Public Art Commission Newokatew-ayisiyin’ (Four-legged Spirit Being)

Stewart Steinhauer Saddle Lake Cree Nation was commissioned by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts to create this powerful statue for display at the Portage College Lac La Biche campus. The statute is Newokatew-ayisiyin’ (Four-legged Spirit Being). Newo means four, kātew means having legs, and ayisĪn means a non-human being from the spirit realm, whatever that might be. Put together it has a new specific meaning, the big bear, a grandmother/grandfather being whom he met while fasting in the mountains. The Bear is the guardian of the land, and also earth healer. In Cree culture, the Bear Spirit helps bond the humans to the earth. The sculpture is in Cambrian Black granite, mounted on field stone. ‘We are all related’ in cree syllabics and in English is hand-carved into the field stone.
Learn more about the Celebrating New Dawn project here: www.portagecoll...