Two exhibitions opened at the RCMP Heritage Centre recently. I haven’t seen either yet, but plan to check one out when my sister Brenda and her daughters Aimee and Malorie visit from Quebec later this summer.
Our family were all born in Saskatchewan, but outside of me, have all dispersed to B.C., Quebec and Ontario. This is the first visit for Brenda’s kids to their maternal family’s province of orgin. In addition to doing things like hitting the Folk Festival, going to the Royal Sask Museum and the MacKenzie and Dunlop Art Galleries, exploring Wascana Park, taking a day-trip to Regina Beach, and attending a City Council meeting — okay, I don’t think I’ll take things that far in educating them about Regina and southern Saskatchewan. But I think they’d find a visit to the RCMP Heritage Centre interesting.
In addition to the permanent exhibits, the show that will be on when they’re in town is Cradle of the Force: Depot 125. There’s a certain irony to this. The very first article I ever did for prairie dog back in 1998 was on the 125th anniversary of the RCMP’s founding in 1873.
This year, apparently, Regina’s Depot Division is celebrating its 125th anniversary. If my math is right, that means Depot Division was established in 1885. The same year as the Riel Rebellion/Resistence. Imagine that.
In addition to highlighting the history of what is apparently the oldest RCMP division, the exhibit will examine how training methods for the recruits have evolved over the years. Could potentially be interesting, I think.
The second exhibition closes June 25 so it won’t be on when my sister and her kids are here. It’s by First Nations artist Gordon Keewatin. Of Cree ancestry, Keewatin is a graduate of a four-year First Nations University of Canada and University of Regina Fine Arts program, where he studied under artists like the late Bob Boyer, Sheila Orr and David Garneau.
Keewatin is currently employed as an Aboriginal Cultural Liason Worker at Common Weal Community Arts. As is obvious by the above photos, he is well versed in the traditional lifestyle, culture and spirituality of his ancestors, but references to contemporary culture in his work exist as well.
Musicwise tonight, In-Flight Safety and Yukon Blonde are at the Exchange. At Lulu (639 Victoria Ave., Hughston & The Half-Cut Coyotes are playing. And at the Distrikt, Orbital Express are rocking out.