Volume 14 . Issue 8
October 2018
Healing pole honours survivors PAGES 11-13
Calling home the spirits PAGES 6-9
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NAUT’SA MAWT TRIBAL COUNCIL NATIONS
Naut’sa mawt - Working together as one
EDITORIAL TEAM Cara McKenna – Editor editor@salishseasentinel.ca Todd Peacey – Photographer Celestine Aleck (Sahiltiniye) - Columnist Edith Moore - Columnist DESIGN & LAYOUT Kelly Landry & Carmel Ecker ADVERTISING & DISTRIBUTION Todd Peacey ads@salishseasentinel.ca PUBLISHER Gary Reith, CAO Naut’sa mawt Tribal Council 330-6165 Highway 17A Delta, B.C., V4K 5B8 604-943-6712 or 1-888-382-7711 PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT #42922026 Undeliverable mail may be returned to: 330-6165 Highway 17A Delta, B.C., V4K 5B8 circulation@salishseasentinel.ca
The Salish Sea Sentinel is published monthly, ten times a year, by the Naut’sa mawt Tribal Council, representing 6,500 people in 11 member nations. © Salish Sea Sentinel is all rights reserved. Contents and photographs may not be reprinted without written permission. The statements, opinions and points of view expressed in articles published in this magazine are those of the authors. The publisher accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, transparencies or other materials.
COVER PHOTO: Tom LaFortune of Tsawout Nation pauses while working on carving a healing totem pole on the Royal B.C. Museum grounds..
The Salish Sea map was created in 2009 by Stefan Freelan at Western Washington University
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7. SNUNEYMUXW (Nanaimo) (250) 740-2300 www.snuneymuxw.ca 8. STZ’UMINUS (Ladysmith) (250) 245-7155 Ray.Gauthier@coastsalishdevcorp.com www.stzuminus.com 9. TSAWWASSEN (604) 943-2122 info@tsawwassenfirstnation.com www.tsawwassenfirstnation.com 10. TSLEIL-WAUTUTH (604) 929-3454 cao@twnation.ca www.twnation.ca 11. T’SOU-KE (Sooke) (250) 642-3957 administrator@tsoukenation.com www.tsoukenation.com Naut’sa mawt Tribal Council 8017 Chemainus Road Chemainus, B.C., V0R 1K5 (250) 324-1800 • www.nautsamawt.org
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AROUND THE SALISH SEA
2018 MALAHAT GOLF & GALA Nation raised $316,000 for new community kitchen at sixth annual event SALISH SEA SENTINEL • 3
Malahat Councillor George Harry drives one of the golf carts.
By Edith Moore, NmTC Communication Liaison Photos by Barclay Martin “Nourishing the Soul” was the theme for the Malahat Nation’s sixth annual Golf & Gala fundraiser held on Sept. 15. The nation was able to raise an impressive $316,000 through this year’s event that will go towards building a commercial kitchen. Malahat holds its Golf & Gala event annually as a way to raise money for needed services and facilities for the community. Last year, the nation used the funds from the gala towards building multipurpose centre, and the new kitchen is being planned as an addition. The hope is for the new kitchen to become the heart of the community, providing a place to gather, cook, celebrate and support one another. It will 4 • SALISH SEA SENTINEL
The hope is for the new kitchen to become the heart of the community, providing a place to gather, cook, celebrate and support one another.
be the place to nourish the community and to build a strong connection between people. Everything about the 2018 Golf & Gala was impressive, from the wonderful day spent on the course at the beautiful Westin Bear Mountain Golf Resort to the exquisite gala held in their banquet room. Honourable mention to
the entertainers as well: the Khowutzun dancers, guest speaker Rich Francis, comedian Howie Miller and the Rhythm Method band. I lift my hands up to the leadership and staff of the Malahat Nation for working together in such a seamless way. It shows how clear they see the vision of the community, “Recognizing the past— moving towards a better future,” that is identified in their Community Plan. This vision was demonstrated by having MC Ray Harris of Stz’uminus First Nation teach and guide the audience through the protocol of our Coast Salish people, to first be blanketed as the Speaker, and then to call on Witnesses for the momentous occasion. There was an undeniable team effort to make this event such a success, and with strong leadership now moving ahead on the new kitchen, Malahat Nation will be nourished for years to come.
The Khowutzun Tzinquaw Dancers performed at the gala.
