We Are All Treaty People
We Are All Treaty People
"We Are All Treaty People" is more than just a painting; it is a call to action, inviting all who encounter it to reflect on the principles of respect, collaboration, and shared responsibility. Through this project, Indigenous speaker Michael Etherington (www.michaeletherington.com ) and non-Indigenous artist Melissa Morrow aim to inspire dialogue, foster understanding, and highlight the interconnectedness of all people as stewards of the land and its history.
Their story began when Michael encountered Melissa’s painting of Canada geese at an outdoor art show, drawn to its cultural significance, he shared that story. Their paths crossed again and reignited a shared vision, leading to this project to communicate powerful teachings of listening, collaboration and unity. Together, they sought to illustrate how Canadians can work together to honour treaties and foster mutual respect and understanding through building relationships with small everyday interactions.
The centerpiece of their work is a painting rich with symbolism. Seven geese soar across the sky, representing the Seven Generations principle—a reminder to consider the impact of decisions on future generations. Surrounding them are treaty symbols: tipis and a Red River cart, signifying connection to land and history; a flowing river, representing continuity and life; a buried hatchet, symbolizing reconciliation and peace; and buffalos in the distance, evoking traditional ways of life. A sunrise anchors the composition, symbolizing new beginnings and shared hope.
What will be your “RECONCILI-ACTION?”
ᑭᒋ ᐅᑭᒪᐧᐃ ᐊᔓᑕᒪᑫᐧᐃ ᐃᓂᓂᐧᐊᐠ ᑭᓇᓇᐤ ᒥᓯᐧᐁ
ᑭᒋ ᐅᑭᒪᐧᐃ ᐊᔓᑕᒪᑫᐧᐃᓂ ᐃᓂᓂᐧᐊᐠ ᑭᓇᓇᐤ ᒥᓯᐧᐁ ᒧᓇ ᐱᑯ ᒧᔐ ᑕᐸᓯᓇᐃᑲᑌᐤ᙮ ᐅᒪ ᐃᔑᓂᑲᑌᐤ ᒪᔑᑕᐧᐃᐣ, ᒥᓯᐧᐁ ᐣᑕᐧᐁᓂᒪᑲᓂᐧᐊᐧᓇᐠ ᑕᑐ ᑲᒪᒥᑐᓀᓂᑕᑭᐠ ᑲᐧᐊᐸᑕᑭᐠ ᑲ ᑭᐢᑌᓂᑕᐧᑲᓂᓂᑭ ᑲ ᑭᐢᑌᓂᑕᑭᐠ ᑲᒪᒧᐧᐃ ᓄᒋᑕᒋᐠ᙮ ᐅᒪ ᐅᒋ ᐊᑐᐢᑫᐧᐃᐣ ᐊᐧᐊ ᐃᓂᓂᐤ ᒪᔾᐠᑭᓪ ᐁᑐᐧᕆᐣᐠᑕᐣ ᓀᐢᑕ ᐧᐁᒥᐢᑎᑯᔑᐢᐧᑫᐤ ᑲᑕᐸᓯᓇᐃᑫᐟ ᒥᓕᓴ ᒧᕈ ᑭᔑᑭᐃᑯᐤ ᑲ ᐃᐧᑕᓂᐧᐊᓂᓂᐠ ᐁᑭ ᐅᑎᓇᐠ ᐅᓂᓯᑐᑕᒧᐧᐃᓂᐠ ᓀᐢᑕ ᐁ ᑭᑭᐢᑭᓄᐧᐊᒋᑕᐟ ᐁᐧᐃᐧᐃᒋᑌᐁᒪᐟ ᒥᓯᐧᐁ ᐃᓂᓂᐧᐊ ᑲᓇᓇᑲᒋᑕᓂᒋ ᐊᐢᑭᓂᐤ ᓀᐢᑕ ᑲᔭᐡ ᑎᐸᒋᒧᐧᐃᓇ᙮
ᑭᓇᑭᐡᑲᑐᐧᐊᐠ ᐁᑯᑕ ᑲ ᑭ ᐅᒋ ᓴᑭᓂᑯᒋᐠ ᐁᑭᐧᐊᐸᑕᑭᐠ, ᑭ ᐊᑎ ᔑᑭᐃᑯᐧᐊᐠ ᑭᒋ ᐅᔑᑕᒋᐠ ᐊᑐᐢᑫᐧᐃᓂᓂᐤ ᑭᒋ ᐊᔭᒥᐃᑐᒋᐠ ᐁᒪᐡᑲᐧᐃᑕᐧᑲᓂᓂᐠ ᑭᐢᑭᓄᐊᒪᑫᐧᐃᓂᓂᐤ ᐁᐣᑐᑕᑭᐠ᙮ ᒪᒧᐧᐃ ᓄᒋᑕᐧᐃᐣ ᓀᐢᑕ ᒪᒪᐧᐃ ᑲᐸᐧᐃᐧᐃᐣ᙮ ᒪᒪᐤ ᑭᓄᒋᑕᐧᐊᐠ ᑕᐣᑌ ᑫᑐᑕᑭᐠ ᑲᓇᑕᐢᑭᐠ ᐃᓂᓂᐧᐊ ᒪᒪᐤ ᑭᒋ ᑭ ᑭᐢᑌᓂᑕᑭᐠ ᑭᒋ ᐊᔓᑕᒪᑫᐧᐃᓂᓂᐤ ᑲᑭᓇᐤ ᑭᒋ ᑭ ᑭᐢᑌᓂᑕᑭᐠ ᓀᐢᑕ ᓂᓯᑐᑕᑭᐠ ᒪᒪᐤ ᑭᒋ ᐅᔑᑕᒋᐠ ᐧᐊᑯᑐᐧᐃᓂᓂᐤ ᑕᑐ ᑭᔑᑲᐤ ᑭᒋ ᑭᒥᓄᐧᐃᒉᐧᐃᑐᒋᐠ᙮
