In the beginning
For hundreds of years the We Wai Kai First Nation's summer village was on a bluff at the south end of Quadra Island, overlooking Discovery Passage. The location was not only ideal in terms of gathering food from the ocean and preserving it, but also a strategic vantage point. Everything from the mainland Coast Range to the mountains on Vancouver Island, the shoreline near present day Campbell River and anything in the waters of the northern Strait of Georgia, was in view.
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| Tsa-Kwa-Lueten Lodge from the ocean. |
Fast forward to the late 1980s. The commercial fishing industry, to that point the We Wai Kai's main source of income, was starting to show signs of decline in B.C. Ahead of their time and with long term vision, the band decided to diversify into tourism by opening a resort. And the obvious location was the bands summer ancestral home. What had been an optimal defensive position was now a spectacular view that tourists from around the world enjoy. They called it Tsa-Kwa-Luten, the gathering place.
Since Tsa-Kwa-Luten Lodge’s opening in June, 1991 their focus has always been having a minimal footprint on the environment at the same time providing a connection to the past.
First Nation connection
“Because of the First Nation's connection to the land there has always been an effort to have as small an environmental impact as possible,” says Carol Ann Terreberry, the resort's general manager. A large component of that is to raise awareness of the natural environment. “What's a wilderness resort without the opportunity to step into wilderness?” she asks rhetorically.
The resort is at the southern tip of Quadra, adjacent to an 1100 acre forest so feels like it's in the middle of nowhere. The approach is along a winding road through an impressive stand of Douglas fir that gives way to the open property overlooking Discovery Passage, a mile wide channel between Quadra Island and Vancouver Island. The gardens are naturally landscaped with a nature trail heading south into the forest.
Forest hikes
In an effort to connect visitors with the natural environment and First Nation history, the resort created two interpretive pamphlets for the walking trail. One includes points of interest: the site where Captain Vancouver came ashore in 1792, tree growth patterns, First Nation bathing pools and a First Nation archaeological site. The other is an ethno-botanical checklist identifying native plants and their traditional uses.
The theme of connecting visitors to First Nation history is new in North America, but not to Tsa-Kwa-Luten. The centrepiece of the resort is the grand hall, the main entrance and lobby of the main building. Inspired by traditional long houses, the grand hall is used for meetings and celebrations. The open and inspiring room feels like a cathedral with huge Douglas fir logs, harvested on Quadra Island, holding up a wall of glass overlooking the ocean and mountains. Nearby is the equally beautiful Nuyumbalees Cultural Centre, a museum documenting the Kwakwaka’wakw history.
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| The Great Room at Tsa-Kwa-Lueten. |
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Respect for the land
The resort operates with the same respect for the land as the We Wai Kai Nation has. Recycled paper is used throughout each department. Cedar tree centrepieces on the dining room tables are planted outside after the resort closes for the winter and employees are encouraged to share transportation to work. The latest effort is a state of the art septic disposal system in the RV Park. “It's in what could be considered a sensitive spot, next to the ocean,” says Terreberry. “It was worth every penny.”
There's also a social component; a focus on hiring locally and from the band; two thirds of the 50 person staff live on Quadra and 60 percent are We Wai Kai band members or are status Indians. Staff average more than seven years at the resort and that loyalty pays off, as does the lodge's long term vision. Tsa-Kwa-Luten won awards for excellence in customer service twice from the Aboriginal Tourism Association of B.C. The resort was also recognized for its sustainable focus with a three Green Keys, an environmentally sustainable rating for hotels.
“There's a lot of pride in Tsa-Kwa-Luten within the community,” says Terreberry. Deservedly so.
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