2024 Tsetsuw’ Hiw’a’lum’ Games & Snuneymuxw Days
Client:
Snuneymuxw First Nation
Sector:
Indigenous Cultural Events, Youth, Sport, Community
Services Provided:
Pre-event logistics and infrastructure planning
On-site event coordination and support
Traffic planning and site flow management
Volunteer coordination and staff support
Accessibility and guest services
Cultural protocol support and responsive logistics
What We Did:
Lauren provided hands-on support across two back-to-back community events hosted by Snuneymuxw First Nation: the Tsetsuw’ Hiw’a’lum’ games, followed by the Snuneymuxw Days War Canoe Races and Cultural Festival.
The Tsetsuw’ Hiw’a’lum games brought together youth and families from across the territory for traditional sporting competitions and cultural connection. Lauren supported on-the-ground logistics, guest care, accessibility, and volunteer coordination to help ensure a welcoming and respectful experience for all.
As the Games transitioned into Snuneymuxw Days, a multi-day celebration featuring war canoe races, food, vendors, and performances, Lauren remained embedded in the team, supporting safety, crowd flow, and event production at scale.
Why It Mattered:
These events were a powerful expression of Snuneymuxw’s identity, tradition, and intergenerational strength. Lauren’s role supported Snuneymuxw’s vision of an accessible, inclusive, and community-rooted celebration where Elders, children, and visitors could all feel at home, while welcoming members of the greater Nanaimo area to join.
Lauren's Role:
Pre-event planning support, on-site support for guest care, logistics, and volunteer coordination, working directly with the event team across both multi-day events.
Impact:
The Coast Salish Games (Tsetsuw’ Hiw’a’lum) marked the first such event in over a decade in Nanaimo, bringing together hundreds of Indigenous youth (ages 7–16) from across the Coast Salish region to compete in sports like soccer, track & field, basketball, war canoe racing, and the traditional “bone game” (Lahal).
Chief Mike Wyse emphasized that these Games were more than just athletics—they celebrated shared history, traditions, and community spirit, helping young athletes build health, wellness, and relationships across nations.
Tournament director Dano Thorne described the Games as a starting point where youth could transform into healthy leaders and role models, emphasizing the use of sports and culture as catalysts for change
Lessons & Insights:
Events grounded in cultural resurgence carry both joy and responsibility. Meaningful support in these spaces requires humility, adaptability, and deep cooperation.
These Games were more than just athletics—they celebrated shared history, traditions, and community spirit, helping young athletes build health, wellness, and relationships across nations.
