Siyey̓e, a community mural at DIVERSEcity Surrey Community Campus
Photo: City of Surrey Councillor Linda Annis, Neelam Sahota, CEO, DIVERSEcity, Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives Jessie Sunner, artists Chase Gray and Nova Wolf and City of Surrey Councillor Mike Bose.
As part of DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society’s truth and reconciliation journey, we are pleased to unveil a Coast Salish hand-painted mural at our DIVERSEcity Surrey Community Campus.
Supported by a City of Surrey cultural grant, commissioning the piece by local Indigenous artists Chase Gray and Nova Wolf was an opportunity for DIVERSEcity to foster awareness about Indigenous history, culture and arts with the diverse communities we serve. The painting and its symbolism send a message of harmony among all people, animals and the land.
“This mural grounds us to the Indigenous stories, culture and traditions on this very land we call home,” said Neelam Sahota, Chief Executive Officer, DIVERSEcity, at the unveiling ceremony on January 24, 2025. “One of our core values is our commitment to truth and reconciliation through community engagement and cultural exchange. Today we share with our community a beautifully curated gift — a symbolic and powerful rending of the power of harmony.”
Lead artist Chase Gray, a two-spirit Musqueam and Tsimshian artist, imagines the mural as a place where an abundance of food, ecosystems, animals and people coexist and thrive together. Inspired by the Musqueam lands on the Fraser River he calls home, Chase invited another Coast Salish artist Nova Wolf to collaborate on the mural. The pair previously collaborated on the Vancouver Canucks’ design for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 2024.
Chase describes the mural this way:
“I think of riverbeds, sunlit mornings and stories told for time immemorial. On the bottom is a representation of the land, and the sʔi:ɬqəy̓ (double-headed serpent) carving out the creeks with its massive body, leaving the seeds of the məθkʷəy̓ plant behind it, which will grow into the namesake of Musqueam. Then, of course, there is the river, the reeds and the creatures who care for the river. We have ooligans swimming in the river, which once sustained the people. We have a canoe headed to visit relatives across the waters, being visited by Killer Whale along the way. Eagle and Raven are keeping watch from the skies, while Heron keeps watch from the waters of the Fraser River, which flows throughout the province connecting many different peoples. Every little thing is connected in some way, ensuring growth and sustainability.”
Nova, who has been taking lessons on Musqueam’s hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ language, which has been undergoing revitalization since the 1970s, has named the mural Siyey̓e. The word means family or relations, representing harmony between all.
Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives Jessie Sunner, MLA, Surrey–Newton, attended the unveiling and shared this the audience of DIVERSEcity staff, community partners and clients, “Public art like this fosters understanding, reflection and connection across our diverse communities. This mural not only enriches our community, but also symbolizes the progress we can achieve when we prioritize respect, inclusion and unity.”
Watch a video interview with the artists describing the inspiration for the mural in more detail:
Learn more about DIVERSEcity’s commitment to truth and reconciliation here.
Artist Biographies
Chase Gray (he/him) is a two-spirit Musqueam and Tsimshian artist living in their traditional xʷməθkʷəy̓əm territory, also known as Vancouver, BC. Growing up, he was always surrounded by culture and art, particularly Tsimshian dance and formline design. Through time, learning and understanding, Chase has developed a separate Coast Salish design style, which he now uses to represent xʷməθkʷəy̓əm art within xʷməθkʷəy̓əm territory. Much of Chase’s art features bright colours, nostalgia and queer representation as recurring themes, as he hopes to spread the joy of each community he is a part of. Find Chase on Instagram: @gaysalishart.
Nova Wolf (they/them) comes from the Musqueam and Sumas Nations with connections to upper Squamish and also Tsleil-Waututh. Named Poyenten, a name shared with their older brother and late father, their art began when they were a young child in a music group called the Musqueam Indian Warriors. As a teenager, Nova played guitar and attended Nimbus School of Recording Arts. At 18, along with their brother and sister, they once again picked up the drum and sang their Musqueam song again. Beyond music, their artistic specialties include carving, digital art and weaving. Find Nova on Instagram: @nova__wolf_art.