Local peoples & places

The links on this page are compiled out of a desire to acknowledge the Lekwungen, Xwsepsum and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples, places, dance groups, community initiatives, friends and families, in whose ancestral, sovereign and sacred homelands Creative Momentum exists.

(This page compiles links that a variety of people have shared publicly over the years. As a settler person compiling links, i very much invite feedback, edits and suggestions.)

A few Local Places:
*links to a few websites/ films/ articles shared publicly by Local Salish people and families

Lekwungen: Place to Smoke Herring (15-minute film directed by Brianna Bear and Eli Hirtle)

Signs of Lək̓ʷəŋən (7 carvings by Butch Dick that mark places of cultural significance)

The Legend of ȽÁU,WELṈEW̱ (web page, with video as told by YELḰÁTŦE (late Dr. Earl Claxton)) / Many Ways of Being a Human Being: Our Way Begins on ȽÁU,WELṈEW̱  (article by MENEŦIYE)

Tlchess and Restoring Camas & Culture (interview with Cheryl Bryce) Pit cook at “Fort Rodd Hill” (news article) / Pit cook at Camosun (news article)

PKOLS (brief film of the reclamation May 22, 2013, facilitated by WEC’KINEM (Eric Pelkey), with artist Charles Elliott)

ȾEL¸IȽĆ / c̓əl̓íɫč – Cordova Bay Ancestral Village Site (article)

Yos pole welcomes guests to Malahat territory (article)

Na’Tsa’mahtThe Unity Wall (Land and Sea Mural at the breakwater with Artists/Mentors Butch Dick and Darlene Gait)

Tsawout Seafood Festival (news article)ȾIX̱EṈ Conservation (short film)

Sungayka / Loon Bay to Sahsima / Harling Point: (article about stone markers with art and information about a few places in “Oak Bay”)

Reflections of ‘Mary Lake’ (interview with Tom Sampson – 5-minute film)

Remembering SPAET Cave (article by Cheryl Bryce with links)

The 13 Moons of the W̱SÁNEĆ (images from The Saanich Year by Earl Claxton, John Elliott,  School Board)

YEUWE and SṈAḴE (podcast of a speech by the late Dr. Earl Claxton Sr. when UVic honoured him with a Doctorate of Laws degree in 2006)

W̱SÁNEĆ: Emerging Land or Emerging People (article by Jack Horne, including re: the Douglas Treaty, the Saanichton Bay Marina Case and James Island development)


A few Local Dance Groups

Esquimalt Singers and Dancers (4-minute video)

Lekwungen Traditional Dancers (4-minute video)

Indigenous Cultural Festival in June (website)

Yellow Wolf Inter-tribal Powwow in August (article)

Indigenous Performance Showcases (weblink)

Coastal Dance Festival (website)


Some Local Community Initiatives:
*links to a few of the many awesome initiatives that people have shared publicly. if you would like your Local community initiative linked from here, please be in touch. thank-you!

Project Down2Earth – Videos (local episodes include: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.2, 12.1, 5.1)

W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council – News (website)

W̱ILṈEW̱ Radio Season 1, and W̱ILṈEW̱ Radio Season 2 (podcasts hosted by Nick from Pauquachin Nation)

Tseycum: Our Journey Home – Bringing Back the Ancestors (film)

Stolen Sisters Memorial March (Facebook group) Finding Dawn (documentary)

SENĆOŦEN Survival School – W̱SÁNEĆ School Board (website), and SENĆOŦEN Language initiatives (magazine article)

Lekwungen Food Systems (website), and Practicing Sustainable Self-Determination (journal article)

PEPÁḴEṈ HÁUTW̱, or ‘Blossoming Place’ (website)

To Fish As Formerly: W̱SÁNEĆ Nation Brings Reef Net Fishing Back After 100 Years 
(5-minute film) / Reviving an outlawed fishery: ‘the backbone of our Nation’ (9-minute audio)

The IEȽȻIȽTEL or Nuts’a maat kws ‘i’ shul’ hwilasmut tu Skwul ‘i’ kwthe’ Accord. “Roughly translated from SENĆOŦEN, the IEȽȻIȽTEL Accord means “paddling together out at sea”. In Hul’q’umi’num’, Nuts’a’ maat kws ‘i’shul’ hwilasmut tu Skwukwuth’e’ means one whole group paddling together to look after the Gulf Islands.” (news article)

Geronimo Canoe Club (news article and fundraising info)

Songhees Seafood & Steam Food Truck (website)

Pauquachin Nation film (40-minute documentary)

Two Spirit Gathering hosted by the Victoria Native Friendship Centre (link to Youth Department webpage)

T’Sou-ke Solar Community Gathering (8-minute film)

Songhees Wellness Centre (news video)

Tsawout/ WSÁNEĆ Idle No More Jan. 16, 2013 (APTN news video)

Let Us Not Worry – N’we Jinan Artists Song written, recorded and filmed with youth from Ditidaht First Nation (music video) / Rapping in diiɁdiitidq: students find voices and pride in music video project (news article)

Re-Educate – YellowWolf ft. Addie Elliott (Paint The Town Red) (“A song and video that scratches the surface of the ripple effect that residential and indian day schools have left behind.”)

Sacred: Indigenous Multi-Media Art Display at Victoria City Hall (news article)


A few contexts re: the Colonial Douglas Treaty Processes/ “Douglas’ Word”*

*the phrase “colonial Douglas Treaty process” is from the Tsawout dedication of Sign and Land from W̱EN,NÁ,NEĆ
*the phrase “Douglas’ Word” is talked about in the second link below

Douglas Treaty documents: excerpts of oral and written histories

The Oral History of the 1852 Saanich Douglas Treaty: a treaty for Peace (report written by Janice Rose Knighton, with oral history as told by John Elliott Sr. and the late Gabe Bartleman)

Esquimalt Nation – Sacred Trust: Our Traditions Still Continue…

Joni Olsen podcast about Douglas’ word (28 minutes audio on YouTube)

Na’Tsa’Maht – Unity Wall film about the theme of Phase III and meaning of the Douglas Treaties

A bit of background to the Douglas Treaties

Douglas ‘Treaty’ texts

Installation art by Hjalmer Wenstob about the Victoria area treaty trade items

 

Some texts re: Indigenous-Settler Relations and Indigenous Peoples’ Rights
*these are documents that have been recommended through various Idle No More-related blogs

United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)

Workbook about UNDRIP created by Brianna Bear for a reconciliation dialogue in 2019 organized by the City of Victoria, including background on UNDRIP and discussion questions

Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action

Highlights of RCAP (Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples)

Aboriginal Rights – Learning Resources

The Royal Proclamation of 1763

Canada’s Constitution Act 1982 – Section 35

Canadian Government’s Indian Act

The Oregon Treaty of 1846 (slicing through families and Peoples’ territories with an international border)

 

Compiled resources:

Resources re: colonization and decolonizing

Idle No More

Decolonization Journal