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Workshops

On this page, scroll down to view
(we have payment plans & sponsored spots):

​Scheduled workshops
  1. 2-day, in-person drum-making workshops (TBD)
  2. Deer processing, butchery skills, cooking, and sharing a community meal (Feb. 1, March 1, March 29)

A La Carte Workshops
  1. Group team-building drum-making workshops
  2. Hunting & Processing
  3. Hide Tanning
  4. School Programs
  5. Speaking Engagements (Hunting, food security, land stewardship etc.)​
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drum workshops

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In-person, groups of up to 10 adults or teens (2-days) 
​
Master drum-maker, David Fierro leads this transformative 2-day workshop on crafting traditional elk-hide drums, with Susheela helping out and providing placed-based nourishment. This hands-on experience is available to groups, organizations, and individuals and is open to Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants.

NEXT DATE: TBD)
Ask us about purchasing spots as Xmas gifts or gift certificates. [Email Here]

WE HAVE SPOTS FOR 2 INDIGENOUS PARTICIPANTS TO TAKE THIS WORKSOP FOR FREE.
EMAIL US TO ENQUIRE


Workshop Details:
  • Duration: 2 days (9:30 am - 3:30 pm)
  • Group Size: Up to 10 participants (adults and teens)
  • Cost: $375 per person (includes materials, instruction, meals, beverages.)
Learn traditional drum-making techniques, including:
  • Working with elk hides and cedar frames
  • Waxing and conditioning with bear grease
  • Drum and tom-tom/beater construction
  • Long-term drum care
  • Cultural and spiritual significance of drums
We will share knowledge of traditional hunting, hide tanning, and ecological practices. This workshop offers a deeper connection to the art and its cultural roots.

Additional Costs & Travel:
Travel and accommodation fees apply for locations outside the Southern Gulf Islands.

Booking & Inquiries:
This workshop can be scheduled for your group or organization. We can assist with planning if you’re seeking funding through a grant.
​
To inquire about details, click here to contact us.

in-person, team building drum-making (4 hours) 
​
Create a 24” Cedar Drum TogetherGather your team for a unique and meaningful experience with our 24” Drum-Making Workshop. This collaborative session offers a hands-on opportunity to create a powerful traditional drum while strengthening teamwork and connection.
Workshop Details:
  • Duration: 4 hours 
  • Group Size: 8-10 participants
  • Cost: $600 (includes all materials and instruction)
What You’ll Do:
  • As a group, assist David in constructing ONE 24” red cedar drum.
  • Each participant will craft their own tom-tom (beater), which will be used to play the drum.
  • String the drum: Participants will take turns helping to string the drum with pre-cut pieces of elk hide that David has prepared.
  • David will assemble the drum during the session, sharing stories and cultural insights along the way.
  • Materials provided: A thick cedar frame, elk hide, dowels, buckskin, glue, and all necessary tools.
After the workshop, David will take the drum home to complete the final steps: conditioning it with bear grease, tuning, and ensuring it’s ready for use. The completed drum will be returned to your group within a week or two.
Optional Custom Design:
Want to make it even more special? Order a custom painted design to the drum as a commemoration of the event, or include your group’s logo or another meaningful symbol. This custom artwork is available for an additional fee. Susheela can assist you with this option.
Why Choose This Workshop:
This experience is perfect for teams seeking a creative and collaborative activity that strengthens cultural bonds and promotes positive energy. The finished drum serves as a lasting symbol of your group's connection and shared experience.
​
Additional Costs & Travel:
Travel and accommodation fees might apply for locations outside the Southern Gulf Islands.
Booking & Inquiries:
This workshop can be scheduled for your group or organization. We can assist with planning if you’re seeking funding through a grant.
To inquire about dates and details, click here to contact us.

 cooking & preserving

BOOKING LINKS AT BOTTOM   
Fallow Deer Processing/Butchering & Cooking Dinner Series


This workshop series is rooted in land stewardship and food sovereignty. Together, we’ll learn how to honour the whole animal through respectful processing, cooking, and preservation — using ethically harvested venison as part of local ecological management strategies. 

Format:
  • 5-hour workshop including best practices, Q&A, mingling, and eating.
  • Brief sacred fire or circle to start & close each session
  • Processing quarters, organs, and various cuts for different purposes, multiple easy but delicious ways to cook venison • recipes from our upcoming Fallow deer cookbook
  • Other end uses for all parts of the deer, beyond what's edible.
  • Participant Limit: 30
  • Flexible attendance — sign up for any session or all three

Pricing per person, per session:
  • Standard Rate: $120 per participant
  • Community/Local Rate: $75 per participant
  • Supporter Rate: $150+ per participant includes take-home extras.

​Winter 2026 Dinner Series (3 Sessions)

Next: Session 5 — Sunday, March 1, (from 1pm–6 pm+)
Theme: From Broth to Bold Flavour
This session moves from simple, restorative nourishment into rich, expressive dishes that showcase the full spectrum of venison cooking. Participants will work with bone broth, jarred meat, and organ cuts, exploring how depth of flavour, cultural techniques, and confidence in the kitchen transform everyday ingredients into memorable meals.

