Stories that Weave Us (Kingsway Station)
Stories That Weave Us at Kingsway Station
Stories That Weave Us is about the history of this city, as seen by three different communities: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim.
Edmonton has been a meeting place for a long time - people from many First Nations, then later, Métis and settler nations, have shared food and broken bread together here for generations.
The land we live on is one of the many threads that binds us - the river and trails, and later the rails and roads, connect us to our neighbours.
Shiloh Baptist Church is the oldest Black Baptist Church in Western Canada, founded in 1910, and also serves as a home for research and record keeping. It was one point in an old Blacksmith’s shop.
The communities we heard stories from each traveled from far to set down roots here, each thriving in spite of challenges. Schools were not desegregated for Blacks here until 1964.
Illumination, guidance, and the power of light were common themes amongst the communities of faith we spoke with while researching for this mural.
Trading in mink furs was a profitable occupation for early Muslim settlers coming from Lebanon to Edmonton such as Alex Hamilton. Several early Muslim traders learned to speak Cree.
The community of Amber Valley was established north of Edmonton by African-American immigrants to Canada in 1909.
Many early Black settlers in Canada did not come up on the underground railroad.
A job working on the trains as a porter was one of the best jobs available to a man of colour in this area. Working at Hattie’s Chicken was one of a few options available to women of colour.
The first record of the Jewish community coming to Edmonton was in 1893. Tikkun Olam is a Jewish concept, encouraging acts of kindness that help heal the world.
The first mosque built in Edmonton, Al Rashid, is also the oldest mosque in Canada. Al Rashid also acts as a community center in Edmonton, offering scholarships, and providing affordable housing.
The hands in Stories That Weave Us are knitting community histories together to show a glimpse of the shared fabric of our city. Paint the Rails murals at other stations tell the story of many of the other communities on this land.
Themes emerged that connect these community stories together: Divine Light, Travelling great distances, Healing hands, Community care and belonging.
Interpretive Panel / Artist Statement: Stories that Weave Us
Stories that Weave Us, our mural for Kingsway Transit Centre, reflects on the histories of three Edmonton faith communities; Temple Beth Ora (Jewish), Shiloh Baptist Church (Christian) and Al Rashid Mosque (Muslim).
Each faith-based community has deep roots in the area and common legacies which point to values of justice, kindness and contributing to the repair of our world. Partners from each tradition shared the many milestones and moments in our local history that helped shape their story of hope and home.
The mural concept incorporates the image of hands knitting together the stories; the yarn connects the communities and their stories to each other. The imagery includes five illuminated yarn balls containing multiple images that reflect the important moments in each community’s story. Presented in an imaginative way, each image is dispersed so that no one ball represents a specific community, but each is a mixture of abundant cultural experiences and aspirations. Themes emerged that connect these community stories together: Divine Light, Travelling great distances, Healing hands, Community care and belonging.