While British Columbia has nearly 40 species of native ferns, not all are edible or used for medicinal purposes. These seven species are the most commonly used by the West Coast First Nations. 

Though his job is challenging and can be dangerous at times, Jacob Potter is thrilled he’s carrying on a tradition.

The Tseshaht First Nation member is on the Port Alberni-based Thunderbird Unit Crew. The crew, nicknamed the T-Birds, was an all-Indigenous firefighting team when it was established in 1992.

Potter, who is 23, is currently the only Indigenous member of the 22-person crew, which is part of the BC Wildfire Service. The T-Birds started off as a 20-person crew. A 2022 uplift expanded the crew by two members.

Police are looking into a “suspicious death” that occurred in Port Renfrew on Monday, June 23, an incident that led the RCMP to arrest someone at the scene.

Shortly after 9 that evening the Sooke RCMP responded to a report of a man with blood on him near Pachidah Road, which is on the Pacheedaht First Nation reserve.

She dreamed of reaching her higher educational goals but the demands of parenthood and employment forced Christine Webster to take a more circuitous route. With the love and support of family, this spring Webster walked the stage to receive a PhD in Leadership Studies in Victoria.

Surrounded by family that included her husband Martin and her sons, Dr. Christine Webster proudly received her degree at the University of Victoria’s Convocation ceremony held Thursday, June 12.

The Eighth Avenue Learning Centre honoured 54 of its graduates at the Alberni District Secondary School auditorium on Thursday, June 19.

They were a group of people, that, for whatever reason, didn’t fit into a traditional school system. They were young adults, parents, and even grandparents earning their diplomas later in life. There were even young students who used the program to accelerate their educational journeys, earning diplomas ahead of schedule. 

If an application to resume a hunting tradition goes according to plan, the Makah Tribe hopes to host their Nuu-chah-nulth relatives from Vancouver Island this year for a whale feast. 

The Washington State Nuu-chah-nulth nation currently eagerly awaits the result of a request for a permit from the United States government to hunt grey whales. If granted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Makah plan to assemble a whaling crew and take to the waters of its territory in Neah Bay this summer.

Reflecting on the new Pacific Rim School District 70 Land-Based Learning (LBL) program that set sail at the beginning of the 2024-25 scholastic year, Alberni District Secondary School (ADSS) teacher Sarah Williams spills over with joy. 

She says attendance records for LBL students increased dramatically, their marks went up and, overall, they were happier and feeling better about themselves.

“I am living out my professional dream,” said Williams, who took a one-year leave of absence to help bring the vision of the LBL program to life.

Bamfield neighbours and students from the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre joined the Huu-ay-aht locals at the beach in Anacla for their annual National Aboriginal Day celebrations on Friday, June 20.

Huu-ay-aht organizers made sure there was plenty for the children to do with games set up on a grassy area. Some children played in the sand by the river, flying kites, chasing bubbles or just playing in the sand and water.

Aboriginal day festivities started early this year, with events in different corners of Nuu-chah-nulth territory.

Recognized on June 21, National Indigenous Peoples Day falls on a Saturday this year, prompting events to be held the day before in some communities.

ḥakaƛ, Chrissie John, began speaking Nuu-chah-nulth at home at a young age; it was her mother’s first language before being taken off to residential school

“We were the first generation raised with English. We grew up knowing animals, kinship, terms of endearment, things like that but we didn’t speak fluently” ḥakaƛ shares.

ḥakaƛ has five siblings, and like other Nuu-chah-nulth people, grew up knowing different words tied to the language. ḥakaƛ’s thirst for learning began to grow, and it has become a passion.