New residency to send Indigenous artists to site of Titanic wreckage

Aninitiativeto sendtwo Indigenous artists to the Titanic site is aimingto help commemorate the site and raise interest among Indigenous people in maritime careers.

"It's very important that the expedition captures the last days of the Titanic as it slowly dissipates," said Shayne McDonald, director of Miawpukek Horizon Maritime Services,a joint business venture between Miawpukek First Nation and Horizon Maritime Servicesthat offers marineservices like tugboats and subsea cable repair and maintenance.

"It's a unique story in history, and as we keep it alive, we keep alive the stories of the individuals that died on the voyage."

More than 1,500 people died when thepassenger ship sank off the coast of Newfoundland in 1912. The wreckage was discovered in 1985 but over time the sunken ship is eroding.

The artist residency project is a partnership between Miawpukek Horizon Maritime Services andOceanGate, a submersible charter company thatoffers expeditions to the Titanic site.

McDonald, a band councillor with Miawpukek First Nation, a Mi'kmawcommunity in Newfoundland 553 kilometreswest of St. John's, will work with the community'schief, Mi'sel Joe, to help ensure the artists are connected to an Indigenous community.

The artists will join an eight-day expedition this summer from St. John's to the Titanic site, about 750 kilometres off the coast, and areto create an artwork based from the journey.

McDonald said he thinks it will be great for the artists to be exposed to themarine research.

"We're quite excited for the project and quite excited that it offers up opportunities for Indigenous artists," said McDonald.

Jasmine Saunders,business manager for Miawpukek Horizon Maritime Services, saidthe project is another opportunity for the company to engage with Indigenous people.

"It's something that is really rewarding, to provide these opportunities where they might not have had the chance otherwise," said Saunders.

She saidshe hopes programs like this introduce Indigenous people to maritime careers.