Ha Shilth Sa Newspaper May 18, 2023

Nuu-chah-nulth-aht march for no more stolen sisters

On May 5, 2023, Nuu-chah-nulth-aht marched to raise awareness of MMIWG2S+ and remember loved ones

By Alexandra Mehl Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

PortAlberni, BC – It was at 10 a.m. that the color red, along with posters of missing and murdered loved ones, began to fill the parking lot at naasnaasʔaqsa totem pole, near the Victoria Quay.

May 5 marks National Red Dress Day, where, in PortAlberni, Nuu-chah-nulthaht and community members gathered to raise awareness of MMIWG2S+ and remember their missing and murdered loved ones.

“We’re gathered here today in remembrance of our family members,” said Irene Robinson, of Tseshaht, one of the opening speakers. “Who we will always miss, who we will always love, who we will always think about and remember.”

“We gathered here to support the families of these loved ones, the families who walk, always, with the memories of their loved ones,” she continued.

The walk was led by Tla-o-qui-aht along Victoria Quay, River Road, and ending at Maht Mah’s where families and friends would speak the names of their loved ones to the crowd and share a meal together.

For Nuu-chah-nulth there are 53 women who have been murdered or died under

suspicious circumstances, while two remain missing.

Lisa Watts, NTC MMIWG2S+ support worker, added two more names to that list.

Watts said that she regrets not asking the crowd of people who had been affected by MMIWG2S+. She predicted that the entire room of over 200 people would have stood.

“Our communities are so close knit,” said Watts.

Among those that are missing is Lisa Marie Young of Tla-o-qui-aht who went missing in 2002 from Nanaimo. May 5 is the date of her birthday, while this year marks twenty-one years since her disappearance; the same age she was when she went missing.

“We had people express exactly the needs and the calls to action from the Nuu-chah-nulth people,” said Watts. “Everybody’s getting their voices back.”

Watts said that Tla-o-qui-aht challenged Nuu-chah-nulth to make their own list and calls for action.

According to a statement from Jagmeet Singh, leader of the federal NDP party since 2017, a total of 247 Indigenous women were murdered in Canada.

“Despite promising to act, the rate of homicide against Indigenous women has

not decreased under the current government’s watch,” reads the statement.

“Every day the government delays the implementation of the 231 Calls for Justice from the National Inquiry into Miss-

ing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls is a day families risk losing a loved one,” the statement continued.

“I want, so bad, to get to a world where we don’t have to do this,” said Watts.

Alexandra Mehl photo

Tla-o-qui-aht leads the walk on National Red Dress Day, departing from naasnaasʔaqsa totem pole, along River Road, and finishing at Maht Mahs.

PAFC catches up on two years of baby welcomings

Proud parents brought their babies and toddlers to the PAFC, who welcomed them into the community

By Denise Titian Ha-Shilth-Sa Reporter

PortAlberni, BC – It’s been about three years since the last baby welcoming celebration at the PortAlberni Friendship Center, thanks to crowd gathering restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So this years group of new young faces was not only larger than normal but also a little older.

Young parents, grandparents and children born since the start of the pandemic were invited to the PortAlberni Friendship Center on May 10, for Ninayaqsha – Baby Welcoming Celebration. Proud families gathered at Clutesi Hall to celebrate the newest family additions and to give them a sense of belonging in the community.

Toddlers gleefully played with bright yellow balloons while the adults socialized. PAFC Program Coordinator Darlene Leonew welcomed the crowd and invited representatives of both Hupacasath and Tseshaht to welcome everyone.

“The future looks bright, our future leaders are right here,” said Hupacasath Ha’wilth Kanowish.

Staff of the PortAlberni Friendship Center prepared gifts to present the children along with handmade cedar headbands. They gave away handcrafted cedar roses to those that helped with the event.

The parents introduced their children to the crowd before Leonew welcomed the babies and toddlers to the community.

“We’re here to support you and if we can’t do that, we can refer you,” Leonew promised.

The parents and tots that attended were Danielle Sam, Nicholas Marshall and son, Marty Marshall. Gerhard, and Monique Le Roux and, son Caleb. Joseph Joe and son Joseph Joe Jr.Arthur Edgar, Erika Curley and sonsArthur Jr. and Issac Edgar. Justin and Serena Mayer with daughter Riley. Jordan and Kim Henry with son Enzo Henry. Ray Walton and daughter Kaliea

The event was sponsored by the BC Ministry of Child and Family Development,ASI Early Years Program.

NTC executive invited to ADSS 2023 graduation

By Alexandra Mehl Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

PortAlberni, BC – On Wednesday, May 12, Damon Rampanen, Nuu-chah-nulth Education Worker (NEW), and Madison Lucas, grade eight student atADSS, set off to make traditional Nuu-chah-nulth invitations to the NTC Executive for the ADSS class of 2023 graduation ceremonies.

For Lucas, this wasn’t her first invite, she had done many invitations with her father for her Coming ofAge potlatch, held onApril 8, 2023.

“My father and I used to go to potlatches and just go invite the chiefs of all nations to come participate in my coming of age,” said Lucas.

“I was always told that when it came to inviting, either if it was a hereditary chief, or if it was a chief and council, or if it was just an elder, or someone that’s important in our communities, we would go and we would have a face-to-face and hand deliver, either a letter or whatever we were going to be doing,” said Rampanen. “It would show that sign of respect [for] traveling out and finding that

person that we wanted to invite.”

Rampanen notes that many Nuu-chahnulth traditions such as prayer and cedar bark harvesting are performed with the Nuu-chah-nulth protocol, respect.

“That was what we wanted to do on Wednesday,” he continued. “Meet the three that we got to go and invite, and to gift them [and] to say thank you for your time and accepting to come in and sit down and witness these graduates of this school year.”

The pair delivered three invitations that day in this way. There was the NTC Executive, Brandy Lauder elected chief of Hupačasath, and Tom Tatoosh a hereditary chief of Hupačasath.

When they invited the executive, they gifted Judith Sayers, NTC president, with canned salmon.

“For us salmon is one of the biggest gifts that we can give,” said Rampanen.

Salmon was a huge component of ancestral living, said Rampanen. It was something that Nuu-chah-nulth ancestors would trade, he continued.

“It’s still thought of as gold to a lot of people,” he said.

