'A barrier-breaking moment': Yorkton becomes first Sask. municipality with permanent tipi structure
A day not many will not forget in Yorkton — the Tribal Council’s new tipi is now displayed proudly in City Centre Park.
The official unveiling was held Thursday, one day before the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. It replaces the old sundial, which is now located at the Yorkton Brick Flour Mill site.
The project cost roughly $190,000 total, with Yorkton Tribal Council (YTC) covering all but $10,000 of the price tag. The City of Yorkton paid up to $10,000 for a new concrete slab.
It was emotional for many in the crowd, including Mayor Mitch Hippsley.
“The tipi, for me, is a symbol of family, love and community,” he said during the unveiling, holding back tears.
Following the unveiling, Hippsley admitted it was tough to put the words together, but a moment filled with pride.
“So proud, and so happy,” he said. “To actually be witness this event and be a part of it, it was a real privilege.”
The presentation included a moment of unity, where YTC’s Cory Cadotte had multiple members of the community come up and read off each tipi teaching, which included hope, unity and humility. Cadotte then explained the meanings to the crowd.
All throughout this, Tribal Chief Isabel O’Soup admitted it was emotional watching everything unfold.
“I’m just so proud to be able to do this. For my ancestors, for everyone,” she said.
“At one time, we were not allowed to practice our language, culture and traditions. This is just a barrier-breaking moment for me — I love it.”
The tipi structure is the first of its kind in Saskatchewan, which O’Soup said she hopes is the first of many firsts, as the tribal council and its partners across Yorkton and area push ahead on the path of reconciliation.
She adds that she hopes this tipi structure stays in City Centre Park forever, a estimate of the community’s continuing path to working together on that reconciliation road.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
BREAKING McGill University seeks emergency injunction to remove pro-Palestinian encampment from campus
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.