INTERESTING NEWS Canada’s Oldest First Nations Newspaper - Serving Nuu-chah-nulth-aht since 1974 Vol. 46 - No. 21—November 7, 2019
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Eric Plummer Ha-Shilth-Sa Editor
Ten years later, nations press feds to honour court decision
Port Alberni, BC — A totem pole commissioned to mark the United Nations International Year of Indigenous Languages will not be erected at the University of Victoria as originally planned, but will remain in Port Alberni where it was carved. As it nears completion, the future home of the 61-foot pole was announced recently by the First Nations Education Foundation, which selected Hesquiaht carver Tim Paul to lead the transformation of the piece at Port Alberni’s waterfront this year. “We have always taken the approach that we are just the facilitators of the Language Revitalization Pole project, not the owners of a commissioned work of art,” said FNEF Executive Director Scott Jeary in a media statement. “We are really pleased with the way the Port Alberni community has rallied around the project and how they’ve made it their own and taken it to heart.” The exact permanent location of the pole is yet to be determined, but Jeary said that UVic is supportive of the change in plans. “When we advised them of the broad, increasing support in the Port Alberni community for the pole to remain there, they were 100 per cent onside with the new plan and I want to thank them for that,” he said. Carving began in March after the 800-year-old windfallen log - weighing an estimated 60,000 pounds – was transported from the forest floor of Huu-ay-aht territory to Port Alberni’s waterfront. With the pieces now painted, 11 relatives emerge from the western red cedar. It begins with the grizzly bear representing the land at the bottom, progressing up to the mountain chief, thunderbird, wind, sun moon and stars. The piece also includes the two creators of earthquakes. “They were dwarf-like supernatural beings that lived under the ground,” explained Kwakwaka’wakw carver Cecil Dawson, who assisted Paul in the pole transformation. “Their specific purpose was to bang this drum. When they banged the drum it sang, that’s when the earthquake happened.” “In our belief system when something is happening to our environment and we’re disrespecting it, that’s when they come out and bang their drum,” he added.
NTC President Judith Sayers, acting on behalf of five Nuu-chah-nulth nations, has sent a letter to newly re-elected Prime Minister Justin Trudeau insisting that Canada follow up on promises they made to reconcile with Canada’s First Nations. For Nuu-chah-nulth-aht, a concrete demonstration of reconciliation would be for the federal government to implement the 2009 court ruling that recognized the Aboriginal rights of the Ahousaht, Hesquiaht, Tla-o-qui-aht, Ehattesaht and Mowachaht/Muchalaht nations to commercially harvest fish in their territories. Nov. 3, 2019 marked the 10th anniversary of the landmark B.C. Supreme Court decision that established the nations’ right to commercially harvest fish in their territories. But after a decade the nations’ fishermen are still struggling. “It should not take the Government of Canada 10 years to live up to a judgement of Canada’s high court,” NTC President Sayers said in a statement. “This is absolutely unacceptable…this means 10 years of lost revenue to our fishermen and a denial of our right to a commercial fishery.” The NTC and the plaintiff nations urged the government to fulfill their obligations regarding the nations’ constitutional right to fish. “The federal government must not stall anymore and must move immediately to remedy the issue,” said Sayers. Since 2009, implementation of the ruling has been delayed and challenged by a series of unsuccessful attempts to appeal the decision by the Canadian Government. “We should not have to fight for a way of life that our ancestors carried on for thousands of years,” said Wickaninnish, Cliff Atleo Sr. of Ahousaht First Nation. The letter to government outlined four points, essentially requesting Prime Minister Trudeau direct his staff to conclude a reconciliation agreement with the nations and direct fisheries staff to revise policies and regulations that foster communitybased fisheries. “Agreement or no agreement, our nations require and are entitled to meaningful, economically viable fishing opportunities,” reads the statement from five nations.
Language pole to be raised in Alberni The permanent home of a totem pole highlighting the preservation of Indigenous languages will be where it was carved - not UVic as was previously planned
By Denise Titian, Ha-Shilth-Sa Reporter
Eric Plummer photo
The nearly completed Language Revitalization Pole was displayed to the public on Port Alberni’s waterfront Oct. 24. “That humbles everybody really quick.” ect when we started to invite people in,” The totem pole’s creation was comsaid Dawson. “There’s people from all missioned to coincide with the United over the world, Germany, Europe, New Nations International Year of Indigenous Zealand, and everywhere. I would enLanguages. 2019 took on this meancourage them to take a piece of 800 years ing amid concern that 40 per cent of the with them and they did. So the whole world’s estimated 6,700 languages are spirit of the pole changed.” in danger of disappearing – and most of With no government support, the pole those threatened are Indigenous. project has encountered financing chal“The ongoing loss of Indigenous lanlenges, and by July available funds had guages is particularly devastating, as the dried up. complex knowledges and cultures they But the carvers continued. foster are increasingly being recognized “Early on when we realised there was as strategic resources for good governo set funding in place, it wasn’t an issue nance, peacebuilding, reconciliation, and for Tim and myself,” said Dawson. “It sustainable development,” reads the UN was always about the message.” website. “More importantly, such losses Paul commented on how the carving have huge negative impacts Indigenous continued in one of several videos by the peoples’ most basic human rights.” FNEF documenting the pole’s transforDuring a presentation of the nearly mation. completed pole on Oct. 24, Huu-ay-aht “Every one of those guys down there Ha’wilth Jeff Cook reflected on how his understands that the best art of all in our mother tongue was affected when he left world is the art of giving,” he said. Sarita at the age of 6 to attend the Alberni In the fall Paul took a break from the Indian Residential School. carving after the passing of his wife, “Even though I was fluent as a child, I Monica, and the project awaits his return lost it when I went to residential school,” to complete the process. Once caving is he said. “I support anything that has to do finished, a ceremony will be held to close with language learning or cultural activithe pole’s eyes and lay it to rest until ties because we never practiced culture at the piece is raised, which is planned for residential school.” spring 2020. Dawson explained that the project began More funds are still required for strucas a depiction of the Nuu-chah-nulth tural engineering at the yet-to-be deterworld view, but over its carving other mined location where it will permanently cultures had input. For this reason a bison stand in Port Alberni. A fundraising gala and inukshuk are included in the pole in is being hosted by the Owls Path of Port recognition to plains First Nations and Alberni on Nov. 22. Information and Inuit influences. tickets can purchased at facebook.com/ “It started to become a community proj- events/535812040564591/.
Inside this issue... B.C. tables UNDRIP bill............................................Page 2 Boat crash sends family to hospital............................Page 4 Homelessness in Port Alberni.................................Page 8-9 The story of Hot Springs Cove.................................Page 11 Harvesting wild mushrooms.....................................Page 15
If undeliverable, please return to: Ha-Shilth-Sa P.O. Box 1383, Port Alberni, B.C. V9Y 7M2
Page 2— Ha-Shilth-Sa—November 7, 2019
Bill hailed as historic step for Indigenous rights B.C. legislation sets framework for reconciliation, heeding UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Mike Youds Ha-Shilth-Sa Contributor Victoria, BC — B.C. MLAs have voted unanimously to give first reading to the Declaration of the Rights of First Peoples Act, a human rights bill hailed by Indigenous and non-Indigenous leaders as a major milestone on the path to reconciliation. “Let’s make history,” declared Scott Fraser, minister of Indigenous relations and reconciliation, as he introduced the bill in the Legislature on Oct. 24. Expected to sail through subsequent readings, Bill 41 makes B.C. a trailblazer in the advancement of Indigenous rights, the first province to pass into law the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). The law is seen by many as a key step in the transformation of the relationship between Indigenous peoples and the B.C. government, answering calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. “And it’s about time,” said Cheryl Casimer of the B.C. First Nations Summit in her address before the house. “The province of British Columbia is finally recognizing that we do indeed exist as peoples, peoples with long and unique histories, peoples with deep connections to our territories, peoples with inherent jurisdiction and governing authority, people with the right to determine ourselves what is best for ourselves and our respective territories.” The legislative session was temporarily closed Oct. 24 to allow First Nation participation prior to Legislative proceedings. After a prayer by Shirley Alphonse of Sooke First Nation, the occasion was celebrated in song by Butch Dick and the Lekwungen Dancers of Songhees First Nation. Like other Indigenous leaders who travelled to Victoria for the occasion, NTC President Judith Sayers had a front-row seat, hearing speakers and watching the historic drama play out. In the public gallery watched other Indigenous politicians, including Quebec MP Romeo Saganash — who fought unsuccessfully in the House of Commons earlier this year to have federal laws harmonized with UNDRIP — and newly re-elected Independent MP Jody Wilson-Raybould. “Everybody was so up and excited that this is actually happening,” Sayers said. “It was quite the day.” Every leader who spoke on behalf of B.C. First Nations, including Grand Chiefs Ed John and Stewart Phillip, BCAFN Regional Chief Terry Teegee and Casimir, received a standing ovation, she noted. John said the legislation cannot be simply symbolic, that it should “bring justice to the issues.” “I call on you to be brave,” he said. “Change does require courage.” For Sayers — who was directly involved in crafting UNDRIP at the UN two decades ago while representing the Four Nations of Hobbema in Alberta — the legislation is welcomed but she has concerns with some aspects. “It’s not perfect, but we can work with this,” she said Friday after returning to Port Alberni. “This is a good day. It’s a good thing. I just think it could be better, it could be stronger.” While the NDP government cited collaboration with First Nations in drafting the bill, only the B.C. First Nations Lead-
B.C. Legislature/Facebook video image
Lekwungen Dancers of Songhees First Nation perform in the B.C. Legislature prior to first reading of Bill 41. ership Council was directly involved. Other Indigenous leaders were invited to view the legislation a few weeks ago after signing a non-disclosure agreement, too late in the process to provide substantive input. “If Indigenous people had drafted this, it would look a lot different, but it’s what we will work with,” Sayers said. The bill lays out an action plan to begin addressing the task ahead, an estimated 5,000 laws that will need to be brought into compliance. Those will require prioritizing. “As Indigenous peoples, we need to decide what are the most important provincial laws affecting Nuu-chah-nulth concerns the most and put them in line with UNDRIP,” Sayers said. There are some definitions of shared decision-making and consent within the legislation that raise NTC concerns. Additionally, trying to negotiate First Nation interests with the province on a projectby-project basis could be an onerous requirement, Sayers suggested. “I just think it’s a lot of work to achieve what needs to be achieved,” she said. “I wish there could have been another way of doing that.” “UNDRIP states that as Ahousaht, we have all the equal human rights and freedoms as any other person,” commented Ahousaht Chief Councillor Greg Louie. “There is a tremendous amount of work to do for the province and Ahousaht. Ahousaht has initiated a process to ensure our voice and rights are adhered to.” As laws are modified or drafted, they will be aligned with the UN Declaration. Other elements include: Annual public reporting to monitor progress; Discretion for new decision-making agreements, with clear processes, administrative fairness and transparency, where decisions directly affect Indigenous peoples and mechanisms exist in legislation; Recognition of additional forms of Indigenous governments in reaching agreements. These could take the form of multiple nations working as a collective, or hereditary governments as determined by citizens of the nation.
