Lumberman's Arch in Stanley Park is the location of Khwaykhway, a major village and central gathering place for people who came to gather food and supplies, trade, and participate in ceremonies such as the potlatch. Archaeological evidence from these and other village sites in Vancouver show thousands of years of human occupation. Vancouver is famous for its natural setting. The land and waters here support an incredible richness of life. This area was once home to numerous cougars, mountain goat, elk, lynx, beaver, orca whales, porpoise, salmon, trout, and more.
Local elders like to say that when the tide was out, the table was set.
By canoe or on foot, Coast Salish people moved with the seasons gathering food and materials, visiting relations, and taking part in important cultural activities. During the winter months, large groups would stay in cedar plank longhouses along the shores, subsisting mostly on preserved foods, and performing ceremonies. In the spring and summer months, smaller family groups traveled to the many local rivers and beaches to fish for salmon and halibut, dig for clams and gather other staple foods. People also went into the mountains to hunt and gather valuable materials such as mountain goat wool for weaving blankets, and cedar bark for making baskets. While the land has been changed dramatically, the Coast Salish people still live in their traditional territories, and they still practice many of their traditions.