Dishes / Courses:
  • The Healing Cup — venison bone broth with turmeric, ginger, garlic, and early season veg
  • Island Nachos — spicy jarred deer with melty cheese and herbs
  • Pâté Sauvage — silky venison liver pâté with butter, cognac, and herbs on sourdough crostini, served with pickled onions and membrillo
  • Gone Plaintain — African-Indian–style venison curry with plantain and cassava

Session 6 — Sunday, March 29, (from 1pm – 6pm +)
Theme: Quick Cuts & Classic Comfort
A spring-leaning session focused on faster cooking methods and familiar comfort dishes, designed to build confidence with steak cuts and pan-based techniques. From brothy bowls to crisp cutlets, this workshop emphasizes timing, texture, and the pleasure of sitting down together to a well-earned meal.

​Dishes / Courses:
  • Ramen Rewilded — seared venison slices in rich broth with egg and mushrooms
  • Fermented Fallow — venison cabbage rolls using sour-headed cabbage
  • Schnit Happens — classic-style breaded venison cutlet
  • Cordon Bleu Ridge — venison scallopini rolled with ham and Alpine-style cheese, pan-fried

Workshop Flow (Each Session)
  • 1:00–1:30 — Opening circle, introductions, overview
  • 1:30–5:15 — Hands-on processing and butchering, cooking demos, tasting, preservation techniques, and communal meal
  • 5:15–6:00 — final dinner, mingling, wrap-up, recipes, more Q & A, and handouts
This format allows participants to experience multiple dishes/courses per evening, while teaching practical knife skills, butchery that is translated beyond venison and wild game, preservation techniques, and cultural context — and a tantalizing precursor to our cookbook!

COMPLETED -Session 4 – Sunday, February 1, (from 2-6+ pm)
Theme: Winter Comfort & Shared Tables
A hands-on exploration of cold-season cooking with fallow deer, focused on hearty dishes, slow sauces, and crowd-pleasing meals that bring people together. This session highlights how versatile venison can be—from deeply nourishing broths to celebratory, oven-baked favourites—while working with both tender cuts and long-simmered preparations.

Dishes / Courses:
  • Big Pot Chilli Weather — three-bean venison chilli with cinnamon, thyme, and beer
  • Gnocchi Days — creamy mushroom-venison sauce served with pillowy gnocchi
  • Valentine’s Venison — ravioli stuffed with venison in a light rosé sauce
  • Pho the People — fallow steak pho with fresh herbs and lime
  • Deerly Beloved Pizza — cambozola, caramelized onions, olives, and slow-simmered venison on homemade dough


March 1– Winter Workshop 5 - Deer processing & cooking

CA$75.00 - CA$150.00
  • 5-hour workshop including best practices, Q&A, mingling, and eating.
  • Brief sacred fire or circle to start & close each session
  • Hands-on or just watch, processing quarters, organs, and various cuts for different purposes, multiple easy but delicious ways to cook venison • recipes from our upcoming Fallow deer cookbook

Participant Limit: 30

Flexible attendance — sign up for any session or all three

Dishes/Courses:

  • The Healing Cup — venison bone broth with turmeric, ginger, garlic, and early season veg
  • Island Nachos — spicy jarred deer with melty cheese and herbs
  • Pâté Sauvage — silky venison liver pâté with butter, cognac, and herbs on sourdough crostini, served with pickled onions and membrillo
  • Gone Plaintain — African-Indian–style venison curry with plantain and cassava


Pricing:

Standard Rate: $120 per participant

Community/Local Rate: $75 per participant

Supporter Rate: $150+ per participant includes take home extras!

Book Workshop

March 29 – Winter Workshop 6 - Deer Processing & Cooking

CA$75.00 - CA$150.00
  • 5-hour workshop including best practices, Q&A, mingling, and eating.
  • Brief sacred fire or circle to start & close each session
  • Hands-on or just watch, processing quarters, organs, and various cuts for different purposes, multiple easy but delicious ways to cook venison • recipes from our upcoming Fallow deer cookbook

Participant Limit: 30

Flexible attendance — sign up for any session or all three

Dishes / Courses:

  • Ramen Rewilded — seared venison slices in rich broth with egg and mushrooms
  • Fermented Fallow — venison cabbage rolls using sour-headed cabbage
  • Schnit Happens — classic-style breaded venison cutlet
  • Cordon Bleu Ridge — venison scallopini rolled with ham and Alpine-style cheese, pan-fried


Pricing:

Standard Rate: $120 per participant

Community/Local Rate: $75 per participant

Supporter Rate: $150+ per participant includes take home extras!

Book Workshop

school programs

"Rhythms of Connection:Drumming for Truth and Reconciliation"
details coming soon...

hunting & processing

details coming soon...

presentations & talks

details coming soon...

We acknowledge that we live, work, and play on the stolen, ancestral and traditional territories of the Straits Salish peoples on the Island called S,ḴŦAḴ in SENĆOŦEN, the language of the W̱SÁNEĆ peoples. 

The name "Tsi Tesakotitsén:tha” was given to us by a Tuscarora Elder who has known Susheela since 1986 in Kahnawake (Kanien’kehá:ka Mohawk territory) and suggested we create the space for “The Place That Heals You”. The Kanien'kehá:ka spelling was provided to us by a dear friend who still lives in Kahnawake. We are honoured to use the name and would also welcome a SENĆOŦEN translation of the name to respect the land we’re on and the language of the W̱SÁNEĆ peoples.
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