While the legislation will be watched closely by other provinces, it is unlikely to have a direct impact on treaty talks with the federal government that have dragged on for years. That impetus is more likely to come from a new treaty framework, adopted last week at the First
Nations Summit. Bill 41 is expected to pass final reading by the end of November. “This is the easy part,” Sayers said, adding that what is needed now is political will and open minds to find new ways of working together.
November 7, 2019—Ha-Shilth-Sa—Page 3
Newly elected Ditidaht chief and council pledge openness at meeting Law enforcement, education and housing discussed on Nitinaht By Denise Titian, Ha-Shilth-Sa Reporter Malachan, BC — Three months after Ditidaht elected a new chief and council, Chief Councillor Brian Tate called his first Governance Meeting at the nation’s community hall. About a dozen members attended, hearing reports from each of the councillors who have been hard at working taking care of their respective portfolios. Chief Tate says that he is reinstating quarterly membership meetings to allow access to information and encourage input into the business of the nation. The membership meeting was held Nov. 2 at the Malachan community at Nitinaht Lake. Stronger police presence needed Invited guest RCMP Acting Corporal Simon Forshaw came from the Lake Cowichan detachment to discuss service to the Ditidaht community. People at the meeting raised concerns that there is not enough police presence at Nitinaht, especially on the weekends. They worry about the dangers of drinking and driving and general lawlessness that happens when people are intoxicated. Nitinaht is served by the relatively small Lake Cowichan RCMP detachment whose service area is large, covering Lake Cowichan, Youbou, Nitinaht and points in between. There are two members on call most times. It takes approximately two hours to drive to Nitinaht from Lake Cowichan once a call is received. Over the summer a resident called in a suspected drunk driver. A few hours later the vehicle had an accident and it was later learned that no members were dispatched from Lake Cowichan to respond to the initial call. Chief Tate said there is concern that the initial call was not responded to and the people feel the RCMP didn’t take it seriously enough. Cpl. Forshaw cited several reasons for the lack of police action. One is distance. “We have a strict pursuit policy; if we had responded we would have had to chase them from Lake Cowichan to Port Alberni at dangerous speeds and we likely never would have caught up,” he said. In addition, there are only two resources (on-duty officers) on at any given time and a large distance to cover. “Even if a member lived here you couldn’t expect them to be on call 24/7,” he said. Membership wondered if they would be better served by the Port Alberni RCMP detachment, which is bigger but also has a larger service area to cover. Adding to that, the Port Alberni RCMP serve four Nuu-chah-nulth communities. Adding one more may spread the resources too thin. Former elected chief Robert Joseph says he was working on a service level agreement with the RCMP but didn’t get it done before his term ended. Chief Tate said his council would carry on the work started by Joseph, meeting with officials at the Lake Cowichan detachment. “We will work on a service plan, but if that doesn’t work out, we will talk to the Port Alberni RCMP,” he told Ha-ShilthSa. Tate noted that people want improved
Denise Titian photos
Newly elected Ditidiaht Chief & Council: David Tate, Anne Pettet, Chief Brian Tate, Paul Seiber and Kelly Sport on Nov. 2. community safety. A member of the Ditidaht Women’s Group said they have initiated a neighborhood watch and have designated safe homes as a start. Coastal emergency response Ditidaht Administrator Jeneen Hunt reviewed the Ditidaht Governance Policy manual which was adopted in January 2018. In addition to the reinstatement of quarterly Ditidaht membership meetings, the Ditidaht chief and council meetings are held the first and third week of each month. These are open to members, but people may be asked to leave when confidential matters are discussed. In his report to membership Chief Tate said that he met with the Canadian Coast Guard who is working on an emergency response plan for all of the Juan de Fuca Strait, and Ditidaht will be involved. The CCG is looking for liaison workers and will subsidize the training costs. “We need to identify people in the community suitable for training,” said Tate. Further down the road there will be a trained response team to deal with any incidents on Ditidaht waters. Councilor Paul Seiber reported on his parks portfolio. He noted that the 2005 emergency services plan for Ditidaht is outdated and is not working for the nation. The plan needs to be updated and the community needs to recruit volunteers to rebuild their human resources. “We need to identify funding to train people in First Aid and First Responders,” said Sieber. Administrator Hunt reported that work is in progress to update the community emergency services plan. For now, local response is unstructured with two members responding to emergencies. Seiber said he wants to see the nation develop a plan that will see a schedule with more trained first responders on call. Ditidaht will also be looking to train people for their volunteer fire department. Indigenous control over education Councilor Anne Pettet is responsible for the portfolios covering education, which includes the community school and daycare. Ditidaht Community School is an independent, nation-run facility. Pettet reported that the school is going through an assessment process in order to update its certification as an independent school. Certification ensures that the children will
Denise Titian photo
Anne Pettet talks about education during the Ditidaht governance meeting.
receive the same quality of education as they would in public schools. Pettet is working with the DCS principal and others to develop Ditidaht language and culture programs. She will be looking for resources to train early childhood education assistants in the school and hopes to bring adult education upgrading opportunities to the community. Pettet will take part work that will see
Ditidaht Community School achieve Indigenous control over education. This would enable the school to certify their own teachers. She suggested that Ahousaht and Tseshaht, who also operate their own independent schools, say they are willing to work together with Ditidaht on this process. Controlling asbestos in homes Councilor Darryl Tate delivered the housing report, noting that preparations for six new social housing rental units are underway. The lots are being prepared for construction. Councilor Tate reported that the cost of disposing old sheetrock from home renovations has risen. Drywall can no longer go to the landfill as is, due to asbestos contamination concerns. It must be specially handled before disposal. “Everything needs to be bagged with special bags then taped, then doublebagged and taped. It is expensive and time consuming,” said Councilor Tate. Ditidaht First Nation will be looking to the community for people willing to sit on the housing committee. Before the meeting adjourned elder Christine Edgar thanked Chief Tate for his leadership. She urged him to be strong, and to treat the people how he wants to be treated. She asked that Ditidaht stand together to support their leaders.
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Boat crash near Tofino sends family to hospital “Thankfully no one ended up in the water and everyone is on shore.” ~ Saya Masso, Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation
Eric Plummer Ha-Shilth-Sa Editor Tofino, BC — A family of four were rushed to hospital Saturday evening, when their boat struck a rock between Tofino and the Tla-o-qui-aht community of Opitsaht. The 14-foot boat hit a rock at Deadman’s Island, which is located partway between Tofino and the Meares Island village. The first emergency call came to the Canadian Coast Guard’s Joint Rescue Coordination Centre at 8:20 p.m., which immediately dispatched a boat from the Tofino lifeboat station. Numerous local boats also rushed to scene, and when the Coast Guard vessel reached the family all were out of the water, although some were in serious condition as a result of the collision. “A Coast Guard rescue specialist was put on board one of these vessels of opportunity to help with first aid,” said a spokesperson with the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre. All four victims were sent to Tofino General Hospital, although two males
Eric Plummer photo
A family of four remains in hospitals after their boat crashed near the Meares Island village of Opitsaht on Saturday, Nov. 2. in serious condition were later sent for On Monday, Nov. 4 all of the victims higher medical care in Victoria and were still in hospitals, according to Saya Vancouver by ground and air ambulance. Masso, interim tribal administrator for The other two females remained in stable the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation. condition, according to BC Emergency “Thankfully no one ended up in the water Health Services. and everyone is on shore,” he said. “The
families are all helping them through medical services or assessments.” Masso said that Saturday was a particularly foggy night around Tofino. Although residents of the Meares Island village of Opitsaht regularly travel to Tofino, such incidents are rare. “I’ve been at home 20 years living in the village and it’s only been a handful of times that I’ve heard of stuff like this,” said Masso. “You always have to respect of ocean and the elements.” On New Year’s Day in 2017 a boat with five occupants overturned when it hit rocks at Deadman’s Island. On a day with particularly choppy and frigid water, the five were found hanging from the tipped boat when local resident Cleaver Fletcher found them shortly after they left Tofino. All five survived.
