Huu-ay-aht
Uyaqhmis. A Rich History, A Bright Future. April 2009
Fe b . 28 - Ma r ch 1: HFN Vo t e o n Fi s h e r i e s Ca s e a t Sp e c i a l Me e t i n g
Port Alberni: The Huu-ay-aht First Nations Ha’wiih, Chief & Kamatap-h=ak hi>-ii? Council and Staff hosted a special community meeting on Feb. 28 and March 1 in Port Alberni to decide on a course of action Do y o u k n o w w h e r e t h i s i s ? regarding the NTC fisheries court case . Above L-R (Front): Andy Clappis, Ben Clappis, Ed Johnson, Victor Williams, Darlene Nookemus, Jeff Cook and Derek Peters. Above L-R (Back): Bill Frank, Irene Williams, Robert Dennis Senior, Don Hall and Bob Bocking. For more information, see Page 2...
Ta b l e o f Co n t e n t s 1. The Front Page 2. Government and Treaty News 3. Our Stories: Chap-is (Part Three) 4. Language and Culture 5. Elder and Youth Profiles 6. Huu-ay-aht Community News 7. Calendar and Announcements 8. The Back Page
Hi n t : This village site was named for flounders found in this nearby river. Corrections: ...
See Page 7 for Answer...
Huu-ay-aht Uyaqhmis Issue 9 April 2009 1 A Qu e s t i o n o f Ti m i n g
Hu u -a y -a h t Fi r s t Na t i o n s A Rich History, A Bright Future On the weekend of February 28 to by the provincial government before the Nation details of signing the Treaty. One example be- March 1, the Huu-ay-aht First Nations (HFN) will sign Maa-nulth Treaty. ing the decision that Huu-ay-aht Tyee Ha’wilth Huu-ay-aht Uyaqhmis is printed ten held a special community meeting to discuss Naasiismis (Derek Peters) will sign the Treaty times per year to foster community the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council fisheries with Chief-Councillor Robert Dennis when the awareness and involvement among a population of over six-hundred and court case and how it affects our access to fund- time comes. fifty people. ing for implementing the Maa-nulth Treaty. More specifically, the meeting turned Huu-ay-aht Uyaqhmis promotes the After an informative panel discussion to the issue of timing. The members of the recovery of the Huu-ay-aht dialect of the Nuu-chah-nulth language, culture and a lively debate, the HFN membership held HFN Chief & Council agreed that the Treaty and principles. An additional goal is to a vote by secret ballot and ultimately decided to should be signed after the closing arguments increase community skills and capac- withdraw from the court case at a time identi- of the NTC fisheries court case and before the ity as the Huu-ay-aht First Nations get fied by Chief & Council as in the Nation’s best Provincial general election on May 12. ready for Effective Date of the Maa- nulth Treaty in 2010. interest. With the result of the vote being so Chief & Council held another meet- strong, the HFN government has taken that ing on March 12. At this meeting, the HFN The next step was identified as the re- Send any letters to the editor, com- mandate and held a series of meetings to come government analyzed the situation up to this quest for a meeting with the Minister of Ab- ments, questions or requests to the up with a plan of action. point in time. They also discussed the possibil- original Relations and Reconciliation, Michael Huu-ay-aht Communications Depart- ment. Contact information is listed ity of meeting with Provincial Minister of Ab- De Jong, between March 24 and 27. This was below. On March 3, HFN Chief & Council original Relations and Reconciliation, Michael tagged as a priority for Chief & Council, tak- met to discuss strategy. They appointed Graham De Jong. They also created a proposed agenda ing priority over all other government-related Please note that the HFN Communi- Bruce to act as their lobbyist with the federal for such a meeting that included the inclu- activities for that period. cations Department reserves the right to select submissions based on theme and provincial governments. Initiatives taken sion of a Band Council Resolution (BCR) that and content and may edit materials for by the HFN and presented to the federal gov- would guarantee the signing of the Maa-nulth At the time of publishing, the signing grammar and space. We are committed ernment have been put into action and respec- Treaty by a specific date to be agreed upon by is tentatively set for April 9, 2009. Huu-ay-aht to accuracy in our reporting, if a mis- tive initiatives will be presented to the provin- the parties at the meeting. Uyaqhmis will cover this story in-depth as more take is made, please let us know and we will correct it in our next issue. cial government shortly. The HFN government information becomes available. agreed that these proposals need to be accepted Further discussion centered on the Items not selected for publication in this newsletter may be published on the Huu-ay-aht website, and as above, may be edited for space and grammar. The Huu-ay-aht Communications Tr e a t y Im p l e m e n t a t i o n Up d a t e : Fo r e s t r y Department is governed by the Huu- ay-aht Communications Comittee, a group selected by the Huu-ay-aht First Nations Chief & Council. In their effort to get ready for the values: spiritual, cultural, social, political and Strategy. Aside from the technical details of