Uncover the meaning behind ʔəlqsən (Point Grey), a Musqueam artwork anchoring one of UBC’s main points of arrival.
In 2020, ten cast bronze pieces created by Musqueam artist Brent Sparrow Jr., collectively known as ʔəlqsən (Point Grey), were installed on concrete pillars lining the walkway separating the UBC Bus Exchange from the new MacInnes Field.
ʔəlqsən is the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ word for ‘point of land’, “Point Grey” is the English designation for a major point of land within Musqueam territory where many Musqueam village sites are and that include some major villages such as xʷməθkʷəy̓əm and ʔəy̓alməxʷ.
Sparrow created two different wood carvings featuring images of eagles, thunderbirds and salmon which were then cast in bronze.
A community-based selection panel comprised of three Musqueam community members, including a UBC student, and a faculty member from the Museum of Anthropology chose Sparrow’s design.
The installation enhances the arrival experience to UBC, brings cohesion and vibrancy to this highly public space, and informs those arriving to campus that UBC is on the traditional, unceded and ancestral territory of the Musqueam people.
In an artist’s statement, Sparrow says in reference to Point Grey:
“The Musqueam gathering place that originally sat on the plateau away from the bluffs is no different from the present-day community, a central hub that most paths led to and away from.
ʔəlqsən (Point Grey) is known to my ancestors as the Battleground of the West Wind, a natural landmark dividing the Fraser River estuary from Burrard Inlet; the winds sweeping in often send rain clouds to the north and clear skies south.
The Peninsula has been a sentry point for thousands of years. From q̓ələχən, the fort and lookout for our warriors on the point, trails for our runners radiated out. The importance of the the Point Grey peninsula for defense has continued for the newcomers up to the Second World War. 70 years-on it has become a welcoming gateway, a beacon of positivity for students and people from around the globe.”
On the artwork’s design concept:
“[The] vertical and linear pieces symbolize many paths, many directions, many journeys. Paths used for thousands of years by Musqueam peoples are still in use today by many thousands of people. This place is a way of life.
Eagles, salmon and thunderbirds, together, are uplifting and inspiring: symbols of protection and enlightenment.
I chose salmon for their resilience in weaving through Coast Salish culture and communities like the rivers themselves in which they return to spawn. Salmon tie together the web of life from coastal inlets and fjords as far inland as the Rocky Mountains: bringing rich proteins from the far North Pacific Ocean and these proteins are found in trees thousands of kilometers away. They truly are the sacred balance and in my artwork I hope to detail the significance of salmon by way of representing this cycle.
The imagery is full of symbolism, the bird images (Science and mythological: Eagles and Thunderbirds) that are on a journey, a story made up from simple Salmon eggs. It suggests that learners come to the university where they grow into messengers, seekers and travellers.”
Learn more
- Musqueam art installation on campus (UBC Indigenous Portal)
Indigenous Outdoor Art Series: Find out where you can view Indigenous art on campus and the story behind each piece by checking out this interactive map.