GN Community Updates

Design a logo for our Kwak’wala-Bakwamk’ala Language Program!

The CALR program is a partnership program between our Nations and the University of Victoria. We have 26 students in the program from the Kwagu'ł, Gusgimukw, Gwa’sala, ‘Nakwaxada’xw, Mamalilikala, 'Namgis, Ławit'sis, Ma'amtagila and Dzawada'enux nations.

The program began with a one year certificate and ladder towards a bachelor of education and teaching certification. The overall goal is to create more speakers to assist in language revitalization efforts and to provide an increased number of speakers who are certified language teachers for the North Island Kwakwak’awakw community and schools.

Please submit design to:   
Sara Child
Kwakiutl Band Office

Deadline: June 30, 2011

Contest Rules: 
·  must be on a 11x 17 paper
·  full color
· your name should not be visibly displayed on front of your design
· name and contact information on the back of your submission
· design should reflect artists depiction of language revitalization and what it means to our communities and future
· the design will become the property of our program 

FIRST NATIONS YOUTH WORKER
Port Hardy Secondary School – 30 hours per week

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
The First Nations Youth Worker is the First Nations students’ advocate, providing both an intervention and a prevention service.  The Youth Worker will provide support and guidance to enhance the educational success of First Nations students attending Port Hardy Secondary School.

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

COUNSELLING AND STUDENT SUPPORT:
·  Works with First Nations students individually and in groups.
·  Provides counselling support for First Nations students to address their educational, psychological, social, and cultural needs.
·  Facilitates the development of strategies that will enhance the personal, social, cultural, and educational development of First Nations students.
·  Assists and supports First Nations students and parents to access appropriate community resources, and during the course selection process, to work toward student secondary graduation.

CONSULTATION:
·   Provides on-going consultation to school administration and teaching staff by observation, referral, planning, and follow-up related to First Nations students.
·   Provides relevant information to school administrators, Workers, and teachers for appropriate planning, placement, or assistance for First Nations students.
·   Is an active member of the School-Based Team, the Transition Team, and other consultative groups.
·    Performs other duties as required.

COORDINATION:
·  Assists the school in using appropriate community resources to enhance the education of First Nations students, including the Aboriginal Education Enhancement Agreement.
·  Acts as a liaison between the school and First Nations parents, band Education Co-ordinators, and community resource people.
·  Keeps a record of interviews and pertinent reports on First Nations students, and supplemental information that may be helpful to ensure success in the student’s educational program.
·  Honours the guidelines of the Freedom of Information Act and School District Policy when accessing student information.
·  Provides a year end compilation of data indicating student, parent, teacher, and others’ use of the First Nations Youth Worker services.
·   Provides information to staff and facilitates classroom sessions and workshops on First Nations culture, learning styles, counselling and other related issues upon request.
·   Attends staff and district meetings, workshops and conferences for personal professional development in order to keep up-to-date on current issues.
·   Carries out other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Principal, Port Hardy Secondary School.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:
·  Child and Youth Care degree or diploma, or equivalent education and experience.
 
Submit letter of application, resume and two reference letters by mail, email or fax to:
Grace Smith
Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nation
Box 5120
Port Hardy, BC  V0N 2P0
Fax:  (250) 949-7402
Email:  grace.smith176@gmail.com

Applications should be received no later than 12:00 p.m. on Monday, July 4, 2011.  We thank all who apply for this position.  However, only those short listed for an interview will be contacted.

Yesterday was a busy day here at the Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw Band Office. The Kwakiutl District Council (KDC) are holding their general assembly at our very own Wakas Hall, while our Treaty team is negotiation next door at the Elders' Centre. There's a carpentry training course happening for the people that did the BladeRunners program a while back, and within the next few weeks we have instructors coming up to do plumbing and electrical training, as well as some folks from the University of British Columbia's School of Community and Regional Planning coming up to do some work with us!

In the midst of all of this, though, it is important to remember why we are always working so hard for this community's future. Yesterday was the first sunny, hot day we've had in a few weeks, and so by 3:30 I was itching to get out of the office. While wandering up the road to take pictures of the KDC meeting, Cody and Thomas yelled out for me to come take a swing with them. How could I resist?

Afterwards we went to take a look at a nearby crow's nest. Along the way we found some interesting plants, including a salal with caterpillar bites...

And a salmonberry bush with mismatched leaves...

Cody has been learning how to carve from his Dad, Dennis. After checking out the wildlife, we went to look at Cody's projects.

This is an adze handle that he is making out of yew wood, because it's the strongest wood that grows around here. 

Here is Cody's carving toolbox, with knives that were made by his Dad, inherited, or given to him as gifts. Here is a knife that Dennis made from a file:

And here is Cody working on one of his projects:

It was a nice treat to get to hang with these guys. They (along with many other kids from our community) pay close attention to nature and are very respectful of the plants and animals, and it is awesome to see the culture getting passed down as Cody learns to carve. I was very glad that I stepped out of my office for a bit, and got a nice reminder of the fact that as we go through all of these meetings, workshops, training courses, and the daily grind, it is Thomas, Cody, and the other childrens' future that we are fighting for!