Treaty, the Huu-ay-aht First Nations govern- economic. the conversation, more specific questions were ment has created a forestry committee to do the asked regarding the five core values mentioned job of preparing for the day when we take back Once the values were identified, the during the meeting before. control over our forest lands and resources. The topic turned to answering a very simple ques- HFN Forestry Committee is comprised of nine tion: “What should we actually do to balance HFN Forestry Manager, Steve Gray, people: (1) Robert Dennis, HFN Chief-Coun- economic growth and sustainability?” The pos- presented a document showing the Ha’wiih cillor and Committee Chairperson; (2) Ya-thlua sible solutions are varied and numerous. Includ- and committee members in attendance that the (Jeff Cook), HFN Ha’wilth and experienced ing such topics as old growth forests, habitat HFN’s forestry operations contribute approxi- ~ We, the Huu-ay-aht people, envision forestry worker; and (3) Johnson Ginger, Regis- values, timber production and watershed res- mately $800,000 per year to the budget of the a proud, self-governing, and sover- tered Forestry Technician; (4) Paul Dagg, Reg- toration, the forestry committee and Ha’wiih Nation. The presentation ended with a question eign nation. Isaak will guide us as we istered Professional Forester; (5) Rob Botterell, agreed to continue the discussion in the New to be contemplated for future meetings: “What work together to establish a healthy, HFN legal coun- Year. is the minimum yearly contribution to be made prosperous and self-sustaining com- munity where our culture, language, sel; (6) Dan Per- by HFN Forestry to the Nation?” spirituality and economy for the ben- rin, HFN finan- The next efit of all Huu-ay-aht. cial advisor; (7) meeting was held The discussion quickly turned to the ~ Bruce Blackwell, on January 29, the topic of cedar and old growth forests. Citing consulting for- HFN Ha’wiih and that a supply of 15,000 m3 per year was neces- Hu u -a y -a h t Fi r s t Na t i o n s estry professional; forestry commit- sary to sustain currently cedar-based activities, Co mm u n i c a t i o n s Co mm i t t e e with (8) Darren tee reviewed the attending cultural scholar Kevin Neary stated
Chap-is Today: “Wouldn’t it be nice…”? sorted hand-held digital games. However, by on. Four-year old Jordan (Dennis) responded to the eve- the end of day one, they were getting right ning singing sessions with such enthusiasm that he insisted It seems like many Huu-ay-aht have a build in into the Chap-is spirit and having a wonderful on getting his own drum so he can practice for next year’s alarm clock that awakens certain restlessness and cravings to time -- helping to prepare the evening dinner, campout. collecting fire wood and keeping the campfire do traditional seasonal activities: harvest fresh herring eggs going long into the in March, taste the first spring salmon of the season and the evening. Over the need to head to the forests to harvest cedar bark in early past two years, May. “It was magical the HFN had two what happened around cabins built at the Given the special place that Chap-is holds for so the campfire for all of us,” traditional Huu-ay- many Huu-ay-aht, it is not surprising that many families Robert says and adds. aht summer home dream how they can get themselves and their families out to -- one the Chap-is Chap-is and A-uts-swis during the summer months. The kids and the side and another on parents really started to the A-uts-swis side. Stella Peters and James Nookemus get out to Chap- get into the simple pleasures During the Dennis is as often as they can, even during the winter when there are of telling stories, singing our songs and talking about our campout, these cabins were used by the elders to ensure their occasional breaks from rainy, wintry weather. hopes and dreams. Everyone was encouraged to speak, to comfort. Additionally, the Nation has plans to test and im- complete a sentence that starts with ‘Wouldn’t it be nice…’, prove the supply of available creek water. The Dennis family Last Summer, the Dennis family gathered their or just say whatever they wanted. packed in water for their campout last summer. family members for a week-long camp-out at Chap-is last th August 10-17 . Robert Dennis shared here some his mem- We were also able take care of some family business Huu-ay-aht members are always welcome to spend ories of that remarkable campout that included camping, that included a discussion and planning for a naming cer- time in Chap-is and are encouraged to leaving nothing at boating, fishing, swimming, beach combing and canning emony that will make sure that all the Dennis family mem- the village site except their footprints and take nothing but fish. bers who want traditional names can get one. photos and wonderful memories of one of the most beauti- ful places in our world. At the beginning of the first day, some Sylvia Dennis brought a propane burner and of the young folks were grumbling a bit that they couldn’t use their mp3 players and as- equipment that resulted in canning nine dozen jars of salm-
Di s c o v e r Ou r Te r r i t o r y , Ta k e a GPS Tr a i n i n g Co u r s e !
