A new mural celebrating Bitterroot Salish culture is underway in downtown Missoula. Local artist Aspen Decker has started working on “Sx̣elí x̣èct u Ql̓epm,” or “Camas Dig & Bake,” on the west wall of the Montana Natural History Center.
The mural, measuring approximately 40 feet wide and 20 feet tall, will depict traditional gatherings of the Bitterroot Salish people to harvest and prepare camas, a vital food source. Decker, a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and a speaker of the Salish language, aims to highlight the ongoing cultural practice and the Salish connection to the land.
Her husband, Diné artist Cameron Decker, will assist her in this project, which is supported by the Missoula Downtown Foundation’s Arts and Culture Impact Grant Program and the Montana Natural History Center. The mural will be visible from the nearby Milwaukee Trail.
