OLDS — École Olds Elementary School (ÉOES) and Horizon School were the latest schools in the community to receive Indigenous art created to commemorate truth and reconciliation.
Both artworks were among about 10 that have been presented to -- or will be presented to -- local schools as well as other entities like the Pregnancy Care Centre, Olds Municipal Library, the Boys and Girls Club of Olds and Area and the TransCanada Theatre.
ÉOES and Horizon School received their works on Thursday, Oct. 13 from local UNESCO schools network co-ordinator Bev Toews and Debbie Collins of Mountain View Moccasin House Society.
ÉOES received a large, brightly coloured painting of a bear cub riding on its mother’s back in front of a lake and mountains, with a big moon overhead.
It was created by Jason Carter of the Little River Cree Nation who now lives in the Bow Valley.
Horizon School received a sculpture perhaps six inches high, believed to be carved from soapstone. It depicts two rearing bears interacting and was created by John Kawapik of Sanikiluaq, Nunavut.
Collins said the artwork was obtained via a grant received from Heritage Canada to commemorate Sept. 30 (Orange Shirt Day) and truth and reconciliation.
“We got some from Cree and Stoney and Blackfoot, Inuit, Metis and Dene,” she said.
Collins pegged the grant at about $10,000.
She said organizers had hoped to provide all the artwork closer to Sept. 30 but didn’t find out they were receiving the grant until about five weeks before that, forcing them to scramble to obtain those works.
“We chose pieces that are appropriate for student age groups and will cultivate respect for those who produced them,” Collins wrote in an email.
“Most pieces speak to the gift of family, relationship, community and the importance of belonging. The pieces were chosen for their vibrancy, as a reflection of the original vibrancy of the children whose lives were impacted or lost to the residential school system. Never again.
“The objective of this initiative is that members of the town of Olds and its surrounding rural areas can be moved towards greater understanding of the impacts of colonization and to take steps towards reconciliation and the establishment and increase of respectful relationships between peoples.
“Students and staff and community members are encouraged to remember the precious vibrancy inherent in all children every time they pass the artwork.”
ÉOES reception
As Toews took the protective plastic off of Carter’s painting in the school lobby, ÉOES principal Margo Nygard reacted.
“Oh that’s fantastic, it’s beautiful,” she said. “There aren’t even words.”
Several people walking by at the time agreed.
“Oh my God, that’s lovely,” one woman said. “Oh my God, look at the colour. Love it.”
"Oh, that’s pretty,” a man said. “Wow, I like it. Very nice.”
Nygard was asked for her thoughts about receiving the painting.
"I feel honoured,” Nygard said. “It’s a huge privilege for us to have something like this in our little elementary school.”
She joked about hanging it in her office -- “you know, to keep it safe,” but anticipated it would be located in the school library.
Nygard said the painting will dovetail well with the school’s reconcili-action theme.
“Our reconciliation piece is reconcili-action so it goes throughout everything that we do in anything,” Nygard said.
"It’s not a ‘here’s a unit in social studies, it’s how we behave with one another and how we welcome anyone and everyone.”
Horizon School reception
Horizon School principal Melissa McEwen was thrilled to see the sculpture when it arrived in the school lobby.
"Oh, it’s so beautiful,” she said.
McEwen brought 10-year-old student Sawyer Strocher to officially receive it alongside her.
She told the Albertan that Strocher is of Cree heritage and enjoys participating in various aspects of that culture such as powwows.
After all the photos were taken, McEwen suggested to Strocher that he could help her decide the perfect place to display the sculpture.
Strocher said nothing, but did smile.
“He enjoyed fulfilling his role as an ambassador promoting indigenous education in our school,” McEwen wrote in an email later. “Thank you for including him.”
