Heiltsuk Bighouse

Building Our Dream

The Heiltsuk Bighouse Project has a long and rich history in our community. The bighouse, an important ceremonial space, allows us to pass down our protocols and gvi'ilas as we carry out our potlatches and feasts in a fitting environment.

In the relatively short history of Bella Bella we have never had a bighouse in our community, but the project has roots that go back for generations. Our great-grandparents initiated the earliest fundraising campaigns, and the work we are undertaking today is simply the final steps in a crucial journey, and the fulfillment of their foresight and dedication.

In order to adequately oversee the project, we have revived and reregistered the Dha'yaci Society, which has an executive committee and ten-member board to supervise all aspects of construction and management decisions, including fundraising. Our fundraising target is $2M, which accounts for the considerable cost of contractors and materials and resources associated with building an in-community bighouse that meets all government standards. One unexpected boon is the donation of expert time: our lead architect has graciously agreed to provide architectural management pro bono, as has our chief engineer.

In the interest of keeping down costs, putting jobs in our community and giving our bighouse the strongest Heiltsuk roots we can, we are dedicated to using locally-milled lumber and supplies throughout the construction process. We are establishing a sawmill operation in Bella Bella that will allow us to begin stockpiling the required materials, and cement has been purchased for foundation and footings. We have had a number of tremendous offers from volunteers interested in helping us with lot preparation, and various committees will oversee the volunteer efforts necessary to realize the mechanical drawings.

The raising of a Heiltsuk bighouse in Bella Bella is an absolutely critical step in empowering us to bring the cultural teaching we do out on the land back into our community. It will enable us to bring the culture and the laws around bighouse protocol and gvi'ilas back to our nation, and make them a central part of daily life in our home. We believe that this project is essential to the strength and vitality of the Heiltsuk Nation, and we are committed to making it work regardless of the challenges it involves.

How you can help

Get involved today by making a donation, stopping by to help carve the poles, or adding your name to our list of volunteers!

For more information, please contact Bighouse Director William Housty.