Tawaw. Welcome to Treaty 5 Territory. Those are some of the first words visitors see when they first enter Opaskwayak.

The words are captured on sturdy billboards and located on the sidelines next to all three routes as you enter the community.

The signs are 16 x 18 feet and can be seen at night when a vehicle’s headlights shine over the highlighted paint. The billboards are a small investment from Chief and Council that are intended to have a long-lasting impact.

“As part of the reconciliation process, governments and average Canadians have started giving land acknowledgements when holding events within this country,” said Chief Sidney Ballantyne. “This is the next step to that. Allowing us, as the first people of these lands, to have space and take up space that is not only rightfully ours but also done in a way that is safe and makes everyone feel proud.” 

The signs were done with simplicity in mind so the focus can be on Treaty Five. The design on the signs were done by Honest Agency, a consulting company that Opaskwayak uses for communications. They are branded with the similar colours of red, white and black that Opaskwayak the organization uses.