In July, the Líl̓wat Nation held the Kwáozán̓tsut cultural summer camps at Klháka7min, formerly the Coast Mountain Outdoor School, running two five-day sessions for different age groups between July 6 and 17.
Organizer Qaqaqam Chris Wells said the camps had been "a long time coming" and focused on teaching Líl̓wat7úl cultural protocols, songs, stories, and land-based healing to youth.
Camp leaders Ánwasúlmec Brett Wallace and Sík Sík Joshua Anderson noted that participants were initially shy but became more engaged and confident by the end of each session.
Anderson, who had a daughter in each age group, described the experience as an opportunity to spend meaningful time with his children during a busy summer.
A wildfire prompted evacuations in Pemberton, approximately 25 kilometres away, during the camp period, but the sessions continued without interruption.
The camps are part of a broader trend of Indigenous culture camps across Canada this summer, some running for decades and others held for the first time, all aimed at revitalizing cultural practices and connections to the land.
Organizers emphasized that fulfilling their commitments despite the nearby fire highlighted the importance of hosting communities and organizations for cultural continuity.
Activities included traditional practices such as smudging, with youth taking on leadership roles in ceremonies.
Interior Salish culture camps create ‘a safe haven’ amid provincial wildfires
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