Skip to content

Sculpture represents friendship between Plains Cree people and Lacombe

Ponoka-area students spend summer welding sculpture for Lacombe roundabout
22553143_web1_200902-PON-MANSSculpture_2
Tessa Potts and Eileen Firingstoney work on their welded sculpture “Miweyihtowin,” or “Affinity.” Photo by Mike Willing

This summer while most high school students were looking for jobs, Mamawi Atosketan Native School (just north of Ponoka) had two students who took the initiative to apply to create a piece of art for Lacombe’s roundabout.

The artwork will be mounted in the northwest corner of College Avenue and C&E Trail.

Tessa Potts, who graduated from MANS in June, and Eileen Firingstoney, a current Grade 11 student, spent approximately 150 hours with their welding teacher, Mike Willing, to complete the piece.

Both young women said they really enjoyed spending six hours, two days a week putting their welding skills to good use.

The steel artwork consists of two sharp tailed quails on a log and is called “Miweyihtowin,” a Cree word which means “affinity.” This name was chosen because this statue represents friendship and connection between the Plains Cree people and the people of Lacombe.

Potts and Firingstoney were paid for their artistic talents and they plan to share those profits with their school. They have announced that they are donating $750 of their earnings for an electrostatic cleaner to help keep future students safe.

- Submitted by Pattie Reasor