The First Nations Longhouse, a “home away from home” for Indigenous students, offers a variety of services and is a student community hub. [Click image to enlarge]
The facility includes Sty-Wet-Tan Great Hall, a dramatic 3,600 square foot multi-purpose space adorned with beautifully carved houseposts and beams, all of which provides a wonderful setting for any gathering.
Sty-Wet-Tan is a hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ or Musqueam term, meaning west wind spirit.
The Longhouse serves as a “home away from home” for Indigenous students, and is the academic, social, spiritual, and cultural hub for the Indigenous student community.
Student offerings include a study lounge with kitchenette, quiet study room, and various meeting rooms. Meanwhile, academic programming and student-orientated events take place in the Great Hall.
The Longhouse also hosts šxʷta:təχʷəm Collegium, a peer-run space for students to connect with an Elder or UBC professor, make lunch, meet friends between classes, and participate in student-led social activities.
The administrative offices of the First Nations House of Learning, which manages the facility and the associated programming, is located in the Longhouse.
Xwi7xwa Library is situated adjacent to the Longhouse.
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Please take a few minutes to read The First Nations Longhouse: Our Home Away from Home. In this digital book, originally published in 2001, Verna Kirkness and Jo-ann Archibald provide a firsthand account of the construction, opening and purpose of the University of British Columbia’s First Nations Longhouse, including the people behind its development. Digitization of the book was made possible by EBSCO community funding.
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Take a 3D tour of Sty-Wet-Tan Great Hall
Thanks: Indigenous Learning Pathways, a collaborative project between UBC Human Resources Talent Development & Engagement and CTLT Indigenous Initiatives. Credit: UBC Studios
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For general inquiries, contact:
FNHL Reception
T: 604-822-8940
E: fnhl.reception@ubc.ca