Count Yourself In!
1986
Artist
Rocky Fiddler (Cree [Sandy Lake First Nation])
Publisher
Statistics Canada
DIMENSIONS
24 1/4 x 18 in. (61.6 x 45.7 cm)
OBJECT NUMBER
PH.7665
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
Canada
CREDIT LINE
Poster House Permanent Collection
KEYWORDS
Music, Native American

In this bilingual, double-side poster, designed for all three recognized Indigenous peoples in Canada (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis), Rocky Fiddler uses organic forms, traditional dress, and the transformation of sound into image to assert that Indigenous modes of expression and knowledge remain vital tools for navigating contemporary requirements like the census. The composition is not representative of any single Canadian tribal community but incorporates visual signifiers shared or understood by many, depicted in the Woodland style of painting. Each of the motifs, including a running elk, a warm and radiant sun, a teepee, and communal figures, can have multiple meanings. This commonality emphasizes that federal data collection can happen on Indigenous terms—keeping ceremony, tradition, and cultural pride intact. Rocky Fiddler, a Cree artist from Sandy Lake First Nation in northwestern Ontario, learned from elders who shared histories and sacred legends with him. He then transformed these oral traditions into his distinctive visual narrative style. This poster continues that practice, making stories visible across linguistic barriers. Fiddler’s handwriting in Cree at the upper left also reminds viewers to support the preservation and use of Indigenous languages. 

For inquiries about image licensing, please contact collections@posterhouse.org.

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