REPATRIATION OF TRADITIONAL LEKWUNGEN VILLAGE
Additional Information
REPATRIATION OF TRADITIONAL LEKWUNGEN VILLAGE SITE PARK AND STORY POLES TO BC LEGISLATURE GROUNDS
To protect and preserve significant heritage site in the capital of British Columbia by restoring, developing, and maintaining the original Indigenous village site on the Legislature grounds, with original totems and longhouse, with a view to commemorating the site and educating the public about it. Also commemoration of Beacon hill land in Victoria BC with Longhouse honoring the Traditional Territory. The Province, First Nations and local governments support this purpose.
Upon the creation/construction of the BC Legislature in Victoria BC, the traditional village site of the Lekwungen people was displaced to various areas within Greater Victoria. The village Story / Totem poles were actually sold and through the last 130 years, ended up in an Art Gallery in Chicago Illinois. It is the goal of this Societies Activity, to work with the Chiefs of the Lekwungen people and their Elders, the Province of BC and erect a Traditional Village site and Long House and honouring site on the vast grounds of the Legislature, as well as re-establishing the traditional poles to their original site on the Legislature grounds. The additional site for heritage honoring is atop Beacon Hill park where the goal would be to have honouring Story Poles and education. An established tour from the village site to the Beacon Hill would be a goal. The BC Ministry is supportive of this, as are the Lekwungen people and generic talks with the Federal government. This is a true reconciliation story which will honor ALL Nations in BC. Annual maintenance and tourism opportunities for the Lekwungen people for ceremony, Long House, and education will occur. This is an ongoing story for Indigenous people.