Repatriation of Tsleil-Waututh Cultural Belongings & Opening of slew̓ənew̓txʷ Repository 2023

In 2021, Tsleil-Waututh Nation received funding from the BC Museums Association to purchase museum grade collections cabinets to store archaeological artifacts. The name of the repository is slew̓ənew̓txʷ, which means shelter in hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓, a name chosen by the community. slew̓ənew̓txʷ will be a shelter for Tsleil-Waututh artifacts returning to the community from museums and universities. Treaty, Lands and Resources worked with Spiritworks and siʔáḿθɘt School to build a cedar longhouse façade around the cabinets to symbolize a shelter. In Winter 2023, wood was harvested from the Indian River Watershed. During the spring and summer, three Tsleil-Waututh youth worked with Shain Jackson from Spiritworks to work the wood into a post and beam long house structure. In October 2023, the cedar façade was installed by Spiritworks. slew̓ənew̓txʷ opened to the community in November 2023, as part of the Returning Home event. Treaty, Lands and Resources, Tsleil-Waututh Nation