Interior Design students are linked with the Seyem’ Qwantlen Business Group which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Kwantlen First Nation. Lucie Gagné connected with Brenda Fernie, the group's Vice President prior to the summer, and strategized how our Interior Design students could help direct the vision and function of many projects undertaken by the Business Group.

Following this, and a series of meetings, Interior Design faculty Marlis Joller and Erika Balcombe worked with Ms. Fernie over the summer to create a “start-up week” of activities for all Interior Design students that would encompass working on the re-design strategy for the eventual relocation/design of the Jacob Haldi House and the Langley Museum (both in Fort Langley, BC). The Jacob Haldi House will soon be relocated, and the Qwantlen Business Group is currently working on plans for a museum plus live/work studios and a small boutique hotel where it currently stands.

All the students from Interior Design (75+) plus faculty were invited by Seyem’ Qwantlen to their longhouse on Sept. 5^th, 2018 where they were given a welcome and then introduced to the traditions and background of the Kwantlen First Nation. From there they travelled to several sites including the Jacob Haldi House and the Langley Museum. Students were very engaged with their hosts and asked great questions while measuring and taking photos of the sites. The students then spent a day coming up with design directions for both the Jacob Haldi House and the current museum where many artifacts are kept.

On the afternoon of Friday, Sept. 7^th, 2018, student groups presented their findings to Ms. Fernie, architects working on the project, artist Brandon Gabriel, and others invited exclusively by Seyem’ Qwantlen; their presentations were very well received by all visitors. Students presented their findings in poster format and provided copies to Ms. Fernie; this can be used to help direct the vision of both sites in the future. Although the project was short in duration, students gained a deeper understanding of the path toward reconciliation and their part in the future of that continued work.

We are grateful for the opportunity to work with Ms. Fernie on this first project together. The Interior Design program is pursuing further collaborative activities and projects with Seyem’ Qwantlen Business Group.  The prospect of involving our Interior Design students in projects which aim to promote and support Indigenous arts and culture is a unique opportunity. As young designers our students are eager to apply their learned skills in real-life scenarios. Establishing and fostering relationships with local First Nations communities is an important step in responding to KPU’s Strategic Action Plan of developing and promoting an understanding of Indigenous culture, history and world views. Our educators in the Interior Design department are committed to establishing a working, collaborative partnership with Indigenous educators, elders and knowledge keepers as a way of beginning the conversation around educators' and designers' roles in reconciliation. Many educators are interested in learning about reconciliation through decolonized pedagogies but struggle with where to start. Simply making the connection with our local communities in this way can give our educators the tools to begin these meaningful conversations.