For all interested HFN members, all expenses related to taking the following courses will be covered by a grant from the Vancouver Foundation:
• Field Operator GPS training for Re- source Mapping. [2 - 3 day course] • Comprehensive GPS training for Resource Mapping. [5 day course]
To find out more, the following is a link to the RISC GPS training courses:
http://ilmbwww.gov.bc.ca/bmgs/gsr/courses.htm
Above: En route to Chap-is from Nuumakamyiis (Roquefeuil Bay, 2007). Purpose Below: Chap-is at low tide. Photo courtesy of Stella Peters. • Familiarize participants with gov- ernment agencies regulating GPS surveys in BC. • Introduction to GPS concepts and methods for resource inventory sur- veys in BC. • Use and application of the RIC GPS Standards in GPS surveys.
Skills Provided • Correct use of GPS receivers with Hands-On Training. • Ability to collect complete and use- ful data that is GIS-intelligent. • Correct GPS data collection deci- sions in the field with minimal su- pervision. • Navigation using GPS.
The BC Standards, Specifications and Guidelines for Resource Surveys Using GPS Technology were collaboratively developed by various government agencies, and with industry input, in order to control the use of GPS for im- portant mapping and databases.
Please contact HFN Band Office Re- ceptionist, Kristen Young, by phone at 1-888- 644-4555 or by fax at (250)728-1222 if you are interested in pursuing these Above: Chap-is at high tide. Photo courtesy of Stella Peters. courses. 3 Al b e r n i Va l l e y La n g u a g e Ch a m p i o n s Co l l a b o r a t e o n Sh a w TV Le s s o n s
Wi l l a r d Ga l l i c Hu g h A. Wa t t s Ha-w e h Tu u -i s (Be n s o n No o k e m i s ) Ts e s h a h t Fi r s t Na t i o n Hu p a c a s a t h Fi r s t Na t i o n Hu u -a y -a h t Fi r s t Na t i o n s
Willard, why did you come today? Hugh, why did you come today? Why has the language come so close to being lost? I am here because I was invited by the Huu-ay- I came today because I believe personally, in what When my wife Hilda and I first started to take an aht, [Derek Peters and Benson Nookemis] did the proper the Huu-ay-aht are doing along with Ben [Nookemis]. It is interest in trying to save the Huu-ay-aht language, I was do- protocol by asking us to be with them because of the ter- very new and very serious. I believe that it is an attempt to ing other work getting paid good money. I saw that our old ritorial recognition and because of what they are doing is so reach a wider audience and will get more attention than if people were passing away and taking with them their knowl- important to us: preserving our language, especially for the were done in a classroom. edge of our language, our songs and dances. I saw that our younger generations. You mentioned on a previous occasion that there language was on the verge of being lost and I figured that have been previous [language recovery] initiatives started I had to do something. Together with my wife and other Why is it important that this language be preserved? with a lot of people and promises and nothing ever came elders in the community, we made a Phrase Book. Because this language identifies us as who we are. of it. Do you believe that this initiative is a small step or a We didn’t work for money at that point. No matter where you go in the world, everyone has their major step. Eventually, I had to make some choices: “Do I own languages and when foreigners come here they have to I believe that it is a major step and can state with continue working in my line of work [repair fishing boats] learn to speak English. We (Kuu-as) are in our own country, emphasis that this has been done without any funding . They or is our language more important? In light of advancing our own home and it is ironic that we have to learn our own have done it on their own because our language is a treasure age of the remaining speakers of the Huu-ay-aht language, language. that we have to hold onto for future generations to realize. do we dedicate ourselves to the language work?” So, I let my work go, and my wife and I have been working steady ever Do you still hear the language spoken? Why does this language matter? since on the language [recovery]. Not that often, not that often. There are not too I personally feel that our language contains far We work with our linguist and are providing week- many of our people who can actually speak our language more meaning than what is available in the English language. ly language lessons to the HFN Treay Office workers where and carry on a conversation. We have words that if we were to try to translate to English we teach them useful , everyday phrases. would an entire background story and pages of explanation Is language just words or are we talking about more than just to understand what that one what word means. Words What is this project you are working on and what do you another way to think? in our language are not just words but can carry us to a place hope to achieve? We are talking about the identity of First Nations. of profound feeling what you ‘re saying. We talk about We are trying to reach the younger generation to let The Language is our identity : Language identifies who you “Tli- mucs-sti”. It is not just a word. It is a feeling within them know who we are, who they are and to make sure that are and where you are from. your body, spirit and your heart, it is everything poured into our grandchildren know that it is them that we are working a word and it comes out feeling a particular way. for. Today, we are trying to save as much of this language How important is it that this [language recovery]is being as we can. We are really enjoying it and it is for