First Nations

Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation master carver Joe David gifted this totem pole to the District of Tofino in 2018 to recognize the community’s presence within the First Nation’s traditional territory. (Westerly file photo)

Island First Nation collaborating with province on reconciliation efforts

Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation signs hisiikcumyin pathway agreement with provincial government

 

A recommendation to acknowledge local First Nations before Langford council meetings will be considered. (Black Press Media file photo)

Langford council still not acknowledging First Nations lands before meetings

Coun. Lillian Szpak says change is timely following National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

 

(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Ucluelet First Nation declares COVID-19 state of emergency

Delta variant concerns shuts down non-essential travel to Hitac̓u

 

Cole Speck sits in his Campbell River studio among some incomplete works. Photo by Ronan O’Doherty/ Campbell River Mirror

Vancouver Island artist carves own path while honouring past

Beau Dick protege, Cole Speck, makes magnificent masks

Cole Speck sits in his Campbell River studio among some incomplete works. Photo by Ronan O’Doherty/ Campbell River Mirror
Hundreds gathered to honour the inaugrual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Thursday, Sept. 30. They walked nearly four kilometres to bring awareness and healing to residential school survivors and victims. (Adam Louis/Observer)

VIDEO: ‘We are all brothers and sisters’ Sts’ailes chief imparts words of healing, hope on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Hundreds of people walked with the Sts’ailes First Nation to remember residential school victims

Hundreds gathered to honour the inaugrual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Thursday, Sept. 30. They walked nearly four kilometres to bring awareness and healing to residential school survivors and victims. (Adam Louis/Observer)
Monique Pat, a member of the T’Sou-ke Nation, emcees the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation ceremony in Sooke on Sept. 30. Pat’s mother is a residential school survivor. (Kevin Laird - Sooke News Mirror)

PHOTOS: Large crowd gathers in Sooke on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

The day honours the children who died while being forced to attend residential schools and survivors

Monique Pat, a member of the T’Sou-ke Nation, emcees the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation ceremony in Sooke on Sept. 30. Pat’s mother is a residential school survivor. (Kevin Laird - Sooke News Mirror)
T’Sou-ke First Nation Chief Gordan Planes and Sooke Mayor Maja Tait raise the T’Sou-ke First Nation Flag at a ceremony at Municipal Hall on Wednesday (Sept. 29). (Contributed - District of Sooke)

First Nation flag takes permanent residency outside Sooke Municipal Hall

Ceremonial raising of T’Sou-ke First Nation flag held on Wednesday

T’Sou-ke First Nation Chief Gordan Planes and Sooke Mayor Maja Tait raise the T’Sou-ke First Nation Flag at a ceremony at Municipal Hall on Wednesday (Sept. 29). (Contributed - District of Sooke)
Ahousaht leadership announced on Sept. 27, 2021 that due to an uptick in COVID-19 cases the community is closed indefinitely to non-residents and all gatherings are put on hold. (Westerly file photo)

Ahousaht pauses gatherings and closes to non-residents over COVID-19

As of Sept. 27, there were 19 active cases within the remote Indigenous community

Ahousaht leadership announced on Sept. 27, 2021 that due to an uptick in COVID-19 cases the community is closed indefinitely to non-residents and all gatherings are put on hold. (Westerly file photo)
(Black Press Media file photo)

Construction begins on affordable housing building in Tsawout First Nation

28-unit building scheduled for spring 2023 occupancy

(Black Press Media file photo)
BC Hydro plans to remove the Wilsey Dam and Shuswap Falls Powerhouse along the Shuswap River as part of a restoration project to help salmon access to historical spawning habitat. (BC Hydro photo)

Splatsin: BC Hydro decision to remove Shuswap River dam disregards title and rights

Utility to provider to decommission 92-year-old Wilsey Dam, improve access for salmon

BC Hydro plans to remove the Wilsey Dam and Shuswap Falls Powerhouse along the Shuswap River as part of a restoration project to help salmon access to historical spawning habitat. (BC Hydro photo)
Tom LaFortune, left, Steve Sxwithul’txw and Snuneymuxw Chief Michael Wyse were among those in attendance for a cheque presentation at the band office Sept. 15. LaFortune and Sxwithul’txw organized a GoFundMe campaign, with proceeds funding a search for unmarked graves at a site in Nanaimo. (Karl Yu/News Bulletin)

First Nation welcomes donation to help with search of Nanaimo Indian Hospital site

