A large inukshuk beside the Trans-Canada Highway west of Charlottetown has been painted in rainbow colours, and no one seems to know who did the paint job.

An inukshuk is the figure of a person made out of stones, and the Inuktitut word means "like a human."

The four-metre pile of P.E.I. sandstone was built during the construction of a new section of the highway in the Bonshaw hills in 2013. A heavy equipment operator put it together, apparently on a whim, with surplus stone at the building site.

The Department of Transportation decided to leave the inukshuk in place. A few days ago the red sandstone was painted over with colours of the rainbow.

The P.E.I. Department of Transportation doesn't know who painted the inukshuk, but a spokesperson said the province doesn't have any concerns about it being done.

Pride P.E.I. chair Tyler Murnaghan said he doesn't know who painted the inukshuk either, but he thinks it's a great idea.