Soaring like an eagle: Douglas Cardinal

Visionary architect Douglas Cardinal gave a captivating lecture about living powerfully, opening Ahkssissttstatoaa, the First Nations art and architectural history conference held in his honour at Concordia on June 16 and 17. He received an honorary doctorate from the Faculty of Fine Arts during Convocation ceremonies.

Cardinal has been credited with creating an indigenous Canadian style of architecture with gracious curves and organic forms, most notably the Canadian Museum of Civilization, in Hull.

Of Blackfoot and Métis descent, Cardinal was raised by a father whose own experience had convinced him that there were no opportunities for children who grew up on the reserve. A game warden, he taught his eight children how to hunt, trap and survive in the bush, but sent them to residential schools, leaving, as Cardinal says now, a "big hole in their Native background."

After completing his Bachelor's degree in architecture at the University of Texas in 1963, Cardinal returned to Alberta, "arrogantly expecting to make a contribution to the community." Instead, he found himself learning about his roots and culture from chiefs and elders, and about the power of having a vision and the determination to carry it out. It's a lesson that has guided his 35-year career.

"True creativity does not exist in what is known; that's already been created," Cardinal said. "True creativity exists in that domain out there that's yet to be explored, the 'land of the eagle.'"

When he tackled the design of St. Mary's Church, in Red Deer, Cardinal began building the curved brick walls of the seashell-like structure without knowing how he'd construct the roof. The solution was presented by a spider's web. "Anything is possible," he said.

Many of his projects in Western Canada have involved collaboration with aboriginal groups. Some have presented formidable obstacles, but as he said, "sometimes, in order to bring your vision to the world, it is necessary to be unreasonable, or people will reason you out of your commitment." There were chuckles from those in the audience who were aware of a protracted dispute over the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., which he designed.

History has demonstrated the hostility faced by those who contradict the conventional wisdom. "We're still controlled by what is known," Cardinal said. "There's a penalty for jumping off this known universe and soaring like an eagle."

Cardinal worked closely with elders to develop a vision for the Canadian Museum of Civilization, commissioned by then Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Just as construction was rolling full tilt, Cardinal said, the Progressive Conservatives took power and "tried to take apart the vision."

"The elders told me, 'You're buying into being a victim of the government of Canada. You have to go back to Ottawa and make a stand for the best that you can do,'" Cardinal recalled. He found a strong supporter in Joe Clark, who saw the project to its completion in 1989.

Cardinal was selected as designer of the Washington museum, to be built on the last site available on the Mall, in part because of his consensual approach to design. However, despite unanimous approval from the Native community, Washington's Commission of Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission, construction has been stalled by what he calls "a political agenda."

"Sometimes it's difficult to believe in the honour and integrity of people, given the circumstances that you get in powerful centres like Ottawa and Washington. But I still believe that they'll carry out the vision consistent with the wishes of the elders," Cardinal said.

Art History Professor Joan Acland, who proposed Cardinal for the honorary degree, takes an intense interest in his work, and has a SSHRC grant to study the Canadian content in his current project, the National Museum of the American Indian, in Washington, D.C. "He gave a stunning speech," Acland said. "They call him 'a contemporary shaman,' I think, because of his strong commitment to both First Nations issues and architecture."

Those undulating lines are not only visually striking, but devilishly difficult to execute, Acland said, and his work has been acknowledged by the Canadian government as the prototype for high-tech design. "The new building (in Washington) is going to be wonderful."