In her first year atADSS, Lucas said she

has many opportunities to work with the Nuu-chah-nulth Education Workers.

“I was pretty grateful that I was asked

to go do this with Damon,” said Lucas. “[I’ve] also been taught to always show your respect to chiefs and elders.”

Denise Titian photos

Above:Arthur Edgar, Erika Curley with sonsArthur Jr. and Issac. Below Left: Ray Walton and daughter Kaliea. Right: Marty Marshall, Kaliea Walton and Riley Mayer love playing with the balloons.

Alexandra Mehl photo

Damon Rampanen gifts Judith Sayers, NTC president, with canned salmon while extending an invitation to theADSS class of 2023 graduation.

Tofino Bus Service stabilizes thanks to Islandlink

After weeks of concern over affordable transportation to west coast, Islandlink expands service over summer

By Denise Titian Ha-Shilth-Sa Reporter

Vancouver Island – IslandLink, a Nanaimo-based passenger bus service, is pleased to announce that it is meeting the demand for increased bus service from PortAlberni to Tofino and on other Vancouver Island routes, thanks to the purchase of more busses.

“We knew there was a need for yearround bus service on this route and the enthusiastic response over the last three months is proof,” says Phillip Morgan, owner of IslandLink. “We are thrilled that travelers in the region have accepted us as a provider of reliable and efficient bus service and we thank everyone for continuing to book seats with us,”

In January 2023, Ha-Shilth-Sa reported that Tofino Bus and Vancouver Island Connector paused bus service to the western communities of Tofino and Ucluelet, citing a 95 per cent decline in ridership since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

The company said it would resume services in May 2023 as they move to a more economically feasible seasonal service.

The announcement raised concern in Clayoquot Sound First Nations communities, who heavily rely on bus service not only for routine trips to ‘town’, but also for those of limited means that need to get to medical and dental appointments.

Just days after Tofino Bus made its an-

nouncement to suspend service, IslandLink announced that it would be expanding its service to include a link between Nanaimo and Tofino/Ucluelet beginning Jan. 30, 2023. They stated that, with their

fleet of smaller busses, they believed they could run a profitable service.

“We’ve looked at the numbers, and with our 15-passenger vehicles, we’re able to add this service,” said Morgan. Beginning Jan. 30, 2023, IslandLink ran its new route between Nanaimo and Tofino three days a week, to the relief of west coast residents.

In a statement issued May 8, 2023, IslandLink said it has carried more than 1,100 passengers on the new route since it’s launch in January.

To meet the increasing demand for service, IslandLink has purchased two new 24-seat busses which will be used on the Nanaimo-Tofino route. In addition, beginning May 18, 2023, service will increase to five days a week on the Tofino route. There will be twice daily bus service between Nanaimo and PortAlberni. IslandLink launched in 1998 as service to connect passengers from Qualicum/ French Creek and Parksville to the Departure Bay ferry terminal in Nanaimo. It has since expanded to include Campbell River in the north to Victoria in the south and 12 communities in between, plus Tofino and Ucluelet in the west.

“We are here to stay as we continue to build and enhance our service in the region,” said Morgan.

Submitted photo

Island Link will open a base for the west coast route in PortAlberni on May 18, 2023. They state that the drivers will be residents of PortAlberni and the busses will be maintained there.

Every IslandLink bus offers free Wi-Fi.

For travel between PortAlberni and Tofino/Ucluelet, beginning May 18, passengers leaving PortAlberni may catch the bus to the west coast at Harbour Quay at the foot ofArgyle Street.

The pickup/drop off location in Tofino is in the parking lot behind the Tofino Coop. The bus stop in Ucluelet is located at 1645 Cedar Road.

When booking online, the fare from Port Alberni to either Ucluelet or Tofino (either direction) is $30.00. The rate is $40 for those paying at the bus with no reservation. These rates are one-way fares.

Because there are two buses operating on the route, passengers can now make day trips from PortAlberni to the west coast if they so wish.

“We plan to do all we can to make this bus service responsive to the needs of all west Coast people and their visitors,” said Morgan.

For more information on Island bus routes, schedule and fares, and to book a seat online, visit the Islandlink website at www.islandlinkbus.com

IslandLink will run two busses, like this one, daily to serve communities between PortAlberni and Tofino/Ucluelet. With two daily busses running, passengers can now make day trips to the west coast.

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Decriminalizing drugs - good or bad?

By Alexandra Mehl Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

British Columbia – On Jan. 31, 2023, the province of British Columbia decriminalized personal possession of some drugs, which would allot for 2.5 grams of opioid (heroin, morphine, and fentanyl), crack and powder cocaine, methamphetamine, and MDMA(ecstasy) for personal use, for a three year period.

The aim of the decriminalization project is to address B.C. toxic drug crisis by reducing stigmas and barriers associated with accessing life-saving services, reads the provincial website.

In response to the decriminalization project in B.C., some municipalities initiated the development of bylaws that would prohibit drug consumption in certain public places.

On Jan 26, 2023, Campbell River’s Public NuisanceAmendment Bylaw and Ticketing for Bylaw OffensesAmendment Bylaw, was adopted. Soon after, it was repealed (Feb 23, 2023), with a request that staff report back on further options.

Arevised version of the Public Nuisance Amendment Bylaw has gone through two readings, and will be brought back to council in June, said the City of Campbell River. It will prohibit the public consumption of drugs 15-meters from certain public spaces, narrowing from the initial city-wide bylaw.

In the email to Ha-Shilth-Sa the City of Campbell River said that their intention with the implementation of the bylaw is to “foster a safe and comfortable environment so that people can use and enjoy public space.”

“Council hears feedback from residents, businesses, and visitors that the consumption of controlled substances in certain public locations creates discomfort, can result in unsafe and disruptive behaviors, and causes members of the public to avoid certain locations, which limits their participation in recreational and leisure activities,” reads the email.

This revised bylaw would prohibit the consumption of controlled substances within fifteen meters of any playground, sports field, tennis court, picnic shelter, water park, skate park, or covered bus shelter, and important locations to the City such as City Hall, the Community

Centre, Sportplex, Spirit Square, Centennial building, Robert Ostler Park, the Library, Tidemark Theatre, Centennial Swimming Pool, the Museum, Maritime Heritage Centre, and the Discovery Fishing Pier, reads an email from the City of Campbell River.

