The Meeting

Artist: Tim Schmalz

The meeting statue is a celebration of two people, two faiths and two distinct cultures coming together 400 years ago. In 1615, Chief Aenon of the Huron Weendat presents the Wampum belt, a symbolic gesture of friendship and alliance to welcome Samuel de Champlain and the French people to their land. Beneath the two figures are sculpted symbols from both cultures. Under the Chief the artist highlights the belief held by the Huron Wendat that the world is a large turtle. On this turtle live their people. Also represented are the Three Sisters, the spiritual providers of what sustains their people, sister corn, sister bean and sister squash. Beneath Champlain lie the symbol of the French, emerging from their ship, the ancient symbol of the fleur de lys. Also included are the Christian symbols of God, represented in three parts, the Father by the hand, the son Jesus by the fish, and the Holy Spirit, the dove. A ribbon of maple leaves continually flows throughout the sculpture, symbolic of our shared nation and the Huron Wendat belief that all meetings never end. The Meeting statue is symbolic in itself of the two cultures embracing on the shores of Georgian Bay and their woven history to the area. The artist captured the 400 years of history by using 400 leaves throughout the piece.