Kw’umut Lelum Welcomes Nuu-chah-nulth Nations
Here at Kw’umut Lelum, we believe that culture is medicine. It is at the heart of everything we do because we know it has the power to strengthen and heal our children, our families and our communities.
It means we approach our work from a different perspective. We know the importance of keeping our smun’eem connected to their identity and to the vast family networks who love and care for them. Lifting each other up so that we can be stronger together.
In 2018, we expanded our mandate so that we could bring our services to any of our member Nation families, even if they were not living in community. And now, we are excited to announce that we have strengthened our ties to our Nuu-chah-nulth relatives – 7 Nations so far – to be able to serve their families and children living away from home in Parksville, Nanaimo, Ladysmith and Duncan.
On May 15th, we invited our Nuu-chah-nulth relatives to join us at the Snuneymuxw bighouse to participate in a welcoming ceremony. The day was warm and the fires invited our friends from Ahousaht, Ditidaht, Hesquiaht, Huy-ay-aht, Tseshaht, Tla-o-qui-aht and Nuchahtlaht to gather as we have in the past and share food, song and ceremony to acknowledge this important joining together.
The Coast Salish have strong ties – through trading and marriage – to the Nuu-chah-nulth that go back thousands of years. “There may be a mountain between us but so much brings us together” shared Wahmeesh (Ken Watts), Elected Chief Councilor, Tseshaht First Nation. In fact, many KL staff have connections to Nuu-chah-nulth Nations and are well-versed in the unique culture, language and family ties. This connection will allow us to broaden our cultural approach to reflect the Nuu-chah-nulth experience and provide culturally-appropriate services to their children and families living away from home.
We have already begun this good work, welcoming families to Kw’umut Lelum that had previously been served by MCFD. Our knowledge of and connection to our Nuu-chah-nulth si’ye’yu has already resulted in a young Tseshaht man being successfully returned to his family and community after a beautiful welcome home ceremony. We have also been able to take 2 other children who had been in foster care and return them to their extended family. Visits are being planned to homelands for other children who have too long been away from their communities.
“All of our people – the Coast Salish and the Nuu-chah-nulth – are facing the same challenges and hardships in communities that have been devastated by more than a hundred years of colonial interference. We have the teachings, the laws and the knowledge to be able to care for our own children in our own way and we have an obligation to extend our help wherever we can. This was a real exercise in self-determination – of Nation-to-Nation cooperation without the need for government intervention.”
We look forward to learning, sharing and growing together to strengthen and support our children, families and communities.