Northern Secwepemc Cultural Centre

Northern Secwepemc
Cultural Centre

Architecture Comprehensive Studio
Designers: Brendan Cole Buchanan Dee & Alicia Kingdon
Instructor: Peeroj Tharke
UBC / 2019

Gathering Place
Since time immemorial the Secwepemc people have inhabited an inland territory traversing the contemporary boundaries of British Columbia and Alberta, Canada, from the Columbia River valley and the Rocky Mountains to the east, stretching west to the Fraser River, and reaching south to the Arrow Lakes.¹ Before the colonization of their lands, the Secwepemc were comprised of independent bands who shared a common language, culture, and lifestyles, with nomadic living between spring, summer, and fall, while residing in pit houses during the winter. Settlers brought infectious diseases that devastated Indigenous communities, that was followed by Canada’s system of Indian reserves and residential schools that stripped the Secwepemc people of their territories, language, and culture. Today, the largest Secwepemc community resides in Kamloops, BC, while smaller communities exist both on and off reserve. The proposed Northern Secwepemc Cultural Centre (NSCC) envisions a dedicated space in the northwest of traditional, unceded Secwepemc territories where remote communities can gather to celebrate and share their culture. Five bands have assembled to create the Northern Secwepemc Cultural Society, which is leading the project, including the Stswecem’c Xatl’tem (Canoe Creek & Dog Creek), Esk’etemc (Alkali Lake), Xat’súll (Soda Creek), T’exelcemc (Williams Lake), and Tsq’escen (Canim Lake).

The proposed site of the Northern Secwepemc Cultural Centre is a parcel bordered by a mixed birch and pine forest to the south and the Cariboo Highway to the north. The Gold Rush Trail that brought settlers to BC’s interior runs beside the highway and passes in front of the proposed centre before proceeding through the 108 Mile Heritage Site, an exhibit of settler colonial buildings. The dichotomy of the NSCC and 108 Mile Heritage Site seeks to generate discourse about Indigenous history, presenting new opportunities for dialogue between the Secwepemc, settlers communities, and the public in the effort of truth and reconciliation.

BCBD