Town of Georgina, Downtown Sutton BIA hold dedication for ‘Old Fox Woman’ sculpture

Yorkregion.com
Sept. 14, 2023

The Old Fox Woman is a trickster spirit who is powerful, helpful and filled with love.

The Town of Georgina and the Downtown Sutton BIA commissioned a sculpture of the “Old Fox Woman” to celebrate Indigenous culture in the community.

Being part fox, Old Fox Woman is a matriarch who is sly, intelligent, knows her way around the forest and is always thinking a few steps ahead, according to the town.

“Should you be fortunate enough to spend some time with the Old Fox Woman, you will find it impossible to walk away unchanged.”

Old Fox Woman’s purpose is “aligned with helping those in younger generations find their way in life,” according to the town.

The sculpture was created by sculptor Ron Baird in collaboration with Indigenous consultant Jared BigCanoe. A dedication for the sculpture was held Sept. 7 at the Georgina Centre for Arts and Culture.

The town and downtown business improvement areas partnered to install metal sculptures to honour Indigenous culture. The sculptures were funded by the federal Tourism Relief Fund.

Another, the “Nanabush” sculpture located at the revitalized Uptown Keswick Parkette, is an original piece depicting the son of an Ojibwe woman and Epingishmook Winona, the spirit of the west wind. He is described as a trickster and a larger-than-life half-god, half-human, born with the ability to shape shift, according to the town.

In the piece, commissioned by the Town of Georgina and Uptown Keswick BIA, “Nanabush” is moving as the wind while he shape shifts into a waabooz (rabbit).