April 2-Seeing red

My blog is picked up by City Daily Photos, an aggregate feed of photos taken by people around the world every day that shows their hometown. The theme for April was to take a picture of something red. This was the only thing (other than a red fire hydrant) that I could spot.

Sandwiched behind the Cornwall Centre and the rail yards is the main branch of the Canada Post Office. These mail trucks were parked in a row beside the building, waiting to be filled with mail for delivery on Monday.

To learn more about the services available by this crown corporation, go to the Canada Post website. To see other photos from cities around the world, go to the City Daily Photos website.

April 1-Oskana Ka-asasteki

This sculpture by Joe Fafard is located on FW Hill Mall, between the Twin Towers. About 10 people can eat their lunch on the ledge found at the base of the sculpture.

There are two plaques on either side of this stylized metal cutout of a buffalo (in black, red, and white.) One side describes its unveiling on June 8, 1998. The other side explains what this Fafard sculpture is all about (in both English and Cree.) Below is what is found on the plaque:

oskana ka-asasteki

This sculpture has been given the name oskana ka-asasteki to honour the Cree language, to commemorate the history of our land and to honour the First Nations People of this province.

oskana ka-asasteki, pronounced "OOS-ku-nu KAH uSUS-tay-ki" is the Cree name for the site known as Regina. An approximate translation is "bones that are piled together." There are many different stories about how the site got its name and the origin of the bones referred to. Depending on the explanation, the name can refer to the bones of the First Nations People, the bones of the Buffalo Nation, or in a more figurative sense, the bones of the land itself.

One rendition depicts the bones as having been moved to a nearby hilltop from a 'pound' or kill enclosure that became so full of buffalo bones that bison would not enter. According to another version, the name refers to the death of the buffalo and the end of the Old Ways. Still another account reports that the bones were the bones of First Nations People who died from the scrouge of smallpox. The bones were actually a testament to those who had died and served as a warning about the dreaded disease. As with other legends, the history behind oskana ka-asasteki has become a sited blend of lore, linking a storied past with a vision of the future.

March 31-FNUC Live-in #2

Students and faculty members of both the First Nations University of Canada and the University of Regina are still supporting a 'live-in' at all FNUC campuses in the province. This photo was taken in the main gathering area inside the university, looking out through the glass 'teepee' to the teepees erected outside. If you want to learn the latest developments on this story, read this Leader Post story on March 31st.

On another note, the drawing I blogged about on March 17 must have been saved by someone. FNUC students scanned the drawing and blew it up to a 10 x 10 ft poster to hang in their main gathering area, beside the inner glass ceremonial teepee. If you know the name of the artist who drew this, please tell me and I will give him or her proper credit.

March 30-Descent of the Holy Spirit

This is one of the few Orthodox Ukrainian Churches in town. Located just east of downtown, the church features beautiful copper domes set in a magnificent brick building.

If you read Ukrainian, visit the church's website and download this week's church bulletin.

March 29-Pasqua Hospital

In 1910, the 24-bed Grey Nuns Hospital was opened, which was run by the religious order of the same name. As the fourth hospital to be built in Regina, the facility quickly grew to include a nurses residence and an in-house cancer clinic by 1945.

In 1972, it was sold to the provincial government, who renamed it the Pasqua Hospital in 1973. over the past forty years, the province has made several upgrades to the building, along with new additions. That is why it looks a bit hodge-podge from the street where this picture was taken.

Regardless of how it looks, the staff inside are very professional and caring. When my friend was dying of cancer, the hospital arranged to have her daughter's wedding take place inside their large auditorium, so she could attend. Although it was all 'very-last minute' over 100 people were able to be with my friend and help her and her husband celebrate the marriage of their daughter.

Go to the Regina Public Library's website for more history about the Grey Nun's Hospital; and to the Pasqua Hospital's web page at the Regina Qu'Appelle Health District's website for services it offers today.