Modern metal building overlooks a sunlit marina with wooden docks and a tall evergreen tree.
An oceanfront village of shops and services owned and operated by Snuneymuxw First Nation

The Village at stlilnup

Where our relationship with the land and sea began

Sacred gateway to Snuneymuxw & Vancouver Island

Located just steps from the Departure Bay Ferry terminal, The Village at stlilnup is an oceanfront village of shops and services owned and operated by Snuneymuxw First Nation. The community hub welcomes locals and visitors to Snuneymuxw, honouring its roots as an ancient place of arrival. This magnificent location is also where a Snuneymuxw origin story unfolds, where our relationship with the land and sea began and where the teachings that guide Snuneymuxw were first shared.

Brown Indigenous sun logo over shimmering water with text "The Village at Stllnup".

The first Snuneymuxw Ancestors brought forward te’tuxwtun, stlilnup and xwesolexal to Snuneymuxw First Nation. These three villages are interconnected to the origins of the Snuneymuxw People, our sacred teachings, core understandings and have always guided development.

People sitting on the ground and atop a high wooden rack outside a longhouse.

Our teachings tell us that the Original Human Being came from the sky world and touched down upon this land. In that first moment, our Ancestor met Mother Earth. The ground that received him became sacred, and the relationship began.

Modern building walkway overlooking a sunny marina with sailboats and a dense evergreen forest.

It was a meeting of spirit and soil. Of breath and earth. Of purpose and place.

Modern multi-story building with wood and metal siding, timber overhang, and landscaped concrete paths.

From that first touch of spirit came a desire to be part of life. With life came responsibility. The responsibility to live in balance, to honour all relatives and to give the highest expression of one’s being for the good of the whole. The lands of te’tuxwtun , stlilnup and xwesolexal are inseparable from these origin teachings. They are places of arrival, instruction, and memory.

An oceanfront village of shops and services owned and operated by Snuneymuxw First Nation

The Village at stlilnup

With close proximity to the Departure Bay ferry terminal, which welcomed 1.59 million passengers in 2023, the Village at stlilnup is also a vibrant expression of authentic Indigenous Tourism. Here, guests directly support the local Snuneymuxw economy while immersed in Snuneymuxw beauty. The oceanfront setting offers sweeping views of Saysutshun Island, another Snuneymuxw-led business and beloved destination for locals and tourists alike.

Modern building and geometric walkway beside a sunlit marina with docks and evergreen trees.
Modern building with wood and metal siding, large windows, and a landscaped garden walkway.
Modern rustic building with a large wooden entrance and a colorful geometric patterned concrete plaza.
Modern wooden buildings along a rocky shoreline overlooking a marina and dense green forest.
Modern building walkway overlooking a sunny marina with sailboats and a dense evergreen forest.
Sailboats docked in a marina beside a concrete walkway, with a forested hill behind.
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1840 Stewart Ave, Nanaimo, BC V9S 4E6