The unveiling of the Tsq煤qw7e Landmark sculpture on May 13, part of the Secw茅pemc Landmarks project, was both an occasion for celebration and for sadness.
The Tsq煤qw7e Landmark was created by the late Mike 鈥楽avage鈥� Peters, assisted by his son Wolf Peters.
It was completed by his spiritual brother Shayne D. Hunt, with David Jacob Harder doing the metal work.
Tsq煤qw7e, pronounced ch-kokw-a, is the place name for the Chase Memorial Park area, meaning 鈥渁 small bay鈥� in Secwepemcts铆n (the Secw茅pemc language).
The sculpture is shaped in the form of a Coyote Rock, which refers to rock formations created by Coyote (Sekl茅虛 p, Sklap 虛 or Senx煤xwlecw), explained the project team. It displays a plaque dedicated to the memory of Michael Alexander 鈥楽avage鈥� Peters. He died on Oct. 24, 2021, before the sculpture was complete, so the unveiling was also a memorial.
Along with the smooth, massive, rose granite sculpture, three metal sculptures stand nearby, each with viewing portals. The portals are complete with place names, so people can look through and see the significant locations and their Secw茅pemc names.
The metalwork sculptures are in the shape of tree food caches, used to store dried roots and salmon. The project team explained that carvings in the metalwork represent oral histories shared by the Secw茅pemc Elders Advisory Committee, made up of Elders from Adams Lake, Skwl谩x (Little Shuswap), Neskonlith and Splats铆n.
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Adams Lake councillor and project leader Shelley Witzky described Peters as 鈥渙ne of our Indigenous brothers and spiritual leaders, a warrior, well-respected鈥� and spoke of the many lives he鈥檚 touched, 鈥渢he work he鈥檚 done for us and for some of our most vulnerable people.鈥�
Adams Lake Kukpi7 (Chief) Lynn Kenoras Duck Chief welcomed everyone and offered appreciations for Mike Peters and the beautiful legacy he left.
鈥淚t is a proud moment in Secwepec煤l鈥檈cw, to leave that as a landmark, for not only our own, our Secw茅pemc, but our allies too. Our friends, our community of Chase.
鈥淵ou can see too this is a busy tourist attraction. We have people from all over鈥hat will come and lay their eyes and learn about us, through our brother Mike Peters and through the eyes of the rest of the artists who have done this.鈥�
She also expressed her appreciation for Witzky, project coordinator Libby Chisholm and everyone else involved in the landmarks project.
鈥淭he landmarks represent a connection. To me鈥� the landmarks are saying, 鈥榳e belong here, we鈥檙e connected here, we support here, we heal here and we鈥檒l be here forever.鈥欌��
Representatives from surrounding bands, members of Chase council and members of Peters鈥� family expressed their appreciation for the sculpture as well as voicing poignant tributes to Peters. The tributes also included songs to honour him and his creation.
Witzky explained the sculptures are bolted into the bedrock 10 feet down and the granite comes from a Neskonlith quarry, all local. She predicted they will be in the area easily for another 1,000 years, 鈥渇or as long as I think there are humans here.鈥�
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