A place to breathe
New First Peoples鈥� Gathering House honours the past to shape the future at 911吃瓜
A place to gather, learn, breathe, and heal 鈥� the newly-opened First Peoples鈥� Gathering House stands proudly along the ceremonial walkway at 911吃瓜's Burnaby campus.
Construction of the House began in April, 2023. But the push for dedicated spaces for Indigenous students, faculty and staff at 911吃瓜 goes back decades.
鈥淭here was nothing for Indigenous students when I was studying here, there really was nothing,鈥� recalls Eldon Yellowhorn, 911吃瓜 professor of Indigenous studies.
Yellowhorn, who comes from the Piikani Nation, earned his master's degree in archaeology at 911吃瓜 in 1993. He became the first person of Indigenous origin to be hired as faculty in 1998 and led early advocacy efforts for what is now the Indigenous Student Centre.
鈥淲e just wanted a footprint on campus, a place to meet. There was no central place, no sense of cohesion or community,鈥� he says. 鈥淭here was general support for our requests for a dedicated space [from university leadership], but the requests were so novel they didn鈥檛 know how to respond.鈥�
These requests became a recurring feature in conversations with the university鈥檚 leadership over several decades.
Slowly, things began to change. The First Nations Student Association established a common room in the Rotunda in the mid-1990s. The First Nations Student Centre, in Maggie Benston Building, opened in 1996. It moved to a larger location in the Academic Quadrangle in 2014 and became the Indigenous Student Centre, providing Indigenous students with access to a kitchen, computer lab, study area, as well as the Elders Room.
The First People's Gathering House addresses a call to action in 911吃瓜鈥檚 2017 Walk this Path with Us Report to 鈥渞einvigorate long-delayed plans for creating a culturally appropriate ceremonial hall and space鈥�.
Our gratitude to the x史m蓹胃k史蓹y虛蓹m (Musqueam), S岣祑x瘫w煤7mesh 脷xwumixw (Squamish), s蓹l虛ilw虛蓹ta蕯涩 (Tsleil-Waututh), and k史ik史蓹茮虛蓹m (Kwikwetlem) Nation representatives and 911吃瓜 faculty, staff and students who have taken part in engagement sessions and consultations to define the vision, select the site, develop the design and bring the First Peoples鈥� Gathering House to life.
Ron Johnston, former director of the Office for Aboriginal Peoples at 911吃瓜, has been an integral part of advocacy efforts for a gathering house, both as an Indigenous student at 911吃瓜 in the late 1990s and then later as co-lead on the First Peoples鈥� Gathering House project.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a challenging journey over the years, finding funding, space and the pandemic caused significant barriers as well,鈥� says Johnston, who comes from the S岣祑x瘫w煤7mesh 脷xwumixw (Squamish) Nation.
鈥淔or me it鈥檚 been close to a 30-year journey and I鈥檝e seen it from different perspectives. I am delighted it鈥檚 finally opening, we鈥檝e been waiting a long time!
"First Nations longhouses are sacred places in our communities where our ceremonies, protocols and oral histories are held up and practised. The First Peoples鈥� Gathering House will provide a significant Indigenous presence at 911吃瓜 and will be a special place were Indigenous culture, teaching and learning take place as we move forward together on our Truth and Reconciliation healing journey.鈥�
Today, 911吃瓜 has a number of Indigenous spaces across each of its three campuses. Now there is a striking focal point at the heart of the main Burnaby campus.
鈥淭hese things don鈥檛 happen overnight, sometimes they take time,鈥� says Chris (Syeta鈥檟tn) Lewis, Indigenous executive lead at 911吃瓜.
鈥淭he journey started, I would say, in the late 鈥�90s, early 2000s, where we started envisioning our own longhouse, our own cultural hub, to support Indigenous students, faculty and staff. There was this notion that we need these places so that we can really build a home away from home, but also a place where people feel safe to be who they are and express their traditions and customs.鈥�
The new building is an important milestone on 911吃瓜鈥檚 journey to upholding Truth and Reconciliation and a beautiful example of honouring host nations and Indigenous peoples, says 911吃瓜 president and vice-chancellor Joy Johnson.
鈥淚t's been a long journey. There are a number of Indigenous faculty and staff who have been advocating for this building for years, and a lot of us who were hoping it into reality,鈥� she says.
鈥淚'm just overwhelmed with how beautiful it is and how you see the symbols of the host nations in this building. It really is a beautiful example of the way in which we can honour the host nations and Indigenous peoples.鈥�
Officially opening its doors September 12, 2025, years of advocacy for this building have paid off. Now the House begins its own journey.