Pivot Legal Society challenged Campbell Rivers initial bylaws filing a petition with the BC Supreme Court on Feb 10, 2023.

“I think that there’s far more concern and emphasis put on people’s level of comfort, than there is with the actual lives of drug users and feeding into people’s stigma against drug users at direct cost to the lives of drug users,” said Caitlin Shane, a staff lawyer with Pivot Legal, when asked about municipalities’ development of bylaws regarding public consumption of drugs.

“The idea with decriminalization is to counter the outcomes of criminalization,” she said.

Criminal sanction or bylaws, such as those that involve fines, will continue to drive people to use drugs underground which leads to fatal overdoses, said Shane.

She said that bylaws that prevent people from using drugs in public will most significantly impact the unhoused community, especially in communities where there are fewer services accessible to them.

“There is no evidence that BC’s decriminalization policy (or any decriminalization policy) will result in an increase in public drug consumption,” reads Pivot Legal Society statement regarding Campbell Rivers bylaws.

“We were really cautionary about this; to say that these bylaws could really undermine the entire policy,” said Caitlin Shane, when reflecting on Pivot Legal Society’s participation as a core planning member for the decriminalization policy.

At the beginning of May, the Mayor and City Council met with Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Michele Babchuk MLA, to discuss the Public Nuisance bylaw and collaborations that would safely address the harms of substance abuse, reads the email.Additionally, they received a presentation from Dr. Reka Gustafson, Chief Medical Health Officer for Island Health, and Dr. Charmaine Enns, Regional Medical Health officer.

The City of Campbell River has an overdose prevention and supervised consumption site on Dogwood Street operating from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

In an interview with Ha-Shilth-Sa, Sharie Minions, Mayor of PortAlberni, said that she does not agree with responses of municipalities across the province prohibiting the use of drugs in public spaces, but she can understand why this approach is being taken.

“Nobody wants to see drug use in our public spaces,” said Minions. “I don’t personally agree with that response, just because I don’t feel it’s going to be effective.”

Minions said that mental health and addictions is not a responsibility of the municipal government, though when the federal and provincial government make changes, such as the decriminalization project, there is impact at the municipal level.

“There’s no guide, and I think we’re all just trying to do our best to respond,” said Minions. “We’re trying to react and do the best we can to keep our public spaces vibrant and safe.”

PortAlberni is one among many municipalities responding to “an increase in the vulnerability of people in our community struggling with mental health and specifically addictions to opioids,” said Minions.

“Walking through our community, you see the results of that every day, there are a lot of people needing more and more support,” she continued.

For PortAlberni City Council, they haven’t discussed different approaches when considering the decriminalization. Minions said that they plan to “let the professionals lead and to support where we can.”

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Shari Minions

Some municipalities push to prohibit consumption of drugs in public spaces.

Tsuma’as elementary school prepares for Spring Fest

Nuu-chah-nulth education workers are excited as students prepare two songs for upcoming Spring Fest

By Alexandra Mehl Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

PortAlberni, BC – Every Thursday and Friday, for the last six weeks, students of Tsuma’as Elementary School have been gathering during lunch to learn and perform two songs for SD70’s and Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal council’s Spring Festival.

The first class had roughly sixty students, and six weeks later there are around thirty students that attend the drumming and singing practice consistently, shared Jean Thomas, Nuu-chahnulth Education Worker (NEW).

She said that some students are so dedicated they will run directly from track practice in order to make it in time and will arrive out of breath.

As the class prepared to drum their first song, The Equality Song, composed by PatrickAleck of Stz’uminus First Nation and Penelakut Island, Martin Watts, lead singer and drummer, asked them, “We start without the drum because?”

“Our voices are powerful,” responded the class.

The entire class began singing together.

When Watts asked for the “loud version,” their drums followed suit.

When Watts first heard this song, it was on a canoe journey whenAleck shared the meaning of the song; giving everyone an opportunity and remembering your voice is powerful, shared Watts.

“I felt that was a good message to give the kids,” said Watts. “Their voices are powerful.”

For the song, Moving Forward in a Good Way, both Watts and Thomas asked the composers Connie Sam and Melissa Gus for permission.

“How I see it is the kids are opening up their heart to our culture,” said Watts.

“They’ve all grasped the song very well.”

Jean Thomas and Martin Watts lead a drumming and singing class at Tsuma’as Elementary in preparation for Spring Fest. The practice then moved outside where the students could enjoy the sun.

During the practice, Watts shares teachings that accompany the songs such as “respecting yourself [and] respecting who you are as a person,” he said.

They’ve also talked about helping their grandparents and their family.

When students began singing, Moving Forward in a Good Way, the sound of their voices and drums burst through the room as they sang loud and with pride.

“Wow,” said Thomas.

“That’s near perfect,” added Watts.

“Of all the times I’ve done Spring Fest, I’ve never seen any students as excited as I have at this one,” said Thomas.

Spring Fest usually is held every two years, but because of the pandemic the 2023 Spring Fest will be the first in four years, said Thomas.

“I think this is the most exciting one for us,” said Thomas.“We’re going to have a lot of students there.”

Thomas chose Lily and Violet Evans,

two kindergarten students, to drum next to Watts on the day of the performance.

The twins learned the song swiftly and can keep up to Watts’drumming, said Thomas.

“You listen to the kids… how strong [and] how well they’re singing; it’s amazing,” said Watts.

Spring Fest will be held atAlberni District Secondary School on May 18, from 5 to 7:30 p.m.

Čitaapi Mahtii – Ahousaht affordable housing project

By Denise Titian Ha-Shilth-Sa Reporter

PortAlberni, BC –Ahousaht’s new affordable housing project – čitaapi Mahtii is one step closer to groundbreaking as demolition of the old school building on site begins on the second week of May 2023.

According toAhousaht’s previous council, there are more than 500 registered members living in the city of Port Alberni. Many struggle to find affordable housing.

So, when BC Housing offered to support Ahousaht in creating an Indigenous housing development, the formerAhousaht council jumped at the opportunity.

The čitaapi Mahtii Housing Society, headed by President Wally Samuel selected a lot near the Glenwood Centre at 4210 Cedarwood Street. Formerly an elementary school, the building housed the PortAlberni Youth Centre. Demolition of the old school building has begun and is expected to take about two months, according to Samuel.

