Squamish Elders Share Culture in Downtown Window Display

When shoppers walk past Pearl's Value & Vintage in downtown Squamish this September, they're seeing something that took generations to preserve.

The nonprofit thrift store has transformed its front window into a gallery of Squamish Nation culture. Hand-carved ornaments, traditional clothing on mannequins, and household items from local Elders fill the display, each piece telling a story that Elder Donna Billy says "we can't let die."

Pearl's isn't just any thrift store. The community initiative funnels its proceeds toward preventing violence against women, two-spirit, gender-diverse, non-binary, trans people, and youth. For 15 years, it has partnered with Squamish Nation Elders each September to create this cultural showcase.

Billy has been part of the collaboration since day one. She brings items from her community, carefully curating the display to make sure "nobody was forgotten." Her aunt's handmade hats are the only items for sale, offering visitors a chance to take home a piece of authentic Indigenous craftsmanship.

Store manager Jennifer Portelli joined Pearl's last November and immediately embraced the mission. "We're not just a thrift store; we are a safe place for people to come, and to be able to share wisdom and understanding," she said.

The display honors both Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30. But Portelli stresses that reconciliation isn't a once-a-year checkbox. The store accepts donations of orange shirts year-round and works continuously with the Nation to build trust.

The Ripple Effect

Billy now works at Squamish Nature Learners, where she helps kids understand the importance of remembering residential school histories and celebrating Indigenous resilience. She's currently learning Sníchim, her ancestral language, as part of wider efforts to restore Indigenous languages across Canada.

The impact extends beyond the window display. Pearl's is hosting a crafting workshop on September 24 where Nation Elders will teach staff and volunteers to make necklaces and medicine pouches. These hands-on experiences create the "constant, ongoing series of actions creating trust" that Portelli describes as essential to real reconciliation.

For Billy, the display serves a clear purpose in smaller communities like Squamish. "We don't have big parades," she said, explaining why local visibility matters so much. The window ensures Indigenous people are seen, heard, and acknowledged right in the heart of downtown.

"Decolonization is not just a box to be ticked," Portelli emphasized. That the Elders trusted Pearl's with precious cultural items speaks to the genuine relationship they've built over 15 years.

Billy's message to the next generation is simple but urgent: never let the gap close between past and present, because "people cannot resort to abuse." Through window displays, orange shirts, and shared stories, she's making sure that legacy stays alive for kids from kindergarten up.

Pearl's Value & Vintage proves that reconciliation can happen in everyday spaces when communities show up with consistency, respect, and open hearts.