Legacy Carving Project: VSB unveils totem, welcome figures

Photo: Squamish carver Rick (Xwa-lack-tun) Harry and his son James (Nexw’Kalus-Xwalacktun).

By Cara McKenna

Two Coast Salish welcome figures and a totem pole now stand outside of the Vancouver School Board’s office after a carving process that involved about 1,500 students. 

The three new carvings were done by artists from … Read More

HELISET TŦE SḰÁL: Hundreds gather in Victoria to promote Indigenous language resurgence worldwide

Photo: Songhees Coun. Garry Sam, surrounded by other Songhees leaders, opens the conference.

Songhees Nation’s Indigenous Lekwungen language has been in a precarious state in the community, says Coun. Garry Sam, with just one fluent speaker who is in his 80s. 

But now, the language has started to come full circle … Read More

Tla’amin promotes food security with community garden

By Doreen Hopkins, Tla’amin community garden coordinator 

Photos by Phil Russell 

Tla’amin Nation has a community garden that’s promoting food security and composting. 

The purpose of the garden is to encourage our community members to start a garden of their own — if an emergency were ever … Read More

DJ O Show: Mentor, activist, motivator

Seven years ago, when Orene Askew first started her DJ business, she woke up after a gig to realize that her townhouse at Squamish Nation was on fire. 

The blaze started by accident in her neighbour’s adjoining house, and she woke up in a panic, surrounded by smoke and … Read More

Tla’amin trailblazer receives honorary degree for work in Indigenous sovereignty

Photos courtesy of UVic.

Joe Gallagher (k̓ʷunəmɛn) of Tla’amin Nation has been given an honorary degree for his trailblazing work around Indigenous self-determination and cultural safety. 

Gallagher was awarded with an Honorary Doctor of Laws by the University of Victoria during a convocation ceremony on June 11. He was one of … Read More

Langara College rebrands to include Musqueam name

Photo: A welcome figure was unveiled on campus in September. Courtesy of Langara.

Langara College has officially incorporated a Musqueam name that was gifted to the school in 2016 into its title and branding. 

The school in South Vancouver officially switched to the dual name “snəw̓eyəɬ leləm̓ Langara College” during a ceremony in mid-April.  

The name snəw̓eyəɬ leləm̓ was … Read More

Welcome figure unveiled on Salt Spring

Photos by John Cameron via SD64 

The unveiling of a Coast Salish welcome figure marks the beginning of an increased understanding of Indigenous culture on B.C.’s Southern Gulf Islands. 

The figure on Salt Spring Island represents hundreds of hours of combined work by students and local … Read More

Squamish carvers build canoe at CapU

Photo: Ann Whonnack brushes the log with cedar during a ceremony at CapU on Feb. 25.

Photos and story by Cara McKenna 

A classical Salish-style canoe is being carved at Capilano University after a blessing ceremony that prepared the log for its transformation. 

The nine-metre canoe … Read More

Musqueam flag raised at UBC

Photo: UBC

Musqueam Indian Band’s flag has been permanently raised at the University of British Columbia. 

The flag, being flown beside the UBC and B.C. flags, was raised by two Musqueam students during a ceremony on Feb. 25.  

The university’s main campus is located … Read More

Kwantlen storyteller brings culture, humour to VPL

Photo: VPL 

By Cara McKenna

Joseph A. Dandurand of Kwantlen First Nation sits in a circle of chairs at an East Vancouver library, about to read a scene from one of his plays called Please Do Not Touch the Indians. 

… Read More