Archive For The “Haisla Nation” Category
On Monday, Nov. 1, 2021, a student at Kitimat’s Mount Elizabeth Middle Secondary School wore traditional regalia for picture day. At that time a teacher allegedly asked the student “What’s the costume.” This led to a protest against racism the following day by indigenous and non-indigenous students supported by members of the Haisla Nation and Kitimat residents on Nov. 2.
Members of the Haisla Nation and supporters from Kitimat gathered at Mount Elizabeth Middle Secondary School on Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021 (Robin Rowland)
Greg Smith and his grandson Greg Bolton at the protest. (Robin Rowland)
Students, many in regalia, supported the protest. (Robin Rowland)
Students supported the protest. (Robin Rowland)
Shelley Bolton of the Haisla Braid Singers led the group in protest songs. (Robin Rowland)
Elders and residential school survivors joined the protest despite the poor weather. (Robin Rowland)
Video: Story I shot for Global News.‘It’s not a costume’: B.C. teacher’s alleged mocking of student’s Indigenous regalia sparks protest
Statement from the Haisla Nation (on the school board site)
Members of the Haisla Nation and people of Kitimat braved an Environment Canada storm warning with heavy rain and wind on September 30, 2021 to mark The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Haisla elder Marilyn Furlan opened the proceedings with a prayer. (Robin Rowland)
Most participants wore orange to mark the other name, Orange Shirt Day. It marks the time an indigenous girl had an orange shirt taken away in a residential school. (Robin Rowland)
Marking Truth and Reconciliation in a rain storm. (Robin Rowland)
Sunny Stewart-Pollard helped organize the reconciliation event hosted by volunteers from the Haisla Nation and members of the Kitimat community. (Robin Rowland)
Barb Campbell watches the event. (Robin Rowland)
The tables with decorations and gifts represent all the holidays that children in residential schools missed. (Robin Rowland)
A boy waves a Truth and Reconciliation flag. (Robin Rowland)
Watching in the rain. Kitimat Counsellor Terry Marleau (second from right) and Mayor Phil Germuth (far right) (Robin Rowland)
Shelley Irene Bolton drums as she leads the Haisla Braid drummers and dancers. (Robin Rowland)
The sun did come out briefly for the Haisla Braid dancers and drummers. (Robin Rowland)
Three flocks of geese flew over the ceremony, the first and largest flock are snow geese, followed by a small group of Canada geese and then more snow geese.(Robin Rowland)
Geese fly over the ceremony. (Robin Rowland)
Musician and artist Arthur Renwick closed off the event with his own songs. (Robin Rowland)
As part of the Haisla Nation’s solstice Guatlap Days at Kitamaat Village, Friday, June 21, the audience saw a performance from the student dancers and drummers from the ‘Na Aksa Gyilak’yoo School in Kisumkalum. June 21 was National Indigenous Peoples Day. The Kitsumkalum or Gitsuklaum are part of the Ts’myen (Tsimshian) Nation.
A student from the ‘Na Aksa Gyilak’yoo School from Kitsumkalum drums at Guatlap Days at the Haisla Recreation Centre, (Robin Rowland)
‘Na Aksa Gyilak’yoo School dancers from Kitsumkalum at Guatlap Days at the Haisla rec Centre. (Robin Rowland)
”Na Aksa Gyilak’yoo School dancers from Kitsumkalum at Guatlap Days perform to a ratttle at the Haisla Recreation Centre (Robin Rowland)
‘Na Aksa Gyilak’yoo School dancers from Kitsumkalum at Guatlap Days at the Haisla Recreation Centre (Robin Rowland)
Elementary school students from ‘Na Aksa Gyilak’yoo School from Kitsumkalum dance at Guatlap Days at the Haisla Recreation Centre. (Robin Rowland)
Elementary school students from ‘Na Aksa Gyilak’yoo School from Kitsumkalum dance at Guatlap Days at the Haisla Recreation Centre. (Robin Rowland)
‘Na Aksa Gyilak’yoo School dancers from Kitsumkalum at Guatlap Days at the Haisla Recreation Centre, (Robin Rowland)
‘Na Aksa Gyilak’yoo School dancers from Kitsumkalum at Guatlap Days at the Haisla Recreation Centre. (Robin Rowland)
A ‘Na Aksa Gyilak’yooo School drummer from Kitsumkalum at Guatlap Days at the Haisla Recreation Centre. (Robin Rowland)
‘Na Aksa Gyilak’yoo School dancers from Kitsumkalum at Guatlap Days at the Haisla Recreation Centre. (Robin Rowland)
‘Na Aksa Gyilak’yoo School dancers from Kitsumkalum perform a paddling song at Guatlap Days at the Haisla Recreation Centre. (Robin Rowland)
After the friendship pole was raised in Kitimat, the Haisla Nation hosted a feast for both communities at Kitimat’s Riverlodge Recreation Centre.