Bowerman Construction was contracted to carry out the demolition, according to board member and liaison to the Project Consulting Team and čitaapi Mahtii Housing Society, Greg Louie.

“Bowerman was looking for five Ku-ous (Indigenous) guys to hire for the demolition but only three showed up and of those, two showed up consistently,” said Louie. He went on to say that while the

demolition represents two months’worth of work, it could mean long-term employment for the right individuals.

Bowerman offered training to the new hires and, according to Louie, if things work out, they could hire people for other jobs.

Louie expects demolition to be done by June 30 followed by a period finalizing architectural drawings and getting approvals and permits from the City of Port Alberni. He hopes groundbreaking for the new building will be taking place in late September or early October.

“We will be looking for employees during the construction,” said Louie. They can be experienced, or they could be willing to be trained. “We will need people for construction and for trades like electrical,” said Louie.

In addition, the building will feature Indigenous art inside and outside.Artists are invited to send conceptual drawings to Wally Samuel. His email address is wsamuel@telus.net.

When finished, the multi-purpose čitaapi Mahtii building will stand four stories high and will provide 35 units of afford-

able housing. In addition, it will have a gathering space for cultural activities.

Partners in the project areAhousaht First Nation, CMHC and BC Housing.

To enquire about demolition jobs, please contact Bowerman Construction on site. Island West Coast Development will be taking resumes for those interested in construction or trades jobs for the project. Please contact Tina Brooks for employment opportunities for this project at tina@iwcd.ca

Alexandra Mehl photo

Denise Titian photo

The PortAlberni Youth Centre, formerly an elementary school, will soon be bulldozed to the ground asAhousaht makes way for a brand new, four storey affordable housing complex with a gathering space.

Addictions awareness message sent as family dries tears at potlatch

łaakl’uuła, family celebrates lives of mother Margaret Jack and young Trevor Jack, remembering them with love.

By Denise Titian Ha-Shilth-Sa Reporter

Campbell River, BC – It has been a tough three years since the loss of her son, but Anita Baker summoned the strength to gather her family to celebrate the lives of her son, Trevor, and mother Margaret Jack of Kyuquot, BC.

Margaret Jack, born May 1, 1940, lovingly raised her family from her home in Kyuquot, then, later in Campbell River. She was the daughter of Emile and Sophie Jules, connecting her to the Tyee Ha’wilth of Kyuquot, Christine Cox. She married fisherman Leo Jack, raising seven children together.

Anita Baker, nee Jack, said her mother passed away in 2016 after a battle with cancer. The family had planned to host a memorial potlatch for her a few years later, but the COVID-19 pandemic struck, preventing people from gathering for more than two years.

Sadly, Baker lost her only son, Trevor Jack, age 31, inApril 2020. He died in Victoria, of an overdose. “He wasn’t a regular user of street drugs,” saidAnita. She wanted people to know that you don’t have to be living in the streets to die of a drug overdose – occasional users of street drugs are probably more vulnerable to overdose since they haven’t built up tolerance to substances.

Baker said her son had a chronic injury that affected his feet, preventing him from walking distances. Over time he put on weight. “He smoked weed and drank a lot,” said Baker, but she never knew of him to do hard street drugs.

When the pandemic lockdown started in 2020, Trevor, like many others, applied for and received CERB, the Canadian Emergency Relief Benefit, which was intended for Canadians who lost income due to the pandemic. Eligible Canadians received up to $2,000 every four weeks.

“He was locked up at home and had all this money, so he just drank every day,”

Baker recalled.

When he missed his birthday celebration inApril of that year, he told his mother that he was hit hard by the death of a friend a few days before. “He was going down a dangerous, dark road, and I scolded him,”

said Baker.

So, it was a shock when she learned that he had overdosed on street drugs. “I believe he was drunk when he did it,” said Baker, adding that he knew how bad drugs are and was so against it.

With the support of Indigenous Outreach Workers in Victoria, Baker laid her son to rest, and they helped to plan the joint memorial for Trevor and his grandmother Margaret.

“He was so kind, loving and perfect, he was a mama’s boy,” said Baker.

She admits this is the first time she has ever planned and hosted a potlatch. “I still carry the grief and pain, but, for me, this is a way to release the pain and lift myself out of grief,” Baker told Ha-Shilth-Sa.

She had the support of cultural leaders living in Victoria, Guy Louie Jr., Calvin Louie and Peter Charlie. She also had great

support from family. “We broke apart when we lost our parents, but we all came back together for this – I know my parents are so proud,” said Baker.

The Drying of Tears potlatch started shortly after 11:00 a.m. with the hosts blanketing people that have recently suffered losses in their families. Once the floor was ceremonially cleansed, the family performed a dance, indicating that their mourning period had ended.

They concluded by bringing out portraits of their loved ones, Margaret and Trevor. Speaking on behalf of the family, Guy Louie Jr. announced that it was hard for them to be there and to be strong, but it needed to be done to honor their loved ones. He thanked the guests for accepting the invitation to the potlatch.

The hosts, through their emcee, spoke about the dangers of illicit drugs and how suddenly and finally, lives are being lost. Guests took the opportunity to share their thoughts on addictions and sobriety.

“Addictions cause so much pain and loss, but there’s resources out there to help people on the road to sobriety,” said an elder Johnson family member.

After feeding the people lunch, guests paid respects to the memories of Margaret and Trevor by performing their dances and speaking of the love they have for them.According to Baker, the Mowachaht/ Muchalaht people rocked the house with their performances.

As the day wore on, more and more people began showing up. “We had 350 chairs, and we ran out of chairs!” said Baker.

Eugene John’s Kyuquot dances were also brought out. “They were amazing songs and dances,” said Baker.

“Everything was so beautiful. I loved it,” she added. “I just felt all the love and appreciated all the people that came to hold us up.”

Baker says she still thinks of her son daily and talks to him. “I know he’s always with me. He’s not suffering, he’s not hurting. He’s happy,” she said.

The potlatch concluded sometime after 3:00 a.m. with Kyuquot’s Tyee Ha’wilth, Christine Cox’s dance.

Family unveiling portraits of their loved ones, Margaret and Trevor Jack, as they dry their tears and deliver messages of health, self-care and safety.

