Yellowknife’s new Stanton Territorial Hospital celebrated its grand opening on Friday with the unveiling of works by NWT artists, a rapidly devoured cake, and a handful of speeches.
The outdoor event featured Mary Kudlak lighting a qulliq, Felix Lockhart leading a fire-feeding ceremony, and drummers performing.
At the end of the ceremony, William Greenland played a flute he had carved for the occasion. Eli Nasogaluak unveiled a sculpture he and Derrald Taylor carved from Yellowknife granite.
“The design we came up with is to represent life,” he said, before pulling a red sheet from the sculpture, which is titled Qulliq – or “a lamp.”
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“It’s representative of a lamp that brings light. And also with light it brings life.”
The piece features the symbolism of hands representing people helping each other; wildlife to represent all animals and all cultures; and a base representing residents’ responsibility to keep the land in balance. The Indigenous profile of the sculpture represents two genders, depending on the angle at which it is viewed.
Twelve artists from across the Northwest Territories were commissioned to create pieces representing different styles and cultures for the new hospital.
Eli Nasogaluak unveils the sculpture he and Derrald Taylor carved at the Stanton Territorial Hospital grand opening. Sarah Pruys/Cabin Radio
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William Greenland plays a flute song at the grand opening of the Stanton Territorial Hospital in July 2019. Sarah Pruys/Cabin Radio
Visitors admire basket artist Karen Cumberland’s piece Nature Heals at the opening of the Stanton Territorial Hospital. Sarah Pruys/Cabin Radio
Attendees chat about a painting by Behchokǫ̀’s Louis Angus Beaulieu, called Circle of Wellness, at the opening of the Stanton Territorial Hospital. Sarah Pruys/Cabin Radio
Mary Kudlak lights the qulliq, or lamp, at the grand opening of the new Stanton Territorial Hospital in July 2019. Sarah Pruys/Cabin Radio
Drummers perform at the Stanton Territorial Hospital opening in July 2019. Sarah Pruys/Cabin Radio
Felix Lockhart feeds the fire feeding at the opening of the new Stanton Territorial Hospital in July 2019. Sarah Pruys/Cabin Radio
Mary Kudlak at the grand opening of the new Stanton Territorial Hospital in July 2019. Sarah Pruys/Cabin Radio
Seats start to fill up before the opening of the Stanton Territorial Hospital in July 2019. Sarah Pruys/Cabin Radio
The new Stanton Territorial Hospital opened in July 2019. Sarah Pruys/Cabin Radio
