THOMAS CANNELL, SUSAN POINT, AND BRENT SPARROW

We’ve created a symbolic gateway, which is always an open doorway to the Lelem community. Our carved old-growth western red cedar gateway symbolizes relationships.

Both figures are ornamented with storyboard artworks (plaques) featuring salmon swimming upriver, a symbol of journey and renewal; this represents our time to fish and honour salmon.

The male welcome figure has hummingbirds on his blanket; hummingbirds are known as messengers between the spirit world and our world and safely lead us on our life path as they can stop, wait, and backtrack to stay with us when we need them.

The female welcome figure has a butterfly on her blanket; butterflies remind us of our transformations and teach us to do so with beauty, balance, and grace.

Our welcome figures feature tapestry and mountain and valley motifs prominently throughout. - Thomas Cannell, Susan Point, and Brent Sparrow, 2023