The Tse’k’wa Heritage Society commissioned LEES+Associates to design an amphitheatre at the Tse’k’wa National Historic Site as part of their initiative to incorporate interpretive elements into the site.

The site’s location, on the plateau of the Peace Region near the City of Fort St. John, lies along early routes of northward migration for the Dane-zaa First Nations; they consider the site to be a hallmark of their long history in the Peace River region.

Tse’k’wa means “Rock House” in Dane-zaa/Beaver language and has been the gathering place of the Dane-zaa people for more than 12,500 years. Discoveries at the Tse’k’wa site, such as this fluted stone point (pictured left) found at Tse’k’wa in the 1980s, are among the earliest evidence of people living in the Americas. The Dane-zaa people have always known that Tse’k’wa was a significant site. In 2013, three local Treaty 8 Nations—Doig River, Prophet River, and West Moberly First Nations were incorporated into the Tse’k’wa Heritage Society to collaborate as stewards of the site. Under their leadership, Parks Canada designated Tse’k’wa as a national heritage site in 2019, making it one of very few Indigenous-owned and managed national historic sites in Canada.

Close collaboration with the three Dane-zaa Nations informed our design approach for the site. The amphitheatre was envisioned as part of a larger initiative to welcome people to the Tse’k’wa lands, share the Dane-zaa culture, and bring Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples together for cultural learning, sharing, and celebration. In designing the amphitheatre, we were inspired by the shapes and forms of the cave.

 

The amphitheatre provides a storytelling and performance space for gathering, drumming, interpretive events, outdoor classrooms, and presentations. We incorporated natural materials into the design, focusing on native plants with traditional and medicinal uses. For example, a band of wild rose and edible berries were planted to frame the seating area and native aspen trees provide a backdrop to the amphitheatre. We sourced some of the plants from Twin Sisters, an Indigenous-owned native plant nursery.

In designing the amphitheatre, the key design consideration was aligning the space with the Dane-zaa worldview and culture. The shape of the amphitheatre emphasizes the shape of the horizon and incorporates views of the sun and moon, which are both significant in the Dane-zaa worldview. The amphitheatre’s shade sails are also meant to remind viewers of a drum, reminding them of the cultural activities that will take place in the space.

Due to the site’s archaeological significance, our design minimizes ground disturbance and works with the natural slope of the site to minimize any potential damage to archaeological evidence still below the surface. Archaeological digs are ongoing at the site.

Construction on the amphitheatre was finished last year. Since then, the site has been actively welcoming visitors to learn about the Dane-zaa and their culture.