Learn
When you visit Tse’k’wa, you’ll find many ways to connect with the land, to learn about Dane-zaa heritage and culture, and to discover how the past is in direct communication with our present and future world.
The Cave
Tse’k’wa, formerly known as Charlie Lake Cave, has been visited by ancestors of the Dane-zaa for more than 12,000 years. Archaeological evidence embedded in the layers of sediment at the site shows more than 500 generations have lived in the Peace River region since the first people visited Tse’k’wa.
Nearly 13,000 years ago, a large boulder fell three metres away from the sandstone bedrock. This event exposed the cave entrance and created a 12-metre-long gully in front of the cave. This gully became a trap for sediment being washed down the hill and its layers slowly filled with artifacts for the last 12,500 years.
Tse’k’wa is one of the oldest known archaeological sites in Canada. It is one of few archaeological sites in northern British Columbia that date before 11,000 years ago, and one of the even fewer with a well-preserved stratigraphic record of human activities.
Interpretive Trail
Interpretive panels along a wooded trail allow you to hear the voices and encounter the memories of the Dane-zaa. Here you are invited to imagine the world before European contact, when the land around Charlie Lake was teeming with bison, when the suckers ran thick in the creek, and when the people of the land were in conversation with the plants, rocks, wind, water, and animals.
Outdoor Gathering Spaces
The Dane-zaa worldview is complex and multifaceted and it does not easily overlay with the western worldview. Our amphitheatre offers a multitude of interpretive options—including demonstrations, summer lecture series, drumming, dance, and theatrical performances—to open your heart to the teachings and culture of the Dane-zaa people.
Healing Garden & Kwą̂-ẕâa watsáádzéʔ
Plants have played important roles in Dane-zaa culture since time immemorial—including as food, medicine, and other applications. Tse’k’wa is working with Twin Sisters Native Plant Nursery to re-establish native plants—including goldenrod, wild mint, saskatoons, and others—in spaces where Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers can share stories, knowledge, and language.
The kwą̂-ẕâa watsáádzéʔ (old campsite) is central to the Tse’k’wa experience. It offers immersive access to Dane-zaa culture through the sounds and smells of a working camp on traditional Dane-zaa territory.
Exhibits & Displays
Our collections are full of meaningful and intriguing artifacts that speak to the vibrant cultural that thrived on the land at Tse’k’wa. We will soon be curating exhibits that showcase specific features and highlight interesting aspects of our culture, our people, and this sacred land.
We currently have a small portable display for community outreach events. Please contact us for more information and check back soon for updates on upcoming exhibits.