Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Youth connect to their lands — and relatives — with annual Rez Ride

The sound of bike tires crunched over gravel as a group of children and Youth set off toward Wíwḵ’em village in Sḵwx̱wú7mesh — their first stop on an annual Rez Ride.

The tradition is in its second year for the Menmen tl’a Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, which translates to the “children of Squamish” mountain bike team. 

On October 5, Daryl McCullough sat in a deck chair under the sun, filming as the kids rolled into the driveway — his smile wide, his phone held steady in both hands as he tried to capture the moment just right.

“You arrived with such energy,” he told them, handing out sports drinks and snacks. “Thank you for visiting.”

What began as a few kids — mainly girls who scared the boys away — riding in and around their communities, has grown into something much bigger. Now, 17 Sḵwx̱wú7mesh riders — some as young as six — pedal together through the nation’s villages, stopping to visit aunties and uncles before ending their journey at the Squamish Adventure Centre for an evening of celebration with awards, films, sushi and bannock.

“This is like a canoe journey,” said mountain bike coach and teacher Matthew Van Oostdam, who helped found the Menmen tl’a Sḵwx̱wú7mesh mountain bike team in 2019. “The kids visit their relatives and receive teachings and guidance from them along the way.” 

Van Oostdam, who teaches at St’a7mes School, began the Menmen tl’a Sḵwx̱wú7mesh program after noticing how few Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Youth were represented in the local biking scene — despite Sḵwx̱wú7mesh being one of the mountain biking capitals of the world. 

With support from the Squamish Off-Road Cycling Association (SORCA), which contributes about $40,000 in funding and equipment annually,  the program removes all barriers to access the costly outdoor activity — providing bikes, food, transportation and clothing for every rider.

“When this team started five or six years ago, I never imagined it would grow this big,” Van Oostdam said. “I don’t know if there’s ever been this number of Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Youth riding mountain bikes in Sḵwx̱wú7mesh territory.”

Riding through the villages

The Rez Ride set off from MTN Fun Basemap, where the team’s bikes are stored, and made its way first to Wíwḵ’em (Waiwakum), then through Siyich’em (Seaichem), Kaw̓tín (Kowtain), and Yékw’apsem (Yekwaupsum), before finishing at Brennan Park’s pump track. At each stop, families greeted the riders with open arms and snacks.

At Kaw̓tín, Sesaxwalia (Aggie Andrews) and Shlomish (Wilbert Allan Jim) greeted the team outside their house and RV, offering drinks and gentle words of guidance. “It’s like a breath of fresh air, you coming here today,” he said. “Visiting is an art — especially when you visit the Elders.”

Before the riders left, each offered a hug and said, “Love you, uncle; love you, auntie.” They returned the words to every nephew and niece with a smile: “Love you,” they said.

At Yékw’apsem, Charlene Williams and her son Jonny Williams, who is newly elected onto Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Council, spoke about the Yékw’apsem village sign, which features a carved black wolf. Williams explained that the black wolf on the sign reminds them “this was once where many black wolves lived,” she told the kids.

Before the McKenna-McBride Commission allowed the Pacific Great Eastern Railway to carve through their lands in 1913, Yékw’apsem was once the largest of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh villages. “Today, it’s the smallest,” said Williams, noting that the railway not only took land from the community but also disrupted habitats and movement patterns for local wildlife, including wolves and deer.

Before the kids rode on, she offered one more teaching.  “When you’re out there on the estuary, listen really hard. Songs travel along the rivers and across the water — and if you remember the song, it’s yours to share.”

‘Bridging activity with culture’

The Rez Ride isn’t just about biking — it’s about showing up for one another.

Some days that means adults tying ropes to their bikes to help younger riders up steep hills. Other days it means swapping snacks, fixing flat tires, or waiting at the top until everyone makes it.

Throughout the summer, the group rides three or four times a week, led by coaches Van Oostdam and Natasha Harvey. Over the five years, the team has grown close, and the older Youth have begun mentoring the younger riders, passing on skills and encouragement along the trails.

“It’s about bridging activity with culture,” said Van Oostdam. “Sometimes that means literally towing kids up a hill just to get to the top — but that’s part of it. We get there together.”

Van Oostdam says the goal is to give the older teens the opportunity — if they choose — to become certified mountain bike coaches, with funding already in place to support them.

At a closing circle, the riders shared their favourite moments from the season. “When there was a hill I couldn’t get up, my friends helped me. They were also encouraging me to go down,” said 10-year-old April.

Cyrus laughed with the team about the time he swerved off the trail to avoid hitting a deer. “He sacrificed himself for that deer,” Van Oostdam joked with the team as they chuckled.

April added that she’s noticed how other kids on the pump track — who aren’t from the team — always stop and ask if she’s okay after she falls off her bike. 

A celebration of courage and connection

By late afternoon, the team rolled into the Squamish Adventure Centre, greeted by family, friends and the smell of sushi and fresh bannock. The team presented an eight-minute film of highlights from the year, followed by an awards ceremony, which honoured each rider with playful prizes like “Most Sassy Rider” and “Crash of the Year,” along with thoughtful words of praise.

“I shared earlier how much I appreciate them,” Van Oostdam said to the gathered families. “Stepping into the world of mountain biking can be scary — trying jumps, taking falls, facing real consequences. The fact that these kids are willing to try hard things — that sits here with me today.”

As the sun set over Sḵwx̱wú7mesh temíxw (land), the riders packed up their prizes, laughing and sharing stories with family. The Rez Ride, like the trails they follow, has become part of something much larger — a journey that brings them back to their land, by pedal, breath, and heart.