Original Humboldt, just west of the city, will be the focus of a special event celebrating the unveiling of a new art piece that will find permanent residence on the historic site.
“We’re inviting the public to the Original Humboldt site on Monday, June 23 at 2:30 pm where we’ll be having tours of the land to talk about the exciting new things going on,” says Cultural Services Director Jennifer Fitzpatrick.
One of those exciting new things is a beautiful metal sculpture fashioned by Humboldt metalsmith and artist Tyler Dies. The piece has iconography that is immediately recognizable with features that draw the viewer in to know more, while at the same time providing an engaging view from a distance with the surrounding landscape as part of the larger canvas.
“A few years ago, the Original Humboldt Committee reviewed the stories of the land and thought that one of the important pieces that was missing was the fact that Humboldt is within Treaty 6 territory, and the signing of Treaty 6 in 1876 really affected this region, its development, and our relationship with Indigenous people,” added Fitzpatrick. “We talk about that on the tour, but we didn’t have a piece and a place about that.”
The Committee’s ongoing discussions led them to ponder an outcome that would invite further public engagement with Treaties in a manner that would move further down the path toward Reconciliation. In the fall of 2023, Elder Gilbert Kewistep and his son Myron Neapetung visited Original Humboldt and led an assembled group, including school students, in stories and teaching about the land and the shared history of Indigenous people and settlers.
“Gilbert really shared with us what that spirit and intent is, and what it meant to be on the land. It was a very powerful land-based learning experience. We really wanted to connect with artists to share that experience.
Tyler Dies was at that 2023 experience, learning more about the history from those perspectives. Through Cultural Services, Tyler also connected with Louis Halfe, Indigenous writer and former provincial Poet Laureate. She shared her views with Tyler about her experience being on the land, as well as Indigenous beliefs, practices and symbolism. All these connections helped Dies to evolve a vision that would invite viewers to pursue a deeper understanding and appreciation of all the connections he’d experienced.
“I was definitely inspired by meeting people out on the land,” Dies affirmed. “Something about art that always intrigues me is diving deeper into a topic and better understanding it.”
Dies says the last few years of studying and learning about Treaties have been illuminating when it comes to Saskatchewan, the people here, and the natural and historical connections to the land. It all led to the imagery that Tyler painstakingly fashioned over a period of months before it landed in its new home.
The full nature of the sculpture will be evident on its viewing. There is an accompanying storyboard at the site to help guide viewers to better experience the work and its layered meanings.
“The physical location of it mattered quite a bit, and the patina of it is definitely influenced by Saskatchewan weather,” Dies says. Other features show the movement of the prairies and embrace the weather and the relatively untouched surroundings.
People attending the ceremony and introduction of the art piece will see the Reconciliation Flag flying at the site.
"I think that’s really important to our journey as people who steward the land there,” says Fitzpatrick. “It’s about the community’s journey and how Humboldt has grown to embrace Reconciliation, and to honour that spirit and intent.”
She adds that there is still road to travel on the journey toward Reconciliation, but those steps are being taken.
Everyone is invited to attend the event on June 23 at 2:30 pm. Original Humboldt is located 8 km west of Humboldt on Highway 5 and 3 km south on Telegraph Road.