As soon as the doors opened at Sechelt's tems swiya Museum on Wednesday night, Nov. 3, a respectful crowd poured into the open house to view Sechelt Nation artifacts and the stone carving known as the Sechelt Image, recently repatriated from the Vancouver Museum.
Chief Garry Feschuk called it a historic day to have the image come back to the community.
"We wanted the public to come and share," he said.
Sechelt Nation Coun. Jordan Louie noted that it introduced visitors to the museum, many for the first time.
Found in Selma Park in the 1920s, the sculpture is believed to be very old, at least 2,500 years, judging by the style of carving as seen on the earlobes, Feschuk explained. The story is told that the figure is a grieving mother holding her baby. The boy saved his village from massacre but was killed, whereupon the distraught mother threw herself from a cliff. Artist Bradley Hunt, who attended the open house, said that the sculpture was visually an amazing piece, rounded and yetwith figures held in tension, and that itshould inspire local artists.
A larger replica of the image will go to the Vancouver Museum collection. Cultural co-ordinator and curator Jessica Casey said the museum is open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays to Fridays for those wanting to view the Image.
