The Kla-how-ya Olympic Village: A cultural showcase of Aboriginal Art
From February 12-28, the lobby of the Pan Pacific Hotel will be transformed into an Aboriginal village called “Kla-how-ya”, a word recognized by Aboriginal Nations meaning “welcome”.
The Pan Pacific Vancouver will host a stunning 16-day showcase of Aboriginal art, performances, and culture – free to residents and visitors during the upcoming 2010 Games. Working with the governments of Canada and British Columbia, the aim is to share the cultural richness, stories and traditions of British Columbia’s Aboriginal people, and promote Aboriginal tourism across British Columbia.
During the 16-day showcase, Kla-how-ya will feature traditional dancing, cedar bark weaving, Aboriginal fashions, birch bark chewing, moose hide tufting, jewelry making, carving, storytelling and an opportunity to explore the harvesting of wild herbs for traditional medicines.
Kla-how-ya opens to the public on February 12th. Though vehicle access will be restricted, the Pan Pacific Hotel remains open for foot traffic and is accessible by transit, including SkyTrain, SeaBus and the Canada Line. The hotel’s dining room and lounges provide front row viewing of Kla-how-ya. The display was made in effort by a partnership between the Aboriginal Tourism Association of BC (AtBC), the Pan Pacific Hotel and Terasen Gas.
About Kla-how-ya:
At one time, we were many Nations. We spoke different languages and had different customs. But when we came together, we spoke a common trading language called Chinook. In Chinook, Kla-how-ya means “hello”, but it is more than a greeting. It means welcome from the heart. There is a spirit in the word Kla-how-ya that connects us all. It is the spirit of inclusion. In this land, when we say Kla-how-ya, there are no strangers, no enemies, no outsiders. All are welcome. Let the spirit of inclusion extend the open hands of welcome. Kla-how-ya.
About Pan Pacific Vancouver:
The luxurious Pan Pacific Vancouver Hotel, located downtown on the waterfront, offers 503 guest rooms and suites with panoramic vistas of the harbour, mountains, Stanley Park and city skyline. With its waterfront restaurants and lounge featuring an award-winning selection of West Coast cuisine, this world-renowned hotel combines the warmth of Canadian hospitality with contemporary North American service excellence. Visit www.panpacific.com.
Rishad Daroowala is a passionate Vancouver local who shares an inside look at the Pan Pacific hotel and Vancouver area. 
