Home away from home
Welcome to the House!
The First Peoples House is a beautiful space that holds a heart-warming importance for myself and many others in the Indigenous community.
I came directly to the University of Victoria after high school. I quickly fell in love with the campus and soon after moving into residence on-campus and attending classes I flourished and welcomed many new experiences.
One space that I had not yet visited but was incredibly intrigued to explore was the First Peoples House. My friend introduced the space to me one afternoon, and as I stepped into the building I could almost immediately recognize that this space was different.
As an Indigenous student, this is a building you enter knowing that you can feel comfortable, relaxed, and most importantly supported. This is a wonderful space where people hold each other up in a good way, wishing the best for another person’s well-being, and it is utilized as a space for rejuvenation, learning, and community.
Some of my “Campus Cousins.”
I began my exploration knowing nothing about the house, and only a little about culture growing up, but it was when I went to university that I further opened my mind to areas I hadn’t explored before, such as culture.
I began meeting the incredible staff at the house, learning about the services available, volunteering, and meeting other students who I would frequently see. I am now working as a Campus Cousin, where I support new students in their transition to university life and help organize events at the house.
This building is unique and different from any other building on campus; it is a place where community members feel grounded and connected; it is a community, a family, and a home away from home.
Place your negative feelings on this hook and shelf before entering.
A cast bronze sculpture of a grey whale’s tail poised to slap the water, by Northwest Coast artists Calvin Hunt and John Livingston.
The First Peoples House is situated on the traditional territories of the Coast Salish and Strait Salish Peoples.
