Rothesay Art Installation To Honour Sixties Scoop Survivor

A powerful art installation assembled in Quispamsis earlier this year will be replicated next door in Rothesay.

In June, Quispamsis Middle School students created a mosaic depicting a portrait of Sixties Scoop survivor Minda Burley.

The art display, measuring 18 metres by 18 metres, was made by assembling more than 14,000 hand-painted cardboard squares on the floor of the qplex.

Those pieces of cardboard were later given to Rothesay High School, which will create its own mosaic with a portrait of Burley’s sister, Joanne Munroe.

“Munroe will have a chance to tell her story to the Rothesay High School students and the whole school is going to help do this giant installation, this time outside on the field in front of the school,” artist Bonny Hill told Rothesay councillors on Monday night.

Hill, who is friends with Burley, was asked to help create the art installation in Quispamsis recognizing the tragic history of the Sixties Scoop and bringing awareness to the Every Child Matters movement.

She said the latest installation in Rothesay will be phase two of the project, entitled “The Power of the Individual to Effect Change.”

During the Sixties Scoop, about 20,000 Indigenous children were taken from their families and placed in the child welfare system for fostering and adoption. As a result, many of these children were deprived of a connection to their land, culture, and heritage.

Meghan Barton, a teacher at Rothesay High School, said education is a key part of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.

“We like to make sure that they have a chance to learn about the Sixties Scoop because a lot of adults don’t know what it is. It’s time to help move that along,” said Barton.

The plan is to assemble the mosaic on Sept. 30, which is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The cardboard tiles will be pierced with a wooden pick to stay in place for the day, and the installation will be taken down that night.

Following the presentation, Rothesay council approved a $500 donation to support the project.