LOCAL VIBE

This ‘n’ That … Whistler Style

One of the most common comments from visitors to Whistler’s Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre (SLCC) is that guests enjoyed connecting with the hard-working Indigenous staff, whose job is to share their passion for the vibrant cultures of the coastal Squamish (Skwxwú7mesh) and interior Lil’wat (Lil’wat7ul) peoples who have called this region home for thousands of years. The spirit of sharing — involving both the passing on of the nations’ traditional practices from elders to youth and the staff’s interactions with guests — helped inspire “Ambassadors,” an exhibit that includes photos and artifacts created by some of the 50-or-so staff who work at the centre, says Mandy Rousseau, SLCC manager of marketing and communications. “The exhibit is a snapshot of our team who has been working at the centre over the past season,” Rousseau says. “We spoke to the staff before we began this project … and we found there’s a strong feeling of home that’s shared by those who come to work here.” Most SLCC staff members come from one of the two nations who have been living peacefully alongside one another for centuries, regularly coming to the Whistler Valley to pick berries, hunt and experience “vision quests.” Squamish and Lil’wat elders, who are experts in the creation of cultural artifacts including regalia (ceremonial clothing), wool and cedar bark weaving, regularly share their knowledge with their younger counterparts, including participants in the Indigenous Youth Ambassador program. The exhibit’s images, shot by local photographer Logan Swayze, are complemented by regalia, wool and inner cedar bark pieces created by staff members after the elders shared their knowledge. Some staff members have even become apprentices in their chosen crafts, running workshops for the centre’s guests. The “Ambassadors” exhibit runs at the centre until March 2020.

For more information, visit slcc.ca.