The past week, the QENTOL, YEN / W̱SÁNEĆ Marine Guardians team has been monitoring the Salish Sea for the KELȽOLEMEĆEN (Killer Whales). They spotted a pod of Transient/Bigg’s Killer Whales, possibly teaching their young to hunt. Other sightings included pods of Dall’s Porpoises, seals, sea lions, and an abundance of Salmon. RECENT POSTS How are we doing? Leave Us Your Feedback Here
W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council Helps to Establish New Pollinator Garden at Victoria International Airport (YYJ) W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council is pleased to announce the Victoria Airport Authority (VAA), in partnership with Pollinator Partnership Canada has built a native species plant pollinator garden at YYJ. The garden is located along Willingdon Road next to the roadside digital billboard, in W̱SÁNEĆ territory. The area was originally a thriving Garry oak meadow that supported a rich and diverse ecosystem, featuring grasslands, woodlands, and abundant camas wildflower fields in the spring. This land holds high significance to the W̱SÁNEĆ People’s culture and history. The new [...]
Study Hall for Indians High school students from four Indian reserves on the Saanich peninsula are being provided with a “study hall” program on week nights in Tsartlip School, Brentwood. Transportation to the school, where tutors and reference materials are available, has been arranged by the Indian school board. Molly Pelkey, school and home co-ordinator, says there are 75 students from East and West Saanich, Pat Bay and Cole Bay reserves who can take advantage of the program. Most of the students achieve much more by studying in classroom environment, she said. “They find this program really works.” A private [...]
This time of year, around what is now called November, is traditionally known as WESELÁNEW – Moon of the Shaker Leaves W̱ESELÁNEW̱ ȻNIȽs IYAḴs TŦE SȻÁĆEL CȽs ENÁ, ȻESȻOU TŦE ĆEḴ SPW̱ELO ȻNIȽ EN ŚW̱HOÍ ȻENs HÁQEW̱ ȻNIȽ ENs LÁSET ȻEms SJELȻÁSEṈ. ȻNIȽs PIW̱EṈs TŦE SȾOȾȽEs TŦE SḴALÁLṈEW̱W̱SITEṈ EṮ W̱ESELÁNEW̱SQÁ, ȻENs HÁUE ṮÁ,. U TW̱OMET ŚW̱OL ȻENs KEPT TŦEN SIȽEN STÁSEȽ E TŦEN ÁLEṈ. NI TŦE YÁ, TÍYEL EMNIEN E TŦE KEYIEĆ EȻ TUOs ȻESȻOU TŦE ṈAḴE YÁ, TELSENETEṈ NIȽ Ȼs ÍYs ȾOȽEṈ EW̱E Ȼs ḴELELs SȽIḰs TŦE KEYIEĆ. ȻNIȽs ĆEḰUSEs TŦEN QEȽ W̱ILṈEW̱ȻNIȽ ENs LÁSET ȻENs MIȽE. [...]
The W̱SÁNEĆ Emergency Coordinator Richard Elliott has organized a First Aid Course! The courses are free for W̱SÁNEĆ Bands: Tsawout, Tseycum, Tsartlip, Pauquachin. The course will be taking place on 3 separate dates: The first on October 24th and 25th. The second is October 26th and 27th. And the third course will be on October 28th and 29th. The course will go from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Lunch will be provided. The courses will be held at 9010 W Saanich Rd. In the community hall. To register please contact Richard Elliott at 250-656-0191 RECENT POSTS [...]
The Gulf Islands National Park Reserve lands on Sidney Spit will be closed to the public this winter to allow for deer hunting by local First Nations people. This annual closure lasts from November 1, 2022 to February 28, 2023. The first week of November will be set aside exclusively for WSÁNEĆ Hunters. W̱SÁNEĆ hunters interested in taking advantage of the opportunity to hunt during this first week are asked to please contact Eric Pelkey via text at 250-880 2457, so that the logistics can be coordinated based on the numbers interested. In preparation for the for those who would [...]
This past summer, the QENTOL, YEN / W̱SÁNEĆ Marine Guardians visited the whale trail site located on the East Point of Saturna Island. Whale Trail sites offer spectacular vistas and opportunities to view marine mammals. "I brought our guardians out there to see what the trail was all about and see what it looks like from the land so when we pass by during our water monitoring, they'll know the exact location." says David Dick, SRKW Monitoring Program Senior Manager. Below are a few pictures from their trip. RECENT [...]
Below is a brochure of all the work that the QENTOL, YEN / W̱SÁNEĆ Marine Guardians are doing and will be doing. RECENT POSTS How are we doing? Leave Us Your Feedback Here
The Gulf Islands National Park Reserve lands on Sidney Spit will be closed to the public this winter to allow for deer hunting by local First Nations people. This annual closure lasts from November 1, 2022 to February 28, 2023. Since 2005, Parks Canada has closed public access to Sidney Spit for traditional hunting. This public closure extends to all of the national park reserve land during this period. Parks Canada has created a hunting schedule to increase safety, avoid conflict with volunteer events, and reduce the occurrence of multiple parties hunting simultaneously. To schedule your activity please contact Ben [...]
Hope is Queen will pressure Ottawa IMAGE CAPTION: Chief Vern Jacks, of the Tseycum First Nation, holds a letter outlining his concerns over native rights that he’ll present to Queen Elizabeth when the monarch lands in Victoria this afternoon. “A dominant society that does not respect or acknowledge our history,” the letter states. “Our youths feel alienated because there still exists the discrimination that was afflicted on our people by the arrival of the first Europeans.” The Queen and Prince Philip begin their Canadian tour today. After several hours in Nunavut, Canada’s newest territory, they will land at a Canadian [...]
