A good turnout for the unveiling of a new mural at the City Market in Saint John on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Artist Cassandra McLaughlin, also known as Northeast Moon, is of Inuvialuit and European heritage. Her mural is called Where the Dune Grass Grows.

She calls it a homage to landback mindset, food sovereignty, food sustainability and the knowledge that we need to rediscover as people our native food groups.

“This piece depicts a specific area of Saint John that I frequent a lot in foraging. The inspiration for Where the Dune Grass Grows is partly my irresponsibility as a forager. The last time I was at Sheldon’s Point there was this wheat-looking vegetation that was growing and my brain went ‘eat it’ so I ate it. I found out later it was actually an ancient grain,” McLaughlin said.

She learned there were many edible and tincture items

“It dawned on me that there are more native vegetables, food groups and nutritional things that grow in our land that we just don’t really recognize them as food anymore. We recognize them as no more than a weed. When in reality, with the dune grass, I could probably make bread out of it,” McLaughlin said.

A crowd at the Germain Street entrance, many wearing orange shirts, watched traditional drumming and many children and adults took part in a smudging ceremony.

Visitors on two cruise ships in Saint John for the day also took part.

A large turnout outside the City Market in Saint John for a ceremony ahead of the unveiling of a large mural in honour of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. pic.twitter.com/wk1mlC52zo

— Tamara Steele (@tamarasteele1) September 30, 2022