The WLC is pleased to welcome Hannah Morris to the team!
Learn more about Hannah Morris and how she will help fulfill the W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council’s mandate. Click play to view the short interview, or read the transcript below.
Interviewer: Can you please share a bit about who you are and where you’re from?
Hannah: W̱EM,LEŚELWET ŦE NE SNÁ My English name is Hannah, my W̱ILṈEW̱ SNÁ is W̱EM,LEŚELWET. And I’m from here in Tsartlip in the W̱JOȽEȽP nation.
Interviewer: What will you be doing at the WLC?
Hannah: My title is Knowledge Weaver coordinator, a pretty broad term if you ask me.
What I bring to this position, and what I plan on doing is bringing youth back out to the land where they belong, which is at our leadership council table in my opinion. I’m excited.
I am a direct descendant of our Douglas treaty, though I am knowledgeable in my own way and in my own household that was shared growing up, as well as where I live in W̱JOȽEȽP I live right on the water there. So I’ve always been connected to the water, to the ocean and to our sea gardens. It’s a part of who I am. It’s a part of our people.
Interviewer: What kind of impact would you like to have?
Hannah: I would have the opportunity to take youth back to our land, connecting with our land. I myself, I didn’t have that opportunity. Growing up in school, elementary school, middle school, high school, there was no one advocating for me to get out of the regular classroom, like this one you see here that I’m in. And that’s what I hope to be, as an advocate for the youth that aren’t heard right now. I’m a full-time student right now at UVIC in the language revitalization program. It’s a two year diploma program. I’m about a year in and when I’m not at work, I’m doing school work. And if I’m not doing either of those things, I’m with my baby. I’m a single mom. My daughter she’ll be two on Aboriginal day. I spent a lot of time where I grew up back to my roots. So my daughter knows where she comes from and is connected to the land. The same way I was.
Interviewer: What do you do when you’re not at work or school?
Hannah: I spend a lot of time outside when I’m not on my computer. I’m always open to new conversations. I’m always open to building connections. I’m always open to new opportunities. Wherever I can get my hands on it. I try to lend a helping hand everywhere I can. And if you have any ideas, comments, or concerns on knowledge weaving, because this is my first time, please don’t hesitate to call me or email me. My email is Hannah dot Morris, https://wsanec.com/, no accents, all lowercase. And if you need my phone number, shoot me an email and I’ll be happy to share it.
