oskana ka-asasteki - Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
N 50° 26.934 W 104° 36.654
13U E 527625 N 5588615
This bison sculpture titled "oskana ka-asasteki" has three individual silhouettes lined up with one another. It is located at Regina Market Square in downtown Regina.
Waymark Code: WMHNYT
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
Date Posted: 07/28/2013
Views: 8
The sculpture by created by Joe Fafard. There are two plaques on either side of the sculpture, which is a large plasma-cut steel buffalo cut in three sections with each buffalo section cutout in a different color (black, red, and white). One plaque explains the meaning of the sculpture in both English and Cree. That plaque reads:
oskana ka-asasteki
This sculpture has been given the name oskana ka-asasteki to honour the Cree language, to commemorate the history of our land and to honour the First Nations People of this province.
oskana ka-asasteki, pronounced "OOS-ku-nu KAH uSUS-tay-ki" is the Cree name for the site known as Regina. An approximate translation is "bones that are piled together." There are many different stories about how the site got its name and the origin of the bones referred to. Depending on the explanation, the name can refer to the bones of the First Nations People, the bones of the Buffalo Nation, or in a more figurative sense, the bones of the land itself.
One rendition depicts the bones as having been moved to a nearby hilltop from a 'pound' or kill enclosure that became so full of buffalo bones that bison would not enter. According to another version, the name refers to the death of the buffalo and the end of the Old Ways. Still another account reports that the bones were the bones of First Nations People who died from the scrouge of smallpox. The bones were actually a testament to those who had died and served as a warning about the dreaded disease. As with other legends, the history behind oskana ka-asasteki has become a sited blend of lore, linking a storied past with a vision of the future.
The other plaque at the site describes the sculpture's unveiling on June 8, 1998. That plaque reads:
oskana ka-asasteki
The Bones that are Piled Together
Dedication
oskana ka-asasteki is a gift to the citizens of Regina from the Regina business community. This work of art, created by Joe Fafard was unveiled on June 8, 1998 by Jean Chretien the Right Honourable Prime Minister of Canada, the Honourable Ralph Goodale, and His Worshop Mayor Doug Archer.
Regina's Market Square, the City of Regina and everyone involved would like to thank the following sponsors without whose help this project would not have been possible.
Harvard Developments Limited
The Hill Companies
IPSCO
Crown Life
Saskenergy
Farm Credit Corporation
HSBC Bank Canada
In Memory of Paul D. Hanley
Regina's Market Square
City of Regina