CVAG George Sawchuk Gallery
DISPLACED INDIANS: THE SIXTIES SCOOP
A body of work first shown at Urban Shaman Gallery in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 2017
(A revised version of George Littlechild’s 1996 installation of the same name)
George Littlechild’s exhibition Displaced Indians: The Sixties Scoop shares personal testimonials, which all similarly demonstrate the alienation and confusion that survivors of the Sixties Scoop have grappled with. ”Who am I?” and “where do I belong?” are the recurring questions asked by those who have been displaced.
At the time of its creation in 1996, Displaced Indians: The Sixties Scoop was one of the first bodies of work by an Indigenous artist to speak about the experience of Indigenous children who were torn from their homes and adopted or fostered out into non-Indigenous families during what is known as the Sixties Scoop era in Canada.
A survivor of the Sixties Scoop himself, George Littlechild lost touch with his siblings and parents after the authorities took him away at age four and placed him into foster care. Being “scooped” deprived him from a stable support system, as well as from knowing anything about his parentage.¹
It has taken him a lifetime of investigation, cold-calling, and determination to reconnect with his remaining family members and his culture. Growing up, he was simply called “Indian”; however, he was surprised to later discover that his father was a white settler of Celtic descent and his mother was Plains Cree. Littlechild is proud to now know his identity.²
“When he lived in Vancouver, [Littlechild] set up a talking circle and invited [Sixties Scoop] survivors to his studio. The conversations, at times heart wrenching and painful, made strangers feel like family. Some of those people contributed stories for his installation, which toured for several years, showing as far away as Australia and New Zealand. Over the years, parts of it got left behind during various moves.”³
In its current form, this exhibition was first shown at Urban Shaman Gallery in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 2017.
1. George Littlechild Price, Facebook, Sept 4, 2025, https://www.facebook.com/groups/1604915079745267.
2. See note 1 above.
3. Portia Priegert “Winnipeg Project Looks at the Sixties Scoop”, Galleries West, April 9, 2017, https://www.gallerieswest.ca/magazine/stories/george-littlechild-and-the-sixties-scoop/.
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
George Littlechild has had numerous solo and group exhibitions. His art has been exhibited in Canada, the United States, Japan, Australia, Tasmania and Europe. His books and art have won numerous awards and scholarships. To date he has created hundreds of artworks, which hang in public and private collections around the world.
Littlechild was born in Edmonton, Alberta on August 16, 1958. The son of a Plains Cree mother and a Canadian Celtic father, Littlechild was taken from his home as part of the Sixties Scoop and was raised by foster parents in Edmonton. He received a diploma in art and design from Red Deer College in 1984, and a BFA from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, Halifax in 1988. He also received an Honorary Doctorate Degree from the University of the Fraser Valley. His socially charged mixed-media paintings are often made in response to political movements, societal concerns such as reconciliation and reclamation, as well as personal history.
“In my work, I am committed to righting the wrongs that First Nations peoples have endured by creating art that focuses on cultural, social and political injustices. As an artist, educator and cultural worker, my goal is a better world. It is my job to show the pride, strength and beauty of First Nations people and cultures, and contribute to the betterment of all people.” – George Littlechild
OPENING TALK WITH GEORGE LITTLECHILD, JESSIE EVERSON, AND PRISCILLA LITTLECHILD
Recorded September 20, 2025
CONTENT ADVISORY: This program addresses the difficult history of the Indian Residential School system in Canada, the tragic death and loss of over 5,000 Indigenous children, the Sixties Scoop and their destructive impact on the lives of individuals, families, and generations of those involved.
If you are a survivor, family member or feel that you are in need of support, you can seek assistance through:
• Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line at 1-866-925-4419
• Hope for Wellness Helpline at 1-855-242-3310 or www.hopeforwellness.ca
• BC Wide Indigenous Crisis and Support Line at 1-800-KUU-US17 or 1-800-588-8717
Displaced Indians: The Sixties Scoop is part of an expansive program at the Comox Valley Art Gallery called George Littlechild: Hope for a better world.
