STO:LO CULTURAL TOURS
All tours are booked on a case by case basis. Individuals and small groups are welcomed to join our Cultural Experience Series events over the summer months
• GUIDED GROUNDS TOURS: • Coqualeetza (Chilliwack) • St Mary's Residential School (Mission) • Xaytem
• GUIDED BUS TOURS: • Bad Rock (Chilliwack/Yale/Hope) • Chilliwack Lake • Sumas Region
• GUIDED WATER TOURS: • Harrison Lake • Harrison River • Fraser River. Boat arranged directly with boat company. Email for more information.
• CUSTOM TOURS/EVENTS: • Full Days • Half Days • Speaking Engagements
You are welcomed to experience and learn about the traditions, history, culture, language and stories of the Stó:lō People. Explore the magnificent Stó:lō-Coast Salish traditional territory.
Stó:lō territory is a cultural treasure within the Fraser Valley and into the Canyon, surrounded by majestic mountains and centred around the Fraser River. Discover the stories and Hal’qeméylem place names. You can view cultural artifacts, hear our oral history that supports our Stó:lō traditions, visit our newly renovated interpretive centre and learn about our history and region, visit our longhouse, walk through the Coqualeetza grounds and explore our newly installed educational kiosks, shop and enjoy traditional artwork, and meet the people.
COQUALEETZA GROUNDS TOUR (#10-7201 Vedder Rd., Chilliwack BC)
Discover the culture, traditions, history. Learn about art, plants, collections and language of the Stó:lō people. Explore the Stó:lō Resource Centre and learn about the authentic Coast Salish basket and archaeological collections including Man Turned to Stone: T'xwelátse. Sonny McHalsie will guide you around the grounds while narrating stories about the grounds and surrounding area. A great way to learn about the Stó:lō people, traditions, culture and language. Cost is $18/student and $25/adult and takes approximately 90 minutes. (Minimum 8 people) Tours are by booking arrangements. Email: stolo.tourism@stolonation.bc.ca
http://www.srrmcentre.com/StoneTxwelatse/07Introduction.html
ST MARY'S (former) RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL (Mission BC)
Our cultural education team also offers guided tours of St. Mary's - the former residential school. Gather together in the chapel and hear the history of the school, teachers and children then be lead through the building and girls and boys dormatories. Cost is: $18.00/child (12 & under), $25/adult and takes approximately 90 minutes. (Minimum 8 and maximum 30 people) Educational tours are booked by reservation and groups welcome. St. Mary's, former Residential School in Mission located at: 34110 Lougheed Hwy, Mission, BC V2V 6N9
Click link below for google directions
X̲AːYTEM (Mission BC)
X̲áːytem Historic Site is now open and available for guided cultural tours by appointment. (Minimum 8 and maximum 30 people). Email: stolo.tourism@stolonation.bc.ca to book your appointment.
Located at: 35087 Lougheed Hwy, Mission, BC V2V 6T1. Cost: $25/adult, $18.00/child/senior
One such important oral history is that of the Xe:xals, or Transformers. When the world was very young and the people lived with no guidance, the Great Creator either became the Xe:xals, or appointed the Xe:xals as guardians of the Sto:lo and to show the people how to live. The Xe:xals, three male bears and one female bear, travelled the earth to “make things right” again. People who were productive and good to their communities were transformed into useful commodities, such as salmon, beaver, or cedar, so that the people would never be without. Those who were selfish, and did not preserve their culture or contribute to the community were turned into stone. When the Xe:xals arrived at Hatzic, they found three good chiefs and gave them the gift of written language. The chiefs promised to teach the people the language and to share the gift. However, when the Great Creator returned in the guise of a man, Xa;als, the chiefs had kept the language to themselves. When Xa:als began to turn the chiefs into a stone, the men panicked. One chief began to teach the people as fast as he could, another began to cry, and the last began to sing. The Xay:tem rock still stands, and is said to hold the chief’s song for eternity.
Today, Xay:tem is a National Historic Site. Carbon dating has placed the site as being at least 9,000 years old. Recent archaeological digs have unearthed a longhouse that is believed to be around 6,000 years old, making it the oldest found dwelling in B.C., and one of the oldest in Canada. The importance of such a find has placed Mission as an integral place for not only the Stó:lō, but also in Canadian history. [Mission Museum]
Minimum 8 and maximum 30
Educational and school groups please contact: June Point: june.point@stolonation.bc.ca
GUIDED CULTURAL ROAD TOURS (Via bus)
Email: stolo.tourism@stolonation.bc.ca
Travel with us and learn about the unique relationship between the Stó:lō, “the People of the River”, the land and environment through the experienced narratives while enjoying our majestic mountain, valley and canyon setting. Full & half day group tours available by arrangement.
Explore the cultural landscape of the beautiful traditional Stó:lō territory with Naxaxalhts'i, Albert (Sonny) McHalsie. Naxaxalhts`i is currently the Cultural Advisor and Stó:lō Historian for the Stó:lō Research and Resource Management Centre. Naxaxalhts’i has studied Halq’eméylem place names for 21 years. Naxaxalhts`i will narrate the land – telling the Sxowxiyám and Swelqwels, the legends and the true stories, that give shape to the Stó:lō culture, history and people.
