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 wooden bowl below. Thought to be 200 to 250 years old, it was purchased by a local artist at auction. Following protocols, it was returned to the Coast Salish community — a powerful act of reconciliation.
Plans are underway for a permanent We Are Kwantlen exhibit at the National Historic Site. A coffee table book about Kwantlen art, culture and history is also expected soon.