First Nations

Officials from Huu-ay-aht First Nations, Mosaic Forest Management, Tseshaht First Nation join Courtenay-Alberni MP Gord Johns and Alberni-Pacific Rim MLA Josie Osborne for the official groundbreaking for the Bamfield Main Road resurfacing project, Oct. 18, 2021 at Blenheim Pit. (PHOTO COURTESY HUU-AY-AHT FIRST NATIONS)

$31M Bamfield Road project breaks new ground for First Nation, Province of B.C.

Huu-ay-aht First Nations the first Indigenous community to lead major infrastructure project

  • Oct 25, 2021

 

Chief Roger Jimmie was a strong advocate for Indigenous forestry rights. In a 1990 Observer article he was demanding Kluskus be allowed to log their own land. (Quesnel Observer File Photo - 1990)

‘Fearless’ northern B.C. chief remembered after death

Roger Jimmie passed away last week

 

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)

Greater Victoria’s last remaining holdout ponders Indigenous acknowledgement

Langford council considering statement acknowledging First Nations lands before meetings

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

(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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)
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)
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)
The Sarita Estuary sits at the heart of the Huu-ay-aht First Nations’ ḥahuułi (traditional territory) and has been a source of food, transportation and cultural value to the nations for generations. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

FORESTRY WEEK: Huu-ay-aht work on resource management plan for territory

Hišuk ma c̕awak a guiding principle for Huu-ay-aht ḥahuułi

The Sarita Estuary sits at the heart of the Huu-ay-aht First Nations’ ḥahuułi (traditional territory) and has been a source of food, transportation and cultural value to the nations for generations. (SUBMITTED 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)
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)
An artist’s conception shows the possibility of what a vibrant waterfront community could look like at the Somass Sawmill property. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

Port Alberni council envisions multiple uses, public access to waterfront with Somass purchase

City won’t take possession of sawmill property until Feb. 14, 2022

An artist’s conception shows the possibility of what a vibrant waterfront community could look like at the Somass Sawmill property. (SUBMITTED 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)
The federal government has provided the Pauquachin First Nation with more than $41 million in compensation for the historical wrong of Canada brokering a deal that caused the Indigenous community to become inaccessible by land. Pictured is the minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, Carolyn Bennett. (Black Press Media File Photo)

Greater Victoria First Nation receives $41 million from feds for road closure deal

Payment to Pauquachin First Nation compensates for deal that cut off community

The federal government has provided the Pauquachin First Nation with more than $41 million in compensation for the historical wrong of Canada brokering a deal that caused the Indigenous community to become inaccessible by land. Pictured is the minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, Carolyn Bennett. (Black Press Media File Photo)