Big House celebrates 25 years
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“Thursday, under sunny skies, the dream was pushed closer to reality with one great heave from friends, who helped erect a 25-foot high pole, kicking off construction of a longhouse based on artist Rick Harry’s model on the grounds of the North Vancouver Outdoor School.” North Shore News, October 12, 1983
To celebrate 25 years, we catch up with renowned artist and master carver, Rick Harry, to share memories of the early beginnings of the Big House – home to the Outdoor School award-winning Skw’une-was ‘together” cultural history program, est. 1985.
"The Skw’une-was logo is that of a Key-le-la (butterfly) and in the wings is a Thunderbird, which is something greater than us. When we were building the big house, I was thinking of our ancestors and felt the ancestors were watching to make sure we were building it right. There seemed to be an eagle perched very close to us when the house was under construction, so I began to think of things greater than us. This made me feel enlightened. This was the year my daughter was born and her name means butterfly. The hands symbolize the connection with all creations of the land, like that of Mother Nature, and the body of the key-le-la has a female touch to it.
I have many memories of the work that incurred. First, I built a model so that I could get a feeling of what it must have felt like to be in such a building. After the prototype was completed, I went around to my elders of the time to find out if the design was correct. I got the OK by them, and then shared it with the Mainstay Team. It started to grow from there. As for the crew that helped, we all had a great time. There was so much laughter echoing from the mountains from all of our joking around. But the best part was seeing the project in changes. It was a dream that came to reality for many. The Outdoor School was a great help in this project, especially Carl Halvorson and the Outdoor School staff of the time. My hands are up to this day to the many who continue to keep the project alive.”
O’sieum,
Xwalacktun (Rick Harry)
Xwa Lack Tun is responsible for such stunning pieces as the yellow cedar doors of BC Hydro’s main building in Vancouver, the council table for the Squamish Nation Band Office and the doors on the Recreation Centre on the Capilano Reserve. Many upscale homes regionally and internationally, feature house poles carved by Xwa-lack-tun, and over 80 pieces of his work are featured in school districts in the Lower Mainland. Xwalacktun’s work can be viewed at: www.xwalacktun.ca
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