Shawna Carr places a bid at the silent auction.
Howie Miller, acclaimed Cree comedian and actor, gets the house laughing.
Malahat Councillor Vince Harry.
HEALING TOGETHER: SPIRITS OF LOST CHILDREN, SURVIVORS CALLED HOME Two-day ceremony in Sechelt and Tla’amin aimed at healing from residential schools By Cara McKenna Photos by Cara McKenna and Todd Peacey Tla’amin, Homalco and Klahoose called the spirits of their lost children home during a two-day ceremony that involved travelling to the site of a former residential school. The Calling the Spirits Home Ceremony on Sept. 2 and 3 was organized by Tla’amin’s Hɛhɛwšɩn (the way forward) committee. The events were held in order to bring home the spirits of residential school survivors, and to put to rest the 6 • SALISH SEA SENTINEL
spirits of those who didn’t make it back to the three communities. On the first day, dozens of people gathered in the shíshálh Nation longhouse before walking to the site of the former Sechelt Indian Residential School where a memorial now stands. Elder John Louie (Yahum) brushed the memorial with cedar, asking the spirits of the children from Tla’amin, Homalco and Klahoose who were in residential school to return home. On day two, a group gathered in Tla’amin to carry spirits from the waterfront to the community cemetery,
where Louie led a ceremony to help put them to rest with their ancestors. Louie spoke about the importance of finally bringing the spirits home. “For me, the Sechelt people have taken upon themselves, for all these years, to look after the spirits of our people who (went) to these schools,” he said. “The ones who passed on in our communities, they went to their graves without part of their spirit, and the ones still are here, did not have the opportunity to call their spirit because they were not taught in our traditional way.”
They say that we heal through gatherings like this. We heal by connecting to one another.
Louie himself is a survivor of the Sechelt residential school, and shared that while he was there, he was known not by his name, but as #15. “We are carrying a lot of things that aren’t ours. I carried the abuse that happened to me in residential school for 50 years. I never spoke about it,” he said. “In some small way I want to see our survivors heal.” Louie, Cyndi Pallen (čɩnɛ) and Phil Russell (k̓ʷʊnanəm), who organized the events, gifted shíshálh Nation with a paddle featuring the Hɛhɛwšɩn logo. Along with Tla’amin and shíshálh, representatives from Homalco, Klahoose, TsleilWaututh, Squamish and the non-Indigenous community attended the ceremonies. Several people shared their own stories about attending residential school in Sechelt, including Preston Joseph of Homalco, who now lives in Vancouver. “I remember some of the experiences at the residential school here in Sechelt and how it was basically like a culture shock… it was a very tough period in that time,” he said. “Like a lot of people who have been in the residential school system, it took me down a pretty bumpy road.” He said he has been living off the reserve for most of his life, and so he doesn’t have many links to his community or culture, but he often thinks about ways to reconnect. Pallen said the ceremony was significant because it is part of the process of coming together to bring back what was lost. She said finding safe places to connect and share experiences with no judgement, while putting teachings and culture into practice, is crucial. “We’re no longer separated, because that’s how it was when we went to residential school,” she said. “They say that we heal through gatherings like this. We heal by connecting to one another.”
Cyndi Pallen of Tla'amin presented a paddle to shíshálh Nation on behalf ofSALISH Hɛhɛwšɩn. SEA SENTINEL • 7
Bella Olney and Elder Elsie Paul.
Front row at Tla'amin on Sept 3 from left to right: Elder John Louie (Yahum), Devin Pielle, Amaya Pielle-Gonzalas, Gary Gonzales, Cyndi Pallen and Elder Elsie Paul.
Steven Feschuk (Xwash) of shíshálh Nation.
Billy Barnes of Klahoose, Preston Joseph of Homalco and Cyndi Pallen of Tla'amin.