Nuu-chah-nulth projects ‘still in the mix’ for salmon restoration fund First Nations on Vancouver Island’s west coast were snubbed in the first round of the $143-million program Eric Plummer Ha-Shilth-Sa Editor Vancouver Island, BC — The list of approved projects for the B.C. Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund did not include any initiatives focussing on the west coast of Vancouver Island, but Nuuchah-nulth submissions are still being considered, say DFO officials. In early July Fisheries and Oceans Canada announced the first round of accepted projects for the fund, which is worth nearly $143 million in federal and provincial support. But the 23 successful applications excluded the 350 kilometres of Nuu-chah-nulth territory along Vancouver Island’s west coast. The Huu-ay-aht’s plan to rebuild the Sarita River after decades of logging degradation was among the denied applications. At the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council’s AGM in late September the First Nation put forth a motion to “advocate for more funding to address restoration on the west coast of Vancouver Island” and explore a multi-nation funding proposal. The motion passed with a call to “ensure that proper consideration is given to Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations and projects that impact our territories”. Uu-a-thluk, the NTC’s fisheries department, sent five applications to the fund, four of which were deferred to the next submission period, while one was outright denied. Uu-a-thluk’s applications include rebuilding recreational and commercial fishing opportunities, a partnership to manage herring fisheries, tools for salmon management and research, assessing chinook from hatcheries on the west coast of Vancouver Island, as well as a conservation project involving the recovery of genetic samples of chinook from Nootka and Kyuquot sounds. The DFO accepted invitations to present more information about the salmon restoration fund - and its criteria for selecting applications - to Nuu-chah-nulth leaders this fall. Staff from the federal department attend the AGM in Victoria and the Council of Ha’wiih Forum on Fisheries
Eric Plummer photo
Commercial fisherman Constant Charleson said that more needs to be done with fish farms and better managing seals on the West Coast to restore salmon habitat. in Port Alberni Oct. 8. “Could we see a situation where none of these funds come to the west coast of Vancouver Island?” asked Uu-ah-thluk Manager Eric Angel at the fisheries forum. Christie Whelan, who manages partnerships and outreach for the fund, said that approximately $70 million is still available in the program for future submissions. More approvals are expected this winter. “The west coast of the island is a gap that has been identified,” said Whelan. “It is something that we’re considering as we’re looking at this.” In the spring 192 applications were received for the fund, 70 per cent of which is financed by the DFO, with the remainder covered by the province. Successful submissions included a mobile app launched by the Sport Fishing Institute to provide online information and catch monitoring, as well as another project by the SFI to maximise the social and economic potential of the sports fishing industry. Infrastructure upgrades and habitat restoration work by Tides Canada and the Watershed Watch Society on the Lower Fraser River were also approved, and
an evaluation of the natural boundary of Cowichan Lake by the valley’s regional district and the Cowichan Tribes are benefitting from the funding. Applications were judged according to a scoring system, which Shane Petersen, a senior DFO project officer for partnerships and outreach, explained at the AGM in late September. “Can the proponent get the job done? Do they have a good record of accomplishing projects? Do they have the partners they need?” he said. “Is the proposed budget adequate?” Petersen noted that another 15 projects are currently being considered. “The Nuu-chah-nulth expressions are still very much in the mix. They have not been rejected,” he said. “They will be reviewed by our experts.” Two years ago the Huu-ay-aht began work on restoring the Sarita River, which holds a central importance in the First Nation’s culture and historical sustenance. But work slowed down this year when funding tied to a partnership with Steelhead LNG was affected when plans for an export facility came to a halt. During the AGM Huu-ay-aht Chief Councillor Robert Dennis Sr. pointed to difficulties in engaging with Fisheries and
Oceans Canada. “We just can’t connect with the upper echelon of DFO,” he said. “DFO is the hardest to crack. It has been one of the most difficult jurisdictions to deal with so that we can get on the same playing field in trying to enhance salmon streams.” “We’ve indicated to Canada that we’re willing to participate where we can increase the amount of chinook that is done through the Nitinaht hatchery,” added Dennis. “That hasn’t been met with favourable response, even though we said we’re willing to pay whatever the cost is to do that. We’re targeting to get up to one and a half million from the Sarita to the Nitinaht hatchery. We need support from the DFO to make that happen.” “We are the knowledge holders of our traditional territories - and our Ha’wiih are the holders of those – did you have any participation from them?” asked Ditidaht Chief Councillor Brian Tate during the fisheries forum. Two of the accepted projects will directly apply to fish farms, with support for research into how aquaculture is affecting wild stocks and a First Nations monitoring program for net pens in the Broughton Archipelago. “Restoration to me - from my point of view - something has to be done about those fish farms before they do anything. It’s going to be senseless,” commented commercial fisherman Constant Charleson during the AGM. The Hesquiaht fisherman also drew attention to an overpopulation of pinnipeds on the Pacific coast. “You don’t want to be the first one to set when you’re a commercial herring fisherman anymore, because all those seals are going to see you setting and they’re going to all come over to you,” he said. “There’s 500-600 of them in the nets. That’s got to be addressed when they say restoration.” “We are discussing what our best approach would be for the second round,” assured Whelan. “The scoring system that I presented, that’s how we’re starting the conversation.”
November 7, 2019—Ha-Shilth-Sa—Page 5
Huu-ay-aht forest agreement in spotlight at national conference Saving the Forestry Sector with Economic Partnerships workshop delves into plan to create 100 jobs in territory Sam Laskaris Ha-Shilth-Sa Contributor Gatineau, QUE. — Trevor Cootes didn’t seem to mind travelling more than halfway across the country to tour one of his First Nation’s latest achievements. Cootes, who is in his second term as serving as an executive councilor for the Huu-ay-aht First Nations, is spending a portion of his week attending the Cando Conference in Gatineau, Que. Cando, an organization which promotes economic development in Indigenous communities across the country, stages an annual conference, rotating to various parts of Canada. This year marks the 26th annual Cando Conference. Cootes led a workshop at the conference on Tuesday, Oct. 29 called Saving the Forestry Sector with Economic Partnerships. During the workshop, Cootes explained how his First Nation is benefitting from the agreement it signed this past December with Western Forest Products. The deal saw Western Forest Products sell seven per cent of its Port Alberni forest, including Tree Farm License 44, to the Huu-ay-aht First Nations. “It means a lot to be able to share our stories,” said Cootes, who not only is responsible for overseeing Huu-ay-aht’s economic development but also holds the First Nations’ external affairs as well as its training and employment portfolios. “We’re always looking to bridge the gaps in Indigenous communities. And we want to share our experiences. We want to hopefully be a model.” Cootes said discussions with officials from Western Forest Products began three years ago. He added prior to this deal there was historically destructive forest activity which did not benefit Huu-ayaht’s interests. Ideally the agreement with Western Forest Products will provide long-term sustainability for Huu-ay-aht’s forest resource. Since the deal was finalized, Cootes added things have been going rather smoothly. “We’re on track,” he said. “It’s meeting our expectations. And the benefits we see right now is that our forest company is doing well.” Huu-ay-aht officials were also hoping the deal would create numerous jobs for its members. That includes not only those currently living in the First Nation’s terri-
Huu-ay-aht First Nations photo
The Sarita Log Sort is part of the Huu-ay-aht’s plan to tap into economic opportunity with forestry in its territory. tory but those members who are in locations including Port Alberni, Nanaimo, Victoria and Vancouver. “We are getting interest (from our members) from all these locations,” Cootes said. To help entice some of those members living away from the First Nation with possible future job opportunities, Cootes said the Huu-ay-aht First Nations hooked up with North Island College to expand its forestry program. Twelve Huu-ayaht members, including three of Cootes’ nieces, are now enrolled in the college program and working towards their Coastal Forest Worker Certificate. The program began in September and will last six months. The program will be evaluated upon its conclusion. Provided reviews are positive, the course is expected to be offered again next September. Cootes added Huu-ay-aht officials are hoping the forestry agreement will create a considerable amount of jobs for its residents within one to two years. “Our goal for jobs altogether is 100 jobs,” he said. Both the Huu-ay-aht First Nations and
Western Forest Products are contributing $500,000 each towards training individuals to work locally in the forestry industry. Cootes believes the partnership between Huu-ay-aht and Western Forest Products is unique. “I don’t think I’ve seen that in B.C. before,” he said of a deal between a First Nation and a forestry company, which joined forces to create a new enterprise, called Huumiis Ventures Limited Partnership. The new enterprise enables the First Nation to have a voice on board-making decisions, said Cootes. “Rather than being on opposite sides of the table this allows us to be there with them,” he said. The agreement with Western Forest Products will allow Huu-ay-aht to generate some funds, which in turn can be used to build homes and infrastructure on the First Nation. Cootes added the deal also bodes well for Huu-ay-aht’s future, in part because it is willing to engage in partnerships. “It strengthens relationships with all levels of government,” he said. Cootes added his First Nation is keen to
Sam Laskaris photo
Trevor Cootes led a workshop on Oct. 29 about the Huu-ay-aht First Nations’ forestry agreement with Western Forest Products at the Cando Conference in Gatineau, Que.
work with others in other sectors. “We want to create agreements and we want to create partnerships,” he said.
Page 6— Ha-Shilth-Sa—November 7, 2019 Ha-Shilth-Sa newspaper is published by the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council for distribution to the members of the NTC-member First Nations, as well as other interested groups and individuals. Information and original work contained in this newspaper is protected by copyright and may not be reproduced without written permission from: Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council P.O. Box 1383, Port Alberni, B.C. V9Y 7M2. Telephone: (250) 724-5757 Fax: (250) 723-0463 Web page: www.hashilthsa.com facebook: Hashilthsa Ntc
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$35 per year in Canada and $40 per year in the U.S.A. and $45 per year in foreign countries. Payable to the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council. Manager/Editor/Reporter Eric Plummer (Ext. 243) (250) 724-5757 Fax: (250) 723-0463 eric.plummer@nuuchahnulth.org Reporter Denise Titian (Ext. 240) (250) 724-5757 Fax: (250) 723-0463 denise.titian@nuuchahnulth.org Audio / Video Technician Mike Watts (Ext. 238) (250) 724-5757 Fax: (250) 723-0463 mike.watts@nuuchahnulth.org Editorial Assistant Deborah Potter (Ext. 286) (250) 724-5757 - Fax:(250) 723-0463 deborah.potter@nuuchahnulth.org
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Karly Blats
Scott Fraser, MLA for Mid-Island Pacific Rim and minister of Indigenous relations and reconciliation, listens to Ron Hamilton during the opening of 12 new long-term care beds at Rainbow Gardens.
