Based in Châteauguay, Quebec, Kaiatanoron Dumoulin-Broadback is a Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) artist whose multidisciplinary practice includes illustration, painting, sculpture, and installation. She holds a BFA in Indigenous Visual Culture from OCAD University, along with diplomas in Fine Arts and Illustration & Design from Dawson College. Her work has been featured in projects with CBC, The Royal Ontario Museum, McGill University, and many others.
From a young age, Kaiatanoron was surrounded by art. Both sides of her family have roots in creative drawing practices, and their talents were her first inspiration. “I am very fortunate to have inherited their sensibilities,” she says.
Drawing quickly became her favourite thing to do, a natural way for her to express herself. As a child, she also developed a love for manga; a style of Japanese comics known for its bold illustrations and expressive storytelling. While she once dreamed of becoming a manga artist (and still does), it was her family’s influence that truly shaped her path as an artist, grounding her work in culture, care, and intergenerational gifts.
As an intergenerational Survivor, Kaiatanoron’s connection to this work runs deep. Her grandparents on her father’s side survived Indian Residential Schools, while her father attended Indian Day School. This family history fuels her dedication to honouring Survivors and amplifying their voices through art.
Bringing Survivor Stories to Life Through Visual Art
The Survivors’ Secretariat’s new visual identity is rooted in stories shared directly by Survivors. The original logo is designed by artist Aríhwaiens Martin, Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) Bear Clan from Six Nations of the Grand River. The symbols in the logo represent aspects of the Mohawk Institute’s history: footprints marking the journey through the institution, the apple orchard symbolizing forced labour and denied nourishment, a mother and child wrapped in moss bags, stars representing cultural teachings and connection, and more.
Building on this foundation, Kaiatanoron was invited to interpret and expand upon these meaningful symbols. Her artwork transforms the logo’s elements into narrative-driven compositions that honour the truth of the Mohawk Institute. For example, the floral wreath from the moss bag appears throughout her images, symbolizing care and continuity. In one scene, young boys are shown fleeing down the school’s stairs, evoking both the trauma of the institution and the enduring hope of returning to family and community.
Kaiatanoron’s contributions carry forward the intention of the original logo: to tell Survivor-informed stories through visual symbolism. “It was important for me to listen closely to Survivors and the Secretariat throughout the creative process,” Kaiatanoron explains. “Each element carries deep meaning, and my goal was to respectfully translate that truth and hope into visual art.”
One moment that has stayed with Kaiatanoron comes from the 2024 Survivors’ Gathering. As the bus pulled into the grounds of the former Mohawk Institute, some Survivors jokingly, and others more seriously called out for apples, saying, “We should be having apples right now!” The comment was a reference to the orchard where children were forced to work but punished for taking its fruit.
“The atmosphere was excited, energetic, and defiant,” she recalls. “There was laughter and cheeky glances between one another. I was humbled by the strength and tenacity of the Survivors and their families.”
She stresses the importance of Indigenous peoples representing themselves visually during truth and reconciliation. “It is essential that Indigenous people depict themselves and feel appropriately represented in images. As they say, ‘Nothing about us, without us.’”
Her work with the Survivors’ Secretariat was created “with great love and care” and stands as a testament to the ongoing journey of truth, healing, and hope.
Reflecting on the project, Kaiatanoron shares, “I cannot emphasize enough how much of an honour and a pleasure it has been working with everyone on the team. I am so proud of what we made.”
“It is difficult to condense into a sentence, but my love and respect for Survivors and their families has only deepened. My hope and passion for future generations has only grown.”
She adds, “I have a profound respect for all the work the Secretariat does.”
New Works by Kaiatanoron
Kaiatanoron illustrated the upcoming book Ondinnok, released in September 2025, which celebrates the history of Ondinnok Productions, a theatre company founded by Yves Sioui Durand and Catherine Joncas.
She also contributed design work for Stone and Bone Spectacular, a play directed by Ange Loft, opened October 15th, 2025 at Montreal’s Centaur Theatre. The show explores the history of Tioh’tià:ke with playful and powerful storytelling.