Tag Archives: Alexandra Mehl

Food Security, Indigenous Nations

Nuu-chah-nulth youth restore clam gardens for future generations

Editor’s not: Another example of First Nations youth embracing and learning from their traditional wisdom.

By Alexandra Mehl, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

In late Spring, $80,000 was allocated to the Nuu-chah-nulth Youth Warrior Family Society with Ka:’yu:’k’t’h/Che:k’tles7et’h to support food security and the development of clam gardens throughout Nuu-chah-nulth territory. Since then, youth from across Nuu-chah-nulth have restored two clam gardens located in Tla-o-qui-aht and Huu-ay-aht territory with plans for more to come.

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Indigenous Nations, Sports

Reclaiming surfing as a traditional native women’s sport

Editor’s note: highlighting the First Nations origins of a popular sport.

By Alexandra Mehl, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Tofino, BC – As the sun beamed onto Esowista beach, youth of the Mułaa, Rising Tide Surf team gathered around Lacy Kaheaku, a native to Hawaiʻi, to learn how to carve traditional wooden surfboards and the Indigenous roots of the sport.

“Women did a lot of the surfing in native Hawaiian culture,” said Kaheaku, adding that royalty, alongside warriors, would also surf. “But majority of the leisurely surfing was done by women.”

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Rivers & Oceans, Tourism, Transportation

Decades of service in Nuu-chah-nulth waters for what could be ‘the last wooden freighter on the coast’

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Editor’s note: The Uchuck III is the last in a series of steamships that began with the Uchuck, built in Vancouver during 1928 for the Packers Steamship Co. The Uchuck I, was built in Coal Harbour, Vancouver, during 1941 to replace the Uchuck and by 1946 was making three scheduled trips a week from Port Alberni to Bamfield, the south shore of Barkley Sound and Ucluelet before , and returning home. A second vessel, the Uchuck II was added in 1948 to handle the increased traffic. A third vessel, the Uchuck III, was purchased for the fleet in 19521.

By Alexandra Mehl, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Yuquot, BC – The Uchuck III is a beloved cargo and passenger vessel that has been serving Nootka Sound for decades bringing the Mowachaht/Muchalaht nation back to their ancestral home, Yuquot, while delivering supplies to remote First Nations and industry camps.

Each summer, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, the Uchuck III departs from the Gold River dock, travelling through the Muchalat Inlet to Nootka Sound, past Bligh Island, and arrives two hours later at Friendly Cove, also known as Yuquot.

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Fire

Six wildfires spark in Strathcona Region on Sunday

Editor’s note: Smoke from these fires later spread eastward to Campbell River, Quadra and Cortes Islands, affecting air quality.

By Alexandra Mehl, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

On Saturday and Sunday, lightning struck throughout the Strathcona region causing six small wildfires to spark near Wolf River, Mount Con Ried, and Trio Creek.

“The majority of them are in upper elevation so there wasn’t a lot of fuel,” said Nick Donnelly, an information officer with the Coastal Fire Center, adding that these wildfires have no risk to the public or critical infrastructure. “They are still listed as out of control, but they are just in a monitor only stage because we’re not expecting them to grow further.”

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Indigenous Nations

‘Listening to the land’: Totem pole raised in Naa’waya’sum gardens

Editor’s note: Another example of the rebirth of First Nations culture on the West Coast.

By Alexandra Mehl, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Tofino, BC – On Tuesday, Aug. 1, Naa’was totem pole was raised at Naa’waya’sum garden in Tofino, depicting “responsibilities to future generations”.

“This here is like a legal document of our peoples,” said Joe Martin (Tutakwisnapšiƛ), Tla-o-qui-aht master carver.

The Naa’was totem pole was carved by Joe in collaboration with Gordon Dick, Robin Rorick, Patrick Amos, and Robinson Cook. 

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