Together in the Wild: Learn From the Land

The Harrison River Valley is spread across the unceded ancestral and shared territories Sts’ ailes, Seabird Island, Sq’ewá:lxw, Cheam, Douglas, Leq’a:mel, Samahquam, Sq’ewlets, and Skatin First Nations, where we explore and learn from the lands of those who came before us and those who continue to share their sacred stories.

Tém:éxw
“We have always been here” is how the relationship with the land is described. The connection has been tied from their arrival in S’ólh Téméxw, through transformations of animals and fish. The Xexá:ls, or transformers, fixed the world – including the people and the animals that walk the earth. This established our current landscape.

The connection is both spiritual and physical – answer the spirit, and it will turn into a song. The song will turn into something very important to you – an animal, the trees, the water – that song is the healing for the people. Come together to cherish and respect the land.

Sx̲wōx̲wiyám
The Beating Heart – the root of the Sts’ailes community, which rests on the shores of the Harrison River, was created in a battle between a shaman and Xals, the Transformer. Up the west side of Harrison Lake, the battle took place, and Xals turned the once powerful shaman to stone. With the shaman’s powers limited, spreading broken pieces of his body amongst the territory conserved him, as each piece created landmarks. The village of Sts’ailes lies in the place where his heart landed. His heart beats on.

Sx̲wōx̲wiyám: Legend or traditional story
Xexá:ls: Transformers
S’ólh Téméxw: Traditional territory
Tém:éxw: Earth, land

As you step into the wild to enjoy its sanctuary and beauty, remember that you walk on sacred Indigenous land. Take a moment to listen to the forest and thank those who came before us – take the time to learn from the land.

Come and expand your vocabulary by visiting “Our Living Languages: First Peoples’ Voices,” a travelling exhibition presented by First Peoples’ Cultural Council and the Royal BC Museum, hosted at the Agassiz-Harrison Museum & Visitor Centre, in Agassiz, BC.

Join the District of Kent at the Community Recreation and Cultural Centre to celebrate National Indigenous People’s Day on June 21st. Play in the drop-in Lacrosse Session, hear from storytellers, and experience the history of those who’ve been here since time immemorial.

For more resources on the Indigenous roots and cultural experiences of the region, click the link below.