This painting is breathtaking not only because of its intense colours and sheer size but also because of its intent and its complex imagery. It expresses Morrisseau’s personal understanding of life’s interconnectedness and explores his notions of gender identity.

In Anishinaabe tradition, an offering or a gift is often given to create ties, to honour, or to ask for assistance. Morrisseau may have painted this mural to articulate his vision of a united Canada, and he offered it to the people of Canada in 1983 as a decolonizing gesture of reciprocity.