Simon Fraser University recently celebrated the grand opening of its First Peoples’ Gathering House. This longhouse offers Indigenous students, staff, faculty, and communities a space to connect and practice cultural traditions. The $25M longhouse was designed through collaboration with the four host First Nations—xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) and kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem)—and includes a Great Hall with house posts carved by each host First Nation overlooking it. “This is a place where our Indigenous students, faculty and staff can come and rejuvenate their spirit and connect with each other in ways that we haven’t been able to thus far,” said SFU Indigenous Executive Lead Chris (Syeta’xtn) Lewis.
