Tom Wilson | TEHÅHÀHAKE

Tom Wilson is a Canadian musician, author and visual artist. Wilson’s memoir, Beautiful Scars published by Penguin/Random House has become a national bestseller. The memoir has been adapted into a TVO Original documentary (directed by Shane Belcourt). More recently, Hamilton’s Theatre Aquarius completed a successful run of Beautiful Scars, the musical adapted to the stage in collaboration with actor /writer Shaun Smyth. Exposing incredible truths about Wilson’s biological family and Indigenous heritage, Beautiful Scars delves into the singer-songwriter’s lifetime quest to find himself and ultimately uncover his true identity as a Mohawk man.

“Over the course of discovering my true identity, the intention of my writing, my music and my art is to reduce the gap between my indigenous culture and colonialists to make a more patient, loving community. ” – Tom Wilson

Tom Wilson's extensive career and tireless efforts as a musician has bestowed upon him numerous nominations and awards from the Hamilton Music Awards to the Polaris Prize to the Juno Awards, including certified gold and platinum records. His songwriting has seen his works recorded by and with artists such as; Sarah McLachlan, City and Colour, Jason Isbell, Colin James, Lucinda Williams, Billy Ray Cyrus, Mavis Staples, The Rankin Family, as well as his own bands Junkhouse, the Canadian treasure: Blackie and the Rodeo Kings and the Clinton Street collective: Lee Harvey Osmond band awarded a 2020 Juno Award for the album “Mohawk”.

After the success of his exhibit at the Art Gallery of Burlington Beautiful Scars: Mohawk Warriors, Hunters and Chiefs, Tom’s paintings are now on display in various galleries across Canada, including successful shows at Toronto’s Cultural Goods Gallery and Tom Beckett Fine Art in Hamilton. His powerful installation piece Fading Memories of Home explores the systemic erasure of Indigenous culture in residential schools. Portrayinga colonial classroom, the exhibit includes nine rebuilt residential school desks with photographs of children’s families inside. As you move further in the rows, the images disappear representing the loss of identities, family, culture, and language.

In January 2024, New Brunswick book publishers, Goose Lane Editions released the Mohawk Warriors, Hunters and Chiefs The Art Of Tom Wilson Tehoháhake.

In 2020, Tom established the Tom Wilson Indigenous Bursary in Honour of Bunny Wilson at McMaster University, supporting year one indigenous students from Ontario secondary schools completing an undergraduate program in any faculty.

Wilson was appointed as a Companion of the Order of Canada in June 2023, with this citation:

For his multifaceted contributions to the arts in Canada, notably as an iconic musician, as well as for his advocacy of Indigenous communities in Canada.

Through his melodies, paintings, and words, Wilson invokes ancestral wisdom while addressing pressing issues of our time. His artistry serves as a bridge between past and present, inviting reflection and dialogue on the complexities of Indigenous identity and resilience.

THOMAS CUNNINGHAM WILSON was born June 9th, 1959 in Hamilton Ontario. He was raised in Hamilton by his adoptive parents, Bunny and George Wilson. In December 2021, Tom was officially added to the KAHNAWÀ:KE KANIEN'KEHÁ:KA REGISTRY as per KANIEN'KEHÁ:KA OF KAHNAWÀ:KE LAW.