this reason done on shared territory? Is this a big thing? How important is it that 3 nations have gotten together that I asked my two cousins, Willard Gallic (Tseshaht) and Yes, it really is because it shows how well Huu-ay- like this around language recovery? Hugh Watts (Hupacasath) to join us as we launch this latest aht and Ben have been taught [ha-huu-pa] and how impor- The reason that I am part of this initiative is that project [language lessons on Shaw Cable Port Alberni). It is tant it is he is following protocols and customs as it once I grew up with Willard and Benson all my life. They will a very important thing that we are doing, We are all family was and a lot of us have forgotten that. agree that we all lived the early years of our live in the Bark- and we all use the Barkley Sound dialect. A lot of the words ley Sound. In those days it was imperative at that our par- that we say (90-99%) are the same words So this really is a shared project? ents would constantly let us know how each of are related Also, since we are working on this project in their What we share in common is not only our lan- to one another. We came from the same root earlier down territory, we asked them to join us as we begin this new guage but that we want to make sure that that our language the [genealogical ] road. It is always important to know how work. is not totally lost. closely we are related so as to avoid any confusion about who might be considered ‘marriageable or not-marriageble’ Do you see people becoming interested in the language What do you hope will come out of all this? in ways that they weren’t before? I hope it will bring awareness, especially to the You are excited about this language recovery project? We are trying to make the work as fun as we can younger people whose interest we are trying to capture. It I am very excited about these efforts to retain the for our young people, particularly the office workers. We use will be very difficult because of the way we are today and language. I have seen different programs over time and they skits and physical involvement to make it easier for people to how we fit in society today. English has become our first were often hard to sustain due to lack of finances. In the case join in the lessons. They are really enjoying it and I can see it language. of the Huu-ay-aht, they have committed their own fund- carrying on as a lot of our young people are interested now. ing to keep their language programs going. The Huu-ay-aht We are starting with simple words and sentences because a Are you optimistic that you will be able to recapture sig- are tell everyone that they treasure our shared language and lot of our words can have multiple meanings. nificant portions of your language? want to hang on to it for future generations. If I didn’t believe that we could do it, I would not Why does one often hear so much joy and laughter when be here today, I believe it is something that has to be done Nuuchahnulth people are learning their language? and that we have to start somewhere. This is a good start. At our Treaty Office Lessons, it is not surpris- ing to hear a lot of laughter when we are learning our lan- Any closing words? guage. When I arrive in the morning , I greet the workers I am very appreciative of what Ben and the Huu- with“Tluuuthma nass” which means “Good Day” and the ay-aht are doing to preserve what we have left [of our lan- worker responds with “Ha –aa which means, “yes”. guage]as it is so important to our people and to our younger It is also interesting the non-natives in the office people especially. are picking up the language. They all are enjoying learning so it has been fun that way. It makes it a lot easier for my wife and myself to see them enjoying themselves like that. Above Right: Huu-ay-aht members plan with Nancy Wilmont of Shaw TV in Port Alberni. (L-R): Benson Nookemis, Jack Cook, Derek Peters, Willard Gallic (of Tseshaht), Nancy Wilmont, Darren Evans and Hugh “Tuffy” Watts (of Hu- pacasath). Nuu-chah-nulth language lesson clips televised on the Shaw Channel every hour for all of March and April, 2009. Questions by Nancy Wilmont.
Huu-ay-aht Uyaqhmis Issue 9 April 2009 4 Na n i i q s u Pr o f i l e : Ir e n e Wi l l i a m s Br a d l e y De n n i s a n d Fa m i l y Away But Not Far Away
Like many Huu-ay-aht, Irene Williams grew up spending winters in Kuk-swis (Sarita Bay) and Chap-is Irene also recalls that while her husband was a good (Dogers Cove). Her parents were Elsie Williams and Mike provider, always finding work in the forest and fishing in- Williams. She grew up with her older sister, Nellie Dennis. dustry, he did not encourage her wishes to pursue her educa- tion and employment. As a result when she was out on her She was living with her own, she found that lack of skills great-grandmother, Met-less, and education meant that the jobs during her mothers stay in the was qualified for were primarily at Nanaimo TB hospital. Met-less seafood processing plants. was determined that Irene would not be scooped up by the Indian Determined not to be left be- Agents or sent to the Alberni In- hind and also to provide a good dian Residential School (AIRS). example to her children and She spent three and a half years grandchildren, Irene entered a out of sight of the Indian Agents, post secondary, five-year program Bradley Dennis was born in Vancouver, BC largely spent at Polly’s Point in Al- of upgrading and completed a on November 27, 1977 to parents Clarence Dennis and berni, before she was sent to AIRS two-year counselor training pro- Marie Mack. His paternal grandparents are Nellie Den- at the age of eight years old. gram. nis and the late Simon Dennis Sr.