COAST SALISH STORIES
MUSQUEAM LEGEND
By Celestine Aleck (Sahiltiniye) of Snuneymuxw First Nation I heard this story from Mel Good. He used to love to sit with the elders, and he would learn stories and names from all over. Long ago in Musqueam two men from
the village went down to the rock bed on the Fraser River to fish for sturgeon. They were very hungry when they caught the first sturgeon and pulled it up. The men started a fire and gutted the sturgeon. While they were gutting the fish, the men complained about how the sturgeon looked, and they threw the remains in the bushes along the riverbed. They cooked the meat on the rock bed and ate it right away. But the way they disrespected the sturgeon insulted all of the Sturgeon People, so much so that they all left the Fraser River. As time went by, the Musqueam people recognized that sturgeons were no longer in the river and they knew that something was wrong. So the Musqueam gathered for a meeting to decide what it is they could do. At the meeting, Sea Wolf stood up and told them that they had insulted the Sturgeon People for the way they had prepared and cooked the sturgeon
on the flat rockbed. Sea Wolf told them that they had to find a way to ask for forgiveness. The people decided to send a beautiful princess down into the river to gift to the Sturgeon People. The princess had a goat fur rope wrapped around her as she went down into the river. The Sturgeon People accepted the Princess and turned her into one of their own kind and they came back to the river. But the princess’s mother was so sad for the loss of her daughter that she would cry at the rockbed day after day, and one day as she was crying, the princess came up out of the water. She told her mother that she was happy living with the Sturgeon People and had asked her mother to no longer cry for her. To this day, when you gut a sturgeon they have a white rope in their stomachs shaped like the goat rope that the Musqueams had made so long ago that was wrapped around the princess.
TSAWOUT BROTHERS CARVE TOTEM POLE TO HONOUR SURVIVORS
SALISH SEA SENTINEL • 11
Tom LaFortune talks with visitors.
Tom and Perry LaFortune are creating the "Crossing Cultures and Healing" pole outside the Royal B.C. Museum By Cara McKenna Two brothers from Tsawout First Nation are carving a Coast Salish totem pole in memory of their late mother who survived residential school. Tom and Perry LaFortune have been working on the half-metre pole in a tent outside of the Royal B.C. Museum in Victoria since late July. The Crossing Cultures and Healing pole is part of a partnership between the museum, the B.C. Ministry of Health and TimberWest. The pole is expected to be completed and raised at the health ministry’s headquarters in October. Tom said he and his brother were initially asked by the ministry to do a “reconciliation” pole but they weren’t comfortable with that term. “I don’t like that word. There weren’t two wrongs committed, we were just here, so what do we have to reconcile for?” he said. “I said, ‘Why don’t we do a Crossing 12 • SALISH SEA SENTINEL
Cultures and Healing pole?’ The story of this, people can relate to that.” The pole features a figure of a woman at the bottom that is representative of the carvers’ mother and all mothers affected by the residential school system. Above her is an owl, which Tom said is a reminder to “remember the past, live now and push towards a better future.” On the top of the pole is a raven to pass the messages along, while a rope ties all of the figures together. Perry said their mother was part of the residential school system in the 1930s and 40s, and later raised 15 children. “She taught us so many different values. About hard work, about gathering, about preservation, humility and being honest,” Perry said. “She passed on 10 years ago but she left us with those values and we share those with our children…This is what we do for her.” Tom said that he and five of his
siblings are now carvers. The brothers learned from the late Simon Charlie from Cowichan Tribes, who encouraged them to push the boundaries of Coast Salish art. “Simon told me when I first started that we are bringing it back, we’re reviving it, that gives us a wide-open door to do whatever we do,” he said. “The art evolves and it’s constantly evolving. I’m not going to do what someone did 300 years ago, I have the tools available to refine my work, so why not push it?” Both Tom and Perry have been carving since the mid-1970s and have been involved in several other public carving initiatives including the City of Totems project in Duncan. They’ve also travelled around the world doing their art. “We share … and we hear each other when we make suggestions,” Tom said. “I’ve been carving for 47 years and I learn something with every pole I carve.” More information about the progress of the pole can be found at rbcm.ca/pole.
Perry LaFortune.
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SALISH SEA SENTINEL • 13
Musqueam artist Debra Sparrow (θəliχʷəlʷət) stands with Coast Salish blankets at the Museum of Anthropology during an exhibit earlier this year. File photo.
BLANKETING THE CITY
Three-part mural series by Debra Sparrow translates Salish weavings to concrete By Cara McKenna Musqueam artist Debra Sparrow (θəliχʷəlʷət) has been saying for two decades that she won’t stop until the City of Vancouver is blanketed in Coast Salish designs. Mostly, Sparrow has meant the statement as a challenge to increase visibility of her nation’s artwork in public spaces. But now, she is literally “Blanketing the City”—the weaver and graphic designer has been working on a three-part series of large-scale contemporary murals inspired by Coast Salish textiles. 14 • SALISH SEA SENTINEL
“I (first) said that about 20 years ago, and I didn’t know how it would unfold, or if it would,” Sparrow said. “I’m happy, because in talking about wrapping the City of Vancouver in the blankets—that’s happening.” Sparrow’s Blanketing the City series is in partnership with the annual Vancouver Mural Festival and will consist of three murals in different highly-visible public areas. The first mural was revealed in May on two large pillars of the Granville Street Bridge near the Granville Island Public Market.
