Tsawout First Nation

Tsawout SNEPENEKS Cultural Society (better known as the Longhouse Committee)

Report by Eric Pelkey

Tsawout Community Longhouse Reconstruction Project

The Province has withdrawn our approval for a Carpentry Construction Training Program for the Longhouse Reconstruction Project. They wanted us to show that we had all the money we needed in the bank to complete the Longhouse, which we don’t. With the latest Fundraiser, the Art Auction, held on August 13th, we have raised approximately $75,000. The projected cost for completing the Longhouse is about $900,000, so we are long way from having the funds in place to begin construction. We have some strategies in place for fundraising but we need a lot more help. All our Engineering and Architectural work has been completed, so all design work in preparation for construction is complete. I have been getting a lot of inquiries about the trainee positions, but it does not seem to be in the cards any time soon.