Powerful stories and characters shine in books by and about first peoples

By Cara McKenna

Indigenous books were featured and discussed when the 29th annual Vancouver Writers Festival was held in October as more than 17,000 people attended the event on Granville Island.

A panel of authors who have written books about … Read More

The voice on the phone is Evelyn

Callers to the Vancouver Island office of Naut’s mawt Tribal Council may be surprised, and even pleased, to hear a greeting in the Hul’qumi’num language, as spoken by Coast Salish peoples on the Mid-Island.

It is the voice of Evelyn … Read More

Is it just another fish tale?

By Cara McKenna

Momentum is building to act over what BC Indigenous leaders say has been decades of Canada ignoring fishing rights, even after the “sunny ways” promises of last year’s federal election. In several cases, those rights were even … Read More

Snuneymuxw author’s eight books were first written in her heart

By Mark Kiemele

The last time the Sentinel met Celestine Aleck – Sahiltiniye – we had no idea that we were talking to an artist and a budding author.

She was brushing red paint onto a building on Newcastle Island … Read More

Strong Nation’s dream realized

Terri Mack – Kay Kwee Kway Kwa – is a member of the Da’naxda’xw Awaetlala Nation from the Knight Inlet area of BC’s central coast.

She and husband Ken have been running a small business from the basement of their … Read More

Overwhelming ‘Yes’ vote means Snuneymuxw gets $49M for land taken

Snuneymuxw First Nation members have accepted a $49.1-million settlement for the loss of its former reserve land in the largest specific claim in BC’s history.

Ninety-eight per cent of Snuneymuxw voters were in favour of the agreement with Canada for … Read More

Clam gardens were seaside farms

Most of Bailey Mckittrick’s summers have been spent on Octopus Island, one of many islands in a chain that includes the BC provincial marine park with the same name. It was here, in the northernmost part of the Salish … Read More

Back to the Island

The Tla’amin-based Aboriginal Business Match is returning to Vancouver Island early in 2017 following a year-long tour of holding events across Canada.

ABM Vancouver Island will be hosted on March 27-29 by Quatsino First Nation, Gwa’sala ‘Nakwaxda’xw First Nation, Kwakiutl … Read More

The Secret Path to reconciliation

In August, the Tragically Hip played its last concert in Kingston, Ontario. It was a bittersweet event for fans.

The concert was also a farewell to front man Gord Downie. In May, he was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive and … Read More

Xwani shines at Homalco

A new drum group has started at Homalco First Nation.

The group called Xwani (North Star) meets in the community’s hall late Sunday afternoons for a potluck supper followed by singing and drumming.

Curtis Blaney, the organizer and a Homalco … Read More