Gila'kasla,

Jessie Hemphill

Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw Executive Assistant & Communications Officer

jessieh@gwanakplan.org

www.gwanak.info

For D.R.

(Note: The bakwam'kala terms in this post are NOT spelled correctly, they are as close as I could get them without a special alphabet. Ask an elder what the proper pronunciation is, and if they tell you the words are wrong, please post corrections in the comments :)

Spring has definitely come to Tsulquate. Today was a beautiful sunny day (for a while, anywways) so I decided to take a walk around our community and take some photographs for the www.gwanak.info website so that it reflects the change in seasons.

Over and over again throughout the years I have heard the elders speak about the need to re-connect with nature and the seasons. In the old days our people's lifestyle changed throughout the year, from intense food gathering (and travelling all over the territories to gather that food, depending on what was in season where) in the warmer months, to staying put and feasting in the winter months, our people adapted to changes in their environment.

The skunk cabbage is definitely one of those plants that tells us that Spring has arrived. People say that's when the first bears show up, when the skunk cabbage start appearing (typically in March). Here is a beautiful skunk cabbage near a creek in Tsulquate, called ka'okw in our language. The leaves of the skunk cabbage are sometimes called "Indian wax paper" because they were often used to wrap food, line baskets etc. The leaves were also used to heal people, either as poultices (laid right on the wound) or as part of a bath.

Another plant that symbolizes Spring is the salmon berry. The new shoots of the salmon berry, called kwatlam, can be peeled and eaten raw (sometimes dipped in sugar) as a vegetable. 

Of course the warm weather means that weeds get a boost too. Dandelions are coming up in force around these parts. You can eat dandelion leaves in salad (wash them well first) though they might be to bitter for some. 

Another useful plant that we start to see in Spring is the horsetail. It's rough texture makes it a handy plant for scrubbing out your dishes when you're camping!

I hope these photos inspire you to get out there and start experiencing this beautiful season for yourself.

 

By Jessie Hemphill

Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw Nations Communications Officer

jessieh@gwanakplan.org

On April 19 students from Port Hardy gathered for the annual lahal tournament, held at the Port Hardy Secondary School this year. Teams came from PHSS, Eke Me-Xi, Eagle View Elementary, The Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw School, Ft. Rupert Elementary, Wagalus School, and K'ak'ot'lat'si.

For those of you unfamiliar with the game, lahal is a traditional bone game played by First Nations up and down the coast. It is played by two opposing teams, each team having a set of 'sticks' which are like points. There are two sets of two 'bones', one with a black stripe (male) and the other one unmarked (female). 

At the beginning of each turn one team has both sets of bones and the other team has a pointer. Two people from the bone team each hide the bones in their hands, so you can't see which one has the stripe. 

When the pointer is ready to guess, he or she makes two fists in front of him/herself, and the players with the bones must hold their fists out in front of them. 

Then the pointer uses his or her fingers to indicate which bones he or she thinks are female, the ones without the stripes. You can choose both outside bones, both inside bones, or the right or left side ones. Here is Roberta, choosing both bones in her opponents' right hands.

After the pointing, the bone-holders must reveal the bones. If the pointer guesses the right ones, the female ones, the pointer's team wins the bones. If the pointer guesses the male bones, they lose a stick to the other side for each striped bone they chose.  If the pointer guesses one male and one female bone, they lose one stick, receive one pair of the bones, and then take another turn to try and win the second set of bones. 

When a team runs out of sticks, the team with both sets of sticks, theirs and the other team's, can start putting their own sticks into a 'dead' pile, which means those sticks are out of the game. The game ends when all of a team's own sticks are 'dead, plus they've won all the sticks from the other team'.

Lahal songs are an important part of the game. They are typically very fast, and the bone-holders move their hands in time with the drumbeat to distract the pointer (and maybe cheat, if they're very sneaky!)

You can also support your team by dancingbehind them to try and distract the other team's pointer.

It was great to see all the energy and enthusiasm at the lahal tournament, There was a ton of kids, and it was great to see them all so excited to carry on this tradition.

At the tournament Kaleb Child introduced Brigette Avoine, Port Hardy Secondary School's new First Nations Counsellor, replacing Maggie Sedgemore. 

Congratulations to Ft. Rupert Elementary, who ended up winning first place in this fun tournament! See you all again next year...

- Posted by Jessie Hemphill

 

"Traditionally we had many, many words and ways of treating our children to affirm our belief that they are our sacred gifts. This experiential workshop will help us to understand traditional Aboriginal ways and values."

In 2003 a letter was written by Edward Suderman outlining "upgrades that if implemented would meet badly needed community needs and would finally suggest that 'we are all here to stay'..." The needs were listed as follows:

In March 198 Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw community members completed a survey about their work experience, educational achievements and goals, readiness to get a job, etc. The results are slowly being analyzed to give staff a better idea of how to address the needs of the community. In the meantime, here are some interesting facts from the survey: