Copper Sun Gallery and Journeys

The Copper Sun Gallery:
The Copper Sun Gallery was established in 2015 with the intention of providing a venue for Nuxalk artists to sell and receive fair prices for their work. Located on traditional Nuxalk territory in beautiful Bella Coola, the Copper Sun Gallery carries all locally-made, handcrafted Nuxalk art. Nuxalk art has a distinctive style and features particular designs that are unique to Nuxalk territory and family crests. In particular, the use of a vibrant blue has long been an identifying hallmark of Nuxalk art, the “Bella Coola Blue.” Smayustas, or creation stories, are tied to family crests and also a shared history. They are the reason Nuxalk art is crafted and each piece made by a Nuxalk artist is carrying this history.

Copper Sun Journeys:
Copper Sun Journeys is an aboriginal owned and operated company also established in 2015 in Nuxalk territory. Nuxalk territory is home to spectacular scenery, abundant wildlife and dramatic mountain peaks. It is also home to the Nuxalk Nation’s ancient petroglyphs – rock carvings estimated to be over 7,000 years old and a very sacred and spiritual place for Nuxalk people.

Nuxalk guides Chris Nelson and Clyde Young have accomplished culturalists who take immense pride in their Nuxalkmc culture, songs and stories. Clients of Copper Sun Journeys can participate in a two-hour ‘Petroglyph Tour’ featuring a walk through the Great Bear Rainforest with aboriginal guides. Guests can learn about the ancient history of this amazing place while the sounds of traditional songs and stories echo through the forest. “It’s a magical experience not offered anywhere else in the world,” said Caitlin Thompson.

Copper Sun Journeys also offers a two-hour ‘Walk of the Totems’, a tour of the charming village of Bella Coola on foot, from the banks of the river to the traditional school. Guides show clients the towering totem poles that tell the smayustas, the creation stories, of past and present. The tour also features a visit to a working carvers studio.