Raven is the symbol of humour, change in life, lightness of being, and is known as the transformer, the cultural hero and the trickster.

The land of The Raven was once home to countless magnificent birds who lived in a forest. This piece is in honour of them. Over 300 years ago, tens of thousands of Musqueam people lived throughout the mouth of the Fraser River Delta and Burrard Inlet. The core of each extended family lived in Long Houses (Winter Houses), at strategic locations that our ancestral lineage is linked to from ancient times. During the summer months, many smaller family groups spread out to smaller villages to gather abundant harvests for winter ceremonies, including at, ʔəyalməxʷ (Now Jericho Beach, a village we called “a good place” / “good spring water”). Over the winter, we came together and told stories passed down for generations, inspired by the natural world and the Salish Sea, our home.

First Nations culture is embedded with legends that explain why things are the way they are-- pertaining to every aspect of life, death, and existence. The Raven is a very important figure in Northwest Coast First Nations legends. A trickster, the Raven can be seen in many lights - generous or greedy, playful and curious, crafty and cunning. Always unpredictable, a creature to be respected.

The Raven has always been my favourite. The Raven is a misfit, never satisfied, always look-ing for ways to amuse itself, searching for something interesting, something better. Like every person sees the world in a different way than another, so does the Raven. In many of our stories the Raven teaches us about life and right from wrong. This bird symbolises change in life, creativity and humour.

When experiencing this piece, it’s important to remember the ancestral context I have just revealed. By incorporating these capricious creatures onto this building, we are encouraging the people of this community to accept nothing less than greatness. The Raven reminds us First Nations, when it is time to gather inside the Winter Houses and tell stories of them.

Thomas Cannell

Thomas Cannell – ʔəyxwacəlenəxw – Musqueam

The remarkable artworks of Thomas Cannell derive from the dual inspirations of the natural environments he’s experienced and traditional values inherited from his ancestors. Though he studied graphic design and photography, he learned his artistry primarily from his mother, Coast Salish Artist, Susan A. Point and his carving from John Livingston. Thomas’ works adapt the ancient Coast Salish visual language - evolved throughout the ages and then again through his mother’s contemporary style - into his perception of modern-day Coastal Salish Art. His art features prominently in galleries in Vancouver, Victoria and Seattle, with many of his large-scale public artworks in Canadian and American exhibitions and publications. Travellers on BC Ferries can see his grand Salish Raven, spanning the full length of the vessels, linking the Gulf Islands. Thomas is a recipient of a British Columbia Creative Achievement Award and a City of Richmond Cultural Leadership Award Finalist. He continues to live among his family and friends on their traditional Musqueam homeland, at the Fraser River mouth.