Viewing Object

The Hudson's Bay Company established Fort Langley in 1827 in present day Derby Reach Regional Park. It was moved upriver to its current site in 1839. The Fort was run as a provisioning station and farm. The Company moved out of the Fort in 1886. From 1888 into the 1920's the Mavis family ran a farm on the land. In the 1920s the Fort was recognized by the federal government's Historic Sites and Monuments Board, though by that time only one building remained. The land was purchased and from 1931 until 1958, the Native Sons operated a museum on the site. In 1955, the Fort was declared a National Historic Site. A few years later more buildings were reconstructed and much of the collection was moved to the Langley Centennial Museum. Today the Fort is run by Parks Canada.

Kwelexwecten, Brandon Gabriel is a mixed media sculptor, photographer, painter, muralist, graphic designer, illustrator, public speaker, and First Nations Art Historian. He was trained at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (1999-2002) and Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design (2002-2006). Kwelexwecten has completed an extensive variety of traditional and contemporary visual arts projects throughout BC. He is an Honorary Faculty Member within the Anthropology Department at Kwantlen Polytechnic University and he was awarded the TD Canada Trust Langley International Festival Society's Ambassador of Diversity Award in 2021 for his outstanding achievements in Arts and Culture and Community Service Excellence in Langley.

"My art practice varies like my work schedule. I have many tasks to complete on any given day, week, and month. So I have come up with a definition for being an artist that helps me keep my mind at ease. If I compartmentalize everything I do then I am in danger of running all parts of myself into the ground. I have been down this path many times. So my solution to this conundrum is quite simple: everything I do is about embracing where I come from, and I strive to exemplify my community's best attributes through my work in all its forms. I pride myself on working well with others and through collaboration we can all achieve success in all our endeavors together."
[From 2012 Artist Statement].

'Kwantlen' translates to tireless runner. Kwantlen Traditional Territory extends from Richmond and New Westminster in the west, to Surrey and Langley in the south, east to Mission, and to the northernmost reaches of Stave Lake. The Kwantlen People have lived on this land since time immemorial.

The Kwantlen First Nation are an Indigenous group, mainly located on McMillan Island in Fort Langley. Prior to European contact, their main village was Sqaiametl, where New Westminster is today, but they moved their main settlement to Fort Langley after the Hudson's Bay Company established a fort there. The Kwantlen traded with the Fort. As Canada came together, the Kwantlen peoples' importance in the country diminished, and their affairs were turned over to an Indian Agent. Modernly, the Kwantlen have seen a cultural resurgence after times of displacement and cultural loss, as well as economic growth through their business group, Seyem' Qwantlen. Their current hereditary chief is Marilyn Gabriel. The Kwantlen are culturally a Stó:lō people, though they operate as an independent nation. They speak the Downriver dialect of Halkomelem (hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓, or Hun'qumi'num). There has been a renewed focus on teaching and learning hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓, one of the ways Kwantlen is reclaiming their culture.