Oki signs celebrate Indigenous connection
By Lethbridge Herald on September 28, 2022.
Herald photo by Alejandra Pulido-Guzman
Cheyenne McGinnis speaks next to one of the Oki signs that will feature her and other artists’ work to be on display at locations throughout the city.Alejandra Pulido-Guzman – LETHBRIDGE HERALD – apulido@lethbridgeherald.com
The City of Lethbridge partnered up with six local organizations on Wednesday at Park Place Mall to create the next generation of Oki signs.
The signs will be decorated with Indigenous art from local artists and displayed at Park Place Mall, University of Lethbridge, Galt Museum and Archives, Lethbridge Public Library, Allied Arts Council and Lethbridge and District Exhibition.
In 2019, the City of Lethbridge, Heart of Our City Committee and the Reconciliation Lethbridge Advisory Committee partnered to develop an Oki sign as part of the celebration of the United Nations International Year of Indigenous Languages and the adoption of Oki as the official greeting of the City of Lethbridge. Since then, the City’s two Oki signs have been displayed throughout the community at special events and celebrations.
“Oki” is the Blackfoot word for greetings or hello.
Urban revitalization manager with the City of Lethbridge, Andrew Malcolm, said they wanted to figure out how they can better reflect Indigenous culture in the downtown core and that is what led to the first Oki project.
“It (the sign) was made with cheaper materials and then we just saw such a great pick up, a lot of people identified with it as it moved through some downtown spaces, so we’re just truly thrilled to see Oki 2.0,” said Malcolm.
He said the six locations where the signs will be displayed were selected based on key partnerships with the various organizations and due to high traffic.
The total budget for this project was $75,000 with partners contributing approximately 53 per cent of the funds.
The pieces of art that will be showcased on the signs were chosen by a selection committee comprised of the partner organizations and facilitated by the City’s Public Art Program. They met and selected six pieces of art in August 2022 from four different Indigenous artists.
William Singer III, Sandra Lamouche, Cheyenne McGinnis and Candace Gladue were the artists selected to showcase their art on the Oki signs.
Singer and McGinnis both had two art pieces selected, with McGinnis’ being displayed at Lethbridge and District Exhibition and Park Place Mall.
“I decided to really focus on history and people and place for my pieces to really bring about that reconciliation feel and just kind of bring it rooted in the present as well,” said McGinnis.
She said her pieces showcase pictograph symbols for one piece and ledger art in the other to bring the past into the present and also to look towards the future.
“Using pictographs symbols is because it’s something that’s part of our culture, a lot of our art is pictograph style. I also wanted to bring that ledger art style into the forefront as well because a lot of Blackfoot artists practiced ledger style and (it’s) something that I’m learning more about as well,” said McGinnis.
The art designs will be digitized and wrapped around each letter of the sign, and the City anticipates to delivering the completed signs later in the fall.
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18-17
Stop using my tax dollars for this foolishness. And when will they start flying white man’s flags on the reserve, out of mutual respect?
Just out of curiosity, I wanna ask you something. The governments will always spend money on things you don’t like, they always have and always will, so why are you so mad about it?
I saw Mayor hyggen today at another art installation unveiling at a fire hall on the west side. He and John Middleton Hope were there and Mark Campbell, all were in full support of this.
You probably voted for Hyggen. Furthermore, they’re going to give more money to Indigenous artists and more investment in the homeless population.
So why you mad?
Is it because of the dreaded “R word”?
There’s two “R words,” and I know you’re at least one of them.
You are obviously neither white nor a taxpayer!
I’m both of those, and because I do consulting work for the government and police I also pay more taxes than you as I have a VERY high income.
I like how you didn’t have an intelligent argument so you just decided to make it as if being white and a taxpayer made me legitimate lol.
Peasant.