Our Living Languages

Gallery 3: February 15 – May 23, 2022 

The Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre is proud to host Our Living Languages: First Peoples’ Voices in BC, a travelling exhibition. The interactive exhibition from the Royal BC Museum in partnership with the First Peoples’ Cultural Council, showcases the resilience and diversity of Indigenous languages in the face of change.

Our Living Languages celebrates the vitality of diverse languages of First Nations throughout B.C., and empowers communities with distinctive markers of identity and culture. Visitors hear stories and gain insight into how Indigenous communities are taking action throughout the province to help their 34 different languages survive and flourish.

 “Within the language, we find a connection to our Ancestors and our culture. It answers many of the questions we have around our values and it offers a glimpse of our Ancestors lives.” says Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre Curator, Mixalhítsa7 Alison Pascal. “This exhibit helps to show how important it is for everybody to use as much of the language as possible, to normalize it, to encourage our children to speak it. My Grandfather travelled a lot through BC, spoke many Indigenous languages plus English, in the past that was normal now it’s very rare.”

FEATURED ON DISPLAY:

Through interactive stations, video and audio, Our Living Languages provides visitors with a deep appreciation, and opportunity to learn more about the history of disrupted languages in BC, the complexity of these languages, and the people–and entire communities–that are working tirelessly to document and revitalize them.

A Partnership Exhibition
Our Living Languages is a coproduction of the Royal BC Museum and the First Peoples’ Cultural Council, a Crown Corporation with a mandate to support the revitalization of First Nations languages, arts and cultures in British Columbia. The exhibition was developed with the assistance of the Language Exhibition Advisory Committee, comprised of cultural experts from First Nations communities across the province.

The partnership is inspired by the belief that diverse expressions of First Nations’ identities are key to the health and well-being of First Nations and all British Columbians. This language exhibition honours language champions young and old who continue to work tirelessly to preserve what we have and to dream about a future where our languages thrive once again. We are grateful for the support of donors whose contributions made this exhibition possible.

Official Opening February 15th, 2022
(Early Viewing January 21st – 30th, 2022)

Our Living Languages officially opens Tuesday, February 15, in Gallery 3 of the SLCC; entry will be included in museum admission and the regular hourly guided tour until May 23, 2022. Guests can experience the Exhibit early from Friday, January 21 – Sunday, January 30*.

*Please note the SLCC will be Closed for Maintenance from January 31 – February 14
Our regular hours of operation are: Tuesday – Sunday 10 am – 5 pm (Closed Mondays)