I am both very honored and pleased to have the Mr. Wm. (Bill) A White, a dear friend and Coast Salish (Nanaimo-Cowichan) Elder provide the prologue for my elections manifesto eBook. Bill has with his typical grace and knowledge, and deep love and understanding of the sacred and the ancestors, provided a very poignant message about treating each other well during not only during your modern election processes…indeed as Indian people our duty and responsibility to honor traditional voices and each other. Thank you Bill!
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A few thoughts on our history and preparing the community for a new time and place.
As your community prepares itself to conduct an election for a new Chief and Council several historical thoughts come to mind. The first during the seventies traditional leaders after a century and a half of systemic oppression by both church and state at many public meetings throughout southeastern British Columbia when speaking in public asked their families and communities, “to use the best of both worlds!” On one hand , they said, “use the strengths of our own traditions”, and on the other “the new ways of the xwulanitum/mumuxlaw (white people)”. To emphasize this point, working with both worlds, they rose one arm and then the other. In those smoky longhouses and or community halls those old people reinforced each others’ voices, teachings and stood with both arms raised. I can still see them doing that – it was powerful!
In 1868 to weaken the systematic voices of traditional leaders the Federal government imposed a western system of voting for leaders. Many, many other acts followed. Of that oppressive period the late Chief Dan George (1974) referred to that period of systemic discrimination as “Our Sad Winter.” During the same period the eminent Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs leader the late George Manuel in their landmark film, “The Land is the Culture” announced it was a time to ”celebrate” because we survived. In this period we all know, as leaders you know more than most folks how much our communities might have suffered. George Manuel was right, “we have survived!” This is a testimony to many within your own communities. From the old people we did receive the teachings, the values, to make everyday another day in which we can help one another, help our communities. They too were right, the teachings, the values, the songs, the ceremonies help us to connect to the very old traditions and ancestors, of this, our great lands.
Finally, every time our traditional leaders planned a naming, an initiation, a celebration they called on traditional specialists who understood the ritual and ceremonial obligations associated with protection, with surrounding with celebrating ‘who we were’ and more importantly ‘who we would become’. As we know sometimes this process of methodical talk, planning, letting all of the community and communities know what we were doing often began four years before an event.
As you embark on this process we wish you the greatest of strength! Our old people from Snuneymuxw used to say, “I yas eye un suli!/May you be happy and in good spirits”
Wm. A White – wmawhite@shaw.ca
For the last year Bill White has collaborated with Andrew Cienski/Ma Linguistics to research and undertake writing, based on interviews with Sul’elhuhw/Elders to reflect Sinyews/Cultural teachings for Cowichan Tribes Health departments’ program Kwam Kwum Suli/Strong Spirit for their HIV project. Recently, he has collaborated with Dr. Virginia McKendry, Royal Roads University to video significant Coast Salish elders and to implement RRU training for students and staff. He has written short stories, including Halkomelem language, with Mr. Cienski for the last 4 years. These were written for Snuneymuxw News, Esquimalt and Pauquachin Nations. In the early nineties with Kim Recalma-Clutesi, Lawrence Lewis and others from the University of Victorias’ Native Student Union organized the first ever Coast Salish, Kwagiulth, Nuu-chahnulth Cultural evenings at Uvic. Three events of this nature were held, one as a fundraiser for the late Earl George, litigant for the Meares Island Court Case. Thier work with Uvic Vice President Academic Dr. Sam Scully, led the way to the development of the first Aboriginal Liaison Office. Bill was the first Aboriginal Liaison Officer, 1993-2006. He was a First Nations Coast Salish lead for XV Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremonies, 1994. Bill White is a Coast Salish (Nanaimo-Cowichan) Elder currently residing in the Cowichan Valley with his extended family.
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Lawrence Lewis
About Lawrence Lewis
I do a number of things professionally...but most of all and the true purpose of what I do through "my work" is to provide for my family, be a good husband and great father, and try to make a difference as a world citizen...I guess it's not much more complicated than that 🙂