Xatśūll Heritage Village
By Miriam Schilling
Steam slowly rises from the hole in the earth. That’s good, it means lunch is almost ready.
Xatśūll Heritage Village is owned and operated by the Xatśūll First Nation (Soda Creek Indian Band), located north of Williams Lake, BC. It is a seasonal business, open from mid May until mid October every year.
Visitors from around the world come to visit and experience our Aboriginal Culture. We also get many people from British Columbia, our neighboring communities as well as our Xatśūll community members who visit to share stories and engage in cultural activities.
The Majestic Fraser River runs alongside the Xatśūll Heritage Village (pronounced hat- sull) and has played an integral role in the community throughout the years. This unspoiled region is home to a wide array of plants, fish, and wildlife – each perfectly adapted to this unique environment.
Xatśūll community members give guided tours to visitors, teach workshops and cater meals. Each year we have youth in our summer student positions that learn from the elders and share their stories with the guests.
Visitors can experience the culture of the Xatśūll community and take part in a tour of Xatśūll Heritage Village. You can learn about the history of the Secwepemc Nation and their traditional way of life. First Nation Guides will talk about our National Award Winning Heritage Site and show you the teepees, our winter homes or pit houses (also known as kikule houses), drying/tanning racks, lean-to, sweat house, summer hut, as well as our new covered picnic area and lookout of the Village. Learn about the mighty Fraser River where our ancestors have fished for thousands of years.
Xatśūll Heritage Village provides an atmosphere where you can learn about other cultures. For example, the teepees are not part of the Secwepemc way of life, but it helps visitors see the diversity among Aboriginal groups in BC and across Canada. In Xatśūll, the pit house (or kikule house) was a home for our ancestors and lasted for up to ten years. Construction began with a hole, which was excavated into the earth three feet or more. Then a roof was made and fitted onto the excavated hole. In the middle of the roof was an opening with a ladder; this hole also served as the chimney. Visitors to the village have the opportunity to overnight in a teepee or pit house.
While experiencing our Northern Secwepemc culture you also have the opportunity to share a meal with us. Join in for a Pit Cooking demonstration. Pit cooking for Secwepemc was used on a daily basis, a hole is dug and lined with lava rocks, and a stick or a pole was placed in the middle acting as a steam vent. Our recipes are handed down from generation to generation. If you are staying for lunch, join us for a traditional salmon lunch or contact us about our menus for the day.
In 2011 we started to host Cultural Events once every month in the summer. Everyone is invited to enjoy traditional cultural activities, including: Story telling, Traditional arts and crafts, Guided Tours of Xatśūll Heritage Village, Workshops & Traditional local food. The events have been a huge success and bring together people from very different backgrounds to share stories and experience Aboriginal Culture.
Xatśūll community members continually bring new ideas for running the events and adding new events forward. We now have people calling from neighboring communities requesting workshops on what they have experienced at the Heritage Village and requesting bookings for their own group.
We are very excited to continue hosting our Cultural Events and being able to welcome old and new friends to the Xatśūll community.
Xatśūll Heritage Village proudly received the 2012 Outside of the Box Marketing Award for the monthly Cultural Events by the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association.
To plan your next trip visit http://xatsullheritagevillage.com or call (250) 989-2311.