We Were Younger Once

Fragments of a prairie childhood

Kiona — or Kiwi, as her family calls her—grew up living with her moshom (grandpa) and a revolving door of relatives on scrip land. Affectionately called “the farm”, Kiwi shares a small portion of her home—a spot where she played with her cousins, daydreamed about her future, listened to her families stories across generations, and learned about the complexities of heartbreak.

In We Were Younger Once, artist Kiona Callihoo Ligtvoet follows a non-linear series of mini memories of growing up as a dirt kid on the prairies, the wistfulness of leaving home, and the visits that will always bring her back.