FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 21, 2025
Tla’amin Nation Opens Ɂəms ʔayɛ (Our House) on National Indigenous Peoples Day
TLA’AMIN TERRITORY – On June 21, 2025, more than 400 people gathered to witness the grand opening of Ɂəms ʔayɛ (“Our House”), Tla’amin Nation’s new cultural centre and traditional food processing facility. The long-awaited celebration was hosted on National Indigenous Peoples Day and marked the culmination of years of planning, design, and construction. Attendees included Tla’amin citizens, neighbouring Nations, government partners, and residents from across the qathet region.
“Today we welcome our cultural treasures home, light the sacred fire, and open our house for generations to come,” said Hegus John Hackett. “Ɂəms ʔayɛ is not just a building—it is a living expression of our laws, language, and responsibility to one another.”
The event featured a cedar braid cutting, repatriation ceremony, and cultural protocol shared by neighbouring Nations.
The Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia jointly contributed $4.2 million through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program – Rural and Northern Communities towards the completion of the cultural centre.
“The federal government is honoured to have supported the construction of a new cultural centre for the Tla’amin Nation,” said Wade Grant Member of Parliament, Vancouver Quadra, British Columbia. “We will continue to work in partnership with First Nations and all orders of government on projects that represent a meaningful step toward reconciliation and a stronger, more inclusive Canada.”
Ɂəms ʔayɛ is the first cultural house built in Tla’amin territory since the great fire of 1918. Designed in collaboration with Tla’amin Elders and knowledge keepers, the space honours Tla’amin’s deep relationships with Klahoose, Homalco, and K’ómoks Nations, with house posts dedicated to each sister Nation.
The adjoining traditional foods facility supports food sovereignty and teaching and will be used to process salmon, deer, berries, and other traditional foods.
“People should be able to celebrate their culture and way of life,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs. “We are happy to support the construction of a new cultural centre, where people can gather and spend time with their family and community.”
Media
Davis McKenzie
778-834-7934