Eagle Headdress

This section of the mural reflects the history, identity and spiritual teachings of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. Against a purple background, a figure wearing an eagle headdress and traditional regalia represents cultural heritage, wisdom and connection to the land. Nearby, a large blue fish represents the Mississaugas’ origins along the Mississagi River on the north shore of Georgian Bay, from which the Nation derives its name.

Bold black lines run throughout the artwork, connecting its different elements. In Woodland art, these lines symbolize the Great Black Void from Anishinaabe creation teachings. According to Anishinaabe cosmology, the universe began in darkness before a spirit sent signals into the void, ultimately creating light, the stars and the physical world. The stars in the upper-right corner of the mural reference this creation story.

Other symbolic shapes and forms represent spiritual power and the interconnected energies that exist throughout life and matter. Together, the eagle, fish, stars and flowing black lines reflect themes of ancestry, creation, interconnectedness and the enduring relationship between the Mississaugas and their traditional homeland.