In the Fall, K-12 students created wooden tiles to represent their reflections on truth and reconciliation. This Spring, Mr. Wall and our senior art class pulled these tiles together in a large mosaic art piece that was recently installed on the wall above our main office. Check it out!

An abstract for this piece of art, entitled “Lheidli”, will be mounted on a wall nearby in the coming weeks. Students were blessed to have Lheidli T’enneh elder, Edith Frederick, come to the school to see and discuss the art piece with the students. She also gave important feedback on the final draft of the abstract found below.

The art piece has generated a lot of interest and conversation amongst students, staff, and visitors to our school! Our hope is that this piece continues to remind us of the impact of our nation’s colonial treatment of Indigenous peoples, and encourages us to consider our part in the important work of reconciliation.

“Lheidli”

Lheidli is the culmination of artistic efforts and reflections of K-12 students at Cedars Christian School. Tiles created by students during Truth and Reconciliation Week were pulled into a larger art piece by our senior art class and installed on the wall above our main office in Spring 2023.

The piece depicts the Nechako River flowing into the Fraser River. These two rivers were and remain an integral part of Lheidli T’enneh culture as is identified in their name: “the people from the confluence of the river”.

Cedars continues to work toward establishing a culture of Truth and Reconciliation in our school and larger community. The tiles comprising the river represent the “truth” and “reconciliation” aspects of the Lheidli T’enneh story. The arm of the Nechako River contains tiles that showcase the truths of our nation’s colonial history where Indigenous people were forced out of their homes and abused. These actions resulted in the deaths of over 4100 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children in residential schools across Canada. The arm of the Fraser River contains tiles that showcase the reconciliatory efforts being made by non-Indigenous and Indigenous peoples. The confluence demonstrates how truth and reconciliation “meet” as both Rivers flow south, representing the healing journey.

In Psalm 46, the poet describes “a river whose streams make glad the city of God”. The vision of a flourishing city is one in which the Most High dwells together with His people. The city of a diverse group of people nourished by the river of God’s presence.

It is our deep hope that this piece develops our own awareness of this historical tragedy and the lingering impact on Indigenous peoples today. We hope that it inspires empathy, compassion, and hope for reconciliation and healing in our generation. May we experience the joy of His presence as we walk together in a good way in this place.