syiyaya Days 2026

Together: Making a Difference

From June 21 to July 1, 2026, syiyaya Days brought people together throughout ch’atlich | Sechelt for eleven days of cultural celebration, learning, reflection, and community connection.

Beginning on National Indigenous Peoples Day, the festival offered many opportunities to learn from Indigenous knowledge, history, art, and culture. Events included cultural gatherings, walking tours, reconciliation dialogue circles, workshops, storytelling, music, exhibitions, and cultural performances.

Learning Through Culture and Conversation

The 2026 program invited participants to deepen their understanding through the KAIROS Blanket Exercise with shíshálh history, Dialogue Circles Towards Reconciliation, and cultural walking tours exploring spoken treasures, the Salish Sea, birds and berries, and the stories held by the trees.

Other gatherings celebrated creativity and cultural knowledge through cedar weaving, beading, storytelling, Indigenous art, music, and dance. The program also included a community presentation from tutulshenam Healing House and a performance by the Dancers of Damelahamid.

Celebrating a Shared Achievement

A special highlight took place on June 27 at the shíshálh Nation Longhouse, where the community gathered to celebrate bringing the 2025 BC Reconciliation Award home to the Sunshine Coast.

The celebration honoured the many Elders, Survivors, volunteers, partners, organizations, and community members whose relationships and collective efforts have shaped the syiyaya Reconciliation Movement.

Continuing the Journey

Throughout the festival, ongoing exhibits and resources shared shíshálh culture and heritage, Indigenous voices, community art, and stories of reconciliation. These included syiyaya’s four-part video series, Towards Reconciliation: In This We Journey Together, the Sechelt Public Library’s Indigenous collection, the tems swiya Museum, and Cowrie Street banners featuring artwork by Indigenous artists.

syiyaya Days 2026 reminded us that meaningful change grows through learning, relationships, cultural understanding, and people coming together.