Welcome to the The'wá:lí Community Digital Map!

Click here for the table of contents.

The places we live in are filled with stories. They are alive with the voices of our ancestors and with our own voices today. In this way, the lands and waterways of the Xwélmexw (Stó:lō) community of The'wá:lí (Soowahlie First Nation) are given life and meaning by voices of people from many generations.

A view of the Chilliwack River from the road at the northwest entrance to Soowahlie First Nation.

The The'wá:lí Community Digital Map is a place to learn about The'wá:lí's places and their many stories and varied meanings. Maps are not only important for telling us how to get to and from places. They also tell stories. They contain information about how we value our places, and they reflect how we understand the world around us. They also tell stories about our pasts.

The map project was a collaboration between students from the Universities of Victoria and Saskatchewan and members of the The'wá:lí community.

The map contains markers for places that are important to the community of The'wá:lí. Explore the pictures and text linked to many of these sites, and listen to the voices of members of the community as they share knowledge, memories and stories about the places that are important to them!

Click here for instructions on how to use.

Click here for a note on place-names and language.

Click here to read acknowledgements.

Click here to read about the collaborative process.

Click here for a select bibliography.