservation and maintenance of the traditions, language, arts, and culture of his people. His dedication to passing on his knowledge to the younger generation by mentoring young Coast Salish artists in traditional methods and designs can not easily be matched.
