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NEWSLETTER OF THE HUPAC̓̌ ASATḤ FIRST NATION

ʕay̓iičḥ Autumn 2018October 1–December 15

Food fishing at c̓axuwaʔa “spearing place on the rocks” at ƛ’ikuut, Hupač̓asatḥ Traditional Territory

ʔiiḥmisukqinWHAT’S IMORTANT TO US

NEWSLETTER OF THE HUPAC̓̌ ASATḤ FIRST NATION

ʕay̓iičḥ Autmn 2018

ʔiiḥmisukqin shares the news of Hupač̓asatḥ, by Hupač̓asath. Submissions of news, updates, stories, events and photos are welcome from all Hupač̓asatḥ. Newsletter mailbox: Rick Hewson newsletter@hupacasath.ca

Editorial & Production : Rod Sayers & Emily Luce rod@searchandresearch.net

Hupač̓asatḥ First Nation 5500 Ahahswinis Drive Port Alberni, BC V9Y 8J9 250.724.4041

SUBMISSION DEADLINESSend news to: newsletter@hupacasath.ca

cuʔičḥ Winter 2018 Issue: December 1

ƛaqʔiičḥ Spring 2019 Issue: March 1.

ƛ’up’iičḥ Summer 2019 Issue: June 1

Thank you for meeting submission deadlines. Newsletters will be released on the 15th of the month following submission deadlines. newsletter@hupacasath.ca

NEWSLETTER OF THE HUPAC̓̌ ASATḤ FIRST NATION

Comprehensive Community Plan Phase Three (3) Comprehensive Community Planning (CCP) is the process of involving community members in planning for the future of Hupacasath. The CCP lets us decide where our community wants to go and how we are going to get there. The process is grounded and driven by community members covering areas such as economic development, culture, language, health, social issues, education, lands and resources, band governance and more. The Band has been successful in concluding stages one and two and now begins the continuous process of updating the plan and implementing the short term goals and planning for longer term goals contemplated under stage three of the CCP. The CCP Committee held their first meeting September 4, 2018 to begin the work needed to make vision reality.

Welcome to ʔiiḥmisukqin- What is important to us. It is our hope that with this current version of our Hupač̓asatḥ Newsletter, that it is not only a way for our Administration to keep us informed on the day to day business of our Nation, but also to engage our entire community. We look forward to contributions from our members, which can also include suggestions for features to be included in the publication. We want to stay informed, but we also want our newsletter to be interesting and fun. The sky’s the limit.

ƛ̓eko, ƛ̓eko!Klehwetua Rod Sayers

Activities UpdateHello everyone, Let me start by tell you how full and exciting this summer has been with some many different activities going on. Kids got off school in June and from that moment on we have not stopped trying to put as many different programs and activities together as possible. We started by have a 7 day camping trip down at the cultural site with our youth and any parents that wanted to join us. The days where filled with swimming, canoeing, playing badminton, kicking the ball around and roasting hot dogs on fire (before the fire ban came into play.) There is no internet down at the cultural site, so kids and parent have no choice but to have fun. I was very grateful to have Shaunne and Mike Foster to help me with the set-up to make sure the kids had a movie to watch every night. I would love to thank Chief and Council for donating pizza one night and chumas the next

day. Steven went out his way in his busy schedule to come down to deliver the pizza and chumas and stayed to watch a movie with the kids. Pizza was a great treat from hotdogs and hamburgers. We were greeted by two black bears wanting to have fried bread in the morning, the kids had fun helping to make sure they made lots of noise and the two black bears slowly walked away in disappointment.

THANK YOU to SANDRA VISSA for taking the time to teach the kids about smoking fish and letting us use her smoke house kids all got to take half a slab home.

CAROLINA TATOOSH

July was about the Elders conference in Duncan. We had 14 elders join it was a great turnout. Duncan was an amazing host to all nations. Thank you to all the elders that came out we had a blast exploring Duncan.

