In a district-wide event that brought hundreds to a tiny coastal community, Zeballos Elementary Secondary School hosted a potlatch on May 22.
Known as a ƛiic̕uu, the cultural event in Ehattesaht territory included giving all of the school’s students traditional names. The morning’s ʕumptnaqšiƛ, or naming ceremony, encompassed 46 students at the school, ranging from pre-school to Grade 12. The desire to undertake this started years ago, following the wishes of an elder who has since passed, said Maaxmowcimaq, who teaches Nuu-chah-nulth language and culture at the Zeballos school.
“The way we planned it through is we watched the kids, we learned about them, we learned about their characteristics and who their family was,” she said after the morning naming process was complete. “We consulted with families for family names, and we consulted with our elders for other names. We also used our language dictionary to find a name in there, find something that fits.”
Grade 9 student Addison Harry received the name n’aan’aayaʔa, which means northern lights.
“I feel happy. It feels like they’re calling me pretty because the northern lights are pretty,” she said.
“In our culture we name people throughout their lives,” noted Maaxmowcimaq. “We knew it was important. We wanted to connect the kids to the land, to the people, to their history.”
Non-Indigenous students at the school also received traditional Nuu-chah-nulth names.
“The names that we chose for the non-First Nations students really fit who they are,” explained Maaxmowcimaq. “They’re part of us. They’re learning our culture, they’ve been really respectful, they’re part of our community.”
Indigenous content is a consistent part of the school’s curriculum, entailing an hour daily for each class. This includes language learning, protocol, medicine harvesting and anything tied to the land on Ehattesaht/Chinehkint territory.
“It’s a sign of respect to the land that you’re living on,” said Maaxmowcimaq of the Indigenous content.
Adam Barber, the Zeballos school’s principal, finds that the Nuu-chah-nulth element of the curriculum grounds students to the place where they live.
“That’s the primary connection they have to the school,” he said of some of his students. “It’s definitely the most important part of some of their days.”
Each year a different community in School District 84 hosts an Indigenous cultural event, a tradition that started in 2010 with a school feast and naming ceremony in Tahsis. Preparations for the Zeballos ƛiic̕uu were underway since September, with weekly dance practices, the preparation of gifts and even formal invitations that students delivered in person to the schools that attended to participate. Joining the local performers from Ehattesaht territory, contingents came from Ahousaht, Gold River, Tahsis, Kyuquot and even Hisukʔiš c’awaak, a cultural group from Nanaimo.
Meeting Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. at Wellington Secondary School, Hisukʔiš c’awaak attracts up to 100 people to its practices, drawing members from a variety of First Nations across the B.C. coast.
“When you see a little child start dancing, that’s their dancing spirit waking up,” said Greg Charleson of the Nanaimo cultural group, noting that he discourages parents from just leaving their children at Hisukʔiš c’awaak. “It’s really important that parents are part of the program. It’s like basketball, or hockey, the parents are right there. It’s really important that the kids are encouraged.”
Charleson was part of the 40 who ventured to Zeballos for the May 22 potlatch, leaving Nanaimo at 5:15 a.m. He admitted that the excitement of performing made sleeping difficult.
The Hesquiaht member and his group performed a song that originated from Charleson’s time at the Christie Indian Residential School. He always remembered singing Praise Him in the Morning, a Christian song from the residential school’s Sunday morning bible studies.
“I used to sing it to my son when he was a little boy. When he was 5, 6 I would sing it to him in English,” recalls Charleson.
With the help of some language teachers, his son ended up translating the Christian song into his Hesquiaht dialect, and this version filled the Kyuquot school gymnasium with singing and drumming before a full audience on May 22.
“We pray, that’s why it goes with the prayer song,” said Charleson. “We pray for all those kids that didn’t make it, for the families that are still grieving and suffering trauma from things that happened to their kids or to themselves.”
Mowachaht/Muchalaht Tyee Ha’wilth Mike Maquinna travelled to the potlatch by boat to witness his people perform. Addressing the audience, he noted the prior generations that weren’t able to practice their culture due to Canada’s potlatch ban and the residential school system. But today’s parents still need to be involved in the cultural activities that are happening at their children’s schools, stressed the chief.
“Teachers have sometimes a tough time getting parents involved and going to the school,” he said. “Parents also need to be part of this. You need to support your kids in these schools.”
Maquinna gestured towards the crowd as his muschim started to sing.
“That’s what this is about. Take it to heart. Be proud of your kids,” he emphasized.
