This marble sculpture was carved from local Vancouver Island marble by Kent Laforme between 2020-2023. It stands as a memorial to honour the wolf known as Stqéyə (which translates to “wolf” in lək̓wəŋən), a beloved local figure whose life and travels drew worldwide interest. An opening or “portal” in the center of the stone offers a view of the islands the wolf Stqéyə famously inhabited.
In 2012, the wolf Stqéyə braved ocean currents on his own and swam from the shores of Vancouver Island to Tl’ches, also known as the Chatham (Stsnaang) and Discovery (Skungeenis) Islands. Stqéyə made Tl’ches his home for eight years until he swam back to Victoria in 2020. Once there, the wolf was relocated to a safer coastal habitat in the wild up-island. Devastatingly, Stqéyə was killed by a hunter not long after. His loss was felt deeply, particularly by the Songhees Nation.
The sculpture also pays homage to late Songhees Nation Chief Robert Sam (1936-2012). Stqéyə arrived on Tl’ches just days after the Chief’s passing, and the Songhees community felt his presence return in the wolf, still watching over and protecting them. The Nation came to see the wolf Stqéyə as a representation of the beloved Chief.