Community celebrates new long-term care beds Expansion brings the number of long-term care beds in the Alberni Valley to 204 Karly Blats enous Relations and Reconciliation, during a grand opening celebration on Oct. Ha-Shilth-Sa Contributor 25. “New beds for seniors in Port Alberni is excellent news for this community. Port Alberni, BC — Seniors in the We know that one of the most important Alberni Valley have increased access to long-term care now that 12 new publicly- things for seniors is their home.” Fraser said the new beds will offer the funded beds have opened at Tsawaayuus same high level of care at Tsawaayuus Rainbow Gardens in Port Alberni. Rainbow Gardens, “which is a responThe expansion of Tsawaayuus—which mean rainbow in the Nuu-chah-nulth lan- sibly managed, multi-level care facility whose mission is to provide holistic, guage—brings the number of long-term culturally confident care in a family like care beds available in the Alberni Valley environment and an emphasis on Indigto 204. Construction at the Russell Place facility enous people.” Fraser added the expansion is part of the began in October 2018 and finished this summer. There are now 42 publicly-fund- province’s plan to invest $1 billion over the next three years into care for seniors. ed and two private-pay long-term care “Our government is committed to beds at the home. Tsawaayuus, which improving services for seniors across is operated by the non-profit Westcoast the province, and projects like this one Native Health Care Society, also has 10 help us achieve that goal,” Fraser said assisted living units and 20 brand new in a press release. “People who live in independent living apartments. this beautiful region want to age close “This place is about connections, it’s to home, in a comfortable and friendly about seniors getting quality care in a home-like setting and staying in the com- setting near their family and friends. This addition to long-term care resources in munity,” said Scott Fraser, MLA for Mid Island-Pacific Rim and minister of Indig- our community is definitely something to
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COVERAGE: Although we would like to be able to cover all stories and events, we will only do so subject to: - Sufficient advance notice addressed specifically to Ha-Shilth-Sa. - Reporter availability at the time of the event. - Editorial space available in the paper. - Editorial deadlines being adhered to by contributors.
celebrate.” During the grand opening, Darleen Watts, chair of the West Coast Native Housing Society, told the crowd Tsawaayuus Rainbow Gardens began as a vision of five Aboriginal women who “dared to dream.” “They were from what was called in those days The United Native Nations,” Watts said. “They decided that they wanted this dream...the dream for them was to have a facility where they could have our people feel safe and it took them a long time. It’s amazing that they had the foresight to think that far into the future.” Watts thanked Island Health and the Nuu-chah-nulth Economic Development Corporation for their support. “We’re very pleased to partner with the Westcoast Native Health Care Society and make more long-term care spaces available in the community,” said Leah Hollins, chair of the board for Island Health. “This is a unique facility designed to meet the needs of local residents and help more people stay in the community they love.”
Ha-Shilth-Sa belongs to every Nuu-chah-nulth person including those who have passed on, and those who are not yet born. A community newspaper cannot exist without community involvement. If you have any great pictures you’ve taken, stories or poems you’ve written, or artwork you have done, please let us know so we can include it in your newspaper. E-mail holly.stocking@nuuchahnulth.org. This year is Ha-Shilth-Sa’s 45th year of serving the Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations. We look forward to your continued input and support. Kleco! Kleco!
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November 7, 2019—Ha-Shilth-Sa—Page 7
Traditional diet combatted illnesses: research Dietician stresses nutritional benefits of accessing food on coast, sustenance that mitigates diabetes, heart conditions and obesity Eric Plummer Ha-Shilth-Sa Editor Port Alberni, BC — A growing collection of evidence is pointing to the lost nutritional benefits of a traditional First Nations diet that was sustained before the transition to processed foods, according to a presentation given to Nuu-chah-nulth leaders in October. With a reliance on fish, berries and plants in their immediate area, coastal Indigenous people relied on a diet high in protein, iron, fibre and omega-3 fatty acids, said dietician Rachel Dickens during her address at the Council of Ha’wiih Forum on Fisheries on Oct. 7. “What research is showing now is that eating Indigenous customary foods can decrease or eliminate the risk of obesity, heart disease or diabetes,” she said. Besides the sweetness of salmon berries, salal berries and highbush cranberries, before contact with industrialized European cultures, First Nations on the Pacific coast consumed a relatively low amount of sugar, explained Dickens. This was before the spread of processed food, and this traditional diet did not include refined flour that is now commonly used in pastries and white bread. Seafood was a fundamental part of the traditional diet, including a diversity of salmon and shellfish, complimented by things like herring and seagull eggs, which can be found in the spring in Nuu-chah-nulth territory. “We know that traditional foods can help stave off the development diabetes and other ailments that did not exist in traditional Indigenous societies prior to contact,” said Dickens. “We also know that there is a high importance to accessing traditional foods because there is a link to culture and its importance to physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual well-being.” A study released in December from the
“They used to be one of sweetest foods available to the Pacific coastal nations.” ~ Rachel Dickens, dietician First Nations Health Authority and the Office of the Provincial Health Officer shows a 10 per cent rate of diabetes among the province’s Indigenous people, compared to eight per cent for the rest of B.C.’s population. Obesity is also higher among Aboriginal people, according to wide-ranging analysis conducted by Statistics Canada. The Aboriginal Peoples Survey released in 2006 shows that 26.6 per cent of offreserve Indigenous adults were obese, while 18.8 per cent of children aged 6-14 suffered from the same condition. The on-reserve rates are even higher, as the First Nations Regional Longitudinal Health Survey from 2002-03 reported 36 per cent of adults who were obese, with even higher rates among children under 9. Statistics Canada has the national obesity rate at 22.7 per cent. The rates of these chronic conditions could be a factor in lower life expectancy among Aboriginal people in the province. The average Indigenous person is expected to live to 73 – 10 years less than the rest of B.C., reports the FNHA. The Centre for Traditional Medicine draws a link between the loss of the precontact diet and the spread of chronic disease among many Indigenous people in Canada. “There is a direct relationship between the loss of traditional foods and limited access to these foods and the increase of chronic illnesses including diabetes, as well as depression, and cardiovascular
Eric Plummer photo
Nuchatlaht members receive their community distribution of salmon and halibut in Oclucje in August. A growing amount of research is highlighting the benefits of First Nations consuming food obtained from their territory. (heart) disease,” said the centre’s research director Dr. Leslie Korn in a report. Part of the reason for this could be the high presence of protein and iron in wild fish and meat, while such food has lower concentrations of saturated fat than in farmed animals. Dickens said iron is particularly important for small children and pregnant or young women, who face a higher risk of iron deficiency. Traditionally, the consumption of Vitamin C in berries helped iron intake. “Vitamin C is extremely important for the absorption of iron,” Dickens explained. “Iron deficiency is prevalent in the community, especially amongst Nuuchah-nulth women.” Her presentation also highlighted the health benefits of fish. The high presence of omega-3 fatty acids helps fight inflammatory diseases, while Vitamin D boosts immunity. “The oil in fish is also really high in Vitamin D,” Dickens said. “Vitamin D is especially important in our communities
because it comes from the sun, and from October to March we don’t get enough from the sun. Historically we would get Vitamin D from blubber and lots of fats, which we don’t have a whole lot of in our diet anymore.” But accessing such nutritional food can be difficult, particularly for those in urban areas far from the resources of their ancestral territory, cautioned Matilda Atleo, a health promotion worker with the Nuuchah-nulth Tribal Council. “It’s not all accessible to everyone – especially the away-from-home family members,” she said during the Oct. 7 presentation, noting that this was a difficult year for fish. To protect endangered chinook salmon that originated from the Fraser River, First Nations access to fish for food, social and ceremonial purposes was limited in 2019. “For this year there wasn’t very much salmon,” added Atleo. “I think I just received one big salmon and that was it for this year.”
Tseshaht woman launches second-hand store to benefit schools By Denise Titian Ha-Shilth-Sa Reporter Port Alberni, BC — Christine Fred is a busy woman; she works a full-time job and helps out her family whenever she can. Still, she fills her spare time running a second-hand business with the proceeds going to two Port Alberni school food programs. Why does she do it? Kids are going to school hungry. “I want to help; we have to do something,” said Fred. The idea for a second hand-store came to her during a trip to a well-known chain thrift store. The goods are all donated yet the prices are high, according to Fred. “I’m sick of seeing (the stores) profiting off of donated goods and charging almost full retail – it’s ridiculous,” she said. Fred said she developed a business plan in which she donated $200 worth of food to Eighth Avenue Learning Center and to Haahuupayuk Elementary School, owned and operated by Tseshaht First Nation. The donations represented 100 per cent of profits from her sales. “I just wanted to show them that I could do it,” said Fred, adding that when she is
up and running she will have overhead costs and the donations will be half of her profits. Fred collects donations and has been offering them up for sale through occasional weekend yard sales or an online page she created. Her online sales page is on Facebook and is called Skookum Deals. “The page is called Recycle Bin – I haven’t been able to change the name to Skookum Deals,” she added. Visitors to the page will ask to buy items. They will meet Christine at a designated place and complete their transaction. Fred is also set up for e-transfers. In recent months she purchased a double-wide trailer from a fellow Tseshaht member that she plans to run her second hand store from. She is working on cleaning up the trailer, which is located on reserve on Pacific Rim Highway, and there is a lot of work to do. Fred chose the two schools as beneficiaries of her gifts for many reasons. “I worked at Haahuupayuk for five years and I saw the teachers taking money out of their own pockets to feed the kids,” said Fred. In addition, she went to the school as a child and many of her family members attend school there.
She says Vast (Eighth Avenue Leaning Centre) is a good place. It is an alternative school that helps older teens in challenging situations complete their education. “My sister graduated from there and so did lots of family,” she said. David Maher, principal of Eighth Avenue Learning Centre, says Christine’s generous donations have had a huge impact on the kids at his school. “Her generosity has had a positive impact on the kids in a number of ways,” he said. The food she provides help young people work on living independently. Nutritious food allows them to come to class healthy and ready. Her donations are used to feed moms and babies, allowing them to be healthy. “She has definitely enriched the lives of people of all walks of life,” said Maher. Fred is always on the lookout for donations of small household goods. She can be contacted through her sales page, The Recycle Bin 2nd Hand Store on Facebook for purchases or donations. https://www. facebook.com/groups/590348761447328/ Watch the page for the grand opening of the store.
Denise Titian photo
Christine Fred has launched an online second-hand store, with all profits going towards food programs at Port Alberni schools. She’s working to open a physical location in the Tseshaht reserve.
Page 8— Ha-Shilth-Sa—November 7, 2019
Denise Titian Photo
John Paul clutches an emergency blanket he was given at the West Coast General Hospital.
