Indigenous symbols added to city hall

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This article was published 19/09/2022 (730 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

An eagle staff, Métis sash, seal skin and beaver pelt are among the symbolic items that have become permanent fixtures in Winnipeg’s city council chamber.

They were presented during a ceremony at a special council meeting Tuesday that featured prayers, drumming and speeches from leaders of Treaty One, Red River Métis, Inuit, Dakota Nations and Cree Nations.

Mayor Brian Bowman, who wore his chain of office for just the fourth time in his eight years as mayor, called it a historic day.

“Up until now, the words truly in our declarations didn’t capture the entirety of the ethics we are, and should be, held to in office,” Bowman said. “Now with today’s ceremony, it captures our responsibility to the integrity and respect of culture.”

The items are in addition to the Canadian flag and portrait of the King.

Coun. John Orlikow called the decision “pretty much playing catch up” when he raised a motion to begin the process in April.

“A very important part of history is being recognized and being put on the map, but it’s important Winnipeggers know their Indigenous culture and this is one way to do it,” he said at the time.

The city budgeted $13,300 for the project.

The leaders who gave speeches explained what they had brought from their home communities and why they are significant.

Nikki Komaksiutiksak, of the Inuit-focused Winnipeg resource centre Tunngasugit, said the two items she presented on behalf of Inuit people in Winnipeg — a seal skin and an Inuit oil lamp called a qulliq — came “with the understanding that the relationship between our community and yours will continue on with respect” and had a deeper meaning.

“The seal and the qulliq work cohesively in conjunction of each other’s physical capabilities of providing,” she said. “For thousands of years, the qulliq provided light and warmth by using the fat from the seal that our Inuit women would harvest.”

Speakers touched on what they hope the city will do to promote inclusivity and reconciliation.

“There needs to be a place for us and there needs to be a place for our people,” Brokenhead Ojibway Nation Chief Gordon Bluesky said.

“There needs to be a place, even in these chambers, maybe one day, for the urban reserves as they get called, urban Indigenous economic development, we need to be represented on those fronts as well.”

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca