What is Wakinyan Awasis
Awasis is a proposed site that would incorporate a sculpture park/sacred site, Wakinyan Awasis: Thunderbird Place for the Spirit of the Child; the Vern Harper Native Elders Healing Lodge; and the Black Elk Interpretive Centre for the History of Childhoods in the Native Communities and Family.

The central component of Awasis is planned as a large sculpture park/sacred site dedicated to the spirit of the child. The vision for Awasis originated with Sculptor Michael C. Irving, Ph.D. The site would be comprised of more than one hundred major sculptural works by Aboriginal artists from across North America and a complementing interpretive room. Awasis would be an epic work having extensive impact on people across North America for generations to come.

Why is Wakinyan Awasis Necessary?
Art informs, connects and transforms us. Art works and major art sites can be effective in bringing about broad social understanding and an experience of deeper meaning with enormous value to Aboriginal Peoples and others. The site, the creation of the site and the long-term use of the site would assist many individuals and communities. For some Awasis would be a place of validating the nurturing and positive elements of youth; for others Awasis would be used as a place of healing and reconnecting.

Who Would Design and Produce the Memorial Works?
A wide variety of Aboriginal artists from across North America would be commissioned to make this large collection of monumental works. Irving Studios would be responsible for overall sculpture park design and layout, overseeing the Path of Childhoods and Arch of the Spirit of Elders, creating the “Reaching Out” figures for the sacred site. Irving Studios would have primary responsibility for guiding the technical team in enlarging works to site-specific dimensions. Dr. Irving would be working with and consulting the team of artists; and Irving Studios would retain artistic control over final decisions regarding selection of artists and placement, size and foundry processes of all art pieces.
General themes are currently designated for the majority of the more than one hundred works, such as: West Coast totems, animal spirits, spirit mounds or smudge bowls. The final design and details of each of these sculptural works would be the artistic discretion of artists commissioned to produce the pieces.

Where Should Wakinyan Awasis be Located?
Awasis should be placed where access would be available to a large number of Aboriginal Peoples. To impact the non-Aboriginal community the site should also take into account its proximity of large urban populations and yet be a site that has symbolic and historical importance. Placing Awasis in the geographical centre of North America responds to many of these concerns.

Why Consider Toronto, Ontario
A request was made to consider a location within the Toronto Waterfront. It was a significant decision to consider placing a healing and sacred site within an urban centre. The location of the central elements of the work in Toronto is being considered through the advice and direction of Vern Harper, other Elders and community consultation.

An initial Awasis display and community consultation in Toronto occurred on Snake Island, October 6, 2005. There was generous feedback on the epic nature of the work and its value in addressing concerns of the spirit of the child. There was favourable support for Awasis on Snake Island due to it natural environment and the history of the island as a healing place and a site of previous children and youth activities. Yet, a strong concern was voiced about whether larger exposure and greater use of the facility would occur if it were positioned on the mainland. There is much work needed to identify and secure a site within the Toronto Waterfront area.

How Long Would it Take to Create Wakinyan Awasis?
Upon finalization of a site and funding, the Project is prepared to proceed immediately. The Project is designed so a fully funded Awasis Project would take six years to complete the sculptures, site preparation and placement of the works. Events and unveilings would occur throughout this six-year creation period.

How Will Wakinyan Awasis be Funded?
A budget has been drafted to address the needs of the project layout and design plans and ceremonial needs as presented in this document. Obviously these funding needs are substantial and will take a mix of aboriginal, private, corporate, government and entrepreneurial funding sources. Awasis is in the development stages of exploring funding of the sculptural works, holding circles and gatherings and establishment of an endowment for the permanent maintenance of the sacred site.

What was the Response of Community Consultation?
Community consultation in the spring and summer of 2003 demonstrated a large base of support for the Project. Design elements of the site were adapted to address specific concerns. PDF version of the Community Consultation Report (4.6mg size) This requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to look at the information. You can download Acrobat Reader for free by clicking here.