NTC COVID-19 Research Project

The Nuu-chah-nulth communities were hit hard and early by the COVID-19 pandemic and were among the first groups of people receiving COVID-19 vaccine. In response to the desire from member Nations to document our experience and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccine, the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council (NTC) collaborated with Simon Fraser University (SFU) and National Microbiology (NML) to collect insightful experience and evidence-based information about COVID-19 pandemic and vaccine in our communities.

Purpose of the project

This community-based research project is led, and governed by the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council (NTC). The main purpose includes:

1) sharing and documenting voices and experiences about the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccine.

2) measuring the COVID-19 antibody level from being infected and/or vaccinated with COVID-19.

3) investigating side effects following COVID-19 vaccinations.

Eligible participants

This project is open to all people who have association with Nuu-chah-nulth communities, including

1) Everyone who is living in the territories or communities (on-reserve) of participating Nations, including citizens/members of participating Nations and other NCN Nations, other indigenous people, and non-indigenous people

2) Citizens/ members of participating Nations(either registered or not) and their family/ house members living away from home.

3) Employees and volunteers working for NTC or NCN Nations

Data collection

1) Telling our stories, including Elder-led Experience Sharing (Storytelling), Extended Family Talking Circles, and Youth Photovoice.

2) Blood sample collection: Participants can choose to collect dried blood spots or take blood draw from vein by a trained medical professional (nurse or phlebotomist).

3) Questionnaire: a 30-minute, self-administrated questionnaire asking about previous COVID-19 infections and vaccinations against COVID-19 (if any), post-vaccination side effects, and other sociodemographic information

4) Nation/Community-specific needs.

Agenda on the day of data collection

0800 to 0915 COVID19 Research Team Setup

0915 to 1030 Welcoming and Orientation

1030 to 1200 Talking Circle ONE

1030 to 1200 Blood Sampling ONE

1200 to 1300 LUNCH for ALL PARTICIPATES

1400 to 1600 Talking Circle TWO

1400 to 1600 Blood Sampling TWO.

Locations and dates

Port Alberni (Every Other Thursday)

PAF Wellness 3416 4th Ave, Port Alberni

April 13, 2023

April 27, 2023

May 11, 2023

May 25, 2023

June 8, 2023

June 22, 2023

July 6, 2023

July 20, 2023

August 3, 2023

August 17, 2023

August 31, 2023

Nanaimo

St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church 301 Machleary St, Nanaimo, BC

April 17, 2023

May 22, 2023

June 19, 2023

July 18, 2023

Campbell River

1250C Ironwood St, Campbell River

May 10, 2023

June 7, 2023

July 5, 2023

Victoria

Victoria First Metropolitan United Church

932 Balmoral Rd, Victoria, BC V8T 1A8

May 1 and 2, 2023

June 5 and 6, 2023

July 3 and 4, 2023

Vancouver

Vancouver Maritime Labour Centre Auditorium

1880 Triumph St, Vancouver, BC V5L 1K3

May 15,16,17, 2023

June 26, 27, 28, 2023

July 24, 25, 26, 2023

Big Tree Trail labor of love for Tribal Parks guardians

With four tribal parks declared in Tla-o-qui-aht territory, program counterbalances the effects of ‘over tourism’

By Alexandra Mehl Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Tofino, BC - In 2008, when the Tla-oqui-aht Tribal Parks Guardianship Program took over the maintenance of the Meares Island Big Tree Trail, they had lots of work to do.

Saya Masso, lands director for the Tlao-qui-aht Tribal Parks Guardian Program, has been a guardian since 2008 when the positions were first inaugurated to help implement the land vision outlined in the Tribal Park Declaration.

In 1984 Meares Island was declared a Tribal Park as a means to protect the Island from old growth logging. Since then, three more parks have now been declared, encompassing the entirety of Tla-o-qui-aht territory.

