Lil’wat

On behalf of the Lil’wat people, I welcome you all to our traditional territories, our homeland — part of the St'át'imc tribe, Interior Salish. Since time immemorial our people have respected mother earth and we welcome you to our lands and look forward to sharing our arts, culture and spirituality with you. We look forward to celebrating the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games with people from all walks of life. It will be an experience of a lifetime!

- Kúkwpi7 Táya, Chief Leonard Andrew, Lil’wat Nation

About the Lil’wat Nation

The Lil’wat First Nation is one of the Four Host First Nations — Official Partners in the planning and hosting of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

The traditional territory of the Lil’wat Nation includes the Whistler area. It extends from the Rubble Creek watershed in the south to Mammoth Mountain in Ts’yl-os Provincial Park in the north, and from the coastal inlets of the Pacific Ocean in the west to the Upper Stein Valley in the east.

The Lil’wat people describe their history as being “written upon the land”, told through stories of transformation, mystery and power. As skilled hunters and fishers, they have been sustained by their lands since before recorded time. This relationship continues to be a profound part of Lil’wat culture.

Most of the Nation’s 1,850 members live in the small community of Mount Currie – located 22 kilometres northeast of Whistler. Approximately, 1,400 members live on reserve, making the Lil’wat Nation the fourth largest on-reserve community in British Columbia (BC).

One of the most cherished parts of Lil’wat culture is their traditional language. Part of the Interior Salish family, the Lil’wat language is called Ucwalmícwts. Like other First Nations across Canada, the Lil’wat people are working to preserve their traditional language for the next generation. Ucwalmícwts is taught to Lil’wat youth in local schools, as well as through Simon Fraser University in cooperation with the Mount Currie Ts’zil Learning Centre.

The Lil’wat people are also known for their cedar weaving, drum making and love of sport, such as soccer, snowboarding and rodeo.

Learn more about the Lil’wat Nation at lilwat.ca