A new series of interpretive signs along the Ancient Cedars section of the Wild Pacific Trail pays tribute to the legacy Bob and Vi Mundy, the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ couple who shared priceless traditional knowledge with the west coast.
Bob passed away on May 5, 2024. Vi passed shortly after on July 31, 2024.
“We couldn’t imagine in our family Bob without Vi or Vi without Bob. They came as a unit, and they were really beautiful to watch. They were a testament to not giving up on each other,” said Jeneva Touchie during a June 7 ribbon cutting ceremony.
“Bob would open the door for her, even in the rain, until the day he passed,” said Melody Mundy.
The new Ancient Cedars signage features an audio box framed with a carving by Kevin Touchie and six interpretive panels sharing Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ teachings, developed by Carey Cunneyworth and Jeneva Touchie.
Wild Pacific Trail President Barbara Schramm says the audio box, which records Jeneva’s voice, brings local voices to the Old Growth Forest.
“We didn’t want to repeat the same old, same old. We wanted this done so people could learn in the right way,” said Schramm.
One of the oldest trees on the Ucluelet Peninsula is now showcased with a new deck featuring interpretive signage explaining sustainable plank harvesting practices – it’s also where hikers can find the memorial plaque dedicated to Bob and Vi Mundy.
Cunneyworth is an archeologist and the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government’s director of culture, language and heritage. He said the special old growth stand is culturally modified tree (CMT) and protected archeological site.
“Bob and Vi taught us how to be with the land, be with family and to take care of your community. We see a lot of that in this tree. It’s quite a special tree,” said Cunneyworth.
He shared that at one point, 100 years ago, Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ ancestors would take big strips off the tree to use for houses, carving or boxes. There is also a large hollowing in the tree that he says was a cache ancestors used for storage - and it may have been a bear den at some point.
“It’s such a powerful testament to the forest and really giving back,” said Cunneyworth. “It’s something we can all learn from, and I know Bob and Vi really talked about that; being intimately connected to the forest and how to take care of it. I really think this whole trail with the CMT here and the knowledge they put into the signage really represents how much love they had for the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ community and the Ucluelet community.”
Ucluelet Mayor Marilyn McEwen says the new signage “provides a legacy of culture learning for residents and visitors, alike.”
“This meaningful initiative honours Indigenous knowledge, language and the enduring relationship between people and forest ecosystems that has shaped this region for millennia,” said McEwen.
Vi was a board member of the Wild Pacific Trail Society and had a “quiet, patient way” of sharing traditional knowledge for signs throughout all Ucluelet and the region.
“Her impact ripples to this day through all the societies on the west coast,” said Schramm.
“I’m really grateful for everything they were willing to share with us,” Jeneva adds. “They taught us to share what we know. It’s really hard to imagine sometimes how to carry language without Bob around. But we are doing the best we can.”
The Mundy family plans to scatter the ashes of Bob and Vi Mundy in the sea near Black Rock Resort, Vi’s favourite place to eat.
Three years in the making, the audio box, signage and CMT deck project was made possible through the leadership of the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government with support from the Province of BC Resort Municipality Initiative, Clayoquot Biosphere Trust, Black Rock Resort, the Wild Pacific Trail Society and the District of Ucluelet.
