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Cultural Sharing

Enhance your group experience by adding a cultural component to your special event. Our experienced Cultural Ambassadors will dazzle your senses with colourful regalia and expressive movement through traditional song and dance. Select from a variety of cultural sharing options that provide a glimpse into the unique cultures of the Squamish and Lil’wat peoples. These programs are ideal for enhancing holiday and community events as well as educational presentations, both in house and off-site.

For more information please email us

WELCOME CEREMONY

The SLCC Cultural Ambassadors have the unique ability and permission to Welcome on behalf of both Nations, whose territory Whistler operates on. They will commence your special event by welcoming your delegation or guests to the traditional territories of the Squamish Nation and Lil’wat Nation. Complete with a traditional language introduction and interpretation, then a brief overview of the territory in which Whistler is situated, and finished with a powerful drum song that caps off the presentation in an authentic and meaningful way. This program is perfect to welcome your corporate conference or community event, or kick off your festival!

  • Allow 10 – 15 minutes for this experience
  • Cultural Ambassadors arrive 15 minutes prior to off-site events and meets with Event Organizer for details and queues
  • Cultural Ambassador delivers ‘Welcome to the Territory Acknowledgement’
  • Cultural Ambassadors deliver 1-2 songs, depending on time permitted
  • Cultural Ambassadors share a song from Squamish Nation and/or Lil’wat Nation

Price varies depending on event size

$300 (1 Ambassador) or $600 (2 Ambassadors) – Daytime workshops, meetings or conferences onsite (during Museum hours) or offsite
$600 – Evening conference offsite or onsite / 2 Cultural Ambassadors

(please note, for safety reasons, OFF-SITE evening Welcome ceremonies require a minimum of 2 Ambassadors)

BLESSING – WEDDING OR FEAST

Have our Cultural Ambassador provide a blessing for your Wedding or event complete with a traditional hand drum love song (weddings) or feast song (corporate events), customary of the Squamish and/or Lil’wat Nations. A wonderful and meaningful way to start your celebration and your union in an authentic way or to commence a meal service by offering a prayer to the creator, who offers us the bounty of our lands and provides the sustenance that sustains all life. A beautiful way to present your dining service in an authentic way.

  • Allow 10 minutes for this experience
  • Experience includes the blessing and one song

Price
$300 – Wedding or Event / 1 Cultural Ambassador

SPO7EZ PROCESSION (FROM FAIRMONT or FOUR SEASONS) & WELCOME CEREMONY AT THE CULTURAL CENTRE

Welcome your guests upon arrival at the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre with an impactful singing and drumming ensemble from our Cultural Ambassadors! This experience is complete with traditional songs from the Squamish and Lil’wat Nations. A delightful way to introduce your delegation to the rich cultural heritage of the First People of the Sea to Sky Valley.

If your group is staying at the Fairmont or Four Seasons, experience a cultural journey from your hotel to the front doors of our Cultural Centre! Our Cultural Ambassadors will meet your delegation in the hotel lobby prior to your event and guide them over to the Cultural Centre on a journey of traditional song and dance. Your guests will enjoy a brief welcome to the traditional territories of the Squamish and Lil’wat Nations, followed by a drum and song procession to our front doors. Once on site, our Cultural Ambassadors will continue the entertainment by providing cultural songs while your guests are entering the facility and beginning their festivities.

Onsite:

  • Cultural Ambassadors staged inside or outside Front Entrance way or on Mezzanine Patio, and takes queues from Event Organizer
  • Length of cultural sharing onsite is up to 20 minutes
  • Cultural Ambassadors can provide a Feast Blessing, allow 5 minutes prior to meal service
  • Up to 4 Cultural Ambassadors depending on availability

Drum Procession from Fairmont or Four Seasons:

  • Cultural Ambassadors deliver ‘Welcome to Territory Speech’ at Hotel
  • Cultural Ambassadors guides guests to SLCC with hand drum song
  • Cultural Ambassadors can provide a Feast Blessing, allow 5 minutes prior to meal service
  • Weather dependent, alternative plan to be confirmed the day of event
  • 4 Cultural Ambassadors depending on availability
  • Available June through September, weather permitting.

Price
$1,200

SPO7EZ PERFORMANCE TEAM

Experience the SLCC Ambassador’s gift of meaningful storytelling through song, drum and dance. Adorned in regalia born from the land Whistler lives on and the history of the original peoples of this territory, young leaders of both Nations transform the audience atmosphere into the heartbeat of the bear, dance of the gopher, quickening of the salmon, and cry of the wolf.

  • The performance will include a Welcome to the Territory and a Feast Blessing
  • Choose 10-30 minutes for this experience

Price
$1,200 – 4 person performance team
$1,800 – 6 person performance team

Additional Entertainment Options Available Below

SPAKWUS SLOLEM – EAGLE SONG DANCERS

Eagle Song Dancers are members of the Squamish Nation who provide traditional and modern cultural presentations for public and private events. Presentations introduce the viewer to traditional ways of life, spirituality and protocol of the Salish Coastal Peoples and include hand drumming and singing animated with regalia, masks and props. Performance Leader, S7aplek (Bob Baker) can custom design the performance to suit the requirements of any event.

Price is based on style and length of performance
Contact directly http://www.eaglesongdancers.org/

FIRST NATIONS HOOP DANCING

Alex Wells is a world renowned First Nations Hoop Dancer who provides cultural presentations for public and private events. Sharing his cultural traditions with the world has been his family’s way of life. Traveling across North America and internationally since childhood and competing in First Nations dance competitions, has earned Alex the title of World Champion Hoop Dancer three times. Your guests will enjoy this energetic display of First Nations traditional hoop dancing with spectacular regalia and music.

Price is based on style and length of performance
Contact Alex directly at alex_wells@live.ca

Cultural Sharing Booking Request

Please complete the following booking request form.
Please note, bookings are not confirmed until you have received a confirmation from either the performer or an SLCC Sales Representative.

    Name (first and last)*

    Email*

    Phone number*

    Type of event*

    Location*

    Indoor or Outdoor*

    Group size*

    Cultural Ceremony or Performance Preference*

    Date*

    Time of day*

    Please let us know if you have any special requests or certain considerations we should be aware of: