Feature stories

March 1st – Cultural Sharing on a Global Scale

Today marks the end of 17 days of cultural sharing on a global-scale. Four-years ago, at the Closing Ceremony of the Torino 2006 Winter Olympic Games, the Chiefs of the Four Host First Nations (Lil'wat, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh) issued an invitation to the world to come to their traditional and shared traditional territories for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. And the world came.

So, on February 12 we opened the doors to the public for the first time to our Chiefs' House - the 2010 Aboriginal Pavilion. It has been a long journey to this moment and over two weeks of non-stop performances and programming by First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples from coast to coast to coast, the Four Host First Nations embraced and celebrated together with Indigenous peoples during the most well known sporting event in the world.

Each day, thousands of people lined the Plaza of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre waiting patiently to have their chance to be a part of Olympic history. Over 17 days, more than 240,000 people visited the 2010 Aboriginal Pavilion - more than we at the Four Host First Nations could have ever imagined. "This has been an incredible feat for Aboriginal peoples across Canada - it shows what can be achieved when we work together in partnership and spirit," says Four Host First Nations Chief Executive Officer Tewanee Joseph. "We have experienced a level of success that we didn't dream was possible."

The stages at the Chiefs' House held more than 400 diverse performances. Spectators saw everything from traditional drumming to a one-of-a-kind didgeridoo show; Inuit throat singing to the best First Nations rappers in the country. The daytime performances highlighted the best of each region of Canada, and were presented by First Nations, Inuit and Métis groups from across Canada. These theme days drew huge crowds and each day thousands waited patiently as they heard what was happening inside the Dome through it's thin outer wall.

Many days, the shows weren't confined to inside the Dome, with a number of acts taking their dancers and drummers out onto the plaza to continue the party for those who weren't able make it into see the show. And, being outside the Pavilion was part of the experience, our food vendor was busy preparing freshly made venison stew and bannock bread - people munched on 2000 bowls of venison stew and 40,000 pieces of bannock bread in 10 days alone! Visitors never knew what to expect at the Pavilion, except that they would be thoroughly entertained.

The evening shows at the Chiefs' house were electric. Each night, a different style of music was showcased and at every performance, the Dome was completely packed! If you were part of the crowd on any given night, you were treated to the sounds of some of the best Aboriginal musicians from Canada and around the world. We had international Indigenous performers from Australia, New Zealand, Finland, the USA and Mexico who shared their cultures with visitors from around the world.

Late nights in the Lounge were rockin' with DJ's spinning music and the big screen TV's on the daily sports highlights. People stayed until closing making new friends, dancing, eating samplers off our Aboriginal fusion menu and taking in the atmosphere of the Jack Poole Reception Hall.

At our second successful venue: the Aboriginal Artisan Village and Business Showcase, over 150 Aboriginal artisans and 30 Aboriginal businesses took over the Vancouver Community College downtown campus selling beautiful Aboriginal handcrafted artwork and showcasing their companies to potential clients. The Showcase was a buzz with 85,000 visitors of all ages and nationalities strolling through and picking out their favourite treasures to take home with them. "What we have seen and experienced, combined with the feedback from the public, has been amazing. This Showcase was only the beginning of a lasting international presence for many of our artisans and businesses" says Brenda Baptiste, the Director of the Aboriginal Artisan Village and Business Showcase.

Each day, demonstrations were on, engaging the public and showing the process of an artist's creative work. Visitors were able to ask questions and to learn about the culture and how it has influenced the artist and their designs. Inside, on the main stage, musicians performed throughout the day and if that wasn't enough - there were four days of fashion. A runway was erected and not only did the general public have the opportunity to see the leading designers in Aboriginal Fashion, but so did the who's who of the fashion world.

We thank everyone who took time to come celebrate Aboriginal culture and join the Four Host First Nations on this incredible journey. While the doors of the 2010 Aboriginal Pavilion have closed, the celebrations continue with the opening of the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games on March 12^th.

Thank You!