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Mission Statement

HLCS is a not-for-profit Indigenous organization whose sole mandate is to ensure the survival of the Hul’q’umi’num’ language and culture. Our work proceeds under the guidance of a board of Elders, language teachers, Indigenous researchers, and community members, all speakers of the Hul’q’umi’num’ language. We work collaboratively with the nine Coast Salish First Nations and three Aboriginal Friendship Centres in the
Hul’q’umi’num’ territory, and we currently have core active members from Snaw-naw-as FN, Snuneymuxw FN, Stz’uminus FN, Penelakut Tribe, Halalt FN, and Quw’utsun’ Tribes.

Our experienced team of knowledge holders, researchers, and academic collaborators provides language expertise, language teacher training, and language learning opportunities for community members aged from birth to 100. We share the language materials that we develop to families, local communities, and the schools and universities that service them. We provide professional development activities for language teachers and serve as a language certification board for Hul’q’umi’num’ under the Ministry of Education.

At HLCS we believe that Indigenous knowledge is best represented in our own traditional language and we are actively engaged in the work of researching and revitalizing the Hul’q’umi’num’ language through various endeavours including story-telling, theatre, music, visual arts, and traditional arts. We are committed to documenting and sharing the heritage of the Hul’q’umi’num’ speaking people in all its forms: language, oral histories, traditional teachings, cultural knowledge, protocols, physical places and more.

Board of Directors

Members:

Chris Alphonse | Yelkwetse’

Marlene Tommy | S-hweyhwimutunaat

Sophia Good

George Seymour | Sq’utxulenuhw

Merle Seymour | Tth’ulsul’t-hw

Billy Seymour | Siinusutstun

Other positions:

Sally Hart – Manager

Melissa Peter | Wuswas – Secretary Treasurer