Irene’s memories of the Her greatest passion these days Although Bradley left his Huu-ay-aht home Residential School were not good ones and she has many is to make sure that her children and grandchildren get in 1984, he has kept close to his heart a wide range of painful and angry memories from her time there. She was traditional Huu-ay-aht names. She has been meeting with vivid memories of growing up in Kuks-wiis (Sarita Bay). able to escape by running away at the age of sixteen. Huu-ay-aht Ha’wiih and family members to make sure that Among these fond memories is the time he hiked to every one of her family who wants a tradtional name gets Cha-chinquis through the mud at low tide and getting I remember hiding in the bushes as we a traditional name. Irene says, “I have been listening care- his boots stuck. heard the approaching paddy wagon that was fully to old tapes of my grandmother with my sister Nellie to looking for us. My friend and I were hitchhiking make sure that my great grandfathers traditional names are He moved with his parents across the border on Anderson Road in South Port Alberni, when recorded properly and that they will be passed on through to to Washington State where he has been living ever since. as luck would have it, a kind person picked the present and future generations”. He has never forgotten his Huu-ay-aht roots and these us up took us all the way home to Kuk-swis roots have proven to be very central to his and his family (Sarita Bay). Irene’s words of encouragement to young Huu-ay- life today. aht is a clear, simple and strong message: “It is really impor- Irene says that although her life has not been an In 1997, within the first few days of starting easy one, she was married and has five wonderful children: tant to talk with your children and encourage them to get their education. It is really important.” undergraduate school at Wala Wala College in South- Laverne, Marlene, Darlene, Shelia and Daniel. Irene’s family east Washington, Bradley met the love of his life -- Dee is large and still growing, she has eighteen grandchildren and Anna. She was the lady who was to become his wife and thirteen great-grandchildren. he credits her unshakable belief in his personal and aca- demic potential as the principal reason that he has been able achieve both a Bachelors Degree in Social Work in 2001 and a Masters Degree in Social Work in 2003.
Yo u t h Pr o f i l e : Al a n n a h Jo h n s t o n Dee Anna and Bradley are devoted to creating a loving home where their two daughters can grow. The girls, Sarita Hašah (3) and Isla Tašii (2) carry names that ondary School in Parksville where her favorite subjects were come from places in Bradley’s Huu-ay-aht homeland. math, science, First Nations studies and communications. Sarita, the Spanish name for Kuk-swiis; and Hašah, a Huu-ay-aht word meaning ‘for keeping.’ Isla, a Span- She is presently attending Discovery College in ish word for ‘island’ and Tašii, a Huu-ay-aht for word Parksville where she is taking a Registered Home Care As- for ‘the way ahead’. At a recent Dennis Family Gather- sistance course, which will certify her to work in homes of ing, Bradley’s uncle, Robert Dennis, gave little Sarita the institutional settings. She will graduate from this course in Huu-ay-aht name Kuk-swiis-ak-sup which translates to July 2009. Meanwhile, Alannah has started her practicum “Woman from Kuk-swiis.” experience at the Arrowsmith Lodge in Parksville, where she hopes to work for a while. Given the distance and difficulties in traveling back to his Huu-ay-aht home, Bradley and Dee Anna Alannah’s longer term plans are to pursue training are making sure that they are sharing as much Huu-ay- as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). aht culture and values as possible. This includes being mindful of the presence of the Creator and that we must Born September 5, 1990, Alannah is the daugh- I know that I will have to work hard on value all life. Also, the traditional teachings of iisaac (re- ter of Theresa Nookemis and Rob Johnston. She is the the science courses the LPN preparation re- spect) require that all people be treated kindly, gener- granddaughter of Benson Nookemis and the late Gertrude quires. ously, respectfully and with love. Nookemis. Her Huu-ay-aht name is Tat-tuusi (Star), a name What I know for sure is that I love working that was given to her by her grandfather on the occasion of with seniors. Their smiles make my day. It is Bradley adds that, “It is important to include th his 65 birthday. something that I look forward to when I wake among these teachings: the need to be friendly and to up in the morning. maintain a sense of humour”. “It is a great feeling to have a Huu-ay-aht name,” Alannah says, “It keeps me connected to my grandfather and The advice that has served me well is ‘fol- Bradley lives in Vancouver, Washington with all my ancestors. My culture is becoming an increasing part low your heart’ and I encourage other young his family just across the bridge from Portland, Oregon of my life.” She adds: people to do the same. where he works as a Youth Development Advocate at the Native American Youth and Family Centre. I am making plans to travel and to even- I was invited to dance at my cousin Tam- tually have a family of my own. For this to my’s wedding and although I was at first a happen, the first step is getting a good paying little nervous, I settled down and danced for the first time. I have been practicing dancing job. at home. I want to find out more about my ancestors and what was important to them. Chuu. Above (L-R): Sarita Hašah Dennis, Dee Anna Dennis, In 2008, Alannah graduated from Ballenas Sec- Isla Tašii Dennis, and Bradley Dennis.
Huu-ay-aht Uyaqhmis Issue 9 April 2009 5 Co mm u n i t y i s a b o u t s h a r e d k n o w l e d g e , l e a d e r s h i p a n d v i s i o n .
