Long time Old Hazelton resident and master artist, Earl Muldon was awarded the prestigious Order Of Canada last Friday, May 27, by the Right Honourable David Johnson, Governor General of Canada.
Created in 1967 during Canada’s centennial year, the Order of Canada is to recognize a lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation. In the past 44 years, more than 5,000 people from all sectors of society have been invested into the order and Muldon is now one of them.
In a press release, the Governor General stated that they were recognizing Muldon for much of his First Nations work.
“Earl Muldon is a passionate promoter and defender of the Gitxsan culture,” they stated. “As hereditary chief of the House of Delgamuukw, he is an important advocate for the rights of his people and was a driving force behind a historic legal case that resulted in the recognition of oral history as part of Canada’s court system.
“A renowned master carver, he has been commissioned to undertake various creative projects in Canada, Japan and the United States, including a major totem pole renewal project for the Gitanyow (Kitwancool) Hereditary Chiefs. A respected artist and instructor, he continues to mentor the next generation of artists in Gitxsan craftsmanship and traditions, contributing largely to the preservation of traditional Northwest Coast art.”
Muldon made the journey to receive his award at the investiture ceremony at Rideau Hall.