When Williams Lake First Nation Elder Sally Wynja attended a recent Cariboo Memorial Hospital (CMH) Redevelopment engagement session, she expected to learn how Indigenous voices had influenced the project's design.
What she didn't expect was to see one of her own traditional baskets reflected back to her.
A photograph of one of Sally's handmade birch bark baskets has been selected to inspire artwork that will become part of the new hospital, an experience she describes as both surprising and deeply meaningful.
"I didn't believe it," Sally said. "I didn't think my work was that good."
For more than 20 years, Sally has been creating traditional baskets and pine needle art. Entirely self-taught, she began learning basket weaving after feeling drawn to the craft and wanting to reconnect with her culture.
"I wanted to do my own cultural stuff, so I just learned on my own," she said.
Over the years, basket weaving has become much more than an art form. It has strengthened her connection to the land, culture and community.
"I love the forest," she said. "I love to listen to the wind and the birds. Now I'm into native medicines and healing."
Sally also shares her knowledge with others, leading workshops in basket weaving and pine needle art and teaching cultural crafts to local students.
Sally's artwork is one example of how Indigenous voices, knowledge and culture are being woven into the CMH Redevelopment Project. During recent engagement sessions across the Cariboo, Interior Health (IH) returned to communities to share how feedback gathered throughout the planning process has influenced the design of the new hospital.
Community members saw how their ideas are being reflected through Indigenous artwork, language, cultural spaces, ceremony, family gathering areas and other features that will help create a more welcoming and culturally safe environment.
Learn more about the Cariboo Memorial Hospital Redevelopment Project
For Sally, seeing her work become part of that vision was an emotional moment.