Gina Amos, Harm Reduction Outreach Worker at Teechuktl, and Kim E
Suffering in the streets – a look at the hom RCMP estimates there are as many as 400 people without a home in Port Alberni Denise Titian Ha-Shilth-Sa Reporter Port Alberni, BC – Homeless people, you see them everywhere, pushing shopping carts filled with their treasured belongings. They congregate around upper Third Avenue in Port Alberni accessing free food, clothing and services. They are also down on lower Fourth Avenue, selling the empty beverage containers they worked hard to collect – or they may be hitting up the Safe Injection Site after a visit to their dealers. RCMP Constable Beth O’Conner says there are people of all ages in Port Alberni’s homeless population. The increasing number of youth is alarming. They estimate there are 300 to 400 people on the streets in Port Alberni. The reasons for homelessness are many. The shortage of affordable housing tops the list but there are also the issues of addiction and poverty. The theme of the September 2019 NTC AGM, hosted by Ahousaht First Nation, was homelessness. Irene Robinson, Quu’asa Outreach Wellness Worker, said it is nice that the leaders gathered to talk about it but wondered if there will be action. Robinson goes out and visits service organizations in Port Alberni, networking and looking for ways to help. She will go to the courthouse, the college, the Safe Injection Site, the Sobering House, the shelters, anywhere she might find people that need help. Gina Amos is a Harm Reduction Outreach worker for Teechuktl (Mental Health), a program that operates under the umbrella of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council. In recent weeks Gina spoke with 53 homeless Nuu-chah-nulth-aht living in the streets of
Port Alberni. “These are truly homeless people – they are not couch surfing, they are not in a shelter, they are completely homeless,” she told Ha-Shilth-Sa. Amos believes that if they added the ones that are homeless part-time, or the ones in shelters or those that are couch surfing the numbers would triple or quadruple. Many people that are homeless struggle with addictions.
The opioid crisis and rising thefts
RCMP Inspector Brian Hunter points to the opioid crisis as the leading factor for the skyrocketing theft rates in Port Alberni. He reported that general theft has gone up 80 percent while theft from vehicles has jumped to 135 percent. He suggested both federal and provincial governments need to invest in mental health and rehabilitation programs as a step in the right direction. There is a second stage sober living facility in Port Alberni called New Leaf. It is a safe place to stay after clients have gone through stage one - detox. But according to Kim Erickson, a family development counsellor and acting Quu’asa supervisor, there is no stage one detox facility in Port Alberni. So how do people get to stage two sober living without a place to detox? “Some come from out of town, some detox on their own,” said Erickson. John Paul is a middle-aged Ahousaht man. He was living comfortably in a home with a roommate until Jan. 4, 2019, when an altercation took place that led to his immediate eviction. He says his belongings were thrown out and he has been on the street ever since.
He was able to stay relatively comfortable over the warmer months, sleeping under tarps in nearby forests. He was still collecting disability up until three months ago, when he was cut off for not having a fixed address. Paul says he now sleeps wherever he can, usually in the bush. He is bundled in thick, black clothing. He is painfully aware that he smells bad and he apologizes for it, but he hasn’t been able to find a place to shower or wash his clothes. His hair is stringy and oily; his eyes are puffy with large bags underneath. His hands tremble as he takes the warm breakfast sandwich and wolfs it down with grateful moans. “I haven’t had a hot meal in a long time,” he tells Ha-Shilth-Sa. He says he hangs out with a few buddies and they help each other out. They will collect empties and share food. They used to huddle under the Kitsuksis Bridge at night until they were kicked out. Paul doesn’t like sharing where he’s sleeping at the moment – it’s about safety. “My buddy Henry and I take turns sleeping,” he says. He began talking about injuries to his hands. “Well, it’s my own fault,” he said, “I shouldn’t have fallen asleep after eating that peanut butter sandwich.” Paul said he woke to rats biting his peanut-butter-smeared hands, he said. Paul said he usually gets his meals from dumpster diving. He suffered a case of food poisoning and spent three days in the hospital recovering from that. Minutes after eating the breakfast sandwich he was given he became ill and was taken to the hospital.
Street level outreach
RCMP Constable Beth O’Conner is part of the Indigenous Safety Team (IST) in
Port Alberni. The IST is a joint engagement of healthcare, social services, culture and justice that seeks to improve the lives of Port Alberni Indigenous community. Launched by the Indigenous Policing Section of the RCMP, IST is a street-level outreach program where partners, including the RCMP and outreach workers from other agencies, connect with high-risk, vulnerable Indigenous people in the streets. There are no solid numbers for how many people are homeless in Port Alberni. “Some people stay in shelters when they can, some couch surf, some come and go to other communities,” said O’Conner. Adding to that are the belief systems of some of the people. If they have somewhere warm to stay, even if it’s temporary, they don’t consider themselves homeless. Paul says he hasn’t had his own place for 11 months. On the colder nights, like the frosty October mornings Port Alberni has had, they will stuff their clothes with free newspapers. “I witnessed my buddy get stabbed,” he tells Ha-Shilth-Sa. He said “druggies” from the other side of town attacked them for their clothes. Paul had been given a fresh, clean, sleeping bag just a few days before but it was stolen. Why are they homeless? Amos says there are many reasons. “Residential school, day school, the TB hospital, the ‘60s scoop to name a few,” she said. It all ties into a lack of culture – a sense of not knowing who you are or where you belong, she added. “People carry what happened to them in residential school,” said Irene Robinson, Quu’asa outreach wellness worker, adding that they were told nobody wants them, nobody loves them. “They carried blame for abuse; they felt unloved, dirty and unworthy.” Following the days of institutionalization
November 7, 2019—Ha-Shilth-Sa—Page 9
Denise Titian Photo
RCMP Cst. Beth O’Conner of the Indigenous Safety Team.
Denise Titian Photo
Ericson, Acting Supervisor at Quu’asa, work one-on-one with homeless people, offering judgment-free support and services.
meless situation in Port Alberni many left home, becoming urbanized. The adult residential school survivors had no parenting skills and that was often passed onto the next generations. “There was a huge disconnection,” said Robinson, adding that there was nothing cultural in the cities. “It all ties into colonization, systemic racism, and a feeling of hopelessness.” People with low self-worth, with trauma that went on at home, don’t want to go home. They often turn to addictions to numb the pain. O’Conner concurs. “It’s the power of trauma, the power of opioids,” she said.
Reconnecting with family, culture and community
All agree that reconnecting the people with their families, their communities and their cultures is part of the solution. And that’s what John Paul wants to do. “I just want to go home but nobody will pick me up,” he says after spending all night trying to hitch a ride. Even if he does make it home Paul doesn’t know if he will be welcome or if he would have a place to stay. He says he was accused of a crime he says he didn’t commit. “My name has been cleared though in the past few months,” he said. Paul was in a four-month course at the local college over the summer. “It was warmer and the school let me have a locker where I could keep my stuff and I got to use the shower there,” he said. But after earning his red seal ticket in janitorial work he hasn’t been able to find a job, not in his present condition. He denies active addiction, but admits to drinking the occasional beer, otherwise, he says, he couldn’t handle the cold. He says hard liquor is too hard on his stomach.
It was stomach issues that sent him to emergency. Paul said he was treated for food poisoning and released. He recalls finding a sandwich that looked real good in a dumpster near a fast food restaurant. That was his dinner the night before. He took a few bottles of water from Quu’asa and went to a convenience store for hot chocolate with a gift of change he received. It is people like John Paul that the IST program can help. Cst. O’Conner says the IST approach is to talk to the individuals and to their respective First Nation and come up with a tailored approach the help the situation. The Teechuktl outreach workers are teaming up with the RCMP’s IST along with other support workers in Port Alberni to connect one-on-one with homeless people in a non-threatening way. “We have a triage system and we go to where drugs are an issue,” said O’Conner, adding that they will go to the Safe Injection Site, lower 4th Avenue and into the bush where the homeless encampments are. They are easily recognized as IST personnel by their blue jackets. O’Conner noted that there are several service agencies that have been in operation in Port Alberni and have been networking for years but there are some gaps. “There are some people not using the services that they could be getting and we try to identify those gaps,” she said. Sometimes there are people with mental health issues or they may become violent due to drug or alcohol abuse. When that happens, safety becomes an issue for outreach workers, O’Conner noted. “It’s a Band-Aid solution, I know, but it’s the best one we have,” O’Conner said. IST workers focus on reaching out to the homeless people and help them access the services they can be getting from government and from their First Nations commu-
nities. “We want to help them overcome the barriers,” said O’Conner. Another issue is trust. Amos said that a lot of Indigenous people don’t trust authority. The RCMP is working to change that dynamic. “Constable O’Conner is giving tents out now and the police are letting them live where they are for now,” Amos noted. Gina brings out clean drug supplies and condoms to help reduce risk of disease transmission. She will help people access their prescription medication or will transport them to medical appointments. “Whatever I can do to be supportive,” she says, which includes referrals, to treatment or other supportive services. “The tough one is no address,” she said, adding that often people want to go to treatment but when they’re homeless, they don’t have the required address to get in. For now, the NTC support workers are doing what they can to connect with the people and help in whatever way they can. Amos says she likes to take people to sit by the river and just talk. “We help them connect to their communities, to teachings of their families,” she says. “I might ask them if they know any of gramma’s bannock recipes, or we talk about their family back home.” “Be kind, generous and loving to people, that is part of our culture,” said Robinson adding that the local homeless people are a community. “They look after each other, they share their food if someone is hungrier than they are.”
There are people who help
An Ahousaht woman, who has little money of her own, bakes bannock and treats and gives it away to the people at lower Fourth Avenue. She will collect recyclables to buy baking supplies. A Tseshaht man and his friends are organizing a clothing drive and dinner. Accord-
ing to Amos, Ed Ross is doing a clothing drive and is planning a lunch and dinner for the homeless. They are also looking for donations for the Bread of Life, a non-profit organization that serves free breakfast and lunch seven days a week in Port Alberni. Erickson says Quu’asa sometimes hosts a hot dog roast during the longer months. “When people say it’s a long stretch to cheque day we will help,” she added. Part of Amos’ job is to help people with shopping on cheque day. She encourages them to buy what they like to eat, otherwise they might not buy groceries at all. “Buying $100 worth of groceries is $100 less going to the drug dealer,” she said. “I just connect with people,” says Amos, adding that she loves her job, and it is working. “I helped one woman reconnect with her family.” Now, according to Amos, that woman is helping other family with addictions. “Everyone is born with a seed, Quu’asa is the water to that seed,” she said. Quu’asa collects donations for the homeless. They are looking for socks, blankets, sleeping bags, toques and food.
Page 10— Ha-Shilth-Sa—November 7, 2019
Royal Ontario Museum photo
Tseshaht advisors offered input into updating an exhibit at the Royal Ontario Museum of a slice from an old-growth Douglas fir, cut from the B.C. coast in the 1890s.
