"The House Boards are carved from a red-cedar log; their design is of eagles and salmon. Since the Musqueam have always lived in and around the Fraser River, we thought it would be powerful to show the abundance of eagles and salmon that lined the trees and shores of this area. The Eagle is a renowned symbol of great significance and sends messages and prayers to the Creator. If an Eagle is seen during a Prayer session, it's a sign of having a prayer accepted; If a prayer needs immediate attention from the Creator, an eagle feather is held up towards the sky.
The gift the Eagle shares is the ability of foresight and an indication of good times to come; feathers are also symbolic gifts to impart respect for accomplishment and display of courage and wisdom.
The importance of salmon to the northwest coast is integral. They are the sustenance that the Musqueam people have relied upon for thousands of years. They bring people together in friendship and in marriages from far away villages. They represent renewal and prosperity."