Chinatown and BLM Mural

 Earlier this winter, we went downtown as the Bat-ham Family to try and catch the end of a Calgary outdoor festival. We missed the festival, but had a lovely walk and scoot around Chinatown.

Here are the kids bravely riding their trusty steeds. In all honesty, the scooters that the kids rode made the trip much more fun and less tiresome. They also learned to navigate some of the crowds on the lovely, wide pathway along the Bow River, where many people were enjoying some refreshing. Winter in a pandemic can make you feel really cooped up.

We may not have seen the outdoor festival, but we did make a point to familiarize ourselves with the Black Lives Matter mural called "The Guide and Protector", painted by Jae Stirling last summer in Chinatown. The mural's first location was so controversial that this is in fact the second choice for location and the artist and his team still faced verbal and online abuse while they worked. 

This mural celebrates the role Black people played in the Albertan west in the 1800’s, including John Ware who moved here in 1882. He introduced the longhorn cattle to Alberta and was well-known for being an excellent cowboy, rancher, dancer, and caller for local dances.

"The Guide and Protector" depicts an Apis bull cutting through the heavens, guided by a cowboy and a warrior in the saddle, both wearing white. They at ease with the bull, despite its obvious power and movement. The bull is adorned with beautiful jewelry and tributes around its neck. The serene in purples, blues, and glimmering golden light, hug the many  clouds around them. A rose dangles as a symbol of both love and encouragement for the god of fertility. (From the PinkFlamingo site that promoted the mural). I am proud to have this mural in our city, especially after learning a lot about Black communities in Alberta and Black rail porters travelling across the land during Black History Month this year. 

We had a great time and enjoyed being out and about in our city. That's it for my first post!