July was also about the waterslides this year. We were able to fill a 58 passenger bus plus some people drove themselves to the waterslides.

Our youth were very excited every year when we get ready to have UVic Science Venture come out and expand our young children’s imagination and teach a different way of learning science. Every year they try to bring more advanced programs to meet all the different age groups. We have a great turn out of kids eager to learn new skills in the science program. These science programs that are offered give our youth a sense of great self-esteem to get them ready for the New Year. The student that teach our kids are very patient and helpful and they encourage are youth to see science in a different lay out, compared to science in school. I have many youth that have come to me and told me how much they love to learn science and they are no longer afraid of the subject. It would be awesome if one year we could have our youth experience the UVIC campus so they can see what a great experience it would be to live on campus after high school. They were able to do more hands on technology programs this year. We enjoy sharing our facility with the Uchucklesaht First Nation for the past many years.

August was about trying to breathe through all the fires that followed us at the tlu-piich games. Our numbers where down this year for the games I am not sure if that had anything to do with the fires or is it that people are not as interested in the game anymore. I would like to thank the parents and grandparents and our amazing youth that took the time to come out in the insane heat and put all there energy into running and canoeing and just being there to represent Hupacasath and do all of us proud with their talent and there amazing behavior. We had many great compliments on how well behaved our kids where. Big thank you to everyone that participated in the canoe races. I wish there were more of us there but still grateful to the ones that come out at 9 am to participate or just watch. THANK YOU TO THE FISHERIES FOR HAVING THE HUPACASATH BOAT OUT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS SAFE.

TO my youth that went to the youth conference with me this year we had so much fun thanks for being amazing. HUPACASTH MEMBERS, YOU WOULD OF BEEN SO PROUD OF THEM, THE BEST BEHAVED KIDS IN THE ROOM. WHEN ASKED TO DANCE THEY DANCED WHEN ASKED TO SING THEY SANG. THEY REPRESENTED HUPACASATH WITH INCREDIBLE PRIDE. Hope everyone had an amazing time:

BIG THANK YOU to: Chaz and Brian Read for making a comfortable place to cook at the cultural site. Jack Armstrong for making a picnic table so all the kids could sit down to eat. We are so fortunate to have amazing member and community support when it comes to our kids. YOU all know who you are that when I ask for help I really have the support of parents and grandparents, Chief and Council and my beautiful youth. If I need you everyone finds a way to give.

Forestry update WARREN LAUDER

Before the heat shut the bush down this summer, silviculture work included crews doing brushing and weeding, cone removal and maintenance. Thank you to our Hupacasath members and the ADSS forestry crew for the hard work they did on the woodlot this summer.

We did a harvest on WL 1902 out Beaver Creek Which we were able to complete prior to this summer’s fire shutdown; the logging operations were very successful.

Other files worked on this summer included 11000/m3 of over height restricted timber that Hupacasath along with Greenmax worked diligently on for almost a year. We acquired a occupational license (LOO) which was first step, and we now have a license to cut (OLTC). In short, Greenmax had their woodlot expropriated to make room for the airport, through our long working relationship we identified this missed height restricted area and went to work acquiring a license to cut and sell the timber. There were a lot of issues such as environmental wet lands, and the protected painted turtle to name a couple of pieces that needed to be worked out. We have these resolved, mitigated and have prescriptions in place prior to harvest which will start late September/October.

Another file worked on was a gravel Quarry out at the airport, this also arose from our relationship with Greenmax and the airport expropriations, we have this area under lease, we have a few more small details to complete and will have access to this in the near future.

Planting was also completed early summer, and there will be some more employment opportunities for people to do some coning of cedars, and maintenance of cones (tree protectors).With harvest starting quickly on the airport license we are also starting another harvest on our FNWL out Great Central, We also have a small salvage license on some burnt and green timber along the transmissions lines that we worked with B.C. Hydro on this summer. This will be logged in conjunction with the Woodland license in the area of Boy Scout Beach and Lowry Lake area. Operations will start end of September/October.

