Referrals

We want to be everywhere

“Ten years from now,” says We Wai Kai Chief Ronnie Chickite thoughtfully, “I envision we’ll have at least eight, maybe even ten Guardians working full time for the Nation. They will be monitoring what is…

Growing A Powerful Group Of Guardians

Their numbers may be small, but the twenty land and water Guardians of the six Nanwakolas Nations are achieving outstanding things together in the vast expanse of their territories. Imagine what they could do if…

Black Bear Dens

Taking Care Of Black Bear Dens Guardians of the Nanwakolas First Nations are learning how to locate black bear dens on Vancouver Island, to help protect them from the impacts of logging. Black bear dens…

Doing The Groundwork

The Nanwakolas Referrals Office On any given day in the Referrals Office at Nanwakolas Council, the team will be reviewing the hundred or so referrals that come across their desks every month. The first job…

Staying Safe, Getting Things Done

How Nanwakolas Council is working during COVID-19 Earlier this year—like every other organization in British Columbia—Nanwakolas Council was faced with the challenge of how to keep working while ensuring we are doing our best…

Cedar Tree Climate Story Published by CBC

We are happy to report that the Ha-Ma-Yas Guardian cedar tree climate change story has been published on CBC’s Unreserved! “Vancouver Island First Nations aim to tighten protections on cultural red cedar” Read the full…

Making the Connection

Visitors hosted in the Nanwakolas First Nations’ territories by the Guardians are awed and inspired by seeing what’s happening out on the land and water. Between October 1 and 4 this year, a privileged group…

Back to the Future

How understanding BC’s ancient coastal heritage sites better will help protect them for future generations to cherish. Imagine for a moment scenes like this: Ross Bay Cemetery in Victoria-where many of British Columbia’s settlers are…

Telling Us Where We Came From

“The information in our archaeological sites is very important for the First Nations,” says Wei Wai Kum member Christine Roberts. “It helps us keep track of our history. It’s evidence, it tells us where we…