Listen and learn about the unique relationship that the Stó:lō, “the People of the River”, have with their land and their environment, through the narratives provided by Naxaxalhts’i, who has studied Halq’eméylem place names from fluent Halq’eméylem speaking Elders for over 30 years. Experience the special significance of Halq’eméylem place names from the award winning book, A Stó:lō-Coast Salish Historical Atlas. Learn the three main dialects of the Halkomelem language, the two main aspects of Stó:lō oral history, Sxwōxwiyám and Sqwelqwel, and the special connection Stó:lō maintain with their environment through their Shxwelí, or “spirit, life force”. Enjoy the majestic mountains and waterways of S’ólh Témèxw, “Our Land, Our World”.
GUIDED BAD ROCK (UPRIVER) TOUR (BAD ROCK/YALE TOUR)
NEW VIDEO NOW AVAILABLE: (click the link below to watch now)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWFbnsuJEjQ&feature=youtu.be
Offering 'Bad Rock" Place Names tour (Chilliwack to Hope, through to Yale and return)
Enjoy the majestic mountains and waterways of the Upper Fraser Valley on a tour departing from Chilliwack destined for the scenic Fraser Canyon above historic Yale B.C. Listen and learn about the unique relationship between the Stó:lō, “the River People”, their land and their environment.
Special stops of interests may include the fishing rock known as Kw’ik-w’iyá:la (Coquihalla); the pool of origin for the sacred sxwó:yxwey mask; hear about the s’ó:lmexw or “waterbabies” and the mimestíyexw or the “little people” of the forest; see the remains of a sqémél (pithouse: or in Chinook “keekwillie”) last used in the 1880’s; and see where Xexá:ls the transformers left scratch marks at a place where he did battle with Xéylxe-lamós, an Indian Doctor; hear about the stl’áleqem or spiritual beings. Learn up to 120 Halq’méylem place names including the original names of Lhílheqey for Mt. Cheam, Ts’qó:ls for Hope, Xwoxwelá:lhp for Yale, and Xéylxelamós for Lady Franklin Rock, and many other Halq’eméylem Place Names.
Bad Rock Road Tour Itinerary Options
Full Day: Begins at 9:00 am and runs for the full day to 4:00 pm with stops of interest and lunch break. (You are welcomed to bring your own lunch or purchase from Hope vendor) Travel from: Chilliwack (SRC) up the valley to Tomtomiyeqw Lookout, Thunderbird Mountain, Kawakawa Lake, Coquihalla Fishing Rock, Telte-Yet Pithouse then through to the Lady Franklin Rock (Bad Rock) in Yale. A full day cultural experience along the Fraser River roadways and Canyon regions. Learn over 100 placenames and see the ancient majestic surroundings in whole new world. Discover. Explore. Experience.
GUIDED DOWNRIVER TOURS (SUMAS TOUR)
This tour departs from Chilliwack (Sto:lo Resource Centre #10 - 7201 Vedder Road, Chilliwack BC) destined for the scenic route through Cultus Lake, Abbotsford, Mission, and Sumas Region
Hear about Kwikw’alith’a, Sq’ewqéyl, Ch’iyáqtel, Th’ewá:li and Swílhcha; special stops of interests include Cultus Lake home of a T’liteqo Spá:th (underwater bear);hear about the Barrowtown Pump Station and the the draining of Semá:th Lake; — explore Sto:lo history, culture and archaeology; learn about Xexá:ls transformations like Méqsel, Xá:ytem, Tixwelátsa, Qwél:es, and Chítmexw; hear about the stl’áleqem or spiritual beings. Learn the Halq’méylem place names including the original names of Qoqó:lem for Vedder Mountain, Teq’qéyex for Sumas Mountain, and Xweqw’eyíqw for Echo Island, and many more Halq’eméylem Place Names.
GUIDED CHILLIWACK RIVER VALLEY TOUR (CHILLIWACK LAKE TOUR)
Travel with Cultural Historian, Sonny McHalsie, through Chilliwack following the Chilliwack River and its creeks and sloughs. This tour will take you through Skowkale and Tzeachten territories before heading toward the Chilliwack Lake.
Special stops of interest may include the Centre Creek site known as Stehiyáq “place of fish trap”; Sxótsaqel “sacred lake” or “something that’s sacred” (Chilliwack Lake); a short hike to the Chipmunk Caves off Chipmunk Creek Forest Service Road; Iy’oythel “always a mouth” or “good mouth”, Allison Pools recreation site, where pithouses were located; and we hear about many other Halq’eméylem Place Names
Full day tours begin at the Coqualeetza grounds in front of Stó:lō Nation building #10 located in Chilliwack at 7201 Vedder Road.
For your best experience: Dress appropriately (in layers is best) and wear comfortable shoes suitable for light mobility. Don’t forget your camera, binoculars, & umbrella! Lunch and refreshments are not typically included in Bad Rock tours but can be arranged for your group at an extra cost, or you are welcomed to bring your own refreshments and lunch. Note: itinerary can be suited to your group, timeframe and budget.