The next covers the side of a building on Kingsway Street in East Vancouver, and was being created during the annual Mural Festival in August. A third mural and another smaller piece are still being planned. Sparrow said the second and latest mural is dedicated to the earth and Salish Sea, and is meant to serve as a reminder to respect the land. She said she and Gabriel Hall, a designer who she worked with on the piece, looked at the mountains and sky overlooking the building to find inspiration for the mural’s bright, natural colour scheme. “Patterns are sort of universal, they’re related to our natural environment,” she said. “That’s why this mural is dedicated to the land, the water, the trees. Right now we need to honour our earth because we’ve been disrespecting it for a long time.” Sparrow said even though Vancouver is on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, local Indigenous artwork isn’t often visible in public city spaces. “I have been going out on behalf of our chief for two years to do welcomes…and I always ask the Vancouver people: ‘Who are you?’” she said. “When you go to any other country you look for art that reflects that history and culture. We should be celebrating this culture.” Sparrow is one of Musqueam’s prominent weavers, along with her two sisters Robin and Wendy. But she is primarily a graphic designer— one of her most well-known projects was when she worked with Nike to design Team Canada’s 2010 Olympic hockey jerseys. She said the mural project is a good way to combine weaving with design and give her community’s culture a contemporary platform. The weaving patterns, she added, have an intellectual, mathematical element behind the designs, and she’s excited to showcase that on a large scale. She said all Indigenous people can feel proud to see the pieces. “These beautiful designs are representative of all Salish people, and it’s inclusive to all our territories,” she said. Ultimately, she hopes that the murals will “put softening behind our crazy world,” she said. She wants the pieces to draw passers-by to a better place. “We have to learn in our world today instead of calling people down we have to lift them up,” Sparrow said. More information about the project can be found at www.vanmuralfest.ca. SALISH SEA SENTINEL • 15
SALISH PLANT NURSERY TARGETS SUSTAINABILITY As Tsawwassen nation develops, member Sarah Lang wants to see more food grown on community’s land A Tsawwassen First Nation member hopes to increase her community’s food security with a plant nursery that started up this spring. Sarah Lang’s Salish Nursery aims to help people to grow their own produce, herbs and medicines by selling starter perennials that can be replanted in people’s gardens. Lang partnered with her husband Karl Morgan to open the nursery, which is headquartered at the Tsawwassen Farm School. Lang has been selling the plants in farmers’ markets and privately for now, but she eventually plans to target the Tsawwassen First Nation’s government. She said the community is doing a lot of development and there is a requirement to dedicate some of that developed land to parks. Lang said she hopes to “incorporate some food into that” instead of just decorative shrubbery and flowers. “There are 15 or 20 more parks they’re going to build in amongst all the residential and whatnot, so that’s amazing,” she said. “I think it would be just really beneficial for the community, even the developers, to put some edibles into what they plant and promote that.” This year, she has grown dozens of starter plants including mint, raspberries, rhubarb, asparagus, aloe vera and turmeric. Lang said she had been planning to start the business for several years, but felt prepared to do it after studying farming for 10 months at the Tsawwassen Farm School. The school is the result of a collaboration between the Tsawwassen First Nation, the Institute for Sustainable Food Systems and Kwantlen Polytechnic University. Lang was part of the farm school’s first cohort in 2015 and started building her greenhouse on the centre’s 20-acre property late last year. “I had planned to do (this nursery) right away but I wanted to do a bit of research on it and I had to make a business plan, secure a little bit of funding, and find a greenhouse,” she said. Now that the first year is finished, Lang said she can open next March with ready-to-sell plants. She said focusing on food sustainability is important now more than ever, as key produce-growing state California faces an ongoing drought and groundwater reservoirs are depleted. “I really feel like our world is in the midst of a huge crisis,” she said. “If we don’t start growing our own food here we will be hungry people if anything happened.” More information and updates can be found on Facebook Lang’s page “Salish Nursery.” 16 •under SALISH SEAbusiness SENTINEL
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VICTORY: SQUAMISH NATION CELEBRATES AFTER COURT RULING HALTS PIPELINE Coast Salish leaders are celebrating a Federal Court of Appeal ruling that quashed Canada’s approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline project. The court’s ruling made on Aug 30 states that Canada failed to adequately consult with First Nations affected by the pipeline expansion. It also states that a review by the National Energy Board was flawed and didn’t consider the project’s impact on the
marine environment. The decision means that construction can’t proceed until the court’s conditions are met. Squamish was one of several First Nations involved in the court action, and hosted a victory celebration on Sept 15. Squamish Coun. Khelsilem said the ruling shows how strong people can be when they work together. “We decided, let’s hold a victory march.