An Editorial by John Alan Jack The plan may involve a host of different options Generally, it comes down to a combination of from building infrastructure and multi-family housing to To say that the Huu-ay-aht First Nations is re- point of view, values, favoured methods and best practices. funding training programs or offering incentives to entre- building its community is to say that there has been damage We choose our leaders based on whether we respect their preneurs. What matters is that the information is collected done in the past. Whoever was at fault for that damage is abilities and agree with their beliefs. and responsive plans are created. not the point of this article, but it should suffice to say that the ability to make our own decisions with land, money and Good leadership is also based on the ability to col- As a prospective leader of the Nation, your job is politics is the answer to many of our problems. The day af- lect accurate, comprehensive and timely information and to know as much as possible about your community and to ter our community voted to accept the Treaty, we became a the ability to effectively use that information to create a plan present a plan to deal with the challenges and improve the closer and more concrete community of people. Now that of action and see it through to completion. condition of the community as a whole. we have a set of tools to create our future, it falls to us to make decisions as a community. As a community, we need to have an accurate pic- As a member of the Nation, your responsibility is ture of the Nation. To make the best decisions, we need to to listen to the candidates and review their plans. Your job As individual people, we usually have total control know two things: what we want to do and what we’re ca- is to select the leaders with the best skills and a plan you can and freedom to make our own decisions. We succeed and pable of doing. An example of this process is believe in. This is the democratic process. fail on our own. When we’re a part of a group, we usually the recently-completed community survey need to make the same type of decisions, but we can’t do it conducted by Sheila Charles for the HFN. Winston Churchill, the British Prime the same way. Generally speaking, everyone is equal under Minister who helped lead the Allies to victory our law. So we need a way to account for each of our differ- By asking questions about our in World War Two, once said that democracy ent ideas when it comes to collective decision-making – a income, the Nation is trying to figure out is the worst political system out there, except process otherwise known as politics. the kind of life that we’re able to afford and for all the other ones. One of the reasons he whether they need to fill gaps or help people said this was because democracy can’t please The point of politics is for large groups to make de- out. By asking us about whether we want to everyone. If one decision is made, it must cisions that affect the entire group. Yesterday, these decisions live in Anacla or whether we’d be there all necessarily exclude other options because we were made by individuals in Huu-ay-aht called Ha’wiih, or year, they want to know what sort of living have limited resources. hereditary chiefs. Today, these decisions are made by demo- spaces they should be focusing on building: cratically elected leaders called Councillors. Tomorrow, apartments, duplexes, single-family houses, We can’t do everything. So we have to do these decisions will likely be made in some combination of co-housing complexes, Summer cottages or the best thing possible. traditional and democratic. some combination. As a community, we have to accept that this might Group decision-making is another way of saying By finding out what we want and what we’re cur- not always be what we want as individuals. If we do not ac- group leadership. Good leadership is the ability to make the rently capable of doing individually and collectively, our cept this, we threaten our very community as a whole. Let decisions for the most benefit to the community as a whole. government can identify the strengths and weaknesses to us hope that we’re up to the task… The trick to politics is the debate over how you define the create a plan to make our community better. best decisions in given situations. Chuu.