Any question or more information anyone would be interested in, please feel free to contact me at the office.

Warren Lauder, Forest Resource Manager Hupacasath First Nation250-724-4041 ext 27cell 250-720-9979

Gravel PitWe are happy to update on the progress of our sand and gravel business venture. Council has negotiated crown tenure for 30 years for a gravel pit operation. The sand and gravel pit is located at the end of the regional landing strip and approximately 13.5 hectares in size. Operations will tentatively have two phases, the first phase is a simple pit run operations with the objective of satisfying the nation’s current sand and gravel needs for forestry, road building, community expansion and strategic partnerships. The second phase will convert into a processing pit complete with a screening plant, dozers, excavators, and a heavy duty loader and expansion of employment opportunities.

HFN Environmental Waste Management The Band is actively growing businesses to utilize assets and optimize joint venture partnerships and business expansion. We are now progressing onto commercial garbage collection to capitalize on additional assets acquired from the City (bins) and provide services to clients at competitive pricing. Our goal is to continue profitable expansion into home refuse and recycling contracts and commercial cardboard and waste management contracts providing additional employment and income for your community. We would like to arrange a fall clean up with Members to take place in October and we will inform everyone when we will position bins around the community for cleanup purposes.

RICKHEWSON

RICKHEWSON

Social Development PAULETTE TATTOOSH

Starting in April 2018 until June 2018, an annual review of the 2017/18 social assistance files and an annual update to create new client files for 2018/19 was completed. In 2019, this administration requirement will start on March 1, 2019. How’s that for exciting!!!!!

Working in the Hupacasath Social Development Department is a mix of administration duties and front-line work with community members. For most community member requests, time is spent responding to and completing necessary paperwork; however, assisting community members to resolve diverse problems ensures that my work is never boring and is personally rewarding.

WHAT’S NEW IN HUPACASATH SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT?The Pre-Employment Supports Program for Youth between the ages of 19 and 24 years has expanded to a program that provides extra supports for individuals on social assistance between the ages of 19 and 65. Hupacasath Social Development’s role is to refer all employable individuals on social assistance to Nuu-Chah-Nulth Employment and Training Program. The Pre-employment Supports Program is also an option open to Persons with Disabilities (PWD) and to Persons with Persistent Multiple Barriers (PPMB).Additionally, Hupacasath Social Development will be giving all employable individuals monthly Job Search forms for recording job search efforts. The Social Develoment Policy and Procedures Manual states that responsibilities of employable social assistance applicants and recipients include participating in employability programs and to seek work at all times, and to be available for work for which they are qualified

Hey, full or part-time work is a good thing. Full-time work usually pays much more than what a person would get on social assistance. For part-time work, single and two-parent families are allowed to earn $600.00 and single people are allowed to earn $400.00 with no deductions to monthly income assistance. Persons with Disability are allowed to earn $1000.00 per month and Persons with Persistent Multiple Barriers are allowed to earn $700.00 per month with no deductions to monthly social assistance cheques.

Parks Our Parks Department has been working hard this season to enhance camping sites and camping experience of site users through improved facilities and maintenance. The achieve-ments of our parks department has not gone unnoticed as Parks BC has issued Hupacasath a license to sell firewood to campers, completed separate value added contracts for additional work at the sites and to take on contract work at other sites on Vancouver island and the mainland providing additional income and employment. Parks also provided cleanup and maintenance to the cultural site.

Education With children back at school and most post-secondary students well entrenched in their programs. Council wants to remind all parents and students that tutoring services are available through the band to help students meet their scholastic achievements. Please contact Brandy Lauder to discuss tutoring needs and strategic work plans to achieve your goals!

RICKHEWSON

Fisheries UpdateGRAHAM MURRELL

The main focus of the Fisheries department has been operating the Escapement program on Sproat and Stamp Rivers. This data has been extremely important this year with the differences between the two stocks. The crew (Leon Lauder, Cameron Tatoosh, Tony Tatoosh, Lesley Lauder, Ellen Lauder) did an excellent job keeping up and had minimal down time.

