Wilson honoured with Order of Canada
Tom Tehohàhake Wilson pictured at Rideau Hall after being appointed to the Order of Canada. Courtesy Madeline Wilson
Juno-award-winning musician, storyteller, author, and visual artist Tom Tehohàhake Wilson walked into Rideau Hall to receive the Order of Canada, carrying more than his own story. He carried the weight of his ancestors, the pride of his community, and his struggles and triumphs throughout his journey.
“I was honoured to receive the Order of Canada from her excellency, the Right Honourable Mary Simon,” Wilson said.
The Order of Canada, one of the nation’s highest civilian honours, offered a new platform for that mission. “Now I have a medal, so I can continue my work bringing Mohawk culture into the light and standing for Indigenous education,” Wilson said. “They gave it to me for my multifaceted approach, cultural expressions and how I intertwine traditional and contemporary insights.”
For Wilson, the moment was deeply personal.
“The governor general’s office called me and told me the news. I was overcome with gratitude in that moment. I felt the people who raised me standing with me. I felt my grandfather from Kahnawake. I felt my ancestors,” he said. “The work I do now is specific. It has intent. My job now is to tell my story, so it inspires others.”
Wilson views the Order not as a finish line but a tool to continue his work. “Now I have a medal, so I can keep bringing Mohawk culture into the light and standing for Indigenous education,” he said. “Maybe this recognition will help me reach a larger audience. I don’t speak for all Indigenous people. I only tell my story. But through telling it, I can start conversations that matter.”
Those conversations often centre on Canada’s difficult history on residential schools, the Sixties Scoop, and the intergenerational trauma that followed. Wilson believes art is the doorway. “You can’t scream in people’s faces to get their attention. You have to find a way so they want to hear what you have to say.”
His daughter, Madeline Wilson Shaw, was among those watching. She grew up on the road with her father, sometimes even managing his career as a teenager, and has witnessed his journey from every angle.
“Honestly, my dad has been an artist through and through since he was a child. To see the goodness and spirit behind his work recognized in this way I just feel really positive. I’m happy that other people see him the way his family and fans always have.”
For Madeline, the ceremony had a weight distinct from other awards he has received. “I’ve seen people recognize him before with Juno Awards, with an honourary doctorate but this was different. The Order of Canada carries a lot of ceremony and weight. To see his name alongside others who’ve given their heart and soul to their work felt emotional.”
Wilson’s art is inseparable from his journey of self-discovery. Adopted and raised without knowledge of his Mohawk roots, he spent much of his life searching for the truth of who he was. When he finally uncovered his ancestry and connected with his family in Kahnawake, the pieces fell into place.
“I really am trying to create a bridge between my past and my present,” Wilson explained. “When I sit down to write, when I tell a story, it’s coming from a Mohawk man. My invitation is reflection and dialogue.”
Madeline saw how that journey transformed him: “When my dad found out who his parents were, everything came into focus for him. His reconnection shows what you gain when you find your community again.”
Madeline credits her father’s honesty with shaping her own path. “My dad has always taught me to stay true to myself. He doesn’t shy away from who he is, and that honesty has shaped me. He’s also taught me how to survive and that experience taught me so much about strength and independence.”
Even with the Order pinned to his chest, Wilson insists the work isn’t done.
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“I hope this will help support my positive intentions as I help bring a deeper awareness of the true history of this country and the power and beauty of Indigenous people forward through my art, my writing, and my music,” he said.
“It doesn’t mark the end of the road. It opens a new one for me. I’m still struggling. Writing, painting, making music; it’s all just hard work.”
The recognition, however, underscores the responsibility he feels to open doors for others. “The greatest job I have besides telling the story is to open the door for the next generation. If I can do it, you can do it too,” he said.
