Pieces of the Past

Kwekwinmut-Sk̲wx̲ú7mesh-ulh Smánítmut, tiná7 Ta Ch’k̲w’elhp iy schen̓k̲

I Plána tú7a á7xa7 k̓ét̓ as I L̓il̓wata.

May 2013-April 2014

Our stone tools are a direct link to our Ancestors. They are passed from one generation to the next. You will see a variety of objects crafted thousands of years ago by our professionals. This work provided physical and spiritual protection to enable us to survive on this land and bring forward our Indigenous knowledge and practices to continue to thrive today.

This exhibition highlights the strong belief in partnership that the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre is founded on. It is created in collaboration with the Sunshine Coast Museum & Archives located in Gibson, BC, the Lil̓wat7ul Cultural Center in Mt. Currie, BC with guest curator Demera Jacobs of the Squamish Nation.

On display for the first time is a Pigmy Owl Bowl discovered in the Squamish Valley by Ye̲mks-Dr. Rudy Reimer and a team of geologists from Simon Fraser University. Carbon Dating Tests have it being 1600-1700 years old. The owl is a symbol of both wisdom and death, the bowl would have been used for ceremonies of a sensitive nature such as the Salmon Ceremony. Salmon are very important to us. They helped keep us alive through our long winters. Every year we celebrate their return to our rivers.