Heiltusk Sacred Space

The United Church of Canada is one of those mainline/old-line denominations which has shifted from building church structures (hundreds in the 50's and 60's) to closing and selling them. It's a sad truth about about our shrinking denomination -- as our congregations age and shrink the buildings are unsustainable. 



It was interesting to read that the Heiltusk First Nation near Bella Bella, British Columbia has officially opened the first Big House in 120 years on this coast. Gvakva'aus Hailzaqv, or House of the Heiltsuk, took 18 months to build and is constructed entirely of red and yellow cedar from the territory, including logs more than a metre wide, weighing eight tonnes, that were locally sourced and milled. Christian missionaries to the area claimed that the last one was blown down in a storm but the Heiltusk people were sure that it was pulled down as another attempt to extinguish Indigenous culture. We know that potlatches and other expressions of culture were discouraged and even legally banned in the region. 

This new Big House honours combines the past and present. According to a CBC report:

The new building also breaks from the historic Big House in some ways, including measures to meet provincial building codes. It has about triple the capacity, with seating for up to 800 people and space for 1,000 if people stand.

"There's a sense of pride knowing the dreams of so many ancestors are now being lived by our generation. People like my late grandfather who always talked about the Big House and how important it was aren't here anymore," Jess Housty said. "Now we're living their dreams."

I'm fascinated by initiatives from different spiritual and religious traditions to create gathering and worship spaces which give attention to tradition as well as a sense of the holy. Even when churches are built today they tend to be utilitarian and look more like big box stores than creative spaces which encourage the holy and honour the Creator. I have served Christian congregations with inspiring buildings, traditional and modern.

Congratulations to the Heiltusk nation for their dream brought to fruition. A very different building that yesterday's Westminster Abby, but no less important for those who have constructed it.