Photo by Denise Titian

Kyuquot Family spreads awareness

On May 6th, a Kyuquot family dried their tears after the loss of family members

By Alexandra Mehl Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Campbell River, BC – For Lil’Star Frank, daughter to Lillian Jack, when Trevor Jack passed away from an overdose nothing would stop her from being with her family to mourn the loss of their loved one.

She found out about her brother’s passing when she had gotten a call at 4:00 a.m., fromAnita Baker, Trevor Jack’s mother, and who Frank considered another mother. She drove fromAhousaht and waited in the Kennedy Hill construction so that she could be with her family in Victoria.

At the time she had been caring for 10 children.

Trevor Jack’s overdose in 2020 in Victoria was coupled with alcohol use, explained the family.

“I feel like if alcohol wasn’t involved my brother would be here,” said Frank.

It was important for the family, at the Drying of the Tears Potlatch in Campbell River, to spread awareness about the use of drugs and alcohol.

“We want to share his love and his life and who he was because this was not Trevor,” she said. “He was not aware of what might be the outcome due to being under the influence of alcohol.”

“Our family has grieved lots because of alcohol and drugs,” she said.

Frank said that the same week that her brother had passed, there were 11 other deaths on the South Island due to overdose while there were 36 in that same month.

“Trevor had his whole life ahead of him. He was so giving, so loving; his heart was so big,” said Frank.

“Alcohol and drugs; that’s what took him.”

“I want everybody to be aware, and if you’re struggling, reach out, and there’s so much love and support,” said Frank. “But don’t make that next choice of drugs and alcohol be it for you.”

Virtual Substance Use and Psychiatry Service which can be referred to individuals by First Nations HealthAuthority (FNHA) Virtual Doctor of the day, as well as other

providers such as general and nurse practitioners, addiction workers, counselors, community health reps, among others.

This online service provides addiction medicine, psychiatry support, and care coordination which include harm reduction support, relapse prevention planning, education about treatment centers, treatment care planning, diagnosis support, medication review, check-ins, and connections to community services such as counselling and therapy, among others.

Pamela Webster, a member of the VictoriaAhousaht Cultural Group, was the first to sit with the family after the loss in 2020, explained Guy Louie Junior (Gitsian*). She would cook meals, make coffee, and handle business for the family such as informing other family members of Trevors passing, he continued.

“When families lose somebody they need to move as little as possible,” said Louie Junior. “And have other family members come in and help them so that they can focus on grieving.”

“We did the traditional part of handling the body and transporting it where it needed to go,” explained Louie Junior. “We also cleansed the house and the room [where] it happened.”

When the family asked the group for support with no hesitation they accepted, explained Louie Junior.

“We offered our knowledge… [on] the protocols of Potlatch [and] the processes,” said Louie Junior.

From the initial loss to the Drying of the Tears Potlatch, years later, the Victoria Ahousaht Cultural Group supported the family through their grief.

For Louie Junior, his role at the potlatch was emcee, following suit to similar roles that his father and grandfather had taken on in many potlatches before.

“My father’s always encouraging me to take on roles like that,” said Louie Junior. “There was a lot of pride and satisfaction in doing that.”

Louie Junior explained that memorial Potlatches are held depending on how one has passed away and how long they’ve lived.

“If it was a really tragic loss then they wait four years because in [those] four years, they need to heal and grieve,” said Louie Junior. “If we do it in a year they’re still going to be in deep grief and it won’t finish its proper cycle.”

Prior to a memorial potlatch the family puts away the belongings of the loved one who has passed away, and at the ceremony things like pictures, songs and dances will come back out.

“It is up to the family to show the people that they’re letting go now of grieving, and they’re moving into celebrating the life that they have,” he said.

Among providing supporting families who have lost a loved one, the Victoria Ahousaht group also is called upon to perform in Victoria, and at request throughout the Island. They also perform traditional cleansings at request from families, said Louie Junior.

The group has been meeting on a weekly basis since 1996.

“We also rely on our local elders,” said Louie Junior. “We call elders from Ahousaht to guide us because we don’t want to disrespect anybody or any traditions that we have.”

Frank also stressed the importance of frequent health checks. Her late-grandmother, Margaret Jack, who was also commemorated at the potlatch, had passed from cancer seven years prior.

She said that her late-grandmother initially had cancer, overcame it, but then didn’t continue to get checked after.

As a food teacher and coordinator, Frank has raised her kids to eat healthy, exercise, pursue their dreams, and strive for academic success.

She reflects that there weren’t people to push her late-grandmother to be healthy.

“We’re pushing that for the next generation; that they can do good no matter what,” said Frank reflecting on the success of her children and her foster children. “I want my kids to do good, I want them to be healthy.”

Photo by Alexandra Mehl messages of health, self-care and safety.

Photo by Alexandra Mehl

Calvin Louie leads song amidst drumming circle in Campbell River at Drying of Tears Potlatch.

Photos by Denise Titian

Ahousaht tourism venture celebrated with ceremony

Ahous Adventures opens for the season with celebrations and Hot Springs tour

By Alexandra Mehl Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Hot Springs Cove, BC –Ahousaht

Ha’wiih started their 2023 tourist season in grand style as invited guests joined them for an excursion to the place formerly known as Maquinna Park. The day began with a departure from the docks just behindAhousAdventures, in Tofino, where visitors boarded for either a zodiac, or covered boat. The boats are part of a fleet managed byAhousAdventures, owned by Maaqtusiis Hahoulthee Stewardship Society (MHSS).

As the boat neared Schindler Point, the boat slowed down while a guide identifed the current territory boundary where visitors would leave Tla-o-qui-aht territory and enterAhousaht (ʕaḥuusʔatḥ) territory.

The driver took note of the shallow water in the area known to be populated with sea otters, a keystone species to the coast, who were likely hunting for horse clams.

To the right of the boat, rugged and snowy mountains became visible behind the lush and green mountains hugging the coastline.

Sea otter after sea otter, the boat made its way to Nišmâqin, meaning the land

that is ours, whereAhousAdventures’ opening ceremony would be held.

It isAhousAdventures’, owned and operated byAhousaht, first official season, providing eco-cultural tours as seen through the lens ofAhousaht, sharing their “knowledge, culture and history through storytelling” connecting visitors with “the true spirit of this remarkable ecosystem,” reads a joint press release from Maaqutusiis Hahoulthee Stewardship Society (MHSS) andAhousAdventures.

