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Unveiling of Secwépemc Landmark in Chase to highlight significance of ‘small bay’

More Secwépemc Landmarks to be installed throughout 2023 and 2024
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Secwépemc Landmarks Tsquqw7e Unveiling at Chase Memorial Park will take place on Saturday, May 13 at 1 p.m. (Photo courtesy of Bernadette Dennis/Adams Lake Band Communications)

Another milestone is coming up for the Secwepémc Landmarks project.

The project team has announced the Tsqúqw7e Landmark sculpture will be unveiled in Chase in Tsqúqw7e, also known as Chase Memorial Park, on Saturday, May 13 at 1 p.m.

Everyone is welcome.

Pronounced ch-kokw-a, Tsqúqw7e is the place name for the park area, meaning “a small bay” in Secwepemctsín, the Secwépemc language, explained a media release from the project team.

The sculpture is shaped in the form of a Coyote Rock, representing rock formations created by Sekl̓ép, Sklap, or Senx ̓ úxwlecw (Coyote), with metalwork sculpture in the shape of tree food caches used to store dried roots and salmon. Carvings in the metalwork represent oral histories shared by the Secwépemc Elders Advisory Committee, made up of Elders from Adams Lake, Skwláx or Little Shuswap, Neskonlith and Splatsín.

The Secwépemc Landmarks project team plans to install 15 more sculptures throughout this year and next, designed by several groups of Secwépemc and non-Secwépemc artists, who highlight Secwépemc oral histories and place names in each area.

The Sxwesméllp Landmark at Marine Peace Park in Salmon Arm was unveiled in June 2022. The ‘Sxwesméllp’ in Sxwesméllp Landmark is also known as Switsmalph or Switzmalph. It means ‘soopolallie bush’ in Secwepemctsin and refers to the area around the confluence of the Salmon River and Shuswap Lake.

Read more: ‘Spirit of reconciliation’: Landmark at Salmon Arm wharf creates awareness of Secwépemc presence

More sculptures are proposed for locations such as: Haney Heritage Village in May 2023; Little Mountain in June 2023; Fly Hills Skyview Rotary Lookout in July 2023; South Canoe Bluffs in August 2023; Tappen Bluffs in September 2023 and Bastion Mountain in October 2023.

An additional eight more sculptures are expected to go up during Phase 2 in 2024. The locations include: Mara Lake; Sekm̓ áws or Sicamous; Splatsín; Tsutswécw Park; Quaaout Lodge; Skmana Lake; White Lake; and Steglgelxús or Chase Creek Falls.

Artists who are part of this project include Tania Willard who is from and lives at Neskonlith, Kel-c Jules from Tk’emlúps, Hop You and Tony Antoine (Splatsín), Jules Arnouse (Little Shuswap), Rick (Jules’ son), Eric Kutschker, Rod Tomma, Tilkotmes Tomma, Ron Tomma, David Jacob Harder and Vern Clemah.

Along with the landmarks, the Secwépemc Landmarks project team has been working on installing trailhead posts carved by youth from Secwépemc Child and Family Services, two Indigenous schools – Shihiya and Chief Atahm, as well as five schools in School District 83.

Read more: Indigenous history in Shuswap recognized with unveiling of first Trailhead post

The media release notes the trailhead posts were carved with the guidance of Kenthen Thomas who designed the curriculum for the workshops, as well as Splatsín carvers Hop You and Vern Clemah. About 200 youth carved close to 100 trailhead posts, which are being installed on trail systems throughout the Shuswap Lakes region of Secwepemcúlecw.

The Secwépemc Landmarks team expressed gratitude for the Elders Advisory Committee and the youth researchers working on this project, as well as financial support from the local First Nations as well as from Salmon Arm, the province, the Shuswap Trail Alliance, Shuswap Tourism, Heritage BC and B.C.’s Heritage Legacy Fund.

Read more: Secwépemc Elders guide stories, bless sites for Shuswap Landmarks project

Read more: Reconciliation project at Salmon Arm school catches elder’s eye



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Martha Wickett

About the Author: Martha Wickett

came to Salmon Arm in May of 2004 to work at the Observer. I was looking for a change from the hustle and bustle of the Lower Mainland, where I had spent more than a decade working in community newspapers.
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