Caution: Subjects covered in this story may be troubling to readers.
The paint is still going on the wall, but a soft opening of the 3000-plus square foot mural on the Prairie North Plaza wall is set for Parade Day on Wednesday July 12.
With the end of Lloyd Ex Parade passing at the corner of 49 Avenue and 51 Street where the mural is located, city crews were removing the barriers on Tuesday afternoon as local artists continued to paint the wall that is some 22 feet high.
As MyLloydminsterNow reported in February, the artwork aims to bring healing to deep divisions from Lloydminster’s past, in which Indigenous people who came to town to get supplies had to set up camp behind an invisible line just north of where the Prairie North Plaza is located.
Randi Noble Smith with Yellow Finch Images whose photo from when Lakeland College hosted the Interschool Powwow is being used by artist Brandi Hofer to channel the healing inspiration for the mural says that already people have passed by and have been moved to tears. She shares of one man who is searching for his sister from Onion Lake and said that it gave him impetus to carry on with his search.
As they paint the large public artwork, the photographer shares about relatives including her mother who attended Residential School. Noble Smith says that painful journey did not define her mother’s life.
“She served her community. She served her friends, her family and worked hard to build positive relationships and bridges between communities. She married Caucasian and moved off the Reserve when she was younger and built a beautiful home with her family. She had four kids with her loving husband, and we lived in Hillmond and grew up there. And every community event – there she was working. So, that’s the takeaway.”
Noble Smith says that Hofer fell in love with the images of Kehewin First Nation dancer Tshalla Badger, whose face is on the right of the mural and Princess Jutearez Nahana Clearwater Thomas from Mosquito Grizzly Bear Head Man First Nation, whose image is on the left.
Artist Brandi Hofer says the Choose Love and Join Hands in Truth and Reconciliation Mural Project was seen by the Heart of Treaty Six team as a way to break with the past and shatter the invisible line.
Hofer says a big launch will be planned at the end of summer in which all the community partners that have been involved will get to take part. They are planning to have drumming and a feast.
“On that day, it’s really important that everyone knows that they get to be a part of it. They get to place their hands on the wall and Choose Love and Join Hands in Truth and Reconciliation. That’s the interactive part of this mural. And it’s so important. So, you’re vowing to choose love. You get to be a part of it.”
Hofer says the interactive community aspect means that it’s not one day that you get to drive by the mural and take a picture by it, but it’s an ongoing choice to choose love, every day.
More details on the official installation of the Choose Love and Join Hands in Truth and Reconciliation Mural will be forthcoming.
