Sociology and Anthropology Instructor Designs Indigenous Public Art on Carleton Campus
Have you seen the newly installed Algonquin Wayfinding Wheel at Campus Ave side of Carleton’s OCTranspo train station? It was designed by Simon Brascoupé, an Algonquin artist, instructor and adjunct research professor in the department of sociology and anthropology. Simon created the design in collaboration with his daughter Mairi Brascoupé who studied design at Central Saint Martins, London.
Developed in partnership with Algonquin Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and community members, the work draws deeply from Algonquin cosmology. Its design incorporates symbols such as the four sacred directions, animals of spiritual significance, and the north arrow, weaving them together into a unified whole.
More than a map-like device, the Wheel functions as both a visual landmark and a site of orientation and reflection. In Algonquin artistic practice, such a form is not static but living, embodying relationships of connection and balance and reminding us of the responsibilities we carry to the land and to one another.
The Carleton installation is part of a larger collaborative project between the City of Ottawa, OCTranspo and the Algonquin community to integrate Indigenous art into the urban landscape. Other Wayfinding Wheels can be found at City Hall and at many O-Train Stations. Placing the Wheels at visually prominent and much-frequented locations presents an invitation to passers-by to consider the layered histories and ongoing presence of Algonquin Anishinaabe Peoples on this land. It also opens space for dialogue about how we move through, name, and engage with campus and city environments.
Next time you take the bus or the train, or just pass by the station, take a couple of minutes to visit the Wayfinding Wheel and reflect on its deep meaning. For more information and an animated video about the Algonquin Wayfinding Wheel project across Ottawa: https://www.octranspo.com/en/algonquin-wayfinding-wheel/