College of the Rockies, North Island College, Spul’u’kwuks Elementary school, and the University College of the North have shared the new Indigenous-designed murals and sculptures on their campuses. A lecture hall on COTR’s Cranbrook campus now sports a mural designed by Darcy Roshau of the Ktunaxa Nation in collaboration with members of the COTR community. The mural consists of a series of images demonstrating the culture of the Ktunaxa people surrounded by water. NIC’s new student housing building will have a mural on its exterior called “The Knowledge Keeper” designed by K’omoks First Nation artist Pamela Mitchell. The mural features a button blanket—a traditional blanket used by the Kwakwaka’wakw and Haida—with two frogs on either side. Spul’u’kwuks celebrated the completion of a mural by Musqueam artist Debbie Sparrow at its front entrance. The mural shows yellow bubbles, sturgeon and salmon, seaweed, and other patterns to remind students about the history of the Musqueam people and the area’s ecology. UCN’s campuses in The Pas and Thompson are now host to seven stainless steel spires called “Pâkosêthimowin”—Cree for “Hopes/Dreams.” The sculptures are each engraved with one of the seven sacred teachings: truth, honesty, courage, respect, wisdom, humility and love.
