David M. General: December 2009

Thursday, December 24, 2009

An Olympic Thanksgiving

Torch Bearers, Members of the Olympic Torch Relay, Six Nations Athletes, Honoured Guest, Ladies and Gentlemen:

As you have just heard, all significant events in our territory begin with a traditional Thanksgiving.

I will continue the Thanksgiving theme in comments I will share with you this evening.

An Olympic Thanksgiving

We are thankful to our Creator/God for the opportunities and challenges he has blessed us with.

We are thankful for occasions when our physical ability and skills, in sports and athletics can be tested against others who seek competitive engagement.

We are thankful the 2010 Olympic Torch Relay has arrived safely in our territory.

We are thankful Six Nations of the Grand River has an opportunity to share our athletic and sporting excellence with the World.

We are thankful for and proud of our community members who will participate as Olympic Torch Bearers this evening.

We are thankful for our sports heroes and legends: those who are long since passed; those who are still with us to share their accomplishments and those amazing young athletes yet to be born.

We are thankful for and celebrate the talents and dedication of the thousands of athletes that will journey to Vancouver a few months time. Our prayers and best wishes go to those athletes who have suffered untimely injuries delaying their Olympic dreams. We know your eyes remain on the flame and we know you will continue your quest in years to come.

We are thankful for dedicated coaches who instil commitment and discipline.

We are thankful for those dedicated individuals who work within our sporting organization – your work has not gone un-noticed.

We are so very thankful and appreciative of parents, grandparents, siblings, spouses, aunts, uncles and cousins, who play a major role in supporting the dreams and determination of our athletes. Every athlete realizes they can be lifted to extraordinary feats of athletic achievement when supported by the love of their family, community and nation.

Creator/God, we ask you to bless this evenings celebration with the true spirit of Olympic endeavour. We ask you to bless and hold safe every man, woman and child who see peace, love and hope in the torch passing through our community. Images of this evening will burn lasting memories in the minds, hearts and spirits of everyone in attendance.

Though the flame will depart in a short time, it leaves behind embers that can be fanned to ignite the spirits of our youth to pursue athletic and sporting dreams at all levels, including: national, international and the Olympics.

Creator/God and all who are present here this evening: It is my honour to welcome the Olympic Torch and members of the Olympic Torch Relay to Six Nations of the Grand River.

David M. General

December, 2009

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Bio

DAVID M. GENERAL

Born

Ohsweken, Ontario, May 31, 1950

Education

Hagersville Secondary School, Hagersville, Ontario
Wilfred Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario
Journeyman Bridge & Structural Steel Ironworker, Local 736, Hamilton, Ont.
Hamilton Teachers College, Hamilton, Ontario
Self-Studied Sculptor - Stone, Bronze, Wood, Metals

Work Experience

Journeyman Bridge and Structural Steel Ironworker
Elementary School Art Teacher
Acting/Senior Cultural Development Officer, Cultural
Development Division, Education Branch, Department of Indian
and Northern Development, Ottawa
Exhibition Curator-Contemporary Art of Iroquoia,
MacDonald Gallery, Toronto
Lecturer, The Canada School of Public Service, Asticou, Quebec

Since 1980, David has worked as a full time sculptor, developing a distinctive style in marble and bronze. His influence and encouragement continues to help many of his colleagues and younger artists create opportunities and challenges that are necessary to keep their careers dynamic.

In 1984, David was a founding member and co-chair of the Society of Canadian Artists of Native Ancestry (SCANA), a national native artist organization that successfully lobbied the National Gallery of Canada for greater recognition and representation for First Nation Art. In 1987 the National Gallery bought the first of many works by contemporary native artists.

Selected Solo Exhibitions

Rearview Mirror, The Indian Art Centre Gallery, Ottawa/Hull, Canada, 1998

First Language, Beckett Fine Art Ltd., Toronto, Ontario, 1998
Designs for Bronze and Stone, The Rails’ End Gallery, Haliburton, Ont., 1998

Modern Eagle/Modern Vision – David General, The Koffler Centre, North York, Ontario, 1993
In Seclusion – Recent Works by David M. General, Inuit Gallery, London, Ontario, 1988
Transformation – The Art of David General, Thunder Bay National Exhibition Centre & Centre for Indian Art, Thunder Bay and the Woodland Museum, Woodland Cultural Education Centre, Brantford Ontario, 1983/84

Selected Exhibitions

Mutual Regard, Works by Arthur Shilling & David M. General, Beckett Fine Arts, Toronto, Ontario, 2000
The Kluane Expedition, Yukon Gallery, Whitehorse, Yukon and McMichael Canadian Collection, Kleinburg, Ontario, 1994/95
The Very Breath of the Americas, David General and John Boyle, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario
In the Shadow of the Sun: Contemporary Canadian Indian and Inuit Art, Museum am Ostwall and the Museum fur Kunstand Kalturegeschichte, Dortmund, Germany; Rijks Museum voor Volkenhunde, Streen straat, Lerden, Netherlands; The Canadian Museum of Civilization, Hull Quebec; and Mount St. Vincent, Halifax, Nova Scotia, 1988 to 1990.
Selected Collections

Canadian Museum of Civilization, Ottawa, Canada
Indian Art Centre Collection, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Ottawa
Woodland Indian Cultural Educational Centre, Ontario
Thunder Bay National Exhibition Centre, Ontario
Ontario Crafts Council, Toronto, Ontario
McIntosh Gallery, University of Western Ontario
Dunlop Art Gallery, Regina, Saskatchewan
Shell Canada Collection
McMichael Canadian Collection, Ontario
The W. Ross MacDonald School, Brantford, Ontario
Olympia and York Developments Ltd, Toronto, Ontario
Northern Telecom Ltd
The Blackburn Group - London Free Press, Ontario
Yukon Permanent Art collection, Whitehorse, Yukon
The Peter Bronfman Collection, Toronto, Ontario
Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario
Maritime Paper Products, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Warner- Lambert Canada Inc., Scarborough, Ontario
Saint John Shipbuilding Limited, Saint John, N.B.
Standards Association, Rexdale, Ontario
Pacific Forest Products, Montreal, P.Q.
Digital Equipment Limited, Toronto, Ontario
Ontario Hydro, Toronto, Ontario
Petro Canada, Calgary, Alberta
Amdahl, Toronto, Ontario
Connaught Laboratories, Toronto, Ontario
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario
Swiss Re, Toronto, Ontario

Selected Publications

David General, Art '76. Brantford, Ontario: Woodland Cultural Centre, 1976.

