New works of art at SeaBus terminals in Vancouver and North Vancouver are greeting commuters in two local First Nations languages.
A sign at the Lonsdale Quay terminal entrance bid patrons “Welcome” in Sḵwx̱wú7mesh sníchim, and “Welcome to our lands and waters” in hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓. The first is the language of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw or Squamish Nation, and the second is spoken by the xʷməθkʷəyə̓m (Musqueam) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples, and more.
“I am so grateful to have the opportunity to create custom artwork that welcomes all people into the region now called Vancouver and Burrard Inlet,” said qʷənat Angela George, one of the artists, in a Tuesday news release.
“The designs of this art hold ancestral knowledge and reflect the vibrant history and beauty of our lands and waters.”
First Nations art and signage can also be found above the SkyWalk doors and along the windows near the SeaBus terminal escalators at Waterfront Station in downtown Vancouver.
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The work by George, ʔəy̓xʷatəna:t Kelly Cannell and Siobhan Joseph is a tribute to the Chinook salmon, which has “played an iconic role in life on the West Coast for generations” and is a critical part of the ecosystem, according to TransLink.
“We’re honoured to have had xʷməθkʷəyə̓m, Sḵwxw̱ ú7mesh Úxwumixw, and səlilwətaɬ Nations and Indigenous artists share their sacred and unique languages, histories, and cultures with us,” said TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn in the release.
“Our hope is that the combination of these cultural recognition pieces will remind us all of the important work we have to do to support lasting and meaningful reconciliation.”
The United Nations has declared 2022 to 2032 the International Decade of Indigenous Languages, with a global goal of preserving and revitalizing Indigenous languages around the world. According UNESCO’s Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger, about 75 per cent of Indigenous languages in Canada are endangered.
In its 2015 Calls to Action, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission called on all levels of government in Canada to protect the right to learn Indigenous languages in Canadian schools, fund a diversity of language recovery programs, and recognize the value of Indigenous languages in Canadian culture and society.
“Bringing awareness to my culture, as well as our environmental surroundings, are the most important aspects of my work,” said Cannell of the TransLink project.
TransLink said its Transport 2050 Regional Transportation Strategy aims to build better relationships with Indigenous Peoples and advance reconciliation by including Indigenous perspectives, cultures, and languages throughout its transit networks.