We are so pleased to host CATHERINE TÀMMARO (Taǫmęˀšreˀ), a Little Turtle clan, Wyandott/Italian multidisciplinary artist with a practice spanning decades, and her exhibit Yaaʔtayęhtsih yayǫmęʔah (The Daughters of Aataentsic).
Together with author Dr. Kathryn Magee Labelle's book - Daughters of Aatenstic: Life Lessons from Seven Generations - this exhibition forms The Daughters of Aataentsic Project.
Exhibit Schedule
Opens: October 4, 2025
Grand Reception & Author Talk: October 4 | 1-4pm
Closes: October 28 | 2pm
The Gallery is a multi-use space and is often booked for private events. So while you can always drop in during opening hours, if coming from a distance, we encourage you to call 519 599 3681 to ensure The Gallery is available for walkthroughs.
A Message from Author Labelle
The Daughters of Aataentsic project is a collaborative initiative between eight Wendat/Wandat women from the four modern Wendat/Wandat communities across North America (the Wyandot of Anderdon Nation, the Huron-Wendat Nation, the Wyandotte Nation, the Wyandot Nation of Kansas) and Dr. Kathryn Magee Labelle. The goal was to tell the stories of their Ancestors by highlighting the Motherwork of seven remarkable women across time and space. The result was the book, Daughters of Aataentsic: Life Stories from Seven Generations (McGill-Queen’s Press, 2021) that includes historical case studies of Cécile Gannendâris, Marie Catherine Jean dit Vien, Margaret Grey Eyes Solomon, Mary McKee, Eliza Burton Conley Jr., Jane Zane Gordon, and Éléonore Sioui. Overall, the book concludes that these women successfully countered colonial policies and regimes by sustaining matricentric systems and preserving female leadership over the generations.
The art exhibit, Yaaʔtayęhtsih yayǫmęʔah, is a complement to the book project. A member of the Wendat/Wandat Women’s Advisory Council and an artist with an established relationship with the Ontario homeland, Catherine Tàmmaro has a unique perspective which offers an opportunity to explore the intersections of land, women and dispersal through her Ancestral continuum and her multi-disciplinary practice. The installation provides reflections on changes in politics, spirituality and the overall consequences of colonial attacks to subvert and erase the Wyandot people. It is our hope that these collective aspects honour our work, the women, their Motherwork and placekeeping across the land. Blue Mountain is an iconic site that is an historic and lived space for many communities which identify as Wendat/Wandat and therefore presents the ideal location for this gathering.
I am incredibly grateful to the Women’s Advisory Council for their continued guidance throughout this journey; and to the utrihǫt (Faithkeeper) Catherine Tàmmaro whose groundbreaking artwork shines brightly, not only on the cover of the book, but throughout Yaaʔtayęhtsih yayǫmęʔah.
Dr. Kathryn Magee Labelle
A Message from Artist Tàmmaro
The Daughters of Aataentsic project was initiated in 2013 by Professor Kathryn Labelle and supported by the wendat/waⁿdat Women's Advisory Council. Most of this artwork was shown at Crawford Lake in 2022, REMOTE Gallery Toronto (2023), as well as last month at the Muskoka Discovery Centre in an installation called Fire Over Water.
The beautiful vintage wendat canoe was found a few years ago by a student of mine. The collection of vitrines, sound, video and paintings represent concepts which were inspired by our women's stories, our collective history, strong feelings and deeply rooted cultural memories of our relationship with the land and our experiences of dispersal and spirituality. I feel my creativity comes from 'The Ancestral Present', allowing our stories to be revealed in the now, in multiple ways and mediums.
This work is dedicated to our strong women leaders through history and my dear sister Ellen and Mother Dorothy, both now residing in the Spirit World.
Thank you to the Blue Mountains Library, its staff and installers, wendat/waⁿdat Women’s Advisory Council for their brilliance and Sisterhood, and my deepest thanks to Professor Kathryn Labelle, without whom this project would not have materialized.
yawahstih! yatuyęh yaⁿgwęʔnyahkwih
(It is certain, by way of the blood)
Thanks also to Dr. Craig Kopris, Dr. Anders Sandberg,
The Muskoka Discovery Centre, Crawford Lake and Conservation Halton, Ihsan Alemdaroglu, Joce Two Crows Tremblay and Faye Mullen, Phil Ogison and Digital Alchemist Jeff Howard ~ Toronto Arts Council and SSHRC.
skę:nǫh ~ peace
tižamęh, thank you!
Taǫmęˀšreˀ
date:žátǫ ⁿgyaˀwiš hatiyerunǫˀ
People of the Little Turtle
Peuple du de la petite tortue, gardiens des cieux,
porteurs du feu
Yanǫhšetsih Yaⁿdawaʔyeh
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
waⁿdat ~ tǫrǫtǫʔ
Catherine Tàmmaro
Multidisciplinary Artist
