Monday, September 27, 2010

Casino Rama/ My World

Doors into casino at Casino Rama, Rama, Ontario

My husband and I were on our way north to see colourful autumn foliage when we decided to take a short side trip to check out the achitecture of this casino outside Orillia on the shores of Lake Couchiching. Casino Rama is a hotel, casino and entertainment complex located 90 minutes north of Toronto on the Chippewas of Rama First Nation reserve.

According to the architects, one challenge in designing the building was to incorporate aspects of the Chippewa culture. To the left of the tipi-like structure is a rectangular building (which you cannot see) clad with metal panels featuring a 1,500- x 40-foot mural of aboriginal artwork.

Selected motifs from a small section of the art wall on the outside of the building

Here's a sample of what's included in the mural. In the largest square of this mosaic, you see a tree containing many motifs important to the people living on the Chippewas of Rama First Nations Reserve. The remaining squares show five of the motifs more clearly.

Panels featuring a flock of geese

Sorry about the wooden barrier in front of the geese. I suspect they are there to protect the mural.

More panels, these featuring deer and (I think) a wolf or coyote



Visit My World Tuesday  HERE to see tons of photos from around the world.

47 comments:

  1. Hello dear friend,
    Thanks for sharing your pictures from this Casino.All murals and panels are very creative,with a great variety of lines, colours and beautiful animals.I like a lot ,mainly the last panel.
    Hugs
    Léia

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  2. Great murals, I'm glad the builders included something from the Native American culture in their construction.

    Darla

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  3. the drawings were quite ingenious, very native in its design. ^0^

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  4. Amazing! We have Seminole casinos here in Florida but nothing as elaborate as this one. I really like the various pieces of tradition woven into the many murals.

    So, how much did you lose? As you know, our ancestors (illegal immigrants, by the way) came and destroyed the Indian nations...someone has said the natives are finally getting revenge in their casinos!

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  5. Hi EG: I should have included in my previous comment that I think your photos in this post are excellent!

    Re your comment on Stone Creek: The rent is less than $100/day. Actually, these are twin homes (just like what we live in) and each is about 1700 sq. ft., not counting a double garage and 200 sq. ft. lanai.

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  6. Casinos seem to be everywhere. We have some beauties out here too. I love the murals and the tree of pictures may be like the totem poles out this way.
    Most of the totems out this way incorprate the Eagle the Salmon the bear and water. Oh yes and Raven because he started it all. MB

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  7. That casino is beautiful and alot of work went into it I'm sure.
    B.

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  8. An architectural marvel. Thank you for explaining it was a teepee and about the Native American culture. The designs in the top left and right square of the mural are similar to Aboriginal art. A lot of work has gone into this.
    Excellent photo with wonderful Autumn tonings.

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  9. What a fantastic Casino! And I love all the murals and panels! How colorful, creative they are and they show such fascinating elements of the Native American culture. Terrific post for the day, as always! Hope your week is off to a great start! Enjoy!

    Sylvia

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  10. The architecture of this casino is both amazing and beautiful. It's wonderful that the buildings incorporate so many aspects of the Chippewa culture. Thanks for sharing this part of your world with us.

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  11. that facade is really eye catching. it would be fun to just stand outside and view the panels.

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  12. Love the colourful art on the casino!

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  13. Very interesting...never heard of it before. The murals are wonderful.

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  14. It sure does look like a teepee! Interesting murals too.

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  15. What an interesting building. I like the way they incorporated the murals.

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  16. Hi Tina,
    What a coincidence!
    In Catalunya we have a very small town called Rama.
    This casino is very nice and the murals of the Chippewas very interesting.
    Have a nice day Tina!!

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  17. I love those murals, though the casino is not my idea of fun.

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  18. what a fascinating casino. love those murals and panels.

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  19. casinos are sprouting every where. In Singapore, they just built the Integrated resort. I don't think Canada had casinos when I was there in the 1970s, otherwise, there might be problems of students going there andnot studying like some of them do now in New ZEaland.

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  20. That is a beautiful and interesting mural. The Native American culture art is beautiful.

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  21. That is an attractive casino, definitely not what I think of. Nice photos!

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  22. This is an interesting building, isn't it?! I spend more time outside, than inside!

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  23. Great photos fr0m y0ur w0rld!haven't been to any casino,im always anxious to kn0w what's inside and how it looks like.

    visit my waterfalls post

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  24. Neat stuff there, EG!

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  25. Love the building but the artwork is amazing!

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  26. Very interesting artwork and detailing on the casino not to mention the unusual casino architecture!

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  27. Absolutely gorgeous. I've never had any desire to see a casino (although I've seen some whether I wanted to or not, just because I was where they were) but I would definitely love to see the artwork on this one. Just great.

    Kay, Alberta

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  28. very interesting and colorful murals. our tribes here also depict animals in their carvings, woven fabrics, paintings and other craft.

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  29. It is a beautiful building. Did you go into the hotel? It is very nice inside as well. The casino, however, does not interest me.

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  30. it´s really great artwork. Good they did not only thought about winnings. :)

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  31. What an amazing building. The mural is just so cool!

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  32. Thank you for showing their culture displayed on the murals! A feast for my eyes:)

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  33. A post full of interest and beauty. The murals show us how the people connected to the land see their environment, heritage and traditional food sources.

    I am definitely not a casino person but would love to spend a few nights in that hotel as a base and connect to the land around there.

    Thank you for sharing this interlude of your leaf hunting trip, hope you found what you were looking for or is it still a tad too early for the full splendour?

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  34. That casino looks a lot better than the ones around here. Very cool!

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  35. I really like how they put in parts of the local culture in the building! Did you try out the casino? We don't have any here so I'm always curious what a casino's like :D

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  36. What beautiful captures of architecture and murals and panels. I love the details in the artwork, and like the perpective in the architectural photo.

    Beauties...one and all!

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  37. I am very happy that everybody enjoyed the murual. My name is Chris Valliere, and I had a part in the design process along with a group of other artists from the now dissolved, Mnjikaning Art Studio. Although my art isn't present in any of the photos, I can tell you who painted the ones that you do see. The tree with all the clans represented was done by Mel Benson. The flock of birds was done by Duane Sharpe, and the deer were done by Tim Stinson.

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