Tse’k’wa cave to welcome families for campfire event as part of Family Literacy Week

CHARLIE LAKE, B.C. — Charlie Lake’s best-known historical site will welcome visitors for Family Literacy Week to end the month with a chance to sit by the campfire.

On Friday, January 30th, the Tse’k’wa National Historic Site will host a community campfire, with self-guided tours of the cave, warm hot chocolate and the chance to listen to an Indigenous Elder.

Tse’k’wa Heritage Society executive director Alyssa Currie told Energeticcity.ca the campfire is perfect to “keep the kids occupied,” especially with the day being a school non-instructional day.

“We’re going to have hot chocolate and marshmallows out here for people to roast and enjoy,” said Currie. “Anyone who’s looking for an activity to keep their kids occupied, maybe learn something new, get outside and burn off some steam, all of those great excuses to come out to Tse’k’wa, we’d be happy to see it.

“In the past, we have had families come out with strollers or even sleds that they can pull their kids on. Both of those are great options. We have the trail wide enough now that you can get a stroller down.”

The event is a collaboration between Tse’k’wa Heritage Society and the Fort St. John Literacy Society, as part of the latter’s ‘Unplug and Play’ Family Literacy Week during the final week of January.

The event is sponsored by Beem Credit Union, and Foundry Fort St. John will be on hand to provide hot chocolate around the fire.

“Any opportunity we have to have the community come together is a good thing, whether that’s at a campfire or any kind of social gathering,” said Currie. “Winter is such an important time to do that community work. We are hoping the weather holds out for us, but we will adjust the size of our fire accordingly.”

The community campfire is scheduled to take place at the Tse’k’wa National Historic Site at 12629 Butte Lane in Charlie Lake on January 30th from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

With a history dating back 12,000 years, Tse’k’wa – whose name translates to ‘rock house’ – is one of the most significant Indigenous historic sites in northeast B.C., with excavations of the cave by Simon Fraser University beginning in the 1970s.

Family Literacy Week takes place between Sunday, January 25th and Sunday, February 1st.