Every time Chief Janice George crosses the Burrard Bridge and sees Sen̓áḵw rising, her heart swells. "I'm so proud of what's happening," she says. "So proud of the work that's being done, and so very grateful."

For her, that view of the towers rising carries generations of meaning. A hereditary chief of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw and a descendant of the original Sen̓áḵw village, Chief Janice grew up hearing stories of the people who lived there. Years ago, she began recording elders, researching her family tree, and gathering knowledge that had been passed down through memory. "It was years of work," she says. "Research, interviews, learning from our elders."

That work deepened her connection to Sen̓áḵw and to the generations who helped bring it home. Her family was deeply involved in that history: her father served on council during the court case that reclaimed the land, and her grandmother gave oral testimony, one of the first times such history was accepted as evidence in Canada.

And when the court decision recognising Sḵwx̱wú7mesh rights to Sen̓áḵw was announced—on her birthday—it felt personal. "It was a gift," she says. "Not just for me, but for all of us, and for the generations who will come after."

Celebrating the return of a portion of Sen̓áḵw.

Now, as she watches Sen̓áḵw come to life again, she describes the place as filled with love and good energy. "There are prayers from our ancestors there," she says. "You can feel it when you're on the land. There's good energy that comes from that place."

She also helped share stories with the design and landscape teams early in the project to ensure Sen̓áḵw "feels like home." For Chief Janice, that feeling extends beyond her Nation. It's something everyone can experience if they approach the land with respect. "Open your heart and mind," she says. "If you do, the land will meet you there."

Looking to the future, she hopes Sen̓áḵw continues to teach the next generation about the responsibility of care. "If our children learn the territory and the people who took care of this place, they'll understand why they have to take care of it too," she says.

She often thinks of her ancestors when she sees Sen̓áḵw's towers on the shoreline. "They were always thinking about us," she says. "And now it's our turn to think about our grandchildren, our great-grandchildren, and the ones still to come."

Chief Janice calls Sen̓áḵw "a foundation piece for our descendants." One hundred years from now, she says, it will still be taking care of Sḵwx̱wú7mesh people and everyone who calls this place home.

"As our ancestor said, this land is not my land, it's for my children, my grandchildren, my great-grandchildren," she says. "That message still guides us today."

Images courtesy of Chief Janice George and Nch’ḵay̓ West