Tyee Ḥaẁilth Maquinna Lewis George, said that a large component of his nation’s eco-cultural tourism business is educating people ofAhousaht’s history, including wars.

“We have over six hundred place names of the whole territories ofAhousaht in our language; every place has a name,” said Maquinna. “Prior to European contact it all belonged to us.”

“Now we’re having to reclaim our lands back that we never lost,” he said. Nišmâqin, an area of cultural significance toAhousaht, is colloquially known as Maquinna Provincial Marine Park, however, ʕaḥuusʔatḥ Ḥaẁiiḥ, began the renaming process with B.C. Parks.

Once a totem pole is complete, they will awaken the pole at Nišmâqin with a ceremony for the renaming of the park, said Maquinna.

The day’s ceremony began with an opening prayer, which then was followed by warm up songs, after, the drummers welcomed their guests with a song, shared Maquinna.

Next, they sang the Nuu-chah-nulth song, which was gifted to the Nuu-chahnulth Tribal Council by, Maquinna’s father, Earl Maquinna George.An old warrior song, most likely composed by the people that originatedAhousaht.

After, the Swan’s dance was performed, followed with the dinner song, he said.

“We picked all of those songs today because we wanted to tie everybody into one,” said Maquinna.

Troy John, lead stewardship guardian, said that their team had stayed in tents for seven months when building the new boardwalk for the two-kilometer trail to the hot springs.

The guardians worked for seven long days to complete the building of a guardian’s cabin so that it was finished for the ceremony, said John.

“It’s just awesome that we’re able to

show people that we are capable of looking after our own traditional lands,” said John.

Since 9:30 a.m. that day John had been preparing suuhaa clup-chus (salmon barbeque) for the ceremony.After visitors enjoyed the hike to the hot springs, the boats departed from Nišmâqin.

On the way back to Tofino, visitors took a new route back. The boat slowed as steller sea lions fed on a fish, and soon after kakawin (orca whales) would make an appearance breaching and slapping their tails on the water.

From first light to 11:00 a.m. and, from 4:00 p.m. to dusk, use of the hot springs is exclusive toAhousaht members and AhousAdventures.

AhousAdventures is now open to book tours for the season, including the Hot Springs Eco-tour to Nišmâqin, bear watching tours, and whale watching tours.

It was noted that on June 21st, for Indigenous Peoples’Day, an official ribbon cutting ceremony will be held atAhous Adventures for its opening.

Phrase†of†the†week:†qwiisčuu qwiłquu naaʔaataḥniš tiickin ƛiiḥƛiiḥ ʔuḥʔis miłmis ƛuupicšałis

Pronounced ‘qwis chu quil alth koo na agatha tiic kin ooh ish mil miss clu peach sha alt ish’, it means ‘When we hear the Thunderbird, lighting and rain, you know the weather is going to change.’Supplied by ciisma.

Illustration by Koyah Morgan Banke

Alexandra Mehl photo

Opening ceremony held forAhousAdventures, anAhousaht owned and operated eco and cultural tour company, at Nišmâqin.

Great Pacific Garbage Patch host to marine life

Research shows some coastal species are capable of living, surviving, and reproducing in the ocean with aid

By Konnor Oliver Ha-Shilth-Sa Contributor

Apaper published inApril has suggested marine species usually only found on the Pacific coasts are able to survive in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, and the recent study has a Vancouver Island connection.

Henry Choong, curator of Invertebrate Zoology at the Royal BC Museum, co-authored the study alongside Linsey Haram of the National Institute of Food andAgriculture in the United States, as well as many others. They say that the results of this study may suggest that coastal species have been able to not only survive, but reproduce on plastic debris that has floated out from the coasts and into deeper sections of the Pacific Ocean.

“Our findings show that coastal species are clearly capable of living, surviving, and reproducing in the open ocean with the aid of plastic pollution, because plastic provides a more permanent, nonbiodegradable ‘home’for them,” says Choong.

The study follows up a previous effort, in which species native to Japan were found on the coasts of Hawaii and North America following the earthquake and tsunamis that rocked the country in 2011.

“[Materials] such as lumber, glass and metal, are made of naturally occurring materials and may not last at sea,” states the study. “However, enduring plastic materials may survive much longer, although degradation rates vary across polymer type, habitat and environmental conditions. Floating plastic materials, such as buoys and floats, built to persist in harsh marine environments, are by nature more durable and buoyant than

Avariety of items collected ranging from rope to bouys. natural materials, making floating plastics optimal rafts for long-distance and longterm dispersal.”

The vast majority of organisms found in the study were invertebrates. These range from crustaceans and sea spiders, to sea sponges, bivalves, sea anemones, and bryozoa, which are more commonly known as moss animals. In fact, the only species found that are not classified as invertebrates would be three distinct types of polychaete worms, also known as bristle worms. Despite what people may think from the name, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is not actually a massive island created of plastics, as the majority of the debris making it up are microplastics, giving the ocean more of a cloudy look than anything else.Astudy done in 2018 found that nearly half of the mass was made up of fishing nets in various states of deterioration.

The scientific community was aware of

the issue of plastic pollution in the Pacific as far back as the late 1980s, but the extent of the problem was brought to public attention in 1997. That year, a yacht racer named Charles Moore took a route through the patch during a transpacific race, and has been championing the issue of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch ever since. Moore had founded theAlgalita research foundation in 1994 with the aim of improving water quality in California, but by 1999 he had transitioned it to focusing solely on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

In an article written February of 2023 forAlgalita, Moore compares the level of plastic pollution in the ocean to the Greek myth of Pandora’s box. He believes that, at least in the foreseeable future, cleaning the ocean of the plastics will be near impossible, and that the best option for preserving the ocean is for humanity as a whole to scale back the use of plastics.

“While there may be no hope of clean-

ing plastic from the environment in the foreseeable future, there is hope that mankind can respect and fear plastic enough to treat it with great care, by designing products and creating take-back infrastructure that makes plastic benign,” writes Moore.

That’s not to say that everyone feels the same way as Moore, however. The aptly named foundation The Ocean Cleanup has made their entire goal to remove as much garbage from both rivers and oceans worldwide, with the main goal being to have removed 90 per cent of all garbage from the oceans by the year 2040.