On a Ro l l - Ja y No o k e m u s begin a contract for foam insulation on a $12 Hu u -a y -a h t Pa a w a t s on March 5, at Smitty’s in Port Alberni. million residential project. Th e La n g u a g e Ne s t Jay Nookemus graduated from The Paawats students and their the Blade Runner Skills Training program Jay stopped by the Uyaqhmis office parents went on a field trip on March 3, Kathy Waddell this past spring and together with two other to let us know how its going and to thank the 2009 to Boogaloo Bears, a Port Alberni Huu-ay-aht graduates of the program, im- Huu-ay-aht First Nations for encouraging children’s fun activity cen- The Huu-ay-aht mediately found employment at a condo him to get the training that has now proven tre. Paawats is now back to construction site in Tofino. so important to his future plans. operating two days a week The above photos were after the 2-month win- The Blade Runner Training pro- taken by international stu- ter schedule of one day a vides practical workplace readiness training dent intern, Marina Wil- week. and included certification in areas of work- froth who accompanied place health and safety, WHIMS, Scaffold the Paawats team on this Things have been Safety and courses such as Level One First field trip, the first of four busy around the Paawats as Aid and Transportation Endorsement. planned before the sum- they are presently putting mer. into practice some of the It was what Jay did with that train- new energy and technique ing that made all the difference. Over the pe- Marina contributed that is a result of sending riod of employment during the summer and her excellent personal en- five Huu-ay-aht representa- fall, Jay consistently demonstrated his will- ergy and research skills over the period tives to two-day immersion workshop at ingness to learn new skills and showed that of eight weeks of her internship. This in- the Chief Atham School in Chase, BC at he is unafraid of hard work and consistently cludes a comprehensive evaluation survey the end of February. does his best. Jay has an interest in learning as of the entire Huu-ay-aht Language Devel- much as he can about the history and opera- opment program. Attending for the Huu-ay-aht This positive workplace attitude did tions of the Huu-ay-aht First Nations. were Kathy Waddell (Paawats Supervisor), not go overlooked. Jay was recommended by She has moved on to study Span- Clara Clappis (Paawats worker), Patsy his construction supervisor to one of the sub- He also hopes to attend meetings ish in Mexico. The Huu-ay-aht commu- Lecoy (Na- contractors was looking for new workers. of the Huu-ay-aht Chief & Council to learn nity extends more about the workings of the Nation. niiqsu & our thanks s p e a k e r ) , Extreme Foam, Nanaimo-based best wishes H i l d a company that proudly utilizes environmen- In the expectation of a renewed to her with No o k e m i s tally friendly foam insulation in industrial, Huu-ay-aht community, Jay has taken it the hope ( l a n g u a g e commercial and residential buildings on upon himself to prepare himself for the work that we will s p e a k e r ) , Vancouver Island, now employs Jay. He that it will take to build something which we see her- and Natika completed a two-day certification course can all be proud. back here in Bock (HFN in spraying industrial insulation foam hav- the future. Youth Activ- ing received a 95% score on his certification All the best to you, Jay and to your Kleko, kleko! ities Coordinator). Each of these people exam. family for continued success. Chuu. made a presentation of their experiences Above: Donovan Williams at a Na-naniiqsu / Language Workshop He will be heading to Victoria to Below: Andrew Clappis Jr.
Huu-ay-aht Uyaqhmis Issue 9 April 2009 6 Ev e n t s Ca l e n d a r , An n o u n c e m e n t s a n d Jo b Opportunities
Every Sunday, February to July 2009 April 15th, 2009 Cost is $115. Call Sarah Tyne at (250)728- • HFN Dance Practice at the PA • Day Two f Huu-ay-aht Gover- 3301 ext. 213 for details. Friendship Centre. 11:00am to 2:00pm. nance Committee Meeting. • Add Marine Basic First Aid, which continues to April 29 for a total cost of April 2nd, 2009 April 17th, 2009 $255. • HFN Chief & Council to host a • Huu-ay-aht Na-naniiqsu Meet- fundraiser luncheon for BC Liberal Can- ing at the Treaty Office: 10:00am to April 29th, 2009 didate Dianne St. Jacques at Bat Star 3:00pm. • Day Two of Marine Basic First Aid Restaurant in Port Alberni at 12:00pm. at the BMSC. See above for details. $50 per plate. April 21st, 2009 • HFN Forestry Comittee and • Huu-ay-aht Chief and Council Ha’wiih Meeting. April 7th, 2009 Meeting in Anacla. • Huu-ay-aht Treaty Implementa- April 30th, 2009 tion Committee Meeting. April 23rd, 2009 • BMSC offers Marine Emergency • Day One of NTC Gathering of Duties (MED) A3 training for $180. Call April 10th to 13th, 2009 Ha’wiih. Sarah at (250)728-3301 ext. 213 for de- • HFN (and NTC) Offices closed tails. due to Easter Weekened. April 24th, 2009 • Day Two of NTC Gathering of May 1st to 3rd, 2009 April 14th, 2009 Ha’wiih. • BMSC offers Small Vessel Opera- • Day One of Huu-ay-aht Gover- tor Proficiency training for $312.75 -- call nance Committee Meeting April 28th, 2009 Sarah at (250)728-3301 ext. 213 for de- • Level 1 First Aid Training offered tails. at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre.
Ellery Cootes Carver An n o u n c e m e n t s Nanaimo, BC Bi r t h An n o u n c e m e n t
(250) 753-1063
Frances Williams Jewellry Designer Surrey, BC Daniel William Speck 7 lbs. 10 oz (604) 591-6478 March 13, 2009 Mother: Hazel Cook (right) Father: Don Speck (left) Congratulations!
Kamatap –h=ak hi> -ii? Co n d o l e n c e s t o t h e Fa m i l y Do y o u k n o w w h e r e t h i s i s ? of Andrea Joseph (nee Clappis) August 14, 1947 - March 16, 2009 ANSWER: Anaktla.
