Indigenous Art Park named ᐄᓃᐤ (ÎNÎW) River Lot 11∞
April 6, 2017
The City of Edmonton’s Naming Committee has approved the name for one of Canada’s first outdoor curated Indigenous art parks. The park will be known as ᐄᓃᐤ (ÎNÎW) River Lot 11∞, pronounced (EE-NU) River Lot 11.
ᐄᓃᐤ (ÎNÎW) is a Cree word meaning “I am of the Earth”; the art park is situated on ancestral lands of the Indigenous peoples whose descendants entered into Treaty with the British Crown resulting in the territory being opened for settlement. River Lot 11 acknowledges the historic river lot originally home to Métis settler Joseph McDonald. The park is located within Queen Elizabeth Park in Edmonton’s North Saskatchewan River Valley.
“For centuries, this area has been a place of gathering, relationship building and commerce for many peoples,” said Mayor Don Iveson. “I am proud to acknowledge the traditional land this park sits on within Treaty 6 Territory and the homeland of the Métis. The name, ᐄᓃᐤ (ÎNÎW) River Lot 11∞, honours the land and our first people while continuing to be a welcoming place for all Edmontonians.”
The City of Edmonton, Confederacy of Treaty No.6 First Nations, Métis Nation of Alberta, Edmonton Arts Council and Indigenous artists have been partnering to develop the Indigenous Art Park to permanently exhibit Indigenous artworks since 2013. Construction of the art park and supporting amenities will start this spring. The park is expected to open to the public in the fall of 2018.
“On behalf of the original inhabitants the Indigenous peoples of our ancestral lands, I give our sincerest appreciation for all those have worked to make the ᐄᓃᐤ (ÎNÎW) River Lot 11∞ Art Park a reality,” said Treaty No. 6 Grand Chief Wilton Littlechild. “We are proud to share our lands, our history and our unique art with Edmontonians and visitors to our Treaty No. 6 Territory.”
“Métis people have a rich history in the Edmonton region,” said Métis Nation of Alberta President Audrey Poitras. “Historically, Métis families lived on river lots along the North Saskatchewan river, carving out a unique role for themselves in Canadian society as intrepid entrepreneurs, fur traders, merchants, craftsman, voyageurs, and diplomatic intermediaries. As Métis people, we are proud of our heritage and look forward to sharing our distinct culture with visitors to ᐄᓃᐤ (ÎNÎW) River Lot 11∞ Indigenous Art Park. I would also like to thank His Worship Mayor Don Iveson and our partners at the City of Edmonton for their ongoing support with this project.”
ᐄᓃᐤ (ÎNÎW) River Lot 11∞ will feature six artworks by Canadian Indigenous artists. The theme of the park and the artworks will be “the stories of This Place” – lending to a range of narratives or perspectives on how various Indigenous peoples relate to the area, both historically and contemporarily.
The Indigenous Art Park was approved as part of the Queen Elizabeth Park Master Plan in August 2013. The Master Plan for Queen Elizabeth Park will establish new and diverse public spaces to support a range of civic, recreational and gathering functions, enhancing opportunities to enjoy and experience this unique setting in the central river valley. The City of Edmonton was awarded $500,000 for the Queen Elizabeth Park Phase II project in January 2017 from the federal government’s Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program. The funding will support development of ᐄᓃᐤ (ÎNÎW) River Lot 11∞, picnic area and shade shelter, interpretive signage, west access trail improvements, parking lot, and lookouts/seating along Saskatchewan Drive.
Photos are available
online.
For more information:
Queen Elizabeth Park Master Plan
Queen Elizabeth Park Master Plan Implementation
Media contact:
Shani Gwin
Communications Advisor
City of Edmonton
780-495-0658
Sonia Millman
Executive Assistant to the President
Métis Nation of Alberta
780-455-2200 ext. 281
Christa Ermineskin
CEO Executive Assistant/Communications Officer
Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations
780.944.0334
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