Old growth tree slice reinterpreted through First Nations lens Tseshaht advisors offer Nuu-chah-nulth knowledge to update an exhibit at one of Canada’s largest museums Deborah Potter Ha-Shilth-Sa Staff Toronto, ON — An ancient Douglas fir old growth slice in the Royal Ontario Museum is getting reinterpreted with a more Indigenous flare. The piece was sitting in the Ontario Museum since 2011, and it wasn’t until recently that a guest had pointed out a mistake. It had said that Christopher Columbus had ‘discovered’ North America, but that is not true. The Royal Ontario Museum acknowledged their mistake, and corrected it so it now says, “Christopher Columbus did not
discover America. He had arrived on land that had been inhabited by Indigenous peoples since time immemorial.” The slice of the old growth, which is named as the “Tree Cookie”, has a 2.3 metre radius. It was estimated to be over 500 years old when it was cut down on the coast of British Columbia in the 1890’s. Painted over top of its many rings, is a timeline of what happened in North America over the stage of the trees’ lifespan. But for the Royal Ontario Museum staff and their Indigenous Advisory Group, it didn’t feel like enough. With the help of Tseshaht members Darryl Ross Sr, Wil-
lard Gallic, and Gordon Dick, the ROM was able to re-work the idea of the Tree Cookie, with a different Nuu-chah-nulth perspective. Hishook-ish Tsawalk is a Nuu-chahnulth phrase, meaning “everything is connected”. Douglas fir was used by Indigenous peoples often, though it wasn’t as embraced as cedar was. Before European contact, firs were used mostly as a heat source, but also were used for carving, housing, ceremonies, and the pitch from the trees were used to help construct canoes. Ross, Gallic and Dick helped the Ontario Museum with a quick info-video, where
the three talk about traditionally balanced ecosystems, and a Nuu-chah-nulth historic perspective of tree conservation, and how important its purpose was. “Everything is connected,” Gallic says in the video, “everything has a purpose.” Historically, the tall fir and cedar trees were told that they ‘held up mountains’. They protected the fish in streams and rivers, held life in their branches. “The (Royal Ontario Museum) had sought out our Nuu-chah-nulth perspective,” Ross said to Hashilthsa. He emphasizes the importance of looking after our forests, the Hishook-ish Tsawalk practice.
Phrase of the week - šikaatisumƛ Roughly pronounced ‘see-kaa-tis-sumlth’. This means ‘the month of November,’ or ‘the month of coming home.’ Supplied by čiisma.
Ivy Cargill-Martin illustration
November 7, 2019—Ha-Shilth-Sa—Page 11
New book shares history of entrepreneur Ivan Clarke moved to Hot Springs Cove in 1933 amid significant changes to settlement in the isolated area By Denise Titian Ha-Shilth-Sa Reporter Hot Springs Cove, BC — Refuge Cove is a safe harbour located at about the midway point of the west coast of Vancouver Island. Renamed Hot Springs Cove in later years, it is part of the traditional territories of the Manhousaht, whose people amalgamated with their Ahousaht neighbors. Their Tyee Ha’wilth, Luke Swan, lived there with some of his people until the mid-20th century and would have seen Ivan Clarke arriving at his pre-emption property to launch his new business in 1933. During the 1950s neighbors from the north, the Hesquiaht, built a settlement at the head of the cove. Businessman Ivan Clarke was there with his family for more than 30 years and saw many changes in the cove. His grandson, Michael Kaehn, spent 40 years researching this history. He wrote a book that came out this year, The Hot Springs Cove Story. Kaehn’s book chronicles the history of the cove and tells his grandfather’s life story, beginning with his birth in 1903 at Victoria, BC. Kaehn’s grandfather Ivan Clarke was well-known in Clayoquot Sound, having moved to Hot Springs Cove to open a store and to raise his family. He was a jack-of-all-trades who managed to build a multi-faceted business in one of the most isolated places on the island. Clarke saw opportunity when he sheltered in the Cove during a storm with dozens of other boats. There were no general stores in the area to serve the stranded mariners and the Nuu-chahnulth families living there. In 1933, he arrived at the cove by boat with two dogs, a canvas tent and some merchandise to sell. Within 24 hours he lost a dog to a cougar but managed to sell half his stock. Over the next 30 or so years he built a sprawling business, including a little community at the start of the present-day trail to the world-famous Hot Springs. Using salvaged materials and what he could take from the forest, several buildings went up including a general store, a family home, and even a school house
Submitted photo
Students at Hot Springs Cove’s Sydney Inlet School, including children from the Rae-Arthur and Clarke families. and a pair of water towers. He made many friends over the years. Bert Clayton, George Sye, brothers Fred and Andreas Thornberg, George RaeArthur and Chief Ben Andrews, to name a few. Kaehn tells how these people helped one another survive and thrive in an isolated world of their own. Clarke and his wife Mabel raised several children in the cove and together with the Rae-Arthur children, qualified for government funding to start a school. But as time passed the children grew up and Mabel passed away. Their son Hugh married Maggie Campbell and began his own general store in Ahousaht. Back in Hot Springs Cove, an aging Ivan donated a large portion of his property to the province of British Columbia to eventually become part of Maquinna Marine Provincial Park. While his buildings are all gone, there is a cairn at the head of the trail to the Hot
Springs. It stands near where the Clarke family buildings stood. On the cairn is a bronze plaque that reads, “The Province of British Columbia, Maquinna Provincial Park, Established January 7, 1955. The land originally comprising the park was donated to the people of British Columbia through the generosity of Ivan H. Clarke a long time resident of Hot Springs Cove.” Author Michael Kaehn is on a book signing tour, having already visited Ahousaht and Tofino; he will be in Port Alberni for two events. On Thursday, November 14, Kaehn will be signing books at the Alberni Valley Museum at 7 p.m. and again at Arrowvale Farm Store on the afternoon of Saturday, Nov. 16. Published by Harbour Publishing, The Hot Springs Cove Story is a 200-page paperback complete with more than 50 photos, illustrations and maps. It is available online at the Harbour Publishing website for $24.95.
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Ivan Clarke stands with a friend after selling him a pair of shoes.
Secluded Wellness Centre adds acupuncture, cannatherapy The holistic health centre is celebrating eight years in business on the Tseshaht reserve, expanding services By Karly Blats Ha-Shilth-Sa Contributor Port Alberni, BC — The Alberni Valley’s Secluded Wellness Centre is celebrating eight years in business and is continuing to add new services and workshops for holistic health and healing. During a celebration on Friday, Nov. 1, owner Naomi Nicholson announced the addition of an acupuncturist joining the team at the wellness centre. “Our first exciting news is that with the changes in health care and the growing demands for alternative services, I’m really happy and it gives me great honour to introduce Carly Potter – Carly will be offering acupuncture,” Nicholson said. Potter specializes in pain management acupuncture, facial rejuvenation and stress and anxiety management. “I’ve been travelling for a few years doing acupuncture on cruise ships, in Portugal and it’s so nice to be back at
home,” Potter said. The Secluded Wellness Centre, at 6890 Pacific Rim Highway, specializes in massage, holistic health and workshops and has also recently added cannabis education. Nicholson offers one-on-one coaching and classroom workshops to educate people on cannatherapy. “A lot of First Nations are looking for the education because they know that there’s healing properties (in Cannabis) but you don’t have to get high,” Nicholson said. Nicholson believes it is important to break down stereotypes around cannabis and to educate people on the medicinal benefits, right strains and doses to provide the best opportunities for healing. Nicholson said she was introduced to the healing benefits of cannabis after a doctor suggested she use it to help her sleep. “I wasn’t into cannabis until I went to
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Naomi Nicholson, owner of Secluded Wellness Centre, is celebrating eight years in business.
see a doctor because I didn’t sleep… nothing worked and once I learned about cannabis from the doctor, what I could take, then I started to sleep and all of a sudden I started to lose weight because cannabis does have a balancing property to it,” Nicholson said. “Then I started getting educated and once I started learning the science behind cannabis, that’s where
I became a believer.” Cannabis became legal in Canada in October 2018 and the Tseshaht First Nation’s Orange Bridge Cannabis, that opened this September at the Tseshaht Market, is British Columbia’s first legal marijuana shop to be opened by a First Nation. Nicholson said she wants to show people you can take cannabis products and still be high functioning. In addition to alternative health and healing practices, the Secluded Wellness Centre is also home to Chim’s Guest House—Port Alberni’s first Indigenousthemed guest house. The Nuu-chah-nulth-named one-bedroom Chims Guest House, meaning bear, is on the same property as the wellness centre and offers tourists an Aboriginal experience while visiting the West Coast. For more information about Secluded Wellness Centre or to book an appointment, visit secludedwellness.com.
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The president’s message to Nuu-chah-nulth-aht October has come and gone. It has been a month of sadness for those loved ones who left us to join the ancestors. My heart goes out to all of you who have suffered a loss, and know that when one Nuu-chah-nulth leaves us, it affects all of us. We share in your grief. We are strengthened by family and friends who gather with family at these times. October was also a month of celebration. I was very proud to attend the BC Achievement Foundation’s Indigenous Business Awards and witness Nene Van Volsen, Hupacasath, and Tsimka Martin, Tla-o-qio-aht, receive awards for their business enterprises. These are provincial awards and competition is stiff so their award is well deserved. Great to see Nuu-chah-nulth achieving and I congratulate them. I also congratulate my brother Rod Sayers for being one of the 50 finalists from across Canada in the Salt Spring National Art Prize for his entry. I am lucky as well to be the president and be able to make remarks at the NTC Disability Fair, which was well attended and a lot of really good information provided. I also attended the grand opening of the First Nations room at the West Coast General Hospital. Kudos to our Nuu-chah-nulth committee that worked hard for five years to be able to provide a space in the hospital for Nuu-chah-nulth families to gather when visiting their family members in the hospital. I attended the B.C. legislature and was able to sit on the floor with the MLAs to watch them introduce a proposed law called Bill 41, Universal Declaration of Indigenous Peoples Act. Four of our leaders from the provincial organizations were able to speak on the floor of the legislature to talk about the significance of this law. This law makes B.C. change all of its laws to meet the standards set in the declaration. It also provides for B.C. to enter into agreements with First Nations on shared decision making and/or consent before they make decisions on projects in our territories. What is in the declaration? The declaration covers almost every aspect of our lives as Indigenous peoples. It includes the right of selfdetermination, which simply means we have the right to control our lives over the cultural, social and economic, as well as define our own political status. This means B.C.’s laws cannot hold us back from developing culturally, socially and economically. They will need to change their laws to support us. As far as education goes, we have the right to establish and control our own educational systems and provide it in our language, and teach in a way that is appropriate to our own cultural methods of teaching (haahuupa). BC Laws must help this be achieved. Hopefully financially help as well. As far as our language is concerned, we have the right to revitalize, use, develop and transmit to future generations and have our own media in our own language. We have the right to our own spirituality and our places where we practice are protected and cannot be destroyed without our consent. B.C has given consent in the past to destroy our sites but now they can’t. We also have the right to our own medicines so we have to work with BC to ensure their logging practices, especially logging old growth, is stopped so our medicines can continue to grow in a healthy way.
