Ucwalmicw Centre Society
Ucwalmicw Centre
A stone-carving of a P’egp’ig’lha (Frog) lady greets you at the entrance of the Ucwalmicw Centre. Willard Charlie’s carving is his vision of a half P’egp’ig’lha and lady. Willard is a T’ít’q’et Elder born into the P’egp’ig’lha Clan. The eleven interior windows are beautifully decorated with stained glass; each window was designed by T’ít’q’et families of the P’egp’ig’lha Clan. The artist’s write-up of the window designs are reflective of St’át’imc values and traditions.
The Ucwalmicw Centre hosted the first annual Roots Gathering Conference in September 2008. The gathering was a three day grass roots community event organized by T’it’q’et community members and the Ucwalmicw Centre to promote local sustainability, food security and skill sharing in Lillooet as an effort to prepare for changing times on the horizon.
Roots Gathering attendees participate in interactive hands-on workshops led by T’it’q’et Elders, local organic gardeners, farmers, herbalists and others working in groups to share in the experience of creating plant medicines, traditional pit cooking, cob oven building, smoke-house construction, flint-knapping, herbal medicine making, seed saving, canning, preserving, and permaculture, to name a few.
The 3rd annual gathering will take place in September of 2010. Planning and dates TBA. Everyone is welcome!
Fishing continues to be the way of life for the St’át’imc people. The fishing rocks are a historic landmark to the St’át’imc people. The techniques to drying salmon and fishing practices have been passed on from generation to generation. People are expected to share fishing areas, be respectful and keep the fishing rocks clean. Elders sharing the stories and traditions with the youth at the fishing rocks promote pride and respect for culture, and ancestors. St’át’imc fishing practices shapes our relationships with one another, the environment and spirituality.
