This September, young people, families and community members will once again gather at Alice Lake for an annual tradition rooted in culture, connection and learning: the Foundry Sea to Sky Canoe Pull.
Now entering its sixth year, the Canoe Pull grew from a simple idea — and from relationships that began before Foundry Sea to Sky had even opened its doors.
Christine Baker, whose ancestral name is Glacold, has been involved with Foundry Sea to Sky from the beginning, including serving as Chair of its Indigenous Advisory Group. While participating in a paddle-making group led by Sḵwx̱wú7mesh artist See Appl-tun (Art Harry), the idea emerged to invite local young people to carve and paint their own paddles.
Those workshops brought Indigenous mentors and local youth together to learn new skills, share stories and create something with their own hands. When the paddles were finished, the experience naturally moved to the water: youth were invited to bring their paddles to Alice Lake and experience canoe culture together.
Six years later, the tradition continues.
The Canoe Pull creates an opportunity for young people and families — including those who are not from the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh community — to learn about the importance of canoe culture directly from those sharing it.
“Just sharing that cultural experience of the canoe with community helps to bridge the gap of understanding of what Indigenous life is and what values are important,” Christine explains.
At the centre of the experience is Little Thunderbird, the canoe used by the group. Receiving the Thunderbird name carries particular significance, Christine says, because the Thunderbird is a symbol of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Nation.
For Sḵwx̱wú7mesh youth, being on the water can also offer an opportunity to connect with culture, history and place.
As one young participant shared during last year’s Canoe Pull, “We came from the water. That’s why we use canoes.”
For SSCS and Foundry Sea to Sky, the Canoe Pull is one part of an ongoing commitment to building meaningful and respectful relationships with local Nations and creating opportunities for Indigenous and non-Indigenous young people to learn and connect.
But ultimately, the day is about being together — paddling, listening, learning and sharing.
As Christine explains, the experience benefits young people, their families and the wider community by creating opportunities to better understand “who we are as a people.”
Watch: Five Years of the Foundry Sea to Sky Canoe Pull
This September, we look forward to returning to the water for year six.