BY SONJA DRINKWATER
Special to the AV News
Family and friends gathered at Paper Mill Dam on Tseshaht First Nation territory in mid-August to recognize Jolyn Watts for winning two medals at the Special Olympics World Games in Germany.
After everyone was seated Watts’s brother Edward Watts Jr.. Ed Ross, Ted Haggard and her Uncle Len Watts carried Jolyn on a bed of cedar boughs. She was then brought to her family and danced with other dancers.
Jolyn’s Uncle Linus Lucas and his mom Julia Lucas gave her the name “Woman Holding the Gold” (phonetically, Kuna Uk Sup). Linus said, “Thank you for putting Nuu-chah-nulth on the map.”
“I am so proud of you,” MC Les Sam said to Watts, who won gold and bronze medals in track and field at the Special Olympics World Games in Germany earlier this summer.
A special presentation of a paddle made by Chuck Doiron was presented to Jolyn’s coaches, Mike and Elizabeth Riddalls. They were also each wrapped in a blanket, a Tseshaht tradition.
Jolyn’s father gave a heartfelt speech about his daughter that saw tears from both him and Jolyn. He said that her step mom, Claudette Watts made the shawl from a design of the late Art Thompson and it had butterflies on it.
There was also a special recognition of the local athletes that went to the North American Indigenous Games in Halifax. They were Jayden Knighton who received a bronze in basketball, Jamie Leigh Lucas had bronze in softball and Haylee Mae Watts also received a bronze in softball.
Following many heartfelt speeches of pride in Watts’s efforts there was a lunch of hamburgers, hotdogs, salmon, potato salad, bannock and buns.