First Nations art on display at Chinook Regional Hospital
Visitors to the Chinook Regional Hospital will soon see more First Nations art on its walls as the facility works to create amore inclusive community environment.
A public event on Friday included the unveiling of some of the art to be displayed, as well as dancing and drumming, and refreshments.
The event was the capstone on a number of events at CRH celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Week.
Katherine Chubbs, Chief Zone Officer with AHS South Zone, said the program had been in the works for about a year in an effort to create amore culturally appropriate and safe environment to local Indigenous people.
The programhas several facets to it. One part is a patient-dedicated project involving clinical programming using art.
“Patients can participate in creating art for therapeutic reasons,” she said. “That can be physical therapy, or psychological therapy.”
Some of that art is going to be displayed in the facility.
There are also pieces by professional FNMI artists which have been commissioned specifically for display around the facility.
“I see it as a multi-pronged approach,” said Chubbs. “It demonstrates respect for the cultures present in our zone. Butmost importantly it ismaking this environment comfortable so Indigenous people feel safe when they come into our environment.
“The other piece is really that constant awareness of our team and environment about the need to understand Indigenous culture and to work in a culturally safe way.”
Veronica Oka-Wells is a Blackfoot artist who created a star quilt which will hang in the atrium of the hospital.
Star quilts are unique artistic expressions created by FNMI artists and are sometimes presented as special gifts. Oka-Wells’ creation for the CRH represents health and is intended to invoke feelings of wellness.
“I had to really think about the colours and design to make it fitting for a hospital setting,” she said.
The CRH quilt involves sunset colours, and the sun figures predominantly, along with an eagle and a pipe.
“When we start our Indigenous prayers, we start off by calling to the sun,” said Oka-Wells.
“The eagle represents everything that is positive. And the eagle is carrying a pipe.
“The pipe, in Indigenous culture, symbolizes prayer. That is how our prayers are carried to the Creator.”
When combined, the colours and imagery are a striking tribute to the wellness efforts of the hospital.
“People are looking for prayer in time of need,” she said. And the warmth of the blanket (contributes) to the healing.”
Oka-Wells recently travelled to California and made stops along the way looking for just the right material for her quilt. She used material collected from California, LasVegas, Edmonton, Lethbridge and Cardston.
“I’m very fussy aboutmy work,” she said. “Everything has to be just so.”
Oka-Wells learned the skill of star quilt-making from her mother, and is proud that her son has expressed an interest in learning the craft.
“These are really hard to do,” she said. “You have to be really precise. A lot of hours are (spent).”
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