Tse’k’wa has won the Indigenous Operator or Experience Award, presented at the BC Tourism Industry Conference 2026. The award was accepted on behalf of Tse’k’wa Heritage Society by Board President Garry Oker, Vice-President Laura Webb, and Executive Director Alyssa Currie at an Awards Gala Thursday night.
The Indigenous Operator or Experience Award is sponsored by Indigenous BC Tourism and “recognizes Indigenous tourism businesses that demonstrate authenticity, cultivate a greater understanding of Indigenous culture, history and traditions, and contribute to the resilience of the local Indigenous community.” It is one of ten awards presented at the BC Tourism Industry Conference in Kelowna this week. Tse’k’wa was nominated by the Spinal Cord Injury BC – Access BC team.
Brenda Baptiste presented the award on behalf of Indigenous BC Tourism. In Tse’k’wa’s acceptance speech, Garry Oker spoke of the stories of the wǫlii nachíí (giant animals) that he heard as a child and that are confirmed by the archaeological record at Tse’k’wa. He commended the hard work of the Board and Executive Director, Alyssa Currie. Laura Webb shared gratitude for the many community members who had helped shape Tse’k’wa into what it is today, including Elder Diane Desjarlais and the late Board Member, Diane Bigfoot.
Per the award finalist presentation:
Tse’k’wa National Historic Site welcomes visitors to a Dane-zaa gathering place with over 12,500 years of living history. Through land-based, sensory experiences — from traditional plants and moosehide to stories and drumming — guests connect with teachings still practiced today.
Owned and stewarded by Doig River, Prophet River, and West Moberly First Nations, Tse’k’wa is a living cultural landscape where the Dane-zaa tell their story in their own voice. The recent repatriation of archaeological artifacts marks a national milestone in Indigenous-led heritage stewardship.
Photographs by Aspen Films for BC Tourism Industry Conference 2026
