General

A drying of tears ceremony was held for the family of Tonia Frank at Tin Wis Resort on March 12. This ceremony marks the end of the public grief period of the family.

A dinner was held for those who gathered to witness.

After the dinner, a celebration of life was held for elders Dora Frank and her brother Jasper. Jasper survived a heart attack and Dora is now clear of the cancer she had been battling.  

There was dancing and well wishes and hopes for continued health and healing.

Here are some photos from the event.

In its best effort to be prepared for a Tsunami Emergency, Tseshaht First Nation will be hosting a Tsunami Awareness Day at Tseshaht Market April 12, weather permitting.

At the outdoor event, booths will be set up showing maps of the inundation zone and emergency routes through the reserve if an evacuation of the community is required. In response to a catastrophic tsunami event, haahuupayak school and Tseshaht Market will be evacuation centres if the need arises.

Two sets of lawyers—one representing five Nuu-chah-nulth Nations, the other representing Canada—and the presiding B.C. Supreme Court Judge arrived from Vancouver to Ahousaht on Wednesday, March 9, for day 116 of the Nuu-chah-nulth justification trial.

The school gym was set up as a courtroom, and more than 100 Ahousaht community members, Ha’wiih and invited guests sat in on the proceedings.

Tseshaht First Nations Chief Councillor Hugh Braker is pressing the BC government for answers.

Braker issued a letter March 9 to John Rustad, minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation. The letter comes after a meeting with Rustad where Braker raised two points that required clarification.

“Firstly, I asked you why the province takes the position that it can grant water licenses to water located on reserve without the consent of the First Nation and without consulting them.”

On Feb. 26, the Tseshaht First Nation joined the B.C. Supreme Court class action lawsuit Gottfriedson el al v. Her Majesty the Queen. This lawsuit is commonly called the Residential School Day Scholars lawsuit. The Tseshaht First Nation has joined the lawsuit as a Band Class claimant.

On Feb. 20 at the Pinecrest United Church in Campbell River, ćuuxiit (Gilbert John Sr.) honored his late wife Kateri’s memory. She was taken from the family a year ago after many years of struggle with her illness and a few years in a rest home.

Gilbert faithfully walked, or ran, to visit her every day. They spent 60 years together. He said he loved his wife so much, and this past year was the hardest for him.

With him at the gathering were his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, extended family and Nuu-chah-nulth-aht friends.

The Howard family of Mowachaht/Muchalaht is one of those large, loving families of 15 children, according to Bill Howard, born to Ambrose and Helen Howard.

Helen’s roots came from Hesquiaht with the Jones family.

Their lives changed on July 6, 1979 when two of the young Howard sisters were murdered by the same man. Sisters Christina and Helena Howard did what they thought was safe, hitch-hiking in pairs out of what seemed to be a safe, familiar place. But the pretty, young sisters didn’t stand a chance once they were taken from Gold River by someone intent on harming them.

Nadine Janice Marshall (nee: Keitlah), 48, was an Ahousaht woman living in Victoria, B.C. until her death in the summer of 2012.

Nadine was born to Nelson and Ida Keitlah and one of her favorite stories, according to youngest sister Margaret Dick, comes from the night Nadine was born.

Nelson and Ida lived in Ahousaht during the 1960’s and the closest hospital was a two-hour boat trip away. Back then, travel was done by slower moving fishing boats.

Tsesaht First Nation held a baby welcoming at Maht Mahs gym and in the longhouse on March 5. 

Gail K. Gus-Williams, an organizer working with Debbie Frank of Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council's Child and Youth Services, helped make the day a reality.

Gus-Williams said the event, which is held every two years, was a "happy party for the community" where Tseshaht parents can connect with other Tseshaht parents. It provided a chance for the babies to be introduced to the other babies that will be growing up alongside of them.

About 40 members of Hupacasath First Nation took part in a community earthquake/tsunami emergency response exercise on March 5.

Participants first assembled at the House of Gathering at 10 a.m. for a briefing from project manager David Hewson.

“They are scheduled to return home at 11:15 to await the ‘alarm’ at noon and to build their preparedness kit,” Hewson told Ha-Shilth-Sa as the participants gathered and signed in.

At the briefing table was a box containing a stack of sealed envelopes – one for each participant.