All posts by Odette Auger

Odette Auger moved to the traditional territories of the toq qaymɩxʷ (Klahoose) in 1999. She has worked with island youth as facilitator in local programming for 17 years, and works as Program support for Tides Canada Initiatives project Indigeneyez. She started working with Cortes Radio in 2013, fundraising and project management. Writing and producing for Deep Roots gave an outlet for Odette’s storytelling skills, and a lasting love of the listening, story gathering, and collaborative process. She is one of the Cortes Currents producers for the Cortes Radio 2020 Local Journalism Initiative Grant.
Indigenous languages

Project growing Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw souls through language, land, culture and technology

Windspeaker, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Sara Child, Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw, wants to “unlock” the power of the Kwak̓wala language and, if she and her team are successful, it could mean that other Indigenous peoples will have the keys to revitalize their endangered languages as well.

Child is a professor in Indigenous education at North Island College. The not-for-profit society she established in 2017, the Sanyakola Foundation, has received several years funding (May 2021 to May 2024) through the Mitacs Indigenous Pathways program.

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Energy, Indigenous Nations

Klahoose Wilderness Resort decreases carbon footprint with the power of water

Windspeaker, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

​In the midst of a pandemic, climate emergency and uncertain economic future, Klahoose First Nation is looking at ways to shift from fossil dependence to alternative sources of green energy.

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Education, Indigenous languages, Indigenous Nations History

Program builds strength in the young by making connections to culture

Windspeaker, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

What do Inuit throat singing, playing spoons and jigging have in common? They are examples of the rich cultural connections early childhood educators are making with children attending Aboriginal Head Start programs. 

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Indigenous Nations, Rivers & Oceans

Bad faith, beads and trinkets negotiations by DFO obstructs court-affirmed fishery, says First Nations

Windspeaker, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

“It’s just frustrating, very maddening, you know, that this is how DFO always operates. We’ve never had a really good fisheries minister response to the work that we’re doing.” — Kekinusuqs, Dr. Judith Sayers, president of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council

The lack of good faith negotiations by Fisheries and Oceans Canada in its dealing with five First Nations on the West Coast could result in the criminalization of Nuu-chah-nulth fishers who exercise their court-affirmed right to a commercial fishery, asserts First Nations leadership.

Continue reading Bad faith, beads and trinkets negotiations by DFO obstructs court-affirmed fishery, says First Nations →
Clothing, Indigenous Nations, Spirituality

Orange t-shirts provide opportunities for conversations with survivors finally free to speak

Windspeaker, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The strength of our people to walk that road in silence for so long is amazing. And I’m glad they’re talking about it now though, because those stories really need to get heard.” —Liz Carter

For Devan Carter of Kwikwasut’inuxw Haxwa’mis First Nation, making orange t-shirts is a way to amplify voices that Canada and the churches have tried to silence, he said.

Continue reading Orange t-shirts provide opportunities for conversations with survivors finally free to speak →