The headtable, from left to right members of the District of Kitimat Council and the Haisla Nation Council, Kitimat officials and the Haisla hereditary chiefs. (Robin Rowland)
Carver Gary Wilson was the host and master of ceremonies for the feast (Robin Rowland)
Hereditary chief Sammy Robinson (He’mas C’esi) addresses the feast. (Robin Rowland)
Cyril Grant Jr.(He’mas Sanaxaid) addresses the feast. (Robin Rowland)
A chief addresses the feast. (Robin Rowland)
A man addresses the feast on behalf of his clan. (Robin Rowland)
Spirit of Kitlope dancers (Robin Rowland)
Spirit of Kitlope Dancers (Robin Rowland)
Spirit of Kitlope Dancers (Robin Rowland)
Spirit of Kitlope Dancers (Robin Rowland)
On May 4, the Haisla Nation and the District of Kitimat raised a totem pole to mark the growing friendship between “township” and Kitamaat Village. Planning for the pole began a couple of years ago when the Haisla Nation and the people of the Kitimat township held a reconciliation forum at Riverlodge. The pole was carved over the past year under the supervision of carver Gary Wilson (‘Nagamo’o). Funding for the project came from the Canada 150 fund, the District of Kitimat and the Haisla Nation.
Before the ceremony
Haisla Nation hereditary chiefs and elders gather for the pole raising ceremony. (Robin Rowland)
Skeena Bulkley NDP MP Nathan Cullen speaks to Haisla Nation hereditary chiefs and elders before the pole raising ceremony. (Robin Rowland)
Eagle chief Cyril Grant Jr.(He’mas Sanaxaid) speaks to carver and master of ceremonies Gary Wilson (‘Nagamo’o) and Kitimat mayor Phil Germuth before the ceremony. (Robin Rowland)
Aiden Robinson speaking to her Ma’ma’o (grandmother) Rose Robinson, Sammy Robinson (He’mas C’esi) amd Basil Grant (He’mas Legaix) (Robin Rowland)
Unveiling and blessing the friendship pole
Carver Gary Wilson unveils the friendship pole. (Robin Rowland)
Sammy Robinson begins to bless the new pole, along with Gary Wilson (‘Nagamo’o), Allan Williams (He’mas Wakas), Verlie Nelson (C’esi’s spokesperson) Cyril Grant Jr.(He’mas Sanaxaid) as Harvey Grant, MP Nathan Cullen and Kitimat Mayor Phil Germuth watch. (Robin Rowland)
Cedar boughs are used to cleanse the totem pole. (Robin Rowland)
Sammy Robinson He’mas C’esi and Verlie Nelson prepare the eagle down to cleanse and bless the pole. (Robin Rowland)
Cleansing and blessing the pole. (Robin Rowland)
At the pole blessing, Harvey Grant (He’mas Wiiseks), Sammy Robinson (He’mas C’esi), Nathan Cullen, Cyril Grant Jr. (He’mas Sanaxaid), Phil Germuth and Eugene Stewart (Dlaxwdlaxwaligisc Hai’mas). (Robin Rowland)
Raising the pole
Hereditary chiefs and construction workers prepare to raise the friendship pole. (Robin Rowland)
The construction workers prepare to secure the pole. (Robin Rowland)
Simon Hall (Hai’mac Gax) helps put the totem pole in place. (Robin Rowland)
Carver Gary Wilson explains the meaning of the pole. At the bottom is the snowflake, the District of Kitimat’s official symbol. The face in the middle represents the people of Kitimat with four multi-ethnic faces above it. At the top of the pole are representations of the clans of the Haisla Nation, with the eagle, the beaver in the middle, (Robin Rowland)
Dancing
Eugene Stewart (Dlaxwdlaxwaligisc Hai’mas) speaks to Gary Wilson speaks as the dancing begins. (Robin Rowland)
Cyril Grant Jr. (He’mas Sanaxaid) leads the Eagle Clan dance after the pole was secured. (Robin Rowland)
People join in the dancing. (Robin Rowland)
Children from the Haisla Community School participate with drumming and dancing. (Robin Rowland)
