Tse'k'wa: 12,500 years of Dane-zaa history in one archaeological site
Near Fort St. John, an Indigenous-run field school and heritage site is uncovering artifacts and oral traditions that prove the Dane-zaa have inhabited the region since the last ice age.
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The stone bead found at Tse'k'wa is 10,500 years old — the oldest example of human adornment ever found north of the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. That discovery sits at the heart of what the Doig River, Prophet River, and West Moberly First Nations are sharing at their archaeological field school near Fort St. John, B.C.
Tse'k'wa, which means "rock house" in Dane-zaa Záágéʔ (Beaver language), is a national historic site owned by the three nations whose Dane-zaa ancestors inhabited it for generations. An archaeological field school there is offering a window into 12,500 years of First Nations history, unearthing ancient stone tools, animal bones from extinct grassland species, and fragments of obsidian prized for its sharp edge.
"It really proves to us, to me, that we've been here," said West Moberly Elder Laura Webb. "The Dane-zaa people have been here for a lot of years, 12,500 years and probably longer. The artifacts that are found here are at least that old."
Work at the field school is done by University of Northern British Columbia students, while the site itself — with its cave, interpretive trail, and oral-history signage — is open to the public. Webb and other elders emphasize Tse'k'wa as a gathering place where culture, language, and traditional knowledge are shared.
Researchers have found extensive evidence connecting the artifacts to stories the Dane-zaa have preserved for centuries. Two ravens, buried a thousand years apart, suggest the site held ritual significance — ravens are spiritually important across many Indigenous cultures.
Garry Oker, an elder with Doig River First Nation and president of the Tse'k'wa Heritage Society (founded in 2012 to preserve the site), said the archaeological findings align directly with the stories told to him as a child about his people living alongside giant animals and experiencing changes across time and history.
"And now we've really found truth in that," Oker said. "To see how that connects to our story."
Alyssa Currie, executive director of the Tse'k'wa Heritage Society, notes that 500 generations of Dane-zaa ancestors have made use of the site, with cultural practices from the past still being performed today. "It's a place where the Dane-zaa people have reclaimed their cultural heritage and are sharing their stories with the general public," she said.