They too, have an island connection. The Ocean Cleanup’s most recent cleanup system, called System 02 and nicknamed “Jenny,” was first tested in July of 2021, and sailed out to the Garbage Patch from Victoria. OnApril 4, 2023, System 02’s second iteration made its first extraction, pulling 6,260 kilograms of plastic out of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which also brought them to over 200,000 kilograms removed to date in total.And as recently as May 1, they deployed the third iteration, double the size of the second.

As far as the species now calling the garbage patch home, the experts say more research is necessary to see what the long-term impacts will be.And according to Choong, there are a lot of said experts looking into it.

“This work involves a large group of interdisciplinary scientists and non-profits studying the biology and physics of the eastern North Pacific Subtropical Gyre,” he said.

Wildfires burn across B.C. as hot weather persists

By Karly Blats Ha-Shilth-Sa Contributor

British Columbia – Summer has not yet officially arrived but several forest fires are already being fought throughout the province, according to the BC Wildfire Service.

SinceApril 1 of this year there have been 21 wildfires throughout the Coastal Fire Centre , part of the 207 fires that have burned in the entire province this spring.

As of Monday May 15, there are 56 active fires in the province, seven of which are in the Coastal Fire Centre according to the by the BC Wildfire Service. Forty of the province’s active fires are said to be human caused, 14 caused by lightning and two with unknown causes.

On Wednesday May 10, one of the first wildfires on Vancouver Island burned on Thunder Mountain, 25 km northwest of PortAlberni. Twelve firefighters battled the blaze that was being held at just over one-third of a hectare as of Thursday morning. It is not yet determined what caused the fire but the Coastal Fire Centre suspects that it was human caused.

According to the BC Wildfire Service, sinceApril 1, two other wildfires have burned on Vancouver Island, both in the mid-island region and both suspected to be human caused. One fire was 2.5 hectares in size north of Great Central Lake and the other 0.10 hectares 13 km south of Taylor Main.

There is currently one fire said to be ‘out of control’in the Coastal Fire Centre that was discovered 20 km from the Squamish

Valley on Saturday, May 13.As of May 15, the fire is said to be 17 hectares in size and is not responding to suppression efforts. The BC Wildfire Services suspects it was human caused.

“Spring wildfires are almost always human-caused and therefore preventable. Human starts are generally due to carelessness and a lack of planning. If you light a fire you are responsible for its placement (clear of debris, nothing overhanging and a manageable size), monitoring it, and putting it out,” said Marg Drysdale, Fire Information Officer with the Coastal Fire Centre. “Find an area clear of debris, on mineral soil with no overhead hazards. Monitor it at all times and have a means to extinguish it –a shovel, available water, etc.”

Drysdale said a wildfire can occur at any time of the year, all it needs is oxygen, fuel and heat. In the Coastal Fire Centre crews have responded to fires in every month but Drysdale says the summer months are more risky due to the heat, dry fuels, more people out recreating and a higher risk of lightning.

The three-month forecast for May, June and July from Environment Canada is calling for above average temperatures, with average rainfall for most of the Coastal Fire Centre. This week highs in PortAlberni are said to reach 32 degrees Celsius and unseasonably hot weather will persist over coastal B.C.

“June rains are always a moderator of the rest of the fire season,” Drysdale said.

“If it rains a lot in June it provides moisture to vegetation which can help reduce its ability to burn compared to not having

that moisture.”

Drysdale added that the Coastal Fire Centre does not currently have any prohibitions in place but anyone lighting a fire requires the means to put it out. The consequences for starting a fire and not managing it can be dire, she said.

One of the biggest risks at this time of year, said Drysdale, are Category 2 fires.

Acategory 2 fire is an open fire that is larger than a Category 1 (campfire – 0.5 metres by 0.5 metres) but not exceeding two metres in height and three metres in width. These are often associated with backyard debris burning or party fires.

“Whether there is a prohibition in place or not anyone lighting a fire is respon-

sible for monitoring it and putting it out. Out means completely out and cold to the touch,” Drysdale said. “Once a prohibition is in place anyone found in contravention of an open burning prohibition may be issued a violation ticket for $1,150, required to pay an administrative penalty of up to $10,000 or, if convicted in court, fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced to one year in jail. If the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs. Violators could also be held responsible for damages to Crown resources, which could be significant.”

The Ocean Cleanup photo

BC Wildfire Service

The BC Wildfire Service is trying to put out a blaze, northwest of Bear Lake in July of 2022.

First Nations join forces to bring new hotel to valley

Huu-ay-aht and Tseshaht partner up to bring hotel with pool and waterslide to Port Alberni

By Sam Laskaris Ha-Shilth-Sa Contributor

PortAlberni, BC – It’s been more than four decades since a new hotel opened in the Vancouver Island city of PortAlberni. But that will be changing in the near future.

That’s because it was announced in early May 2023 that the Huu-ay-aht Group of Businesses (HGB), the economic arm of Huu-ay-aht First Nation, has entered into a partnership with Tseshaht First Nation and MasterBUILT Hotels Ltd.

The partnership group is planning to build a Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham in PortAlberni.

The last hotel built in PortAlberni was the Best Western Plus Barclay Hotel. It opened its doors 43 year ago, in 1980.

According to Microtel by Wyndham, a microtel is franchised. It is a hotel offering modern, smaller spaces that can save guests money. In the economy category of hotels, microtels can be built on a shorter construction schedule with lower start-up costs.

“I think it’s long overdue,” said Patrick Schmidt, the HGB’s CEO, adding he’s surprised that with expansion in the city and surrounding areas in recent decades that another local hotel wasn’t built earlier.

The plan for the new partnership is to build a 39,000-square foot hotel, which would include 76 rooms.Amenities would feature a pool and a waterslide.

Schmidt and other project officials are unwilling to give the exact location of where the hotel will be built. Or when construction on the facility might commence.

“We don’t want to give a specific date,” Schmidt said. “Like many hotels, there’s a process to get a lot of permits. We’re in the process of filing some of those permits now.”

Tseshaht First Nation chief councillor Ken Watts said project officials know

where they would like to build the hotel.

“We have one preferred location,” he said. “And I can’t say where until we finalize some of the details.”

The project has been a couple of years in the making.

“They reached out to us with an opportunity they had,” Watts said of Huu-ayaht officials. “We were going back and forth on it doing our own research.”

