Westbank First Nation recently unveiled a new mural in West Kelowna dedicated to the Syilx First Nation.
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The mural, which says the phrase “that which gives us life” in English and in Syilx spans across the west-side of the U-Haul building in West Kelowna.
It was painted by Indigenous artist Sheldon Louis with the help of the Westbank Public Art Committee.
The mural includes a bear, coyote and caribou – important symbolic figures for Okanagan people according to a statement by the Westbank First Nation.
An Indigenous woman is also featured in front of the red, orange and yellow background – which is a nod to the important role women play as knowledge-keepers in the Okanagan culture.
Louis’s background in Indigenous artwork is extensive. His work has been published in the Arts Council of the North Okanagan and he also sits on the board of the Greater Vernon Museum and Archives.
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