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Our Story - Lisa and CraigWe began as friends, connected instantly through our shared love of creating with our hands and imagining what could be. During the quiet of the pandemic, our paths intertwined more deeply. We spent our days outdoors,building, gardening, renovating, and letting our creativity guide us.
Living on the Ancestral Territory of the Nlaka’pamux people, surrounded by mountains, trees, wildlife, and the steady rhythm of the land, we found a source of inspiration that shaped everything we do. The remoteness gave us space to listen, to observe, and to dream together. From that place of stillness and connection, SÓX̱ʷM̓ Wood Creations was born a partnership rooted in artistry, respect for the land, and a shared vision to craft meaningful pieces that carry both story and spirit. |
The Story Behind Our Name
When the ancestors say go, you go.
As an Indigenous woman shaped by Western worldviews, I’ve spent much of my life working to reclaim the parts of myself that were pushed into silence especially my language. My grandmother (ye'ye) was one of my greatest teachers. She spoke very little English; her first language was nłeʔkepmxcin. She would speak to me in our language, and I would answer in English, as if we both understood the unspoken rule that I wasn’t meant to respond in nłeʔkepmxcin. Even then, the loss was already happening.
One of my strongest memories is of her working the soil with her hand plow, the sun towering behind her. I can still feel the warmth on my face, the weight of my long hair down my back, and the deep sense of comfort she carried with her a feeling of home, and safety. When she left this earth, it felt as though a part of me left with her. But I knew I needed to honor her, to keep her presence alive in the work I do and in the legacy I pass on to my family. This business is dedicated to her strength, her teachings, and the reminder that we come from resilience, even when the world pushes against us.
SÓX̣ʷM̓ (Wild Sunflower/ Arrow Leaf Balsamroot)
When I began searching for a name that carried her spirit, I turned to recordings from our Nlaka'pamux elders. I listened to word after word, hoping something would feel like her. Then suddenly it happened. A familiar voice stopped me in my tracks. A knowing washed over me, and tears filled my eyes. It was her.
Her voice carried a dialect now fading, unique to our elders. In that recording, she spoke the word for wild sunflower, arrow leaf balsamroot (SÓX̣ʷM̓.) Hearing her say it felt like a gift, a sign, a blessing. I cried with my hand over my heart, overwhelmed by the feeling that she was guiding me, telling me I was on the right path.
And through SÓX̣ʷM̓, her voice continues.
I love you, ye'ye.