Schmidt confirmed talks for the proposed hotel first surfaced several years ago. But those plans were put on hold once the pandemic hit and the hotel industry took a major hit due to various

restrictions.

With the tourism and hotel industries well on their ways in their pandemic recovery period, project reps believe it is time to proceed with a new facility.

“I think our community is pretty ecstatic about it,” Watts said. “They’ve been asking for it.”

The HGB will have a 61 per cent stake in the project. Tseshaht First Nation will own one-third, 33 per cent, of the hotel. And MasterBUILT Hotels Ltd., a Calgary-based hotel development and investment company, will own five per cent. Watts said he is hoping construction on

the hotel will begin this calendar year. After breaking ground, he believes it will take 12-18 months to complete the project.

The hotel will be designed to accommodate further expansion. Schmidt said an additional 24 rooms could be added in the future.

Huu-ay-aht councillor Evan Cook believes this partnership deal will have numerous benefits.

“This is a very exciting project that HGB has been working on for a number of years,” said Cook, who is in charge of economic development for his First Nation. “This partnership makes it possible to move forward on the Microtel, something that will benefit both nations and theAlberni Valley.”

Schmidt said it is not uncommon for hotels to have various managing partners. Cook is pleased others were brought on board.

“Each of the partners brings our own unique perspective, and together we make this project stronger,” he said. “It will offer employment and training opportunities to our people and residents of theAlberni Valley, while providing diversification in our business model.”

Schmidt said he is glad to see Tseshaht agreed to be part of the new venture.

“We think there’s a lot of advantages working with the other First Nation in our area,” he said.

David Donaldson, president and CEO of MasterBUILT Hotels, is also pleased his company is part of the project.

“We are very excited to partner with Huu-ay-aht Group of Businesses and Tseshaht First Nation to bring a brandnew hotel to PortAlberni,” he said. “The Microtel Inn & Suites will raise the level of accommodation for both business and leisure travellers in the market, and more importantly, it will support economic growth in the local community for decades to come.”

Melissa Bigmore photo

Apair of Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations - Huu-ay-aht and Tseshaht have joined forces to build a new hotel in PortAlberni. Tseshaht chief councillor Ken Watts (left) and Huu-ay-aht councillor Evan Cook celebrate the news. travel

Ahousaht youth reflects on trip to South Korea

A cultural exchange sparks new ideas for Ahousaht post-secondary student Daral Campbell

By Denise Titian Ha-Shilth-Sa Reporter

Victoria, BC –AyoungAhousaht University student recently returned from a trip to South Korea, where he saw similarities between their culture and his, and he saw ways in which improvements can be made at home in terms of food security.

Daral ƛahayašištuuł Campbell, age 22, said he was originally invited to South Korea in 2020 as part of a group representingAhousaht’s Chah chum hii yup tiic mis, also known as the Holistic Centre.Ahousaht’s new wellness centre is nearing completion on the site of a former residential school in the village. From his understanding, Campbell said that Hangdong Global University, a South Korean Christian University, has some form of agreement withAhousaht where they will provide expertise atAhousaht’s new Wellness Center when it opens.

“I was invited to go in 2020, before pandemic hit, but it was delayed for 2 years,” Campbell shared.AsmallAhousaht group including JuliaAtleo, Manager of Chah chum hii yup tiic mis andAhousaht youth including Peter Charlie, Rhianna Atleo and Campbell himself were joined by Pastor Sungduek Hong and Joon Choe.

Pastor Hong is the president of Love Corps Mission Society, a Christian society whose vision is ‘to witness God healing the broken hearted and raising up leaders among the First Nations people of British Columbia. He and Joon Choe traveled with theAhousaht delegation, acting as guides and translators.

TheAhousaht group arrived in South Korea onApril 24 with the Love Corps missionaries and stayed for three days, according to Campbell. “We went to Pohang to go to the Handong Global University,” said Campbell.

“The first half of the trip was mostly meetings,” Campbell said, adding they

Asmall delegation fromAhousaht arrived in South Korea this spring to share culture and expand on the helping relationship being developed between students of Hangdong Global University andAhousaht’s newly built wellness centre. Daral Campbell stands fifth from the left.

spent time at the Handong Global University foreign studies department. “This was in relation to the wellness centre that they’re building inAhousaht, said Campbell. He said there is an MOU with the University and the Wellness Centre. “They’re planning to have volunteers trained in South Korea to help with health and wellness work,” he added.

Ha-Shilth-Sa reached out to Chah chum Hi-yup for details but could not reach the manager by press time.

Campbell, who is studying history at the University of Victoria as he works on his Bachelor of Education degree, said he had an opportunity to speak with a Korean linguistic class aboutAhousaht dialect of Nuu-chah-nulth. “They were able to pick up the alphabet quickly and able to pronounce words very well,” he said.

“One of the things that I found pretty interesting are the similarities between Ahousaht and Korea is that we are both very hospitable,” said Campbell. The two sides exchanged cultural activities. “They had a hotel for us and we were kept well fed,” he said, adding that they were eating largely Korean food like Korean barbecue and kim-chee.

Following activities at the University, the group went to Suu Wan, where they met missionaries-in-training that will come toAhousaht later in summer.

“We toured a smart farm, like a hydroponics farm,” said Campbell. There, he saw how food is being grown with ‘fish poop’as fertilizer. “They have freshwater fish in tanks that they breed,” said Campbell, the wastes from that are used to fertilize crops. “This is something we could do inAhousaht,” said Campbell.

The trip ended with a tour of a Korean castle and a war memorial. “The war memorial was very interesting,” said Campbell. “In history class you learn about it, but seeing it, you get better understanding of the North and South Korean divide. The last thing you see is a picture, people displaced by the war… you see a destroyed city and countryside homes,” Campbell shared.

He was reminded that the Korean war hasn’t ended, it can happen again and resume at any time, the museum guide told the group.

“I’d like to go back but don’t know when that can happen,” said Campbell. He is studying at the University of Victoria to be a history teacher.

Submitted photo

Photo by Alexandra Mehl

Apod of Kakawin sighted on the way back from Nišmâqin, whereAhousAdventures’opening ceremony was held on May 15.Among the pod was Chainsaw, a transient killer whale, known for his jagged dorsal fin.