ᐅᑕᐸᓯᓇᐃᑲᓂᐧᐊᐤ ᑌᑕᐧᐃᐨ ᒥᔑᑭᓇᐧᑲᓂᓂᐤ ᑲ ᑭ ᐃᔑᐯᐊᑭᐠ ᓂᐧᓴᐢ ᓂᐢᑲᐠ ᐁᐱᒥᓇᒋᐠ ᐧᐊᐢᑯᐠ ᐧᐊᐸᑎᓄᐧᐁᐧᐊᐠ ᐊᓂᐃ ᓂᐧᓴᐢ ᐊᓂᐢᑫ ᐱᒪᑎᓯᐧᐃᓂᓂᐤ ᑲ ᑭᐢᑌᓂᒋᑲᑌᓂᑭ᙮ ᑭ ᐅᒋ ᑭᐢᑭᓯᒥᑯᐧᐊᐠ ᑭᒋ ᑭᒪᒥᑐᓀᓂᑕᒪᐠ ᑫ ᐃᑎᐡᑲᑫᒪᑲᐠ ᐅᓀᓂᑕᒧᐧᐃᐣ ᓂᑲᐣ ᑫ ᐊᑎᐱᒪᑎᓯᒋᐠ ᐅᒋ᙮ ᐧᐊᐢᑲ ᑭᒋ ᐅᑭᒪᐧᐃᐧᐃ ᐊᔓᑕᒪᑫᐧᐃᓇ ᐁᒪᓯᓇᐅᑎᑭ ᒥᑭᐧᐊᒪ ᓀᐢᑕ ᑲᒥᑯᓯᐟ ᐅᑕᐸᓇᐢᐠ ᐧᐃᑕᒪᑫᒪᑲᐣ ᐊᐢᑭᔾ ᓀᐢᑕ ᑎᐸᒋᒧᐧᐃᐣ ᑲ ᐅᒋ ᓴᑲᑯᑫᐠ᙮ ᓯᐱᔾ ᐁᐱᒥᒋᐧᐊᐠ ᑭᐧᐃᑕᒪᑯᓇᓇᐤ ᐱᒪᑎᓯᐧᐃᐣ ᑭᔭᐱᐨ ᐁᐱᒧᑌᒪᑲᐠ ᑲᓂᑯᑎᐠ ᒋᑲᐃᑲᐣ ᑭᑐᒋᐧᐊᐸᑎᓂᑲᐧᐃᓇᓇᐤ ᑭᐧᐁ ᒥᓄᐅᑐᑌᒥᒥᑐᐧᐃᐣ ᓀᐢᑕ ᑲᔭᒣᓂᑕᒧᐧᐃᐣ᙮ ᐸᐧᑲᒋ ᒥᐢᑐᐧᓴᐠ ᐧᐊᓄᐤ ᐁᓄᑯᓯᒋᐠ ᑭᒪᒥᑐᓀᓂᑕᒥᐃᑯᓇᓇᐤ ᑭᑎᑕᐢᑲᓀᓯᐧᐃᓂᓇᐠ ᑲ ᐃᔑ ᐱᒪᑎᓯᔭᐠ᙮ ᐁᐯᒋ ᓴᑲᐢᑕᐧᐁᐠ ᓴᑭᒪᑲᐣ ᑲᐃᐧᑌᒪᑭᑕᓂᐧᐊᐠ ᐁᒐᑲᐢᑌᔑᓄᒪᑲᐠ ᐅᐡᑭ ᐱᒪᑎᓯᐧᐃᐣ ᓀᐢᑕ ᒪᑎᓇᒪᑫᐧᐃ ᐊᐢᐯᓂᒧᐧᐃᐣ᙮
ᑫᐧᑲᐣ ᑭᓇ “ᑭᑭᐧᐁ ᐅᑐᑌᒥᒥᑐᐧᐃᐣ?”
THE ART
The Relationship
The original artwork was developed through collaboration between Michael Etherington and artist Melissa Morrow, bringing together visual storytelling and the song’s message about treaties, relationships and shared responsibilities. It was created to help bring these vital messages into public spaces, creating opportunities for Canadians to pause, reflect, and learn.
Public Spaces
With the support of RioCan, the original artwork became part of permanent art displays at Yonge & Eglinton Centre and The Junction in Toronto. These installations helped extend the message beyond the music itself—bringing conversations about treaty relationships and responsibilities into the spaces where people live, work, and gather.
Beyond the Music
We Are Treaty People is more than just a song. The music and artwork work together to communicate a message of peace, respect, relationship, and responsibility. The goal is simple: to create opportunities for people to stop, look, listen, and consider what it means to be part of treaty relationships in Canada.
Education & Reconciliation
Melissa graciously donated the original art piece to the National Ballet School, where it serves as a tool for treaty education. Events like Reconciliation Day create space to speak about the role schools play in helping young people understand the responsibilities and history connected to treaties in Canada.
Art can create a moment of reflection. Music can open a conversation. Education can help carry that conversation forward. Together, they provide different ways for people to learn about and reflect upon our shared treaty relationships. The artwork continues to carry that message.
