BC AFN workshop:
BUILDING LEADERSHIP IN OUR COMMUNITY
YO! NEWS
Chief and council members, hereditary leaders, and staff of the Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations spent two days with Regional Chief Jody WilsonRaybould and her team from the BC Assembly of First Nations (BCAFN) at our Elder’s Centre. On March 15 and 16 Jody and her team went over the Governance Toolkit they developed to assist First Nations. The Toolkit is a way for leaders, staff and elders to explore how to re-build or reform governance from the negative effects of things like the Indian Act. Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations is one of a small number of First Nations invited to test out the Governance Toolkit. In its simplest meaning, Governance is the rules to coordinate our actions and achieve our goals. Jody is a member and on council for the We Wai Kai Nation (Cape Mudge Nation). In her early years she attended Robert Scott Elementary School. She is pleased to visit our community, including the Eke Me-Xi School and the Gwa'sala'Nakwaxda'xw School. Her team included her husband Tim Raybould, and staff Angie Derrickson from Westbank First Nation and Alyssa Melnyk. The two day workshop took place PAGE 1
GWA’SALA-’NAKWAXDA’XW NATIONS YO! NEWS
20/02/2012
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MAR 22 2012
BUILDING LDRSHIP CONT. PUBLIC WORKS SOC. ASSIST. + TRAINING FITNESS, TLI’NA + LETTER PATIENT TRAVEL + TRUST HOUSING COMM. + CCP HALIBUT OPPORTUNITY WAKAS HALL UPDATE NOTICES COLOURING JOB POSTINGS MARK YOUR CALENDAR
at the Elder’s Centre with lovely meals prepared by Janine Sheard, Linda PaulHenderson and her sister Rose King. We were honored to listen to feast songs by Gary Walkus, Ernie Scow and Buddy Walkus. Regional Chief Jody Wilson began the workshop by talking about how First Nation laws and traditions were taken over by colonial governments. Hereditary leader Tom Henderson explained how historically Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations were two distinct Nations. He stressed how the Nations were selfsufficient, and had a strong connection to the lands. In Tom’s words, the people did not need towns; “we lived off of the lands”. (Continued on pg. 3)