Yearly Archives: 2021

This time of year is traditionally known as PEKELÁNEW̱ PEKELÁNEW NIȽ PELELÁNEW̱ȽḴÁLJ TIÁ, TW̱E ȾOȽEṈ EȻs TÁṈENs NIȽ EN ŚW̱QENEW̱TŦE TUO XIXEN EȻs CEĆILs. ȻNIȽ ŚW̱ĆȺs TŦE EȽTÁLṈEW̱E TŦE ḰȽȺ ȻNIȽ ŚW̱ĆȺs E TŦE SĆOȽs TŦE ĆEḴ ÁLEṈ ȻNIȽs LÁTEṈs TŦE SNEW̱EȽ ĆḴÁTEṈ ȽE E ȻSIÁ, ĆEN₭ILES. ȻNIȽs HOÍs ȻEN ELOXET TŦU MEQ STÁṈ LÁE TŦEN ÁLEṈENEȻ. ȻNIȽ EN ŚW̱YÁ, ṮÁLET TŦE SMÍEŦ EN SU W̱OEŦ. ȻNIȽ ŚW̱HOÍs ȻNIȽ EN ŚW̱DOQ. Here's how to pronounce PEKELÁNEW̱ PEKELÁNEW̱-THE MOON THAT TURNS THE LEAVES WHITE This moon marks the end of summer and the beginning of cooler weather. WEATHER The [...]

Multiple W̱SÁNEĆ youths are now wildland fire training course certified; a step in reclaiming the ancient practice of working with fire as a way to care for the land in W̱SÁNEĆ territory. Shown above: Indigenous-led prescriptive, or defensive burns in Australia. Image courtesy of the New York Times. With a cultural or prescribed burn tentatively scheduled for the first week of October, weather depending, fire training course graduate Tiffany Joseph explains: “Our first burn will take place on an Islet near Sidney Island Spit, which allows for assurance that the fire can’t spread. We were waiting for the [...]

This September 30th, Canada observes the first annual day of acknowledgement of the harms caused by colonization, honouring the lives that were lost and those that were irreversibly impacted by the residential school system. On this day, the W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council encourages every settler to take meaningful action towards reconciliation. Artwork by Kayla Bellerose Following the delivery of the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which recommended 94 calls to action, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said:  “The burden of this experience has been on your shoulders for far too long. The burden is properly ours as [...]

For the second summer in a row, W̱SÁNEĆ Youth made and launched a historically accurate Reef Net at SX̱IX̱ŦE, a traditional reef net site.  Photo of the 2021 Youth Reef Net Project, Courtesy of Paul Michael Petrie  About the Reef Net:  The Youth Reef Net program, developed by the W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council, began in 2020 as a way for knowledge to be transferred from Elders to Youth, revitalize W̱SÁNEĆ culture and provide employment opportunities for members of the community. SX̱OLE, or reef net fishing, was outlawed by the colonial government a hundred years ago. Since August 2014, the [...]

The WLC is working to partner with post-secondary institutions through the South Island Prosperity Partnership, potentially to deliver on-reserve training.  These training sessions, called “micro-credential courses” would be geared to equipping community members with the skills, certificates and training that would enable them to: Turn a hobby into a business Grow and scale their business to increase revenues and/or operations Ensure their business can access lucrative government contracts In order to bring these courses to the community, we need to hear from you! What are the barriers you’re experiencing to accessing the training you need to realize your [...]