Slhexun’s tthu Xpey’: Kw’umut Lelum youth carving cedar canoe

Photos courtesy of Kw’umut Lelum

Indigenous youth in care are spending the next year transforming a cedar log into a traditional canoe under the guidance of Stz’uminus artist Luke Marston (Ts’uts’umutl).

Kw’umut Lelum Child and Family Services launched a new … Read More

Coast Salish Stories: Swa’lam’thut Story

Told by Celestine Aleck (Sahiltiniye) of Snuneymuxw First Nation

My grandfather had told me this story he had learned from Swa’lam’thut. Swa’lam’thut was a great historian that my grandfather was fortunate to learn from.

Long ago in Malahat, there was … Read More

Yakima Territory

Told by Celestine Aleck (Sahiltiniye) of Snuneymuxw First Nation

My grandfather Ronald Aleck told me this story at the age of four, and he said this is the reason Yakima is so rich with land. He also showed me a … Read More

The revival of Coast Salish weaving

Story and photos by Tessa Vikander

The art of weaving Coast Salish blankets is a skill that’s thriving today, thanks to dedicated teachers like one husband-and-wife team from Squamish Nation who recently launched a book about their craft.

Hereditary Chief … Read More

2017 Tribal Canoe Journeys

Photos by Todd Peacey

Tribal Journeys is still resonating with thousands of people who attended the annual events in Campbell River this summer.

An estimated 100 canoe families were welcomed onto shore on Aug. 5 before guests spent several days engaging in … Read More

Artists embrace ‘intangible’ Coast Salish identity

Photos and story by Cara McKenna

Creating Coast Salish artwork in 2017 can be complicated: just ask multimedia artist Ostwelve (Ronnie Dean Harris).

“What I’ve been told is Coast Salish changes every year,” he said. “We’ve had a hard time … Read More

Musqueam welcoming figure ‘Si’em’ unveiled at SFU

A Coast Salish welcoming figure carved by Musqueam artist Brent Sparrow has been unveiled at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver.

The piece, adorning the entrance of the university’s downtown campus, was revealed during a celebration on Sept 6.

It’s part … Read More

Developing future leaders: Coast Salish youth gather in Tla’amin

Photos and story by Cara McKenna

Several years ago, Lawrence Mitchell of Snaw-naw-as First Nation had a vision to give Coast Salish youth an opportunity to come together and learn about their culture.

This summer, he saw his idea realized … Read More

Thousands attend B.C. Elders Gathering

Photos by Todd Peacey

About 5,000 elders from all corners of British Columbia travelled to Campbell River to attend this year’s B.C. Elders Gathering.

The 41st annual gathering took place from June 11 to 13 at the Strathcona Gardens Recreation … Read More

Walking through ‘Unbelievable’ exhibit

By Cara McKenna

“Why do we assume some stories are true when they actually aren’t?” questions Sharon Fortney, a curator at the Museum of Vancouver.

Fortney, who is Klahoose and German, worked on the museum’s latest exhibit titled Unbelievable.

In … Read More