Canada’s Oldest First Nations Newspaper - Serving Nuu-chah-nulth-aht since 1974 Canadian Publications Mail Product haas^i>sa “Interesting News” Vol. 35 - No. 13 - July 3, 2008 Sales Agreement No. 40047776
Congratulations Nuu-chah-nulth Graduates Debora Steel
The Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council celebrated the achievements of the graduating class of 2008 at a ceremony and dinner in Tsaxana near Gold River on June 21, National Aboriginal Day. Hosted by the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation, the theme of the event was “Celebrating Ourselves.” Story on pages 3 and 4.
Language conference draws enthusiastic crowd By Denise Titian Ha-Shilth-Sa Reporter Campbell River–A Nuu-chah-nulth language conference provided a venue for elders, educators and other interested people to share ideas on how the community could inspire widespread fluency in the ancient language amongst people of all ages. Sponsored by the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council (NTC) and school districts #70 and #84, the Nuu-chahnulth Language Conference endeavoured to gather ideas that would preserve, restore and revitalize all dialects of the language. More than 200 people gathered at Robron Centre in Campbell River June 17 and 18. Organizer Victoria Wells was pleased to see such large numbers of people coming from all over to take part in the event. Wells introduced herself in Nuu-chahnulth and welcomed everyone before leaders of the We Wai Kum First Nation invited the people to carry out their important work in their homeland. “One of our biggest teachings is to respect, honor and be open to each other’s teachings,” said the We Wai
Conference organizer Victoria Wells Kum elder. Mowachaht/Muchalaht elder Vi Johnson said an opening prayer before the language conference working group was introduced and thanked for their hard work. Wells told the people that the purpose of the gathering is to encourage one another, to call forward all their teachings in a move to revitalize the language. “Despite all efforts to remove the ‘Indian-ness’ from us, we’re still here,” she reminded everyone. She asked people to practise
National Aboriginal Day celebrated...........................Page 2 Post-secondary grads honored by the community...Page 6 Nuu-chah-nulth culture front and centre..................Page 9 Fisheries litigation on hold for the summer............Page 11 Cedar trees are being abused by bark pickers........Page 19 Community and Beyond events................................Page 23
iisaakstulth, to be respectful and patient with people learning the language. Recognizing that former residential school survivors might be traumatized by recounting their language experiences, organizers carried out a cleansing ceremony led by Levi Martin of Tla-oqui-aht. Support workers were on standby to assist anyone needing special care. Everyone attending the conference received colour-coded name tags identifying fluent speakers and those just learning the language. Education workers honored the fluent speakers by giving them blankets. There were 36 blankets , too many for the relatively small number of fluent speakers in attendance, so some received two or three blankets. Ayoung woman, who was clearly emotional, was brought forward and introduced. Natalie Dodd had only recently come in contact with her Nuuchah-nulth roots, having been adopted to a home far away from Vancouver Island. She sobbed as extended family members from Hesquiaht stood to accept her and tell her how far her Lucas family reaches. She was given the name Hup kwee staksa, meaning rising moon. She smiled through her tears when she was told the name once belonged to her great-grandmother.
Dr. Bernice Touchie studies linguistics and she shared some of her knowledge and research with the group. She first thanked the elders and others who work hard to keep the language alive. Touchie said she’s learned that the academic way of teaching languages does not work for the Nuu-chah-nulth people. “We need to learn it as we’re going along in daily tasks, by living it,” she advised. Organizers invited eight-year-old Kalilah Rampanen to demonstrate that children are learning the language and it can be done. Kalilah attends haahuupayuk school in Port Alberni where she learns the Barclay Sound dialect. In that language she introduced herself, her parents, grandparents, and then she told the people she is from Ahousaht. Kalilah’s father John told the people that he and his wife are committed to raising their family immersed in culture. “We go to our ancestors’ territory at Seitcher Bay and live the way they did as best we can,” he explained. Jennifer Alt and Fidelia Haiyupis are members of the Language Working Group. Continued on page 7.
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ISSN 0715-4143