Let’s celebrate this huge victory for all of us,” he said. “I’m proud to say that every single one of my colleagues are of the same heart and mind when it comes to protecting our inlet, defending our communities.” During the celebration, dozens of people from Squamish and other nations, as well as supporters, marched from the waterfront in North Vancouver to Squamish’s Capilano reserve, cheering and singing. Continued on page 20
SALISH SEA SENTINEL • 19
Continued from page 19
Afterwards, people shared speeches and guests enjoyed live music. Squamish Council co-chairperson Deborah Baker acknowledged youth from the nation who came out to celebrate, and also recognized member Clarissa Antone and her family, who have been tirelessly fighting Trans Mountain. Antone carried a photo of a figure of a figure that her brother Mike carved and established on Burnaby Mountain several years ago. “We had no idea a few years ago what this was all going to come to, and here we are today with this victory,” Baker said. “This is so important to our people, of course, and to all people who could be impacted by any devastation. Thankfully the court listened, the judges listened, the rest of Canada I 20 • SALISH SEA SENTINEL
This is so important to our people, of course, and to all people who could be impacted by any devastation. Thankfully the court listened. hope will embrace this as well.” Khelsilem said everyone needs to continue to work together on protecting their territory. “It’s important to emphasize that we have won a huge victory with this federal court of appeal decision but the fight is not over,” Khelsilem said. “I think we all understand the risks to this project but unfortunately some people in Ottawa don’t, so we need to remain together.” Canada’s finance minister Bill
Morneau has pledged to move forward with the purchase of the project while meeting the court’s conditions, saying it’s in the national interest. Chief Maureen Thomas of TsleilWaututh, another nation involved in the court action, spoke about the victory at a press conference after the court’s decision came down Aug 30. Thomas said she recalls standing across from Burrard Inlet three years ago after the nation decided to fight Canada in the courts because Trans Mountain expansion was approved. “And (now) the court came back in a favourable decision for us and we all have to step back and think what does this really mean for Canada,” she said. “We’re here to protect what we need to protect for our future generations, and that is the bottom line.”
Clarissa Antone holds a photo a carving that her brother Mike carved during an earlier action against the pipeline on Burnaby Mountain.
SALISH SEA SENTINEL • 21
Deborah Baker of Squamish called youth from the nation on stage to be recognized.
REMEMBERING ELLEN WHITE: KNOWLEDGE KEEPER, EDUCATOR, ACTIVIST Late Snuneymuxw Elder Kwulasulwut ‘exemplified the greatest respect and love for all peoples, living things, and creation’
Photo: Order of B.C.
