Residents will notice new Indigenous public art at and around the firehall on Great Bear Boulevard on the west side. A new mural on the hall by local artist Hali Heavy Shield incorporates traditional language and the symbol of a cross, which she says is a butterfly that is a sign of protection and goes on the back of a teepee.
“I am really trying to learn my language and I think incorporating it in my art is really important and it helps teach others too as well about the language and the culture,” Heavy Shield says. “The mural behind me is reminiscent of a teepee design and I wanted to really show or make reference to the home of the firehall number five.”
Heavy Shield is one of three artists who contributed to the project. Rudy Black Plume created a wrap for one of the fire engines, which brings the spirit of the painted horse to crews who operate the truck.
“Whether it was for battle, hunting or counting coup, a painted horse was an embodiment of prayer, protection and good fortune for the owner of the horse. This piece is to honour the bravery and courage of those who put their lives on the line to protect and ensure the safety of their communities, just like the warriors of the past,” Black Plume says.
There are also nine bison sculptures lining the boulevard with information on native plant species. These were created by Marjie Crop Eared Wolf, along with Kainai elders.
“The piece I did is not an individual piece onto itself, but a project where I reached out to my community to try to include us and represent us as a whole, which I think is really important for us as Blackfoot artists — to continue to hold each other up and celebrate each other,” Crop Eared Wolf says.
The city says the new installations create an ecosystem of Blackfoot cultural representation with a goal to reflect the diversity of the community in the public realm.
“Part of reconciliation is bringing together Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to come to a shared understanding,” says Charlene Bruised Head Mountain Horse, Indigenous relations advisor. “The space we see here in Great Bear Boulevard is a fantastic opportunity for our community to come out, engage with Blackfoot art and culture and walk away knowing a little more about the land we’re situated on.”
Deputy fire chief Gerrit Sinke says it is an honour to have the art installations on the firestation and to be able to meet the artists behind them.
“It’s so significant to us because so much of it speaks about the history of the great country and the wonderful people that came before us, but also the amount of thought that they put into the work and to blend it together with the work that we do as firefighter paramedics. To speak to bravery and the timelessness of profession,” Sinke says.