Siksika logo set in stone

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The Siksika chief and council recently unveiled a $6,000 granite logo, which will be the centrepiece of the new council chambers.

A Calgary sculptor reproduced the Siksika logo on a nine-foot piece of granite at a cost of nearly $6,000. The circular, one-ton stone came in two pieces and was laid in the council chambers earlier this summer.

The impressive piece of art is round and will be the focal point in the chambers, which is also circular.

To the Siksika Nation, it will be a symbol of endurance and stability. "The granite circle will instill a sense of pride among Siksika people," said Chief Strator Crowfoot.

It tool workers from Tony's Tile and Marble, a day to transport the two half circles of granite from Calgary to the Siksika offices and delicately lay it in the council chambers.

An employee of the company said the granite was originally cut in Brazil, shipped it Italy - renowned for polishing granite - before finally being shipped to Canada in bulk.

The curious were on hand to witness the placing of the 2,000 pound logo in the yet-to-be completed council chamber. Most of the people who saw the granite logo were clearly in awe of its size.

"It's quite impressive," said one spectator.

Three prototypes were made before the large, granite circle was completed, said building coordinator Sonny White. The colors in the logo had to match the original. Minor changes were made so the appearance of the logo was correct and to the satisfaction of chief and council.

Gary Graham, a marble sculptor and bronze caster, worked from the logo on a Siksika business card.

"I've worked with square pieces of granite before but this is the first time I had to do a circle," he said.

When Graham started working on the three-quarter inch slab of granite, it was a square.

The corners were cut and later polished until a circle was formed.

Then the stone was cut in half for safe transport by truck to the nearly complete administration building.