Tourism Vancouver - Official Visitors' Guide

2017/2018

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tourismvancouver.com 19 TVAN/AL HARVEY, COURTESY GRACE DOVE, RUTH HARTNUP/FLICKR T housands of years ago First Nations' ancestral lands were flush with cranberries, rivers were thick with salmon and cedar totem poles bearing families' crests framed long- houses. With 203 First Nations bands living in B.C., these connections to the land run deep. Here are some iconic ways to discover First Nations culture. Discover First Nations heritage Explore the legends and living traditions of the coastal peoples Grace Dove LOCAL INTEL GET FESTIVE: During Canada's 150th birthday, celebrate First Nations heritage at two events. At the beach: Take in the Gathering of Canoes festival (July 19–22) to witness 5,000 canoe families stop at Jericho Beach as part of the annual Tribal Journeys event. In the city: Go to The Drum Is Calling Festival (July 22–30) at Larwill Park, on the corner of Cambie and West Georgia streets in downtown Vancouver, for performances and to explore life-sized First Nations villages. tourismvancouver.com/canada150 SEE The totem poles in Stanley Park are examples of visual language and an alluring entry point to First Nations culture. Go deeper: visit the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coastal Art, named for one of Canada's most acclaimed artists. Here, see Reid's 8.5-metre bronze Mythic Messengers. The Museum of Anthropology at UBC offers an immersive look at Northwest Coast First Nations the moment you enter the Great Hall. See pieces from Coast Salish, Gitxsan, Nisga'a, Haida and Kwakwaka'wakw peoples, including bentwood boxes. EAT Salmon n' Bannock Bistro honours First Nations foods like bannock bread with cedar jelly and delectable Indian candy made from wild salmon. EXPERIENCE For a history lesson on the Tsleil-Waututh First Nation, paddle Indian Arm in a 25-foot canoe with Takaya Tours. Or take a Talking Trees Tour in Stanley Park with Aboriginal & Eco Tours. SHOP Coastal Peoples Fine Arts Gallery in Gastown sells museum-quality pieces such as Isabel Rorick's spruce root Frog Basket. In North Vancouver visit Khot-La-Cha Art Gallery & Gift Shop to find contemporary eagle-motif bags by Corrine Hunt (she co-designed the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games medals). EXPLORE MORE: Visit Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre in Whistler to see the 40-foot-long Salish hunting canoe, named Nexws Chachu7. STAY Bed down at Skwachàys Lodge, an aboriginal boutique hotel featuring the Urban Aboriginal Fair Trade Gallery and a sweat lodge. Its 18 suites each tell a cultural story, such as the Moon Suite, which explores the relationship between the Moon and Raven – a trickster god. e Revenant actress shares her favourite places to discover First Nations culture in Vancouver. • SKWACHÀYS (PRONOUNCED "SKWATCH-EYES") LODGE: It houses a fair trade gallery, boutique hotel and an urban aboriginal artist residence. Other features include a sweat lodge and smudge room used for spiritual cleansing. • VANCOUVER ABORIGINAL FRIENDSHIP CENTRE: The centre emphasizes the philosophies and values of varied aboriginal cultures and traditions. There is Pow Wow Family Night on Tuesdays and West Coast Family Night on Wednesdays. I also play women's drop-in basketball; everyone is welcome.

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