(UPDATE) Live-streamed event to explore history and discoveries at Charlie Lake’s Tse’k’wa cave

Update, January 20th, 11 a.m.: This story has been updated after the Tse’k’wa Heritage Society corrected its listed time for the live stream.

CHARLIE LAKE, B.C. — Residents of Fort St. John can learn about the discoveries and significance a historic Indigenous cave in the North Peace has had in a live-stream showcase this week.

On Thursday, January 22nd, ‘Anthropology in our Backyards’ will take place at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) in Prince George and live streamed, hosted by Dr. Farid Rahemtulla and Richard Gilbert, a retired archeological professional who took part in excavations with Simon Fraser University (SFU).

In Fort St. John, the stream will be played at the North Peace Museum. 

With a history dating back to the Ice Age, the Tse’k’wa National Historic Site – whose name translates to ‘rock house’ – will be the centrepiece of the discussion, according to Rahemtulla.

The cave is a National Historic Site and has been wholly owned by three northeast B.C. First Nations – Doig River First Nation (DRFN), Prophet River First Nation (PRFN) and West Moberly First Nations (WMFN) – since 2012, but excavations have been going on since the 1970s.

“What we are doing in this particular presentation is to do just a general public presentation on the importance of the site and the work that was done by SFU in the 80s and 90s in front of the cave,” said Rahemtulla. “Then the second part will be the continuing work that UNBC is doing with the field school.

“People are interested in the archaeology of B.C., and this is such an important site, that we thought we would do this presentation just to talk about why the site’s important to what’s been found there.”

According to Tse’k’wa Heritage Society executive director Alyssa Currie, the event will be a chance for locals to discover something she calls “one of the best kept secrets in northeastern B.C.”

“Dr. Rahemtulla and [Gilbert] are joining together to talk about some of the archeological history at Tse’k’wa, some of the findings, as well as some of the more recent learning that’s happened at the site through the field school,” said Currie. “It is a great chance to share that message, and certainly we have heard from Dr. Rahemtulla before. We’re really looking forward to hearing from him again. 

“For many folks, I think it still will be something new to learn about the site, or maybe to learn about the site for the first time.”

‘Tse’k’wa: Anthropology in our Backyards’ will be streamed live on Thursday, January 22nd at the North Peace Museum at 9323 100th Street in Fort St. John starting at 6:30 p.m. Pacific time, 7:30 p.m. mountain time.

Admission to attend the event is free to drop-in, and there’s no need to register. More information about the stream can be found by emailing the society at tsekwaheritage@gmail.com.

More details about Tse’k’wa can be found on the society’s website.