The City of Lacombe unveiled its latest public art display on Saturday, which celebrates the grouse, one of Alberta's most important food sources for early settlers and indigenous people. 

'Miweyihtowin', (Mae-we-toe-win) was created by two welding students, Tessa Potts & Eileen Firingstoney, from the Mamawi Atosketan Native School in Ponoka, who, along with their Vice-Principal and instructor Michael Willing, formed a cohort group over the summer so they were able to finish welding the project in time for our Culture and Harvest Festival. 

Eileen Firingstoney (L) and Tessa Potts (R) and their instructor, Vice-Principal of the Mamawi Atosketan native school, Michael Willing.

Willing says the sculpture, which displays two sharptail grouse coming together, helps to symbolize community as well as highlight an important food source that was crucial to the early people of our province once the bison population started to decline.

"Grouse have a unique characteristic of coming together to a lek, which is their gathering area, and that's where they meet up with each other, that's their community. So it made sense. We wanted the statue to represent an affinity for one another, and that's what it means, 'Miweyihtowin', means 'the act of liking each other'. So these two grouse are coming together, they represent two communities coming to know each other and like each other."

'Miweyihtowin' is located on the north-west corner of the traffic circle on College Avenue and C&E Trail. It was unveiled during a ceremony that was complete with a traditional blessing from indigenous leaders, as well as some traditional grass and bird dances. 

"It has been my pleasure to sit on the Arts Collection Committee. During this time, I have learned so much about the vibrant arts community in central Alberta, and I am proud to celebrate this testament to both the arts community and our indigenous neighbours," Councillor Jonathan Jacobson said. "I can confidently say the work created by these artists from Mamawi Atosketan School will become a fixture of Lacombe – bringing both beauty and a further understanding of our community's indigenous past."