Hiiye'yu Lelum Society
House of Friendship
About Hiiye'yu Lelum House of Friendship
Walking alongside community for more than 50 years
For more than five decades, Hiiye'yu Lelum House of Friendship has been a place of connection, culture, healing, and belonging in the Cowichan Valley. Through culturally grounded programs, services, and relationships, we support individuals, families, youth, Elders, and community while working together to strengthen well-being and create opportunities for everyone to thrive.
Mission
The Hiiye'yu Lelum House of Friendship Society was formed to promote wellness and unity by addressing the needs and aspirations of Indigenous people through holistic programs and services
Our Commitments
Every day, Hiiye’yu Lelum is committed to:
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Building bridges between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.
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Strengthening wellness, healing and belonging.
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Creating opportunities for Indigenous leadership.
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Providing a welcoming place for connection, learning, and support.
Our Values
Our values reflect who we are and how we work. They guide our relationships, shape our decisions, and inspire the way we walk alongside community every day.
Kindness
We lead with compassion, empathy and care
Respect
We honour dignity, cultures, experiences and voices of every person
Generosity
We share our time, knowledge and support in the spirit of community
Courage
We embrace challenges, advocate alongside community and work towards positive change
Our Visual Identity
Our name and logo reflect the spirit of Hiiye'yu Lelum House of Friendship and the values that continue to guide our work today.
In 1994, the Society officially adopted the Hul'q'umi'num' name Hiiye'yu Lelum, meaning House of Friendship—a home of a friend or a home away from home. The name, submitted by Ruby Peter, reflects the welcoming place the organization had become and continues to be for individuals, families, and community.
The organization's logo, titled "In Friendship," was designed by Manuel Salazar. It depicts an Indigenous person exchanging an eagle feather with a person of another cultural background, representing friendship, trust, respect, and understanding. The surrounding green circle symbolizes the growth of all cultures together.
Today, our name and visual identity continue to represent our commitment to creating welcoming spaces where relationships, culture, and community come together.
Our Website is Being Refreshed
We're creating a more welcoming and accessible online space to better connect our community with programs, services, events, and opportunities. Some pages are still under construction as we continue to build. Thank you for your patience—we look forward to sharing our new website with you soon.