Edmonton River Designs
We design and release images that capture a dimension of Edmonton's multifaceted identity.
These include the 2024 Face of Edmonton which is named “Beaver in Bough” and was inspired by discussions with local Elders and Knowledge Keepers.
From a distance an “e” is seen to be encircled by a red willow bough. These are used to form Sweat Lodges, and its seven leaves reflect the Sacred Teachings of Indigenous Peoples: Love, Respect, Honesty, Wisdom, Courage, Humility, and Truth, as represented by the Eagle, Buffalo, Giant, Beaver, Bear, Wolf, and Turtle, respectively.
The North Saskatchewan River transects the “e” and formed a verdant valley as the glaciers receded. This gave Indigenous Peoples an ancestral route for millennia and remains a gathering place for Edmontonians and visitors.
As perceived by Lewis Cardinal, the "Open E" is also an incomplete circle that invites others to be a "part of it", as in the teaching "There's always room for you in the circle" or "You're welcome here, there's room.”
A beaver can be seen in the “e” shape. Its backbone is formed of the syllabics ᐊᒥᐢᑲᐧᒋᕀᐋᐧᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ, which is Cree for Beaver Hills House. This is the traditional name for this area, and leads to the ear, eye, nostrils and incisors on the top right. The four sets of three dots represent claws extending from the limbs, which are positioned on an arch representing a beaver hill.
The word Edmonton is written on the beaver tail and curls under the body with the first leaf bridging the two worlds.
You are invited to submit a design, subscribe below for news and vote for your favorite design.
The images here are available to be used freely via a Creative Commons License.