SMOLT ENUMERATION AT ROBERSTON CREEKDuring the early summer the fisheries department ran a smolt enumeration program at Robertson Creek. The purpose of this project is to design and operate a counting and sampling program to estimate the abundance and condition of sockeye smolts out-migrating from Robertson Creek and to assess whether this count can be used as an index of Great Central Lake sockeye smolt production. The project is coupled with expanded Hydro-Acoustic Surveys in the fall and winter that determine the pre-smolt abundance of sockeye in Great Central Lake. This project has completed its second season and if successful it will be another core assessment tool that Hupacasath First Nation can use to monitor the sockeye stocks in their Traditional Territory.

THANK YOU to fishers who fished for food fish.. Tom Tatoosh, Preston Charles, Kelly Charles, Bert McCarthy, Cameron Tatoosh, Brianne Charles, Roxanne Tatoosh, Lindsay Tatoosh, Tony Tatoosh, Thomas Tatoosh, Chad McCarthy, Francine Charleson, Henry Charleson, Connie Charleson, Ozzie Felsman, Oshea Bird Charles, Samson Lauder, Chelsea Lauder, and William Newman.

EXPANSION OF PICFI FISHING OPERATIONSThe jointly owned commercial fishing enterprise Tseshaht-Hupacasath Fishing Partnership is continuing with the transition from a lease based fishing enterprise to a true fishing company that actively fishes the licences they hold. Two Licenced Gill Net vessels were purchased this year Good Times and Silver Mate. Tom and Lindsay Tatoosh successfully fished the Good Times in Johnstone Strait and the Fraser River. See Picture They will continue fishing chum salmon on the east coast of Vancouver Island this fall.

A number of challenges were faced with the sockeye return this summer. Forecasted returns Sproat Lake and Great Central Lake sockeye were in the “Low Range” 350,000-500,000 however the Sproat return was expected to be almost 6x larger than the Great Central return.

This forecast was unfortunately true which curtailed fishing opportunities in the mixed stock areas. Several Fishery meetings were held with the community to discuss whether to sign the Sales Agreement. The difficult decision made to hold out signing the agreement as the implications of signing while Tseshaht continued to fish would be detrimental. The decision was also made to open up a dip net fishery on Sproat river in order to focus the harvest on this stock while ensuring that the maximum number of Great Central Lake sockeye escaped to spawn.

HFN–TFN Fishing Partnership The Hupacasath-Tseshaht Fishing Partnership is making a transition from access holding; lease and contract fishing model to a fully operational fishing company. Vessel acquisitions including two gillnetters and a crab fishing boat and the acquisition of four new fishing licenses will complement the company’s four existing licenses. Gillnet licenses for areas D and E and C and D, combined with our Crab, Prawn, Geoduck , Halibut and Sable fish licenses make the company in a better position to capitalize on commercial fishing options. Our crab boat can fully engage in fishing all year round and the two new licensed Gill net boats can fish most areas of the island and Fraser river fisheries. The ultimate goal of getting more members fishing and building the capacity to do the work and develop this part of the fishing business development plan.

The Partnership was successful in achieving $375,000 in additional capital to expand the equipment and fleet capabilities.

Future Plans for Economic DevelopmentHupacasath is actively engaged in and nearing completion of business planning stages for businesses in tourism and recreation, medical services, agriculture, and forestry and technology projects and opportunities as envisioned in the Comprehensive Community Plan.

RICKHEWSON

RICKHEWSON

This season got off to a slow start with a series of setbacks regarding the new well, pumphouse and associated irrigation system. Happy to report that moving forward this will not be the case as there is an exceptional pump housed inside a new pumphouse to ensure that the farm site has an adequate and secure source of water.

The farm received funding this spring from a few different sources. A big shout out to The Alberni Valley Community Foundation, The First Nations Health Authority, Nuu-chah-nulth Employment and Training Program as well as the Student Training and Employment Program overseen by the Ministry of Employment and Social Development for their financial support.

