This banner is an ode to spring medicines. This piece features the beautiful crocus, the first flower to bloom in the spring. In the Cree creation story, the Creator gave the crocus its fur coat to keep it warm, its purple colour to represent the mountains surrounding this territory, and its yellow middle to represent the return of the sun.
Roots appear in the design to represent how many spring plants store energy underground before pushing through the soil. Pussy willow is also included, a plant used as a medicine to help treat pain, inflammation and fevers.
The stars above and below represent how the Cree people believe Star Woman brought many of these medicines from the Star World to plant on Mother Earth to protect and look after humans.