Church of the Holy Redeemer
Church of the Holy Redeemer, built in 1897 on the Kwantlen Reserve. Langley Heritage Society has assisted with renovations in previous years. See other buildings restored by the Society in the last 4 decades HERE.
Remembering Indigenous Veterans
George Hadden, Tommy Fillardeau, Bob Brown and James Hadden in uniform outside of the Edal Cafe. (Photo: Langley Centennial Museum) Although they had few rights, Indigenous men in Canada stepped forward in significant numbers to serve during the Great War, World War II and the Korean War. Every eligible man between the age of 20 and 35 from Okanagan Head of the Lake Band enlisted. George McLean, a Douglas Lake cowboy, returned home a decorated hero after single-handedly killing 19 of the enemy and capturing 40 others. Roy Cromarty (aka Sam Garner) was a Sto:lo man who lost his life in the fall of 1917. Locally, Thomas “Tommy” Fillardeau, of mixed Métis/Kwantlen heritage, served during the Second World War. (His great-grandfather worked for the Hudson’s Bay Company at Fort Langley.) The Langley Centennial Museum’s digital archive includes the above photo, and a very brief biographical sketch of Tommy: “Thomas “Tommy” Fillardeau [...]
Happy B.C. Day Weekend!
James Maddison Alden painted this watercolour looking down the Fraser River from the Hudson's Bay Company fort at Fort Langley. He was part of the British American Boundary Commission when he created the painting in 1860, two years after the colony of British Columbia was declared at the fort. You can just make out an Indigenous canoe, possibly Kwantlen, near a steamer on the far shore (the Kwantlen occupied a village directly across from the fort). The HBC had a strong trading relationship with the Kwantlen and other Coast Salish peoples; many employees married Indigenous women. This began to change with the decline of the fur trade, followed by a frenzied race for gold and the imposition of the reserve system. You can see the Golden Ears on the far left, and a small fire on the shoreline in the middle of the painting. (Image: BC Archives) This image is [...]
Spirit Square Panels Renewed
A fresh look. Spirit Square panels designed by Drew Atkins and Xwa-lack-tun have undergone some cleaning and restoration work. Located at the corner of Mavis & River Road in Fort Langley, the three panels depict salmon, beaver and wolf, and are dedicated to the Kwantlen People.
LHS Endorses Proposed Museum
Langley Heritage Society recently added its support to a new museum and cultural centre for Langley in collaboration with the Kwantlen First Nation: Honourable Lisa Beare Minister of Tourism, Arts & Culture Victoria, B.C. The Langley Heritage Society fully endorses efforts by the Township of Langley and Kwantlen First Nation to build a 36,000 square foot museum and cultural centre in Fort Langley. Replacement of the existing 60 year old facility is long overdue. The federal government recently committed $3 million toward this project through the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund, but it cannot proceed without provincial government support. The Township of Langley has submitted a request to the province for $10 million; it is currently under review. Langley Heritage Society urges you to support this exciting project, and the timing couldn’t be better. The 150th anniversary of British Columbia joining Confederation is less than two years away (2021). British Columbia [...]
This Is Kwantlen
Photo: Fort Langley National Historic Site The photography and writing students at the Langley Fine Arts School have created an engaging piece of public art -- striking black and white photos and biographies of their Kwantlen neighbours. The idea is to raise community awareness and honour local indigenous people. Large images and profiles are appearing at sites around Fort Langley. You can see close-ups and individual biographies HERE.
We Are Kwantlen
Kwantlen and other Coast Salish peoples have direct links to this land, reaching back millennia. Step inside the Visitors Centre at the Fort Langley National Historic Site and you’ll discover three unique artifact displays that hint at at least 12,000 years of history. A delicate, 800 year old cedar cradle basket discovered in the mud at Stave Reservoir (traditional Kwantlen territory) has been carefully restored by utilizing Japanese paper and glue techniques. The baby basket has been returned to its original shape. Baskets, hats and headbands demonstrate the powerful influence of cedar in the lives of Kwantlen people. Cedar was used to create canoes, clothes, dwellings and various ceremonial objects. Cedar hats are now seeing a revival among the Kwantlen, and the woven hat pictured below is being used by the family of its maker, Hazel Gludo. Imagine the feast of salmon, eulachon and cranberries that might have filled the [...]