Huu-ay-aht Uyaqhmis Issue 9 April 2009 7 Th e Ba c k Pa g e
On e Wo r d a t a Ti m e Vo c a b u l a r y Community News Continued... %u u w `a a t ’i n %uw`aat related to Re l a t i v e s %uw`aate%ic %ah=kuu%i “you are related to this one” Family and relatives are at the core of Nuu-chah- %uw`aat “related to’ nulth culture. It is important to know and recognize even -e%ic “you” distant relatives. In the Huu-ay-aht language the term %ah=kuu “this here” most frequently heard for relative is %uw`aat’in. You will -%i “the” hear expressions like %uh=uk#ah= %uw`aat’in “he or she is my March was a busy month for the youth of Ana- relative”, or %uw`aat’inmin h=ac^atak “we are all related”. A %uw`aat’in “relative” cla as they participated in a basketball workshop on the th shorter form of this word means “to be related”, and in %uh=uk#ah= %uw`aat’in “he or she is my relative” 14 with the Vikettes, the celebrated womens’ basketball the long process of learning about all your family ties you %uh= “he / she / it” team from the University of Victoria. They shared their may hear an elder telling you: %uw`aate%ic %ah=kuu%i “you -uk#ah= “mine” winning attitude and skills through practice drills, scrim- are related to this one here”. The core element in these %uw`aat’in “relative” mages and just having fun with Huu-ay-aht youth who words is -w`at which means something like “to be a part attended. of”, and every person is like a node in a tightly woven h=ac^ataksakah= %uw`aat’in network. Everybody is part of many groups at the same “all of these people are my relatives” time. h=ac^atak “everyone” Some speakers in the Alberni area and the ma- -sa “just, really” jority in the Ucluelet area use another word that you will -akah= “mine” hear quite often: %uqh=y`uu “related” and %uqh=y`ims “rela- %uw`aat’in “relative” tive”. Plural With sponsorship from the New Relationship The kinship terms in Nuu-chah-nulth are very %uu%uw`aat’in relatives (plural) Trust Youth Program, twenty Huu-ay-aht youth and different from English ones and make other distinctions, %uh=uk#in %uu%uw`aat’in “these are our relatives” adults spent a day rediscovering their ancestral territory of e.g. that between older and younger siblings and between %uh= “it” Kiix-iin. With participation from Stella Peters, a number cousins from older and younger bloodlines. The Nuu- -uk#in “ours” of Huu-ay-aht cousins from Port Alberni shook off the chah-nulth Phrase Book, pages 41-43 lists some of these %uu%uw`aat’in “relatives” winter downpour and hiked the 5 kilometers to Kiix-iin. terms, and we’ll talk more about them in this column later on. But for now, if you just learn this phrase from page Bonus Forms The youth of Anacla are also writing their own 42 of the Phrasebook, track 10 of the CD, you’ll be well yayaqw`atqas the ones I’m related to newspaper to practice their journalistic reporting skills, on your way: yayaqw`atqin the ones we are related to sharing it with their families in Anacla. h=ac^ataksakah= %uw`aat’in Northern Usage The Adult Language Classes with Angie Joe are “all of these people are my relatives” %uqh=y`uu a big community hit and they continue every Wednesday %uqh=y`ims and Thursday at Clara Clappis home -- everyone is wel- Submitted by: Terry Klokeid, PhD. come. Henry Kammler, PhD.
Ri d d l e s , Ri d d l e s , Ri d d l e s . Hu u -a y -a h t Tr e a t y Off i c e
1. It has no top or bottom but it can hold flesh, bones and blood all at the same Street Address: 3483 3rd Avenue time. What is this object? Port Alberni, British Columbia V9Y 4E4 2. Light as a feather, there is nothing in it; the strongest man can’t hold it for much more than few minutes? Phone: (250) 723-0100 Fax: (250) 723-4646 E-Mail: [email protected] 3. What eats rocks, levels mountains, rusts metal, pushes the clouds across the sky, and can make a young man old? Hu u -a y -a h t Ba n d Off i c e 4. What two words have the most letters in it? Mailing Address: Box 70 5. Squeeze it and it cries tears as red as its flesh, but its heart is made of stone. Bamfield, British Columbia - V0R 1B0 6. No sooner spoken than broken. What is it? Phone: (250) 728-3414 Toll-Free: 1-888-644-4555 7. When is a door not a door? Fax: (250) 728-1222 E-Mail: [email protected]
8. Forward, I am heavy. Backward, I am not. What am I?
9. The more you take the more you leave behind. Su b m i s s i o n s , Qu e s t i o n s o r Co m m e n t s ? Contact the Huu-ay-aht Communications Department if you have a 10. As I walked along the path I saw something with four fingers and one thumb, question or want an electronic copy: [email protected] but it was not flesh, fish, bone or fowl. What did I see? Hu u -a y -a h t We b s i t e 11. I am taken from a mine and shut up in a wooden case from which I am For new articles, job postsing, updated events calendar, and an ar- never released, and yet I am used by almost everybody. chive of the digital version of the newsletter.
12. Brothers and sisters, I have none. But this man’s father is my father’s son. Hu u -a y -a h t Yo u Tu b e Ch a nn e l For videos of Huu-ay-aht people, places and special events, sub- ˙uos ʎɯ ‘pɐǝl lıɔuǝd ‘ǝʌolƃ ɐ ‘sdǝʇs ʇooɟ ‘uoʇ ɐ scribe today!
Huu-ay-aht Uyaqhmis Issue 9 April 2009 8