Snuneymuxw Chief Michael Wyse says former patients have said the grounds need to be examined

Tom LaFortune, left, Steve Sxwithul’txw and Snuneymuxw Chief Michael Wyse were among those in attendance for a cheque presentation at the band office Sept. 15. LaFortune and Sxwithul’txw organized a GoFundMe campaign, with proceeds funding a search for unmarked graves at a site in Nanaimo. (Karl Yu/News Bulletin)
An Every Child Matters display set up earlier this summer at Nanaimo Military Camp, a property where Nanaimo Indian Hospital used to be situated. (News Bulletin file photo)

First Nation receiving money to search old Nanaimo Indian Hospital grounds

Facility on Snuneymuxw territory operated from 1946-1967

An Every Child Matters display set up earlier this summer at Nanaimo Military Camp, a property where Nanaimo Indian Hospital used to be situated. (News Bulletin file photo)
People gathered for a solidarity rally in Smithers after hereditary chiefs served Coastal GasLink with an eviction notice from a worksite on traditional Wet’suwet’en territory near Houston. (File photo)

Progress on Wet’suwet’en rights and title slower than parties would have liked

Murray Rankin said the pandemic and the complexities of the negotiations are behind the slow progress

People gathered for a solidarity rally in Smithers after hereditary chiefs served Coastal GasLink with an eviction notice from a worksite on traditional Wet’suwet’en territory near Houston. (File photo)
The WSANEC Leadership Council announced earlier this month it’ll be moving forward on a number of initiatives with the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory. (Courtesy of Dominion Astrophysical Observatory)

Saanich observatory to include local First Nations history

Signs will bolster presence of SENCOTEN culture, language

The WSANEC Leadership Council announced earlier this month it’ll be moving forward on a number of initiatives with the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory. (Courtesy of Dominion Astrophysical Observatory)
LAU, WELNEW Tribal School, the site of the WSANEC School Board’s new community soccer pitch. (Google Maps)

WSANEC School Board to receive a new soccer pitch from Pacific FC

A new relationship between the board and football club will include sporting clinics for youth

LAU, WELNEW Tribal School, the site of the WSANEC School Board’s new community soccer pitch. (Google Maps)
Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation member Timmy Masso set up a blockade at West Main Forest Service Road on Aug. 10 in an effort to prevent disrespectful visitors from further destroying the area. (Andrew Bailey photo)

West Coast leaders discuss blocking tourists from backroads

Timmy Masso’s West Main Forest blockade achieved one of his key goals, it got people talking

Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation member Timmy Masso set up a blockade at West Main Forest Service Road on Aug. 10 in an effort to prevent disrespectful visitors from further destroying the area. (Andrew Bailey photo)
Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation member Timmy Masso set up a blockade at West Main Forest Service Road in an effort to prevent disrespectful visitors from further destroying the area. (Andrew Bailey photo)

Teen’s blockade of Tofino-Ucluelet backroads to tourists underway peacefully

Ucluelet RCMP confirm zero reports of confrontation as stand made against ongoing litter, fires

Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation member Timmy Masso set up a blockade at West Main Forest Service Road in an effort to prevent disrespectful visitors from further destroying the area. (Andrew Bailey photo)
Sablefish is a fish species that lives in sea beds of the Pacific Northwest that is also farmed commercially. Public domain photo.

Vancouver Island First Nation testing the waters of sablefish fish farming

Campbell River area We Wai Kai to conduct habitat surveys with provincial and federal funding

Sablefish is a fish species that lives in sea beds of the Pacific Northwest that is also farmed commercially. Public domain photo.
Timmy Masso is setting up a blockade at West Main Forest Service Road on Tuesday to prevent areas like this from being destroyed by disrespect. (Photo courtesy of Timmy Masso)

First Nations teen set to block destructive tourists from Tofino-Ucluelet wilderness area

“I will be shutting off that road starting at 4 pm today”

Timmy Masso is setting up a blockade at West Main Forest Service Road on Tuesday to prevent areas like this from being destroyed by disrespect. (Photo courtesy of Timmy Masso)
A commercial fishing boat as a part of the T’aaq-wiihak Fishery in 2016. (Melody Charlie photo)

Five Vancouver Island First Nations ready to catch and sell fish on their own terms

West Coast Nuu-chah-nulth fishing nations prepared to exercise court-won access to the resource

A commercial fishing boat as a part of the T’aaq-wiihak Fishery in 2016. (Melody Charlie photo)