"First Nations longhouses are sacred places in our communities where our ceremonies, protocols and oral histories are held up and practised.
The First Peoples鈥� Gathering House will provide a significant Indigenous presence at 911吃瓜 and will be a special place were Indigenous culture, teaching and learning take place as we move forward together on our Truth and Reconciliation healing journey.鈥�
鈥� Ron Johnston, S岣祑x瘫w煤7mesh 脷xwumixw (Squamish) Nation
Paddling together
鈥淎 rising tide lifts all canoes. That's equity. That's justice. That's a human rights framework. And whatever [people did] in the canoe, whether it was 10 years ago or one meeting, all of that good medicine has led up to this moment.鈥�
911吃瓜 alumnus Melanie Mark was the first person in her family to attend and graduate from university. She then became the first Indigenous woman to serve in the B.C. cabinet, and spoke at the Ground Awakening ceremony for the First Peoples鈥� Gathering House in 2020 as Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training.
鈥淚 believe this new space will successfully empower Indigenous students to reach their academic goals and aspirations,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hat is a win for them personally, a win for 911吃瓜 and a win for society at large.鈥�
鈥淭here's a lot of focus on what Indigenous communities have gone through, but Indigenous joy also needs to be a part of the narrative around Indigeneity on campus.
I really see First Peoples鈥� Gathering House as a hub for that Indigenous joy and celebration in our community.鈥�
鈥� Kaylena Ryan, associate director, Indigenous Student Centre
A House for seven generations and beyond
The sprawling Burnaby campus can leave some Indigenous students feeling overwhelmed or intimidated, according to Kaylena Ryan, associate director of 911吃瓜鈥檚 Indigenous Student Centre. First Peoples鈥� Gathering House is now a prominent safe space where they can go to feel connected to their home communities.
鈥淭here's a lot of focus on what Indigenous communities have gone through, but Indigenous joy also needs to be a part of the narrative around Indigeneity on campus,鈥� Ryan says. 鈥淚 really see First Peoples鈥� Gathering House as a hub for that Indigenous joy and celebration in our community.鈥�
Fourth-year Indigenous Studies honours student Kaia Haintz agrees.
"This new space shows that we're here. We're still here,鈥� she says. 鈥淭his is the beauty of our culture.鈥�
The House will be used for teaching, learning, gathering and ceremony, but also for weaving, basketry, and other forms of making. It features the only dedicated maker space of any longhouse in the Lower Mainland.
鈥淭here are people who say each living being is put on this planet with a purpose towards assistance, survivance, thrivance, for all of us to thrive," says annie ross, Indigenous Studies professor. 鈥淢aking is a part of that; it鈥檚 never just making. It demands an entire relationship with so many principles and protocols that ensure generosity and thinking of others at all times.鈥�
An artist of Maya and Irish blood, ross says she had never imagined such a space existing on a university campus.
鈥淲estern science tends to focus on breaking things down into the most miniscule particle it could possibly be, but for Indigenous people, there is no breaking apart. It's about putting it back together; that鈥檚 what making is,鈥� says ross. 鈥淚 believe making is the path to peace. Having this space is a miracle in my world.鈥�
Building the foundation for collaboration, transformation and belonging
First Peoples鈥� Gathering House has been a journey of collaboration, understanding, and learning with Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities working together from start to finish, says Paul Cowcher, associate director of development at 911吃瓜 and senior project manager of the House project.
But more than that, he says it鈥檚 been a 鈥減ersonal journey of understanding, listening to the oral histories of the mountain, learning from Indigenous consultants, and collaborating with local artists from the Nations.鈥�
As 911吃瓜 president and vice-chancellor, Joy Johnson recognizes the most exciting part of First Peoples鈥� Gathering House isn鈥檛 the building itself; it鈥檚 what will happen there for generations to come.
鈥淭his is a place where students can feel at home, see symbols from their community, and engage in ceremony and interactions with Elders and each other," she says. 鈥淭his space will be transformational.鈥�
As Lewis explains, students begin their journey at 911吃瓜 as one person and leave as another, forever changed through new life experiences and academic pursuits.
鈥淲e can give them back to their community as a transformed student, and their families can know they've been well taken care of and blanketed in the rightful way during their time and journey here at 911吃瓜,鈥� Lewis says.
Story by Robyn Stubbs and Sam Smith
Project architecture and design by .
Projet construction by
