Westbank First Nation Heritage Site

Each time I pass across the Bennett Bridge, I am thankful for that powerful motif of coyote and the paw of grizzly. It was almost six months ago, during the summer season, when I stood inside that circle under the spell of one of the most ancient mythic symbols for most First Nations tribes- coyote, and grizzly. They are a reminder to us to reconnect and to reestablish our relationship with nature. When we pause in that circle, and when we take the time, all the pieces join together, and we are aware of the sky, the water, and the land. We recognize the need to live in harmony and in balance with nature, and our senses rejoice. Westbank First Nation Chief, Robert Louie, described the sculpture designed by aboriginal artist Smoker Marchand, as a means of reminding people of their connection to the land. “People have a responsibility to care for their land as their ancestors did.” “A great deal of this land was contributed to the Campbell Road project and the W.R. Bennett Bridge, and these sculptures are a tribute to the First Nations people who owned the land.”