The public is being asked to carry on the work of a late Snuneymuxw elder who spent her life educating others and building bridges between communities. The Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities continue to mourn the loss of Dr. Ellen White (Kwulasulwut), who died on August 7 at 95 years old. Her funeral was held on August 11 at the Beban Park Social Centre in Nanaimo. At the memorial, White’s friend Les Malbon delivered her eulogy, referencing the elder’s Snuneymuxw name Kwulasulwut which means “many stars.” Malbon said he could “see the many stars,” as he looked out at the crowd, according to the Nanaimo News Bulletin. “I see how she impacted the community. I see how much she loved her family,” he said. White was born in 1922 into a Coast Salish family with ties on both sides of the Canadian-American border. By school age, she lived on Rice Island (now known as Norway Island) and Kuper Island (now known as Penelakut). Even though the notorious Kuper Island Residential School was established near her home, White was not allowed to attend because she was born outside of Canada and lacked Indian status. So her grandmother Xalanamut (Mary Rice) told her at the time, “If you can’t go to their school, you will go to my school,” according to White’s official obituary. It was then that White and 13 of her cousins received their education in the Coast Salish snawayalth (sacred teachings). White learned about healing, traditional midwifery, language and much more. She was the last living member of that group trained in the traditional way, and passed those teachings along to her family and community. In 1978, White received a diploma in Languages, Arts and Education from the University of Victoria and wrote one of the first English-Hulquminum dictionaries. She was also considered an expert in Indigenous law, and used her knowledge to fight for affordable housing for her people, Indigenous women’s rights and much more. In her later years, she continued to pass teachings along an Elder-inResidence at Vancouver Island University and the University of British Columbia. In 2006, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws by VIU, and was inducted into the Order of British Columbia in 2011. In 2016, she was inducted as a member of the Order of Canada for her work as an elder and community leader. She is survived by her five children, 10 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Her eldest child, Doug White II, said in a statement that people should remember his mother by reflecting on how to advance understanding and respect between people regardless of their backgrounds. “Throughout her 95 years, Ellen exemplified the greatest respect and love for all peoples, living things, and creation,” he said. “We can all honour her memory by carrying on her work of close to a century of cultivating love, learning, respect, and harmony in human relations.”
TLA’AMIN FIRST NATION TERRITORY
Powell River penstock #4 repair and replacement project for Powell River Energy Inc. Members of the Tla’amin First Nation worked with Hazelwood to complete repairs on the 14 ft diameter, 1580 ft long, steel riveted penstock that was originally constructed in 1925. HazelwoodConstruction.com
BUILDING FIRST NATION ECONOMIES
SALISH SEA SENTINEL • 23
Above: Regalia by Deanna George Design by Tyler Alan-Jacobs
Design by Craig Stephens
Design by TWN Chief Maureen Thomas
Design by Chloe Angus
GALA GOES BEYOND FASHION TO EMPOWER YOUTH First annual event showcased Indigenous designers, models
Design by Chloe Angus
Indigenous youth walked the runway during a successful fashion gala at Tsleil-Waututh Nation that will return to the community in years to come. The first annual Tsleil-Waututh Nation Fashion Gala was hosted at the community’s gym in late July, with a formal dinner and fashion showcase that featured Indigenous designers and models. The event was planned in just a couple months, but was so successful that organizers are already planning to bring the event back each summer. Community member Jen Thomas said the idea for the event happened during a garage sale in May. She said she and other organizers saw a young community member light up when she tried on a dress and realized that a fashion show would be a good way to uplift youth. “My niece who is 13 was trying on my older niece’s dress, and she just happened to walk by in front of us halfway across the gym,” Thomas said. “And we just said ‘we should do a fashion show for our youth.’” Soon after, Thomas, Elisha Williams and Terena Hunt decided to start planning. The next day, they set a date for the gala. Hunt said it was a huge learning experience because none of them had planned anything like that before. “I think that for us even though we got tired and had late nights, we got to see (the young peoples’) smiles and their spirits shine every single time we did something and that kept us going,” she said. At the gala, about a dozen youth models began the show wearing contemporary clothing from Indigenous fashion designers Chloë Angus, Mia Hunt, Tyler-Alan Jacobs and Alicia and Craig Stephens. The youth then modelled handmade regalia by TWN Chief Maureen Thomas (Si’lhe-Ma’elWut) and Councillor Deanna George (Halat/Tewalewet). As a surprise, TWN elders closed the show by walking the catwalk in regalia of their own, strutting their stuff to songs that included “I’m Too Sexy” by Right Hand Fred. The event was also streamed live so that others would have the opportunity to watch from afar. Chief Thomas said even though the event was a fashion gala, it went beyond beautiful clothing to highlight the models’ inner beauty. “I think it’s more important than just fashion,” she said. “You get to see our children, you get to see them in a different light, and they are the most beautiful people.” Hunt said she teared up seeing the youth walking the runway, because the event was really about self-esteem and self-empowerment. “In this day and age we talk about bullying and we talk about issues like suicide and self-esteem, but what are we really doing about it?” she said. “I think it’s about taking those issues and addressing them in every single way that you have the power to do that.” SALISH SEA SENTINEL • 25
Quamichan Creek Culvert Replacement “The Fish Return”
Helping our First Nation Friends with Leadership in Being Stewards of our Environment Brian Chatwin started Chatwin Engineering in 1982 to provide services to First Nations and is a trusted partner in over 50 Communities. 1-250-753-9171 www.chatwinengineering.com bchatwin@chatwinengineering.com
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Regalia by TWN Chief Maureen Thomas
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Snuneymuxw students during a groundbreaking of a new community school earlier this year. File photo.
