Tsleil-Waututh house post unveiled in downtown Vancouver on National Indigenous Peoples Day

Syewá:l (Ancestors), a house post carved by Zac George, is pictured in this image handed out by the City of Vancouver.

To mark National Indigenous Peoples Day Saturday, a blessing ceremony was held for a new piece of public art that stands in the plaza outside the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in downtown Vancouver.

The six-metre tall səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) house post, titled Syewá:l (Ancestors), honours local First Nations’ relationship with the Robson Street corridor, which was historically used for hunting and gathering.

The carving is also personal for its artist, Zac George Sko-Kay-Lem. It includes a portrait of his late grandfather, actor and poet Chief Dan George.

“When I learned there was an opportunity to place one of my carvings in the heart of Vancouver, I felt a deep sense of connection,” said George in a news release from the city.

“This land holds stories—my great grandfather spoke of a hunting trail that once ran through what is now downtown Vancouver. To see Coast Salish art re-emerge in these spaces not only nourishes us today, it honours and feeds our ancestors. I know my grandfather, Chief Dan George, would be proud to see our traditions standing tall once again.”

The city explained that Coast Salish peoples traditionally carved house posts, as opposed to totem poles created in northern Indigenous cultures, which support beams in longhouses or mark ceremonial spaces, serving both structural and cultural purposes.

Along with a depiction of Chief Dan George, Syewá:l (Ancestors) features a wolf head, the symbol of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, and a female figure honouring the women and grandmothers in the artist’s family line.

There are events all over the Lower Mainland celebrating Indigenous history and culture Saturday. Read more about how to engage with National Indigenous Peoples Day here.