A kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) First Nation mural is now up at the newly rebranded Town Centre Park Community Centre — a few weeks before National Indigenous Peoples Day, June 21.
The painting of the mural, titled “Ancestral Legacy,” was wrapped up May 25 by three members of Raven–Tacuara, the same collective behind “The Ripple” south of Coquitlam City Hall.
The public artwork, at 1207 Pinetree Way, on the former Innovation Centre, was led by Amanda Hugon of Raven–Tacuara, whose grandmother is a kʷikʷəƛ̓əm member, as well as Tina Ginzberg, Sweewa (Joseph Kambeitz), former chief Ed Hall and Marie Hooper.
Painted in colours "reflecting the berries and water, which are enriched in the lands we are on in Coquitlam," Hugon told the Tri-City News, the mural features a forest at its base of the three walls, white outlines of a bear and a salmon and two birds in a realistic style.
The mural is part of Coquitlam’s Streetscape Enhancement Program that’s aimed at beautifying the city, boosting public spaces and supporting surrounding businesses.
Funded by the provincial government, the first phase of the mural project started last summer in high-visibility spots around Coquitlam and, besides “The Ripple” includes:
- “Tree of Life” (A Passage in Time)
- 928 Brunette Ave. by Laura Kwok
- “Artful Connections” and “Inspired Community”
- 953 Brunette Ave. by Lay Hoon and Angie Quintanilla Coates
- “Through the Looking Glass”
- 1120 Brunette Ave. by Jocelyn Sanchez
The Tri-City News reached out on the “Ancestral Legacy”; however, city and kʷikʷəƛ̓əm officials declined to comment on the project at this time.