Probably one of the most interesting things I have witnessed this season has been the intergenerational transfer of knowledge between mothers and children. We received funding for 2 summer students and the successful applicants were the children of Alannah and Tammy. To watch the sharing of knowledge, laughter and respect that occurred was powerful.

The farm has had several classes come out to the site throughout the season to learn about growing and eating local food, seeding, transplanting, and harvesting. Tammy and Alannah are great instructors and the photo on the left is of Tammy teaching a group of students from Alberni school how to transplant cucumbers.

The farm has continued doing much of the same as in proceeding years, but much is being planned for the upcoming season. We continue to deliver the weekly boxes to households on reserve. So far this year we have delivered 64 boxes every week for the past twelve weeks.

With Healthy Harvest leaving the farm site, the Hupacasath is in a unique situation with being able to expand their capacity and move into public sales for next season. With this in mind, the greenhouse will be planted with overwintering crops, 3500 garlic will be planted, and a complete site plan will be in place before next season. Anna has agreed to stay on to oversee the integration of the two sites with the hope that by the end next year the Hupacasath will be in a position to manage the farm on their own.

Hupacasath Community Farm ANNA LEWIS

Fall FairCouncil would like to thank everybody involved in the Fall Fair. It was a great success with Hupacasath with the Com-munity Receiving First Place and Special Recognition Awards for the Parade and Fall Fair Booth! There is a very long list of people to thank including Slade Charlong, Bryan Read and Anna Lewis for booth set up and design, all the members who volunteered decorating for the parade and joining in the parade! We also would like to thank all the volunteers who manned our booth and sold syrup promoting the community and its businesses.

RICKHEWSON

ʕay̓iičḥ (Autumn) EventsOpportunities to participate, gatherings, or deadlines to know about. Please check Hupacasath Facebook page, Hupacasath.ca, and the bulletin board at the band office for events that come up on short notice.

DANCE PRACTICE AND SEWING CLASSES Fall brings the time for gathering again and enjoying learning together, enjoying community, song, dance skills and conversations. Sewing classes have begun as of Sunday September 16th 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. We look forward to having any community members interested in learning new skills and helping to make regalia attend!

Dance practice began Tuesday September 8th and the schedule for dance practice is listed below. Please come out and be part of the excitement!

RECENT HISTORY Some of the varied events that happened just before the newsletter was published. Thanks for sharing the news including important meetings, community events, and milestones such as weddings and newborns.

FREE LACROSSE LESSON September 20th Coach came from Nanaimo. This program comes from the funders that have given us money for the canoes and sport equipment. It’s very important to show that we are still excited about sport. Please parents encourage your children to try out our sporting events!

ELDERS LUNCHEON House of Gathering September 26th

HINK’UUʔASIMŁSEPTEMBERDOG SALMON MOON

Č̓AYAAQIMŁOCTOBERCUTTING FISH MOON

YAXŠIƛIMŁ NOVEMBERSWEEPING MOON

HALLOWEEN PARTY will be earlier this year. OCTOBER 20TH 5:30 PLEASE IF YOU CAN BRING SOMETHING TO EAT IT WILL HELP WITH COST.

LOOKING FORWARD The next newsletter will share news of events from December 15 - March 15. Please email newsletter@hupacasath.ca with key dates, deadlines, or events.

DIGITAL SOVEREIGN TECHNOLOGY GATHERING September 27 and 28, 2018 at Tigh-Na-Mara in Parksville. In the digital, computer technology field, employment opportunities are increasing.

BIRTHDAY GEETINGS TO THE FOLLOWING HUPACASATH BAND MEMBERS: Danny Watts (aka BeeBee) 80th Celebration 24 August : Bert Casavant 17 July : Tooie Casavant 26 August : Shaunee Casavant-Hanson 12 September : Peter Hamilton-Watts. 26 September