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The Society of Nkukwa ta Tmucwa - Our Grandmother Earth

Join us in preserving and protecting our spiritual and cultural traditions for future generations.

About us

Nkukwa ta Tmucwa means Our Grandmother Earth in St'át'imcets language. St’át’imcets is one of the Interior Salish Languages of BC.

We are a non-profit, Indigenous founded and led, grass-roots community organization. Our core activities range from gathering, preserving, and sharing traditional Indigenous spiritual, legal, and cultural beliefs and practices to providing relief from conditions of poverty, hunger, and loneliness. Our initiatives are aimed at providing safe spaces where people can seek assistance, explore spiritual relationships, and increase their understanding and practice of Indigenous spirituality and ways of life.

Our Initiatives

Education & Knowledge Sharing

Education & Knowledge Sharing

We create spaces to learn about Indigenous teachings, history, colonization, and cultural perspectives. Through workshops, lectures, webinars, and publications, we spark meaningful dialogue and support understanding across communities.

Wellness, Youth & Empowerment

Wellness, Youth & Empowerment

We support Indigenous youth and young adults in building confidence, cultural connection, and future pathways.

Community, Culture & Solidarity

Community, Culture & Solidarity

We bring people together through intercultural events, art, storytelling, and advocacy. By celebrating diverse cultures, hosting gatherings, and supporting social causes, we strengthen unity, reconciliation, and collective action for justice.

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Our Grandmother Earth is doing an amazing job in promoting Indigenous culture and protecting our communities. Their efforts are truly inspiring and I'm grateful for their contribution to our community. Keep up the great work!

- Sophie

The Society of Nkukwa ta Tmucwa - Our Grandmother Earth has been a great help in my community. Their programs are well-organized and effective in promoting Indigenous spirituality. They have provided us with not only much needed resources, but also valuable education. I am thankful for their invaluable services.

- Emily G.

The Society of Nkukwa ta Tmucwa - Our Grandmother Earth has been an incredible support for my community. They have provided invaluable knowledge and resources that have helped us to better care for our environment. I'm immensely grateful for their commitment to making the world a better place.

- Danielle Smith

The idea that everything is interconnected across time and space is something that resonates deeply with Japanese culture, and this experience reaffirmed for me that our role has become all the more significant.

Prof. Nagano - Rotsumeikan University

Our Grandmother Earth is doing an amazing job in promoting Indigenous culture and protecting our communities. Their efforts are truly inspiring and I'm grateful for their contribution to our community. Keep up the great work!

- Sophie

The Society of Nkukwa ta Tmucwa - Our Grandmother Earth has been a great help in my community. Their programs are well-organized and effective in promoting Indigenous spirituality. They have provided us with not only much needed resources, but also valuable education. I am thankful for their invaluable services.

- Emily G.

The Society of Nkukwa ta Tmucwa - Our Grandmother Earth has been an incredible support for my community. They have provided invaluable knowledge and resources that have helped us to better care for our environment. I'm immensely grateful for their commitment to making the world a better place.

- Danielle Smith

The idea that everything is interconnected across time and space is something that resonates deeply with Japanese culture, and this experience reaffirmed for me that our role has become all the more significant.

Prof. Nagano - Rotsumeikan University

Our Grandmother Earth is doing an amazing job in promoting Indigenous culture and protecting our communities. Their efforts are truly inspiring and I'm grateful for their contribution to our community. Keep up the great work!

- Sophie

The Society of Nkukwa ta Tmucwa - Our Grandmother Earth has been a great help in my community. Their programs are well-organized and effective in promoting Indigenous spirituality. They have provided us with not only much needed resources, but also valuable education. I am thankful for their invaluable services.

- Emily G.

The Society of Nkukwa ta Tmucwa - Our Grandmother Earth has been an incredible support for my community. They have provided invaluable knowledge and resources that have helped us to better care for our environment. I'm immensely grateful for their commitment to making the world a better place.

- Danielle Smith

The idea that everything is interconnected across time and space is something that resonates deeply with Japanese culture, and this experience reaffirmed for me that our role has become all the more significant.

