Our Culture
Sḵwx̱wú7mesh culture is a tapestry influenced by our land and water, and woven by generations of our people. We continue to uphold the customs, traditions, and wisdom of the ancestors, passing them to our youth.
Longhouses
Squamish People traditionally resided in family units within multi-family housing structures, often referred to as longhouses. Cedar planks were utilized in the construction of the structures. Depending on the season, people would move between different village sites and longhouses. Today our longhouses are gathering places for ceremonies.
Canoes
The canoe culture has existed since time immemorial. Legend has it that our ancestors tethered their canoes to the top of Nch’ḵay̓ (Mount Garibaldi), the tallest mountain in our territory, to make it through the Great Flood. Canoeing serves as a reminder for our people to take pride in our history and honor our ancestors. The lessons learned on the water foster strong minds and hearts that translate into life on land.
Fish
Fish, particularly salmon, has always been a fundamental component of our people’s diet. We employ various methods to preserve fish, including smoking, wind drying, and more recently, canning.
Cedar
Cedar plays a crucial role in our culture and traditions. This includes harvesting cedar bark for weaving, constructing fishing weirs, crafting dugout ocean-going canoes, and making cedar root baskets.