When boats would arrive at the trailhead on Meares Island, there was no dock. They would have to land near the rocks and people would climb off the bow of the boat, explained Masso. Additionally, the trail, originally built from the ‘84 protests, was rotting.

Since then, the Tribal Parks Guardians have been working for roughly 10 summers to rebuild and maintain the Big Tree Trail on Meares Island including the addition of a dock.

It was built from split board cedar from fallen trees, and spruce, pine or fir stringers from construction sites, explained Masso.

“It was such a win when we finally got every board on the trail replaced,” he said.

The Big Tree Trail had carved its way through the serene forest, originally with the destination called the Hanging Garden Tree, said Masso. The Hanging Garden Tree is a group of four trees growing together with a variety of medicinal plants on them, he continued.

Saya Masso, lands director for the Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Parks Guardian Program, stands with an ancient cedar on Meares Island that was partially harvested by his ancestors hundreds of years ago, but continued to grow.

Though this tree is still visible from the trail, due to safety measures the guardian team disassembled the path and rebuilt the trail farther away, directing visitors to a culturally modified red cedar tree. This extension of the trail was done by the Tribal Parks Guardian team in the most recent years, Masso explained.

At the end of the trail, stands a culturally modified red cedar tree that Masso predicts was harvested roughly 100 to 150 years ago. The way Tla-o-qui-aht traditionally harvests cedar allows the tree to continue its life and maintains the forest canopy.

Masso said that this tree would have been used for longhouse boards.

Moses Martin, who served for years as a former elected chief, explains that when in court with the province or Canada the Tla-o-qui-aht always had to provide proof of continued occupation.

After conducting research, they found that there are roughly 72,000 culturally modified trees on Meares Island within one hundred meters from the shoreline, he said.

“That indicates the use of cedar bark and planks… for housing and also for canoe making,” said Martin. “All those kinds of things that played into our need to protect the island for continued use.” Among the base of the old growth forest, Masso and his team laid bark mulch to retain moisture and protect the roots of the trees.

“Without boardwalk, the whole trail would be littered with roots that you’re tripping over,” said Masso. “Even before we lay boardwalk, we often bark mulch it, fix it, and then build a boardwalk over it.”

With particular trees around the trail they intend to build platforms over the roots for guide operators and visitors so that these essential parts remain protected.

“Part of our goal of protecting old growth forests is for the immense biodiversity that’s in there, and its resilience to climate change,” said Masso.

“Afully intact old growth forest, the sunlight comes in [and] there’s such a mix of age class of trees.Asecond growth [forest], every tree is all the same age and so it gets really dark,” he added. According to a report conducted in 2018, Tofino saw 600,000 annual visitors, contributing $295 million to the local economy.

The Tribal ParkAllies program, launched in 2018, includes businesses and organizations throughout the community who support Tla-o-qui-aht in their vision.

Allies agree to collect a one per cent ecosystem service fee, which is ultimately reinvested into community efforts such as restoring salmon-bearing streams, community programs, and building a longhouse.

Masso said that there are over 100 businesses in the area that have signed up as Tribal Park allies.

“We’re very aware of the impacts of tourism, and we want to be benefiting from it, and help mitigate the impacts of it through our guardian programs,” said Masso. “We want the million people that come here to know who Tla-o-qui-aht is.”

Masso explains that a “symptom of over tourism via lack of affordable housing” is illegal backcountry campers in the Ha`uukmin (Kennedy Lake Watershed) Tribal Park, who leave refuse behind. The guardian program now monitors this area, and as a result have seen less refuse.

When asked about regenerative tourism, Masso said, “reciprocal relationships are important, reciprocity, [and] giving back for what is taken.”

“Right now, without our relationship to tourism, in a large formal sense it’s abrasive to us,” said Masso. “These are the types of jobs that make you feel that tourism is on the right path.”

“It’s a work of love,” he continued, reflecting on the Big Tree Trail on Meares Island. “I look in the future, and if our grandchildren have jobs replacing boards on this trail, I’m more than happy about that.”