A Resurgent Journey Back to the Saanich Reef Net Fishery By
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To Fish as Formerly: A Resurgent Journey back to the Saanich Reef Net Fishery by Nicholas XEMŦOLTW Claxton Bachelor of Science, University of Victoria, 2000 Master of Arts, University of Victoria, 2003 A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction © Nicholas XEMŦOLTW Claxton, 2015 University of Victoria All rights reserved. This thesis may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without the permission of the author. ii Supervisory Committee To Fish as Formerly: A Resurgent Journey back to the Saanich Reef Net Fishery by Nicholas XEMŦOLTW Claxton Bachelor of Science, University of Victoria, 2000 Master of Arts, University of Victoria, 2003 Supervisory Committee Dr. Jason Price, Department of Curriculum and Instruction Supervisor Dr. Mike Emme, Department of Curriculum and Instruction Committee Member Dr. Honore France, Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies Outside Member iii Abstract Supervisory Committee Dr. Jason Price, Department of Curriculum and Instruction Supervisor Dr. Mike Emme, Department of Curriculum and Instruction Committee Member Dr. Honore France, Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies Outside Member According to W̱SÁNEĆ oral history, the W̱SÁNEĆ people have lived on their territorial homelands back to the time of creation. The W̱SÁNEĆ way of life has been passed on to each succeeding generation through an educational way, centered in large part on the W̱SÁNEĆ Reef Net Fishery. This fishing practice formed the backbone of W̱SÁNEĆ culture and society. Despite being protected by the Douglas Treaty of 1852, over the next 163 years of colonization, the knowledge, ceremony, practice, and educational way of the SX̱OLE (Reef Net) was nearly lost. Using a framework for Indigenous Resurgence, this dissertātiō or path focuses on the revitalization and restoration of the SX̱OLE. This resurgent path iv described herein tells the story of how the “researcher” pulled together the disappearing knowledge of the SX̱OLE, reinvigorated cross border cooperation between the W̱SÁNEĆ and their Xwelemi relatives, and how after being named ȻWENÁLYEN, or the Reef Net Captain through ceremony was able to coordinate the community based creation and fishing of the first SX̱OLE on Canadian waters in 100 years. This resurgent path is just the beginning of a long and endless journey forward by looking backward, where the W̱SÁNEĆ people can be a proud people of the SX̱OLE once again. v Table of Contents Supervisory Committee ................................................................................................ ii Abstract ............................................................................................................................ iii Table of Contents .......................................................................................................... v List of Tables ................................................................................................................. vii List of Figures .............................................................................................................. viii Preface .............................................................................................................................. ix Acknowledgments ...................................................................................................... xiii Dedication ...................................................................................................................... xv Chapter 1 ĆX̱OLETEN .................................................................................................... 1 The Douglas Treaty and the W̱SÁNEĆ People: Implications for education ............... 23 The Oral History of the Douglas Treaty ........................................................................ 36 Story of PKOLS ............................................................................................................ 43 The Oral History of the Saanich Indian School Board. ................................................. 45 A Story of the Flood as told by Earl Claxton Sr. .......................................................... 45 Chapter 2 KEṈOLES ..................................................................................................... 54 Literature Review of Indigenous Education .................................................................. 54 W̱SÁNEĆ Reef Net Fishery .......................................................................................... 69 Literature Review of the Reef net ................................................................................. 89 Chapter 3 SWÁLET ..................................................................................................... 114 Chapter 4 SX̱OLE: My own learning, or more appropriately unlearning. .. 138 To Fish as Formerly .................................................................................................... 140 My prayer for our people ............................................................................................ 144 How it all started ......................................................................................................... 146 Uncle’s Teachings and Instruction .............................................................................. 149 Colonial Correspondence as a History ........................................................................ 154 This is the Story of the Revitalization of the Reef net System ................................... 155 Spiritual nature of the SX̱OLE .................................................................................... 155 The Reef net ................................................................................................................ 159 The Reef net Fishery: Explained ................................................................................. 164 SWALET: Reef net Fishing Locations ...................................................................... 165 Revitalization of the SX̱OLE ...................................................................................... 171 Construction of the Ceremonial Reef net .................................................................... 172 Visiting Lummi for reef net Ceremony and to view net ............................................. 179 Construction of the full size reef net ........................................................................... 182 The Reef net Ceremony ............................................................................................... 188 Reef net fishing ........................................................................................................... 190 What I learned about Reef netting ............................................................................... 193 W̱SÁNEĆ Philosophy, worldview and connection to land as education .................... 196 vi Chapter 5 SHELI – Visioning: towards an authentic W̱SÁNEĆ education system for W̱SÁNEĆ Resurgence ........................................................................... 202 Bibliography ................................................................................................................. 223 Appendix ...................................................................................................................... 240 vii List of Tables Table 1 68 viii List of Figures Figure 1 Trajectory of Aboriginal Education .................................................................... 59 Figure 2 Saanich Territorial Map ...................................................................................... 79 Figure 3 SḴÁU LŦE - The Natural Laws of the W̱SÁNEĆ People ................................. 84 Figure 4 Locating Myself as a Researcher ...................................................................... 118 Figure 5 Lummi Nation Ceremonial Reef Net ................................................................ 158 Figure 6 - 29 Reef Net Locations in W̱SÁNEĆ Territory ............................................... 168 Figure 7 - SX̱IX̱ ŦE Reef Net Location at Pender Island BC .......................................... 170 Figure 8 - Willow Stand .................................................................................................. 174 Figure 9 - In the Classroom ............................................................................................. 175 Figure 10 - Inner bark of Willow .................................................................................... 176 Figure 11 - Twine Construction ...................................................................................... 177 Figure 12 - Lummi Reef Net at Cherry Point .................................................................. 180 Figure 13 - Lummi Reef Net Model ................................................................................ 181 Figure 14 - Lummi Reef Netters ..................................................................................... 182 Figure 14 - Lummi Reef Net ........................................................................................... 182 Figure 16 - Reef Net Hanging ......................................................................................... 184 Figure 17 - SHELI - Ring of Life .................................................................................... 188 ix Preface