Prof. Nagano - Rotsumeikan University

News and Recent Events

"For thousands of years before the invasion and colonization of the Americas, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Islands, Indigenous peoples across these regions lived in deep relationships with the land, understanding it as sacred and shared."
Our very own Norm Leech, also the President of the Downtown Eastside Community Land Trust, will be joining the panel for “CLTs as a Step Towards Decolonizing Our Relationships to Land” — a webinar exploring how community land trusts can return sacred land to Indigenous stewardship and support decolonial approaches to housing and sustainability.

📅 November 25 | 1:30–3:00 PM (PT)
💻 Register: cltweb.org/event/clts-decolonizing-relationships-land @cltcenter

Join the conversation and learn how CLTs can help build more just and healing relationships with the land.

On September 30th, we observed the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Norm — one of the founding members of SOGE — was featured in this CBC piece reflecting on the significance of this day in Vancouver and across B.C.

Click link in bio to read more.

#truthandreconciliationday

✨ Check out the latest issue of Archive Quarterly ✨

Created by Kerry Coast — a writer, journalist, and long-time advocate for Indigenous rights and sovereignty — Archive Quarterly honours the indomitable spirit of the Peoples west of the Rockies.

It looks at BC’s history from both sides — not just the settler story we often hear, but also the Indigenous experiences that shaped and resisted it. Through written records and interviews with Elders, it shares powerful stories of strength, resistance, and community.

We’re proud that SOGE is one of the sponsors supporting this important work. 💛

#ArchiveQuarterly #indigenoushistory #bchistory #communitystories #soge

September 26th - A Taste of Lillooet: Multicultural Edition

This amazing fun and food-filled event, co-produced by SOGE, highlighted the diversity of community with music from around the world, tasty treats, the St'at'imc Drummers.

The event was attended by roughly 50 visitors/locals throughout the morning, 80 people including vendors and presenters.

#soge #multicultural #sharing #lillooet

SOGE is proud to sponsor the Chinese translation of Beatrice Elaine Silver’s memoir, Lexeywa ~ I Pass the Torch to You, translated by Dr. Sung-ming Chow.

Beatrice Elaine Silver, a respected Sto:lo Elder and former Chief of Semá:th, shares her childhood story of resilience and truth as a Survivor of the Indian Residential School system. By bringing Lexeywa into Chinese, we hope not only to open doors for newcomers to better understand the Indigenous histories of this land, but also to inspire other language communities to consider translating these important stories into their own languages.

On September 25th, at Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House's Orange Shirt Day event, we had the honour of introducing the Chinese translation of the book. Author Bea traveled all the way from Sumas Frist Nation in Abbotsford to East Vancouver to share her story and spirit. Bea reminded us that she and others from residential schools are not survivors but thrivers. Together with some of her closest friends from residential school, she formed the Stsélemeqw Residential School Thrivers Society. Bea's words filled the space, moving many into deep thought and reflection.

We also heard from Professor Sung Ming Chow, who introduced the Chinese translation of Bea’s memoir, with hopes to inspire more people to learn, take action and carry forward this important history.

This release comes in September 2025, in recognition of Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Together, we carry Beatrice’s torch forward—ensuring her story continues to spark understanding, healing, and collective action.

#TruthAndReconciliation #OrangeShirtDay #Lexeywa #SOGE

@froghollowcreates

Our work at SOGE takes many forms, always rooted in community, healing, and cultural connection. Some of our recent projects include:

📖 Translating Indigenous stories — such as the Chinese translation of Lexèywa: I Pass the Torch to You, ensuring these teachings reach more communities.

🕊️ Workshops & teachings — from Norm’s teachings at Lillooet Thompson Rivers University to Japanese New Immigrant Committee (JNIC) Educational Webinars on Indigenous spirituality, history, and colonization.

🎶 Intercultural & Interfaith connection — creating space for honest conversations, listening across difference, and nurturing mutual understanding through events like Breaking Bread, Building Bonds.

🌿 Wellness & healing spaces — creating safe places for dialogue, cultural exchange, and trauma-informed practices through supporting trainings liek Indigenous Tools for Living (ITFL) and Japanese Canadian Healing Tools (JCHT)

Every initiative reflects our commitment to reconciliation, cross-cultural healing, and building strong communities. 💜

#IndigenousLed #CommunityHealing #Reconciliation

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