Cpeqétkwe

Me7 plúlk' wete t'7élye ne seq'út.s r t7ikw: Gather here around the fire. Sculpture 

Lead Artist: Tania Willard; Contributing Artist: Kel-C Jules

In making the artwork I listened carefully to Elders at the site visits and then reflected on my experience at each location. Celebrating our ongoing relations with the land I wanted the idea of having a fire; of being on our land and using it to make a statement. Design elements come from Secwépemc art and our interpretations of plants, animals and stories from each site. This work is designed for Secwepemc land use and to mark how we use our land. Secwepemcúl'ecw wel me7 yews wel me7 yews (Secwepemcúl'ecw forever and ever).

Interpretive Signage Illustration insert 

Artist: Ashley Michel (Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc)

The illustrations I’ve created for the interpretive signage at these sacred Secwépemc places tell a story based on the traditional knowledge and lived experiences of our elders, intertwined in our history, with a modern twist.

About Cpeqétkwe

Cpeqétkwe ri7 r sts7emét.ste r pésellkwe t'e piq r séwllkwe.

R Cpeqétkwe t'e tmícw lu7 r Secwépemc r sentsxiyestés ne sqít'e t'e písell, ell ne spíxe t'e ts'i7,
teníye ell sesúq'w, ne tsquqúm. T'e slexlexéy'es lu7, r Secwépemc t'e sneri7s ne Cpeqétkwe t'e tmícw, le xqe7wéllenes e s7estúllns ell e sk'épems t'e scwet'mín' ne tsquqúm. Cwetúse7 lu7 nerí7 r tecwt'ícwell t'e speqpéq le7 t'ek stsíllen. Le q'7eses lu7 r Secwépemc tsyecwemínst.s r speqpéq t'síle t'e ckwen'llqtn e sle7s r sk'ult.s e pell stsíllens r mesmescen' ell r pell s7elk' wstsíllens r qelmúcw.

Le7 e sw7ecs r Secwépemc ne tmícw e syecwemíns r sk'wen'llq me7 lé7es r meláme, swewll ell mescén'. Xwexwéyt r stem t'e k'ult ell w7ec ne tmícw tsknucwetwécw m tselxestéses ell xqe7wen'ses xwexwéyt r stem pell s7elkst.

English Translation:

Cpeqétkwe means “white water” in Secwepemctsín, referring to a white sediment in White Lake.

Cpeqétkwe is a significant place where Secwépemc fish for trout and hunt deer, moose, and grouse in the surrounding mountains. Our memories of learning to skin and tan hides are anchored to the mountains around Cpeqétkwe. There is a diversity of berries here that have sustained our ancestors for generations. For many, many years, Secwépemc have cultivated their harvesting areas like gardens, using controlled burning and other cultivation practices to maintain and enhance berry patches and healthy habitats for significant animals.

Secwépemc presence on our land is vital for the health of our medicines, fish, and animals. Core Secwépemc values such as knucwetwécw (helping one another) are foundational to processes of teaching and learning on our land and recognizing that every living thing has a role.