SNUNEYMUXW LEASES FORMER PUBLIC SCHOOL FOR PROGRAMS Snuneymuxw is leasing a former public elementary school site as a place to offer programs and services to its members. The nation will be using the Woodbank Primary School site for youth and elder programming, support groups, culture camps, soccer tournaments and more. School District 68 announced the partnership with Snuneymuxw in mid-August. “Snuneymuxw First Nation has leased the Woodbank site to offer a variety of programs in their community,” a statement from the school district said. “This partnership will help provide much needed space for community resources.” The former Woodbank school was closed by the district in 2016 and amalgamated into the nearby North Cedar Intermediate. The school district’s statement said leasing Woodbank to Snuneymuxw was part of a larger effort to collaborate with the community. “We are proud to be moving forward in a meaningful way with our Snuneymuxw partners and excited to continue developing the relationship in the future,” said Steve Rae, SD68’s board of education chairman. 28 • SALISH SEA SENTINEL
legal notice
Are YouSixties a Sixties Survivor? ScoopScoop Survivor? LEGAL NOTICE
You may be eligible for compensation. Please read this notice carefully. A settlement has been approved between the Federal Government of Canada and certain survivors of the Sixties Scoop that provides compensation for loss of cultural identity for certain survivors. WHO IS INCLUDED? The settlement includes people who: • are registered Indians (as defined in the Indian Act) and Inuit as well as people eligible to be registered Indians; and • were removed from their homes in Canada between January 1, 1951 and December 31, 1991 and placed in the care of non-Indigenous foster or adoptive parents. Those who meet the criteria above will be included in the settlement as “Class Members”. All Class Members, except those who validly opt out, are eligible for compensation. In addition, all Class Members, except those who validly opt out, will be held to the terms of the settlement and covered by the releases in the settlement. WHAT DOES THE SETTLEMENT PROVIDE? (a) compensation will be available for all Class Members who were adopted or made permanent wards and who were alive on February 20, 2009; and (b) a foundation will be created to enable change and reconciliation. The mandate and governance of the foundation will be defined through a consultation process with survivors across the country. The work of the foundation may include providing access to healing/wellness, commemoration and education activities for all communities and individuals impacted by the Sixties Scoop – including those outside of the defined “Class.” HOW DO I GET THIS MONEY? To make a claim for money, you must fill in a Claim Form and send it to the claims office by August 30, 2019. Copies of the Claim Form are available at sixtiesscoopsettlement. info. You do not need to pay a lawyer to complete the form. The administrator will help you fill out the form and there are lawyers you can speak with free of charge. Also, if you do not have papers from the relevant provincial or territorial child service agency documenting your placement in care or documenting your status, you should still complete the Claim Form. The administrator will make the necessary record checks for you as needed. HOW MUCH MONEY WILL I GET? Your payment will depend on how many Eligible Class Members submit claims in the settlement. The range of compensation will likely be $25,000 - $50,000. The details are explained in the settlement agreement. A copy of the settlement agreement is available at sixtiesscoopsettlement.info. WHAT IF I WANT TO EXCLUDE MYSELF FROM THE SETTLEMENT? If you want to exclude yourself from the settlement, you must opt out of the class action by October 31, 2018. If you opt out, you will not be entitled to any compensation from the settlement and your claim against Canada in respect of the Sixties Scoop will not be released. A copy of the Opt Out Form is available at sixtiesscoopsettlement.info. If you have commenced a legal proceeding against Canada relating to the Sixties Scoop and you do not discontinue it on or before October 31, 2018, you will be deemed to have opted out of the settlement. Important Note: The settlement does not interfere with any Class Member’s ability to pursue legal proceedings against provinces or territories or their agencies for physical, sexual, or psychological abuse suffered as a result of the Sixties Scoop. WANT MORE INFORMATION? Visit sixtiesscoopsettlement.info, call 1-(844)-287-4270, or email sixtiesscoop@collectiva.ca. DO YOU KNOW ANY OTHER SURVIVORS OF THE SIXTIES SCOOP? Please share this information with them.