Dinniwell, Norma. From Masks to Maquettes. London, Ontario: McIntosh Gallery, University of Western Ontario, 1982.

Dinniwell, Norma and Tom Hill. Transformations: The Art of David General, Brantford, Ontario: Woodland Cultural Centre, 1982.

"Growing Collections." Rotunda 27, no. 4 (Summer 1994): 9.

Hickey, Gloria. Modern Eagle, Modern Vision. North York, Ontario: Koffler Gallery, 1987.

McMaster, Gerald. Challenges. Ottawa, Ontario: Museum of Man, 1987.

Moore-Ede, Carol, David General: New Imageries. CBC, Sunday Arts Entertainment, Toronto, Ontario, 1990

Canadian Museum of Civilization, ed. In the Shadow of the Sun: Perspectives on Contemporary Native Art. Hull, Québec: The Museum, 1993

Nicks, Trudy. "Contemporary sculpture acquired for Ethnology collection Vision helmet, a marble sculpture created by David M. General of the Six Nations Reserve." Rotunda 27, no. 1 (Summer 1994): 9-10.

Rice, Ryan. David M. General: A Glance At . . . . Hull, Québec: Indian and Inuit Art Gallery, 1998.

Selected Commissions

We Are Among Eagle, bronze, 1982, Wayne Gretzky Celebrity Sports Classic.

Vision, bronze, 1989, Employment and Immigration Canada/Employment Equity, Ottawa/Hull, Canada

Eagle/Raven Transformation, Madoc marble, 1999, ComDev, Cambridge, Ontario

Phases of the Moon pendant design for National Aboriginal Role Model Program, bronze, 2009, National Aboriginal Health Organization, Ottawa, Ontario.

Turtle Island, marble, limestone and slate, 2010, Turtle Island Conservation Partnership, Toronto Zoo, Toronto, Ontario

Related Art Service

Past Co-chair, Society of Canadian Artists of Native Ancestry
Advisory Committee Member- National Indian Artists’
Symposium
Trustee, McMichael Canadian Art Collection Board of Governors, Kleinburg, Ontario
Juror, Canada Council for the Arts
Juror, Ontario Arts Council
Member of Kakaekwewin Advisory Committee, The Canada Council for the Arts

Community Service – Sports

David coached Lacrosse in Six Nations for 16 years and highlights of his coaching career include:

Peewee “A” Provincial Champions 1983;
Bantam “A” National Champions 1985;
Midget “A” Provincial Champions 1987;
Minto Cup Champions (Jr. “A” Canadian Champions) 1992 and
Mann Cup Champions (Sr. “A” Canadian Champions) 1994, 1995 & 1996.

David was named Junior “A” Coach of the Year in Ontario for 1990 and 1991. In 2001 he was inducted into the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame in the Builder Category. In 2008 the Six Nations Chiefs, ’94, ’95 & ’96 Canadian Champions were inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame. David is currently a member of the Canadian Lacrosse Association Hall of Fame – Eastern Selection Committee.

On December 21, 2009, David was given the honour of Honorary Elder Fire Keeper to welcome and bless the Olympic Torch Relay passage through Six Nations of the Grand River.

Community Service – Political

After retiring from coaching, David served four years as a District Councillor. From 2004 to 2007 David served as Elected Chief of Six Nations of the Grand River.

Biography

David M. General

David was born and raised on Six Nations of the Grand River.

He attended elementary school on Six Nations and secondary school in near by Hagersville, Ontario. His post secondary education included studies at Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario; Hamilton Teachers College, Hamilton, Ontario; and an apprenticeship with Local 736, Hamilton Ontario to become a Journeyman Bridge & Structural Steel Ironworker.

Prior to entering politics in 2001, David spent twenty one years as a full time sculptor working predominantly in marble and bronze. His works can be found in numerous private, corporate and public collections around the world.

David has a unique sense and experience in team building. He has been involved with five national “A” and two provincial “A” lacrosse championships. In 1990 and 1991 he was named the Ontario Lacrosse Associations Coach of the Year. In 2003 he was inducted into the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

In November of 2004 David became the Elected Chief of Six Nations of the Grand River. He has been involved in one off the most challenging events in his community’s recent history. The occupation of a housing development site on Douglas Creek Estates (DCE) Land in Caledonia has persisted for almost a year and a half have consumed considerable time in the current Council mandate,

In April 2006, David presented his thought and ideas for resolve in A Way Forward which brought federal and provincial representatives to the table. In the DCE occupation land has been the underlying and reverberating theme. David has reduced the issues to claims, development and governance – issues that have to be dealt with concurrently but separately.

David has always contended that governance issue within Six Nations was the one complicating feature in discussions surrounding Caledonia. The reconciliation of elected and traditional governance is paramount to resolving issues at Six Nations of the Grand River. It is important that everyone viewing the current discussion realize that it will be Six Nations citizens who will have the final say on all matters that impact and benefit the future – whether claims, development or governance.