Over the summer of 2024, the SLCC will host the Summer Salish Carving Series featuring Lil’wat Nation Master Carver Jonathan Joe mentoring Apprentice Redmond Q̓áwam̓ Andrews. Join us for live carving from June 21 – September 1, as they carve the sister pole to stand alongside the house post carved by Xwalacktun and Brandon Hall of the Squamish Nation in 2023. Check back here for more details.
The Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre in Whistler (SLCC) was proud to host the carving ceremony to honour the raising of the house post carved by Master Carver Xwalacktun and SLCC Apprentice Brandon Hall for the 2023 Salish Summer Carving Series. Chiefs, Nation Members, Ambassadors, community partners, members and guests gathered on Friday, October 27, 2023, at the entrance to the SLCC on Lorimer Road, in the ceremony to honour the raising of the house post, the design commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the Amalgamation of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation).
The SLCC hosted live carving for the Salish Summer Carving Series, with Master Carver Xwalacktun (Rick Harry – Sḵwx̱wú7mesh / Kwakwak’wakw / Namgis), mentoring SLCC Apprentice Brandon Hall (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh / Squamish Nation) from June 21 – September 3rd, 2023. Carved throughout summer at the entrance to SLCC’s Great Hall, the house post commemorates the 100th anniversary of Squamish Nation’s Amalgamation, incorporating designs that honour the sixteen villages who came together to form what is known today as Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation).
The fourth installment of SLCC’s Salish Summer Carving Series, the carving began with a cedar log blessing ceremony on Wednesday, June 21 as part of celebrations for National Indigenous Peoples Day and for Indigenous Peoples History Month. Part of a two-year immersive experience creating a pair of carvings, featuring one Master Carver from the Squamish Nation this year and one Master Carver from the Lil’wat Nation in 2024, each mentoring an apprentice from their Nation and carving on-site at the SLCC. The two carvings will be sisters, telling a complimentary story and bringing them new life as a carving authentic to the territory, and will eventually rise to stand at the SLCC’s entrance on Lorimer Road.
Xwalacktun shares “It is always and honour to share our culture and history and meet people from abroad here. This work makes me think about what the ancestors and hereditary Chiefs thought about at the time of the Amalgamation. There wasn’t a lot of written language, or stories from Elders. My little guy is learning more than we were able to, we weren’t able to learn who we were. Now we are trying to grasp everything we can, learning from one another.”
“The presence of our Master Carver Xwalacktun mentoring an Apprentice at the SLCC allows for deep and meaningful conversations that go beyond carving. We continue the longstanding education system of our Ancestors, youth working side by side with Knowledge Keepers and Elders and at the end is a beautiful carving, a visual reminder that transforms the intangible into tangible wealth, a reminder of how our families connect to the land.” Says Mixalhítsa7 Alison Pascal. “Xwalacktun is a renowned artist and teacher of traditional work and contemporary style using Salish forms, it’s an amazing opportunity for Brandon to work with him this summer.”
The carving featured in a curated guided tour Tuesday through Saturday at 11 am until September 3rd, 2023. The Salish Summer Carving Tour was a guided journey with an SLCC Ambassador, beginning with a welcome drum song, storytelling will showcase art and oral traditions from both the Squamish Nation and Lil’wat Nation throughout the Great Hall telling of their distinctive connection to the land of the shared territories. The tour then introduced this year’s Salish Summer Carving an immersive carving session connecting with Master Carver and Apprentice. Guests learned about the Tree of Life and the spirit of each carving, continuing to give to land and culture long after they have fallen. Included with Museum Admission, the Salish Summer Carving Tour could also be booked as a private group tour for any age including school groups, and included potiential add-on interactive craft workshops.
Through the Salish Summer Carving Series, the SLCC cultivates the distinctive Skwxwú7mesh and Lílw̓at7úl ways – the authentic Indigenous culture of the shared territories that Whistler stands on, sharing a truly meaningful cultural experience with the community, guests and global audience.
The Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Government of Canada, the Province of British Columbia through the 150 Time Immemorial Grant Program and Heritage BC, and the Resort Municipality of Whistler for their generous support of the Sister Posts and the Salish Summer Carving Series.
Guests connected with Master Carver Xwalacktun, and Apprentice Brandon Hall, witnessing the Salish Summer Carving Series on Tuesday through Sunday at the entrance to the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre until September 3, 2023, and were able to join a Salish Summer Carving guided tour at 11am Tuesday through Saturday included with Museum Admission.
The SLCC is open Tuesday through Sunday, 10am – 5pm (Closed Monday). The SLCC occasionally closes early for private events and updates can be found at slcc.ca/visit
Xwalacktun (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh / Kwakwak’wakw / Namgis)
Brandon Hall (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh)
Carving:
June 21 – September 3, 2023
Raising Ceremony:
October 27, 2023
Government of Canada, Province of British Columbia Heritage BC, Resort Municipality of Whistler