On September 15th, staff and faculty from the Faculty of Science had the pleasure of spending the day with Naxaxalhts’i, also known as Albert (Sonny) McHalsie, and explored the cultural landscape of the beautiful Stó:lō territory. He narrated the land – telling the Sxowxiyám and Swelqwels, the legends and the true stories, that gave shape to the Stó:lō culture, history and people.
The group enjoyed the majestic mountains and waterways of the Upper Fraser Valley. The “Bad Rock” Place Names tour departed from Chilliwack and traveled towards the scenic Fraser Canyon above historic Yale, BC. They learned about the unique relationship between the Stó:lō, “the River People”, their land and their environment. (See photos from our tour below)
The Faculty of Science is planning another tour in the Spring for their faculty so be sure to watch your email for dates. For a peek of what to expect for the upcoming tour, please check out this video from the Stó:lō Archives Channel: https://youtu.be/EWFbnsuJEjQ
If you are interested in arranging a Place Names Tour for your department or organization, please contact Carol Dickson, UFV Coordinator of Indigenous Initiatives at Carol.Dickson@ufv.ca.
Naxaxalhts’i is a Cultural Advisor and Stó:lō Historian for the Stó:lō Research and Resource Management Centre.