We have the right to participate in decision making process in anything that could affect our rights. We also have the right to the lands, territories and resource which we have owned and occupied and B.C. must protect them. We will work with B.C. to determine how this happens. There are many other rights contained in the declaration that I would like to explore with you, but hopefully, I will be able to give some presentations in your communities so I can give you more detail on what this really means to us as Nuu-chah-nulth. I attended a two-day Council of Ha’wiih fisheries meeting. Our communities continue to struggle to have access to all fisheries. There is always one day dedicated to meeting with DFO so that we can try and work on these issues. I am sure most of us were relieved that Andrew Scheer and the Conservative party did not get in as the federal government. They do not believe in Indigenous rights and we would have had another four years of hard battle with them. What we do have is a minority government with the Trudeau’s Liberals, and for every vote they are going to have to get enough support from the NDP, Greens, Block or independent vote to get their motions through. Trudeau is being very stubborn (or should we say foolish) in not trying to come to alliance with one of the parties. So he will look for support issue by issue. We as Indigenous peoples will have to push all those parties to push Trudeau to strengthen his work with Indigenous peoples and to take greater action on climate change. Climate change is affecting the temperatures of the ocean, lakes and rivers which affect our salmon and other sea resources. The other initiative I have been spending time with is with regards to the new federal law on children and families. This law lets us pass our own laws and we would not be subject to federal or provincial laws. I will be seeking direction from the directors to determine if this is something we as Nuu-chah-nulth would like to do. There is much work defending, promoting and protecting our rights, taking more control over our lives and celebrating who we are as Nuu-chah-nulth. I work hard at doing this on your behalf and do as much media as I can to educate people on our rights and barriers raised by government that we need to remove. Feel free to talk to me about anything that concerns you. -Kekinusuqs, Judith Sayers
Community&Beyond Ha Hop Staλ November 13th 2019, Port Alberni “Teaching one and other” Join us for an entire afternoon of Cultural- cedar weaving, storytelling, singing, drumming, family tree, arts & crafts, face painting, bouncy castles, pizza party and door prizes. 1:00 – 4:00PM Glenwood Center, 4480 Vimy St, Port Alberni, BC For more information contact Debbie Frank Phone: 250 724-0202 ext. 2 History of Hot Springs Cove Book Launch November 14th, 2019, Port Alberni Author Michael Kaehn has been researching his family story and the history of Hot Springs Cove for over forty years. The result, The Hot Springs Cove Story: The Beginnings of Maquinna Marine Provincial Park was released earlier this year. The Alberni Valley Museum is hosting a book launch with Kaehn on Thursday, November 14, 2019 at 7:00pm. 4255 Wallace Street, Port Alberni For more information about the event, please phone 250-720-2863. Admission to the event is free and all are welcome. Copies of The Hot Springs Cove Story will also be available for purchase at the event. Uchucklesaht People’s Assembly and Election November 16th, 2019, Port Alberni Date: Saturday November 16, 2019 Location: The Thunderbird Port Alberni, B.C. 5251 Argyle Street Election Voting Time: Meeting: 8am6pm Meeting Time: 5pm-6pm What: Peoples Assembly and Elections/Voting Who: Uchucklesaht Tribe Citizens & Enrollees Urban Gathering (Vancouver) December 5th, 2019 Cultural Ceremony, Information Sharing, NTC Updates, Sharing a Meal together ,Singing and Drumming (bring your drum). 2:00 PM – 8:00 PM Hastings room @ PNE, 2901 E Hastings St, Vancouver, BC
For more information, contact Ruby Ambrose or Jennifer Gallic (250) 724-3939 ; 1 (888) 624-3939 Urban Gathering (Seattle) December 6th – 7th, 2019 Pershing Hall, American Legion Post 160, 3618 SW Alaska St, Seattle, WA 98126 Friday, December 6th 2:00 PM – 8:00 PM Saturday, December 7th 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM For more information, contact Ruby Ambrose or Jennifer Gallic (250) 724-3939 ; 1 (888) 624-3939 Urban Gathering (Nanaimo) December 12th, 2019 Beban Social Center (Lounge C), 2300 Bowen Rd, Nanaimo BC 2:00 PM – 8:00 PM For more information, contact Ruby Ambrose or Jennifer Gallic (250) 724-3939 ; 1 (888) 624-3939 Urban Gathering (Victoria) December 13th, 2019 Victoria Edelweiss Club, 108 Niagra St, Victoria BC 2:00 PM – 8:00 PM For more information, contact Ruby Ambrose or Jennifer Gallic (250) 724-3939 ; 1 (888) 624-3939 Urban Gathering (Campbell River) December 17th, 2019 Thunderbird Hall, 1400 Weiweikum Rd, Campbell River, BC 2:00 PM – 8:00 PM For more information, contact Ruby Ambrose or Jennifer Gallic (250) 724-3939 ; 1 (888) 624-3939 Memorial Potlach May 16, 2020, Lake Cowichan We the Livingstone family are now planning a Memorial Potlach for our Father and Hereditary Chief Sha e’ Lum, Cyril Edward Livingstone. Bring your drums and regalia. All family and friends are invited. Location: Lake Cowichan Arena, 311 S Shore Rd, Lake Cowichan, Contact Lake Cowichan First Nation at (250) 749-3301 for information.
November 7, 2019—Ha-Shilth-Sa—Page 13
--JOB OPPORTUNITIES --
View more job postings at: www.hashilthsa.com. Updated daily!
Page 14— Ha-Shilth-Sa—November 7, 2019
Nuu-chah-nulth members help coach wrestling program Wood Elementary’s team competes against other squads at a regional tournament on Nov. 1 in Port Alberni By Sam Laskaris Ha-Shilth-Sa Contributor Port Alberni, BC — Though she hasn’t wrestled herself since graduating from high school back in 2012, Daley Forbes once again found herself as part of a team this year. Forbes, a member of the Hesquiaht First Nation, was one of two Nuu-chah-nulth individuals who helped coached the Port Alberni-based Wood Elementary School wrestling program this season. Also helping coach the squad was William Merry, a member of the Tseshaht First Nation. Merry, 18, helped coach at Wood Elementary, his former school, the last four years, while he was attending Alberni District Secondary School. He’s now a first-year student at North Island College, at its Port Alberni campus. About 20 students, from Grades 4-7, participated with the Wood Elementary squad this season. The club had its season-ending tournament at Alberni District Secondary School (ADSS) this past Friday, Nov. 1. Wood Elementary placed fifth out of 10 schools in the over-all team standings at the year-end event. Forbes, 25, was content with her squad’s middle-of-the-pack finish, explaining a handful of other schools were expected to fare well since they had considerably more entrants. “I think we have quite a smaller team than Alberni, Maquinna and Neill,” Forbes said. “They are the larger teams in the valley.” The top six finishers in each weight class earned points towards the team totals. Not all of the divisions, however, had six (or more) entrants. Alberni ended up convincingly winning the team title with 298 points. Maquinna was next in line with 171 points while Neill placed third with 154 points. Ucluelet, which accumulated 150 points, also finished ahead of Wood Elementary, which racked up 122 points. The other schools that had representatives at the meet were Howitt, EJ Dunn, John Paul II, Haahuupayak and E’cole
The Alberni District Secondary School gym was filled with elementary-aged wrestlers on Nov. 1. Des Grandes-Ceders. For those with the Wood Elementary squad, the wrestling season this year also included two other tournaments, both staged in October. Wood Elementary hosted one of those events while Maquinna welcomed athletes to its school for the other competition. Thirteen of the Wood Elementary participants in last Friday’s tournament ended up placing in the top three of their category. Those who managed to register secondplace finishes were Zoey Bagnell, Zoey Leclerc, Naya Girard, Jasper Lauren, Brooklyn Eyford, Kodi Fong, Kolten Brown, Ethan Green, Payal Lal and Michael Stanley. And those who finished third in their categories were Izaiah Geddes, Ellie Doherty and Janna Hiltz. Forbes was able to help coach the Wood Elementary squad as she took off a semester from her athletic and exercise therapy program from Victoria’s Camosun College. She stayed home this semester to assist her grandmother, who has some health issues now. Forbes is planning to resume her college studies
Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation Homemaker 1 Part-time in Ty-Histanis 1 Part-time in Opitsaht The Homemaker reports to the Community Services Manager and is responsible for providing home making services for Elders/ Clients in our communities. We are looking for one part-time worker for Ty-Histanis/Esowista villages and one part-time worker for Opitsaht. A homemaker encourages healthy support to clientele, and does require some physical demanding tasks. A homemaker represents an important enhancement to Elder and Client care, a dynamic, enthusiastic, and reliable individual committed to home services is a key. Duties and Responsibilities ➢ ➢
➢ ➢ ➢ ➢
To provide professional homemaking services to pre-approved Nation members as directed by the Manager of Community Services; Maintain cleaning duties based on the evaluation provided by Tla-o-qui-aht CHS Dept. Duties may include but are not limited to; vacuuming, sweeping, mopping, dish washing, dusting, cleaning and disinfecting the bathrooms, kitchen area, laundry and overall upkeep and tidying of the centre and area. To establish a professional working relationship with the client(s) and follow a cleaning schedule, based on the evaluation. To perform assigned duties and responsibilities with respect for client (s) privacy and confidentiality; adapt to a variety of situations; and respect and accept different values and standards of living. To maintain a record of hours and duration of service for each client (s); record services provided at each visit; report incidents; provide time sheets as per Nation Policy Conduct all work in accordance with safety procedures.
