News

Kispiox, BC

The Saturday, August 9, 2003 send off for the CanoeQuest at Kispiox was very moving and exceptionally well attended. The six canoes were received traditionally at Glen Vowell and Gitanmaax. On Sunday, another stop in Gitxsan domain was Gitsegukla.

The CanoeQuest reception in Gitsegukla on Sunday, August 10th was tremendous and several Gitxsan Treaty staff and board members were on hand to help with the traditional welcome in song and dance. The event was organized by Band Council, Vern Milton & Rod & Violet Sampare. Elders, middlers and youth alike were well represented. The atmosphere was peaceful and joyous. The weather was great, as well, thanks to the Creator for smiling upon us. See people with regalia waiting on the waterfront must be so moving for the paddlers. They enter and introduce themselves saying they are coming in peace and request to stop and visit. Our youth are learning cultural protocol from this process. Once they have been welcomed they share their songs and dances, taking turns. In Gitsegukla the youth had to dance for the money that was raised by the community to help with our expenses.

Going back to the send off in Kispiox, it was very moving and exceptionally well attended. The dinner at the hall on Friday evening, in the midst of busy summer activities, was full of people and the salmon BBQ was huge! Volunteers from the community cooked in the blazing sun and served the paddlers and the guests. The Band Council, Cultural Centre, School Board and community members worked together to make the event a success. On Saturday morning chiefs and elders gathered to name the new Kispiox canoe "Xwsiiyeen" with Art Wilson's design. Art is also skipper of the Kispiox canoe. Our lead skipper Roy Henry Vickers has worked very hard to accommodate our needs as the CanoeQuest grew from two boats (his and Kispiox) to six. The International Team with paddlers from Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil, Rwanda, Kenya, Burma, Mongolia, Thailand and Borneo add a very distinct multicultural flavour to this CanoeQuest. They are sharing their cultural traditions and learning from the Babine Nation, Tsimshian nation, Haida Nation and Gitxsans. The Cree nation and Lilwat Nation are represented too.

The launch day August 9th was pioneer Day and we could have been in the parade but we missed out planning that detail. We stopped first in Glen Vowell where we were greeted and treated royally. The food and beverages were set out complete with tables and chairs on the water front. There was a breath song and other traditional songs including a fun one. Money was raised to help with expenses and we thank Glen Vowell for their generosity. The organizers there were Marvin Sampson, Paddy and Mamie Wesley and Frances Sampson.

In Gitanmaax the canoes passed by the waterfront Library and Museum where people gathered to wave and hear them drum their paddles and sing their songs in greeting. The campgroud ramp was used to receive the canoes and Patty Rubinato and Ksan Performing Arts members were on hand with regalia and songs. A short dance program by the Ksan Dancers was responded to with songs from Babine Nation and Gitxsan paddlers. The paddlers camped at Ksan where the facilities are comfortable. The evening was spent at the Wolf House at Ksan which was a very peaceful and intimate gathering as if were were reuniting with our ancestors. Art Wilson talked about the Gitxsan feast house. Roy Henry Vickers shared his personal story and the First Nations paddlers shared their songs and dances. Thank you to Laurel Mould and Shelly Johnson and Patty Rubinato for organizing the Gitanmaax stay. Thank you also to the hereditary chiefs who welcomed the paddlers and prayed for their sefety on the journey. Prayers are being sent at every stop.

This gives a glimpse of what is happening with CanoeQuest. We are currently in Gitwangak camped at the ballfield, a lovely banquet, cultural sharing and gwee'ya was held there last evening. The organizers there were Art Matthews along with Chief and Council. The elders here, as well as at the other stops, are saying how moving it is to reminisce about days gone by and how we are all connected by the mighty Skeena. Let's hold this wonderful member and let it carry us through all the current affairs facing the Gitxsan regarding the history, culture and territorial matters. We are saying that youth are our future leaders, CanoeQuest is teaching them how big the responsibility is.

The communities we are visiting and the paddlers, especially, send their deepest condolences to the Vickers family on the loss of one of their family members, a sister to their father. We sincerely appreciate the continuation of CanoeQuest in the face of this and other losses of lives in our communties. We add prayers to all those we have been receiving.

Respectfully,

Doreen Angus
Coordinator

More information:
Doreen Angus, Coordinator
Kispiox Rediscovery
1(250)842-5590