A new cedar carving at Thompson Rivers University tells a story about health, caring for others and the relationships that make human life possible.

Created by Secwépemc artist Ed Jensen, the carving now hangs prominently on the third floor in the Chappell Family Building for Nursing and Population Health. Unveiled July 13, its animals, landscape and stories are rooted in Secwépemc knowledge and Jensen’s own connection to family and the land.

“Health to me is more than just our physical being. It is spiritual, it’s mental, it’s all of those other things that make us healthy humans,” Jensen said at the carving’s unveiling.

Titled The First Teaching: Care for One Another, the work draws on a Secwépemc origin story from a time when humans first appeared on the land, fragile and unprepared to survive.

In the story, the animals saw the humans struggling and gathered in council to decide how they could help. One by one, they offered what they could: nourishment, clothing, tools, knowledge and guidance.

In return, the Secwépemc were asked to respect the animals, care for the land and honour the relationships that sustained them.

“All of those things that those animals offer are what make us healthy human beings,” Jensen said.

TRU President and Vice-Chancellor Airini said the carving will have a lasting presence in the School of Nursing.

“This remarkable cedar carving brings Secwépemc knowledge, tradition and teaching into a space dedicated to health, learning and care,” Airini said. “Ed has created a work that invites us to think more deeply about the relationships between our health, the land and one another. It will be appreciated by students, faculty and staff for generations to come, and I expect it will become a meaningful place of gathering, reflection and pride.”

Secwépemc artist Ed Jensen shares the origin story behind his cedar carving, The First Teaching: Care for One Another, and the animals depicted in the work.

A carving that invites questions

The animals depicted in the carving are prominent figures in Secwépemc stories, including Sasquatch, whose unexpected presence has already sparked curiosity.

“The carving invites people to stop, look closely and ask questions,” said Tracy Hoot, associate dean of TRU’s School of Nursing. “I remember asking Ed why there was a big monkey in the piece and learning about the significance of Sasquatch in the story. It reflects values that are central to nursing, including compassion, care and responsibility, while creating opportunities for our students, faculty and staff to learn more about Secwépemc knowledge and ways of understanding health.”

The carving also contains a deeply personal landscape.

Beyond a grassy knoll, Jensen recreated the view of Mount Paul and Mount Peter that he saw growing up. Other places represented in the work connect to fasting, hunting and his upbringing on the land.

Jensen chose late summer for the scene, a time of year that connects him to hunting with his father and brother, sockeye salmon and the changing light that signals the season ahead.

The commission began in 2024 through the vision of former School of Nursing dean Dr. Rani Srivastava, who wanted the Chappell Family Building to reflect and honour the cultures, histories and traditions of the communities it serves.

Art, family and coming full circle

For Jensen, the carving also represents a personal journey back to art.

The son of two residential school survivors, Jensen said he was the first generation in his family who was not forced to attend. He found art as a child, spending hours with pencil and paper in what he described as a place of solitude and grounding.

A TRU carpentry alum, he eventually moved away from art, building careers in the trades, building inspection, project management, community planning and leadership before returning to creative work.

In 2015, he decided to pursue art full time.

“I never would have dreamt in my wildest dreams that there was going to be a point in my life where I was going to be able to make a living as an artist,” he said.

Today, Jensen is sharing his skills and knowledge with younger members of his family, including a nephew who recently agreed to apprentice with him as he takes on new carving projects.

For Jensen, passing on that knowledge is part of a larger purpose: sharing Secwépemc culture and ensuring the work continues.

“I’m really happy to be able to do this and to be able to share with the broader community who Secwépemc are, who I am and who my family is,” Jensen said. “I wouldn’t be here without their support.”

As he looked at the carving in its new home, Jensen said he is ready for what comes next.

“My heart is really good right now,” Jensen said. “I feel like I can move into the next project.”

Thompson Rivers University is leading in sustainability. Learn more about TRU’s contributions to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.