We will be OPEN Tuesday July 1st for regular hours 9:30am – 2:15pm!!
We hope our community is taking the additional day to REST and reflect upon the ongoing colonization of the unceded Indigenous territories we reside upon. Rest is a necessary part of living in a world with growing socio-political unrest and being alive continues to be intense and demanding, so we are making our vital services available on this stat holiday so our client-base can decompress and recharge.
We encourage all of you to critically consider what the symbol of the Canadian flag means to you, but more importantly to take the opportunity to learn more about the land we occupy, the original peoples who were stewards of this land and their respective histories. May you celebrate respectfully and safely on July 1st and honestly every day as colonization takes no holidays.
If it is within your means, we encourage you to support one of these organizations, in the spirit of reconciliation:
Support Victoria Orange Shirt Day Phyllis Webstad and Victoria Orange Shirt Day organizers Eddy Charlie and Kristin Spray are passionate about sharing their knowledge of Residential Schools and what that means for them today.
National Centre for Truth & Reconciliation The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation is the archival repository for all of the material collected by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, purposed to compile the complete history and legacy of Canada’s residential school system.
Indian Residential School Survivors Society The Indian Residential School Survivors Society began in 1994 as a working committee of the First Nations Summit. We were known as the Residential School Project, housed out of and as a part of the BC First Nations Summit. Our work was primarily to assist Survivors with the litigation process pertaining to Residential School abuses. In more recent years our work has expanded to include assisting the descendants of Survivors and implementing Community education measures (Indigenous & Non-Indigenous).
XaXw Tenew Sacred Land Society Xaxe is non-profit organization is an Indigenous-led charitable society located on so-called Southern Vancouver Island. The people leading this work are Saltwater Salish people Indigenous to this region. We are focusing on the Rematriate Stewardship Project, which is an initiative for Land Back to house Saltwater Salish women to protect our right to learn our language, how to care for our land, heal through culture and being on the land, and to teach younger generations and our community these skills.
Victoria Native Friendship Centre The Victoria Native Friendship Centre (VNFC) has been in existence for over 45 years. VNFC provides services to an estimated 20,000 Indigenous people living off reserve in the greater Victoria area; as well as the 5,000 residents from the First Nations communities in the southern Vancouver Island region, in addition to a sizeable Indigenous population from across Canada. VNFC takes great pride in their exceptional approach to First Nation social issues.
Unist’ot’en Camp The Unist’ot’en Camp is an indigenous re-occupation of Wet’suwet’en land in northern “BC, Canada”. Year-round volunteer support is needed on the frontlines and beyond.
The piece featured in the banner is “Salish Sea” by Coast Salish sculptor Chris Paul located at Spewhung/Turkey Head
A large open space filled with bodies seemingly levitating off the ground. Its warm, almost a little humid and the light is soothingly dim. A low grade humming permeates through the room, flecked with mysterious, yet comforting music lulls people to sleep. Everyone’s movements are purposeful, gently entering and leaving the room abiding by unsaid…
I still remember my first experience sitting in a group room watching individuals in recovery having tiny acupuncture needles gently placed in their ears. After, they spent 45 minutes quietly and peacefully seated with their fellow peers. I recall how beautiful and profound this was, for just this moment, these individuals were free of pain….
This is an opportunity to reward our client base for their valuable word of mouth! And also a way to treat the important maternal figures in your life to some well-deserved TLC. So if you have that partner/friend/classmate/coworker (or mom) who keeps complaining about XYZ issue…maybe book yourself + them in for discounted acu-naps! This…