Qualifications ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢
Must have the ability to perform outlined cleaning tasks with minimum supervision. Must possess physical ability to perform all cleaning/ janitorial tasks. Must be self motivated. Must have the ability to perform outlined tasks in required time. To be able to maintain a record of your hours and report and record services that were provided One to three years’ experience in a homemaking or homesupport environment / field. Aboriginal organization or community work experience is an asset First Aid certification is an asset Good communication and interpersonal skills Class 5 Driver’s License is an asset Must provide Criminal Record Check upon selection
Submit your resume, and cover letter demonstrating how you meet these qualifications. Only applicants granted an interview will be contacted. Deadline to apply is : November 13, 2019 Submit your resume, covering letter, and references to: Email: jobs@tla-o-qui-aht.org Fax: 250.725.3352 Or drop at the office in a sealed envelope at #1119 Pacific Rim Highway, Tofino BC
in January. Forbes, a graduate of ADSS, enjoyed the fact her semester off college also enabled her to help out with the Wood Elementary program. “That keeps me involved in the sport,” she said. “And I get to see other athletes grow. I like still being involved. And I wanted to volunteer and give back a bit now.” Forbes added she enjoyed the fact that some of the Wood Elementary team members were new to the sport. “I get to see them grow into little young wrestlers,” she said. Once she returns to Victoria in the new year, Forbes said she will try to see if she can connect with an elementary school squad in the city and join its wrestling program. “I think I will stay with a wrestling team and always be involved in coaching,” she said. As for Merry, he was interested in giving back to his former school right from his first year at ADSS. Wood Elementary did not have a wrestling program when Merry was a student there. “I just wanted to go back and help out,” he said. “It just became a part of me after
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that.” Merry said his interest in the program was enhanced because Wood Elementary had a number of keen athletes. “There were kids there and they were ready to learn,” he said. Merry was unsure if he would be able to continue his coaching duties this season since he started his own college studies. “I found it hard at first,” he said. “But once I got into it, things were okay.” The Wood Elementary squad practiced twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school. Merry said some athletes from his club exceeded expectations at Friday’s final tournament. “It was sort of a surprise,” he said. “Some of them did better than I thought they would.” Though he’s hoping to continue coaching in the future, it’s unlikely Merry will return to the Wood Elementary program in 2020. That’s because he is planning to move to Nanaimo next year and transfer to Vancouver Island University. “I was hoping to try and find another coaching position in Nanaimo,” he said. “So I might try and contact some people there.”
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Knowledge is your best friend, fungi gatherers say Public health warning issued as mushroom poisonings rise in B.C., gatherers advise to do your homework By Mike Youds Ha-Shilth-Sa Contributor Esowista, BC — Know your favourite fungi. That’s the golden rule among Nuuchah-nulth food gatherers who savour the Island’s abundant wild mushrooms, some of them prized, others deadly poisonous. Tracking a record number of mushroom poisonings this year, B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) has issued a public warning about the risks of consuming unidentified fungi. By fall, more than 200 mushroom poisonings were reported in the province, as many as all of 2018 and a 20 percent increase over 2017. Anyone who gathers wild mushrooms needs to be knowledgeable and cautious, but children and pets are most at risk when it comes to poisonings. “Approximately two thirds of mushroom related poisoning calls in 2019 involved children under the age of five,” said Raymond Li, a pharmacist with Poison Control. Thousands of native species of mushrooms are found on the Island, a handful of them commonly harvested by wild food crafters. Some — such as chanterelles and pine mushrooms — are harvested for sale. However, it’s a nonnative invasive species — ominously known as the death cap (amanita phalloides) — that causes particular concern due to its recent spread, deceptive appearance and extreme toxicity. “It is important to be aware of dangers from consuming unidentified mushrooms, especially death cap mushrooms,” Li said. “We would like to remind mushroom hunters, parents and pet owners to be vigilant as they enjoy city, parks, forests and even their own backyard.” While death caps have been found mostly in the Lower Mainland and Victoria, the species has been spreading north and into native habitats, BCCDC reports. A Victoria toddler died three years ago after consuming a death cap. Death caps are believed to have arrived in B.C. years ago in the roots of imported European trees. They are found growing among the roots of broadleaf trees, including native Garry oak. Three recent poisonings suggest they can be mistaken for edible varieties, including edible puffballs when the death caps are young and Asian straw mushrooms when they ma-
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Gisele Martin of Esowista, Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, holds a chanterelle, one of her favourite edible mushrooms. ture. Their potential spread is mapped as far west as Port Alberni, but there are no known locations pinpointed. (For more information on death cap mushrooms, see shorturl.at/ejUX1.) Maria Desnoyer, a Port Alberni resident from Hesquiaht First Nation, has always gathered wild mushrooms. She said she and her husband found chanterelles and shaggy manes their favourites, in abundance this season. They picked 40 Ziploc bags full. “It was an amazing year,” Desnoyer said. Gisele Martin, a Tl-o-qui-aht language and culture activist as well as an educator and artist, is also a mushroom lover. “I like giant puffballs, chanterelles, orange peel fungus, angel wings, slippery jack boletus,” she said, reeling off a few of her favourites. “I love chicken of the woods. They remind me of mozzarella. I like pine mushrooms.” Neither Desnoyer nor Martin has come across death caps. “I honestly don’t know what they would look like,” Desnoyer said, though she’s familiar with the native species amanita muscaria, also toxic. Mushroom gatherers hunt for their
Multiple reports of bear opening vehicle doors Unconfirmed report of a bear shot dead in area of Tseshaht reserve where several car break-ins occurred Deborah Potter Ha-Shilth-Sa Staff Port Alberni, BC — As the months grow colder, Port Alberni’s bear community is getting desperate. Tseshaht member Christine Fred woke up to a shock Friday morning (Oct. 25), as security cameras had caught a bear opening three of her four truck doors, snooping around for food. “Luckily we escaped any damages,” Fred captions in the Facebook video she posted. She had scared off the bear by
shouting and throwing a pillow at it. On the same night, Lisa Watts had the same issue with what could have been the very same bear. “I woke up Saturday morning, three of the doors of my car were opened. He didn’t get anything, but there were bear paw prints on my back seat, and my car absolutely reeked.” Watts said to HaShilth-Sa. Over the last week, there have been at least 10 incidents of bears opening vehicle doors on the Tseshaht reserve. Residents woke up to find their vehicle doors
favourites and know distinctive characteristics. “Once you get to know them, you can tell … but it can take some time,” said Martin, who lives at Esowista (Long Beach), “one of the most beautiful places in the world.” A former search and rescue team member, she thinks the greatest hazard for mushroom gatherers is getting lost rather than consuming toxic varieties. People can be more focused on their search than on their surroundings. “It’s really important to know where you’re going and not just stare at the ground,” Martin said. “Be aware that you’re in other animals’ territories.” How common are wild mushrooms in Indigenous diets? According to a 20082009 study, 24 percent of B.C. First Nation respondents included mushrooms as part of their traditional food, not up there with fish (95 percent), berries (85 percent) or land mammals (84 percent) but more significant than birds/fowl (17 percent). Martin pointed to cultural protocols for harvest of natural foods and the paramount importance of the Nuu-chah-nulth expression, hishuk’ish tsawalk: “Every-
open and contents of their cars askew in the bear’s attempt to find food. “Bears opening vehicle doors is certainly never normal,” conservation officer Dan Eichstadter commented, saying how his conversation with Ha-Shilth-Sa was the first they had heard of it. “Car doors are easier to open compared to other doors, a bear must have smelt food in an unlocked vehicle and gotten lucky.” Hibernation season for bears begins in early November, and the months before that are spent fattening up and finding food. Bears are known opportunists with a strong sense of smell, and find their easiest meals in the form of garbage, compost, or bird feed. “With it being so close to hibernation, they are extremely food driven,” Eichstadter explained, “they want to add on as many calories as they can.” The number of black bears killed by B.C. conservation officers has increased by 40 per cent this year, with a staggering 521 killed since Jan. 1. Last year, the
thing is one.” “That is demonstrated by mushrooms in a way,” she observed, pointing out that mycelium, the thread-like vegetative part of the plant, can spread over an area as large as 10 kilometres, connecting the forest at its roots. Fungi play an essential role in decomposition and regeneration of the whole ecosystem. Ethnobotanical literature approaches the subject from a use-centred perspective. A whole body of Indigenous knowledge related to the care and relationship with plants is omitted, Martin said. She obtained much of her fungi knowledge from books, five to be precise, cross-referenced, and learned to take spore prints, the proper way to identify species. While edible mushrooms thrive within the Island’s dense forest canopies, fungi overall have been adversely affected along with the forest since European contact, most recently through overharvesting, Martin said. People often pick them too small. “There are certain rules,” she said. “Try not to pick smaller than a toonie. I always cut my mushrooms. I don’t rip them out of the ground.” This leaves mycelium intact for regeneration. Just as there is more to the mushroom than meets the eye, there is more to Martin’s approach than just knowing what’s edible. Hers is a holistic Indigenous approach that honours the relationship between living beings. She recalled a word taught to her by Tla-o-qui-aht elder Levi Martin: Yuchap (yuuts-hap), meaning, “Let us walk carefully with humility and dignity.” “It begins by having respect the first time you step into a forest,” she said. Plants can sense your energy. The whole forest knows you’re coming, she said. Go gently rather than crashing through the bush. “It’s not just what we eat, it’s how we eat. It’s not just what we gather, it’s how we gather.” She extends that appreciation to language. “I don’t believe in ‘wild food’ anymore,” she said, questioning the very meaning of the word “wilderness” in its dictionary definition as an uninhabited and inhospitable region. Instead of “wild food,” she prefers a more accurate description — “Nuu-chahnulth food.” conservation officers’ service had 371 bears euthanized. “Be sure to take the extra time to clean out your car,” Eichstadter urges, “any type of odour at all will attract them.” Becoming “bear aware” is the best way to prevent these kinds of incidents. Besides ensuring vehicle doors are locked and there is no food left in overnight, the Conservation Officer Service strongly encourages residents to wildlife-proof your property: - Keep garbage out of reach - Use animal-resistant garbage cans - Don’t plant fruit-bearing trees and shrubs - Remove bird feeders - Compost responsibly - Remove attractants from your backyard As of October 29th, there was a bear reportedly shot dead in the same area Tseshaht residents were having problems. Ha-shilth-sa cannot confirm whether it was the same bear that was snooping through vehicles.
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