On Thursday, March 21, Huu-ay-aht First Nations hosted a flag-raising ceremony followed by lunch in Anacla. Huu-ay-aht citizens, staff, and children gathered in front of the Anacla Government Office to see three flags raised: the survivors’ flag, the Huu-ay-aht flag, and the Maa-nulth flag.
The flags were selected to pay tribute to the Huu-ay-aht Citizens and their resilience. The survivor’s flag was raised to honour their strength, while the Huu-ay-aht First Nation and Maa-nulth flags were chosen to acknowledge our territory and our role in the Maa-nulth Treaty.
The event started with prayer; as the prayer ended, a few members of the Executive Council raised the flags, and Anacla residents and children from Spring Break Culture Camp began singing and dancing. Following this was lunch held at the House of Huu-ay-aht for everyone.
The day is approaching for 2024 Hoobiyee, here is everything you need to know about the schedule and what to expect.
Huu-ay-aht is scheduled to perform on Friday, March 1 at 4:40 p.m. and will have 35 minutes to perform.
There will be a full dress rehearsal on Friday, March 1, 2024, at the Vancouver Friendship Centre from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm prior to the Hoobiyee performance. All singers and dancers who are confirmed to perform, please attend the rehearsal, and bring your shawls and drums and wear light-coloured shirts and black bottoms (pants, shorts, leggings or shirts). Please refrain from wearing low-cut shirts and short skirts/dresses.
Keep in mind that the venue may be cold, bring or wear layers of clothing. There will be vendors and food trucks on location, bring cash and expect line waits. Be very cautious about leaving items unattended while performing and watching the event, as there is no secure location for your belongings. Parking is paid parking (Debit, credit, or cash) and can be limited and sparse, so it can take some time. Make sure to arrive early.
Hoobiyee will be live streamed for anyone interested in watching remotely. A link will be provided before the event.
Per previous communications, singers or dancers must be 14+ and accompanied by an adult performing. We look forward to future events where we can include all children and youth.
Please contact Cory Howard Sr at cory.j.h@huuayaht.org or call 1-250-728-3414 and ask for Mel or Cory.
The research team wants to hear from you about how Treaty is impacting you and other musčim (citizens) and how you see the Maa-nulth Treaty impacting the Nation.
Guided by the Huu-ay-aht Research Advisory Committee (Simon Dennis, Jane Peters, Jeff Cook, hinatinyis, and Linnea Bowes), the Research Team (Heather Castleden and Onyx Sloan Morgan) are exploring how Huu-ay-aht have been navigating Treaty Implementation and what is being done to prepare for the “Periodic Review” of the Maa-nulth Treaty in 2026.
The ‘Periodic Review’ is the first time all Treaty Partners will come together to formally review how the relationship through the Treaty is working, including what may need to be improved.
Our current research is guided by four priority areas identified by Executive Council and the ḥaw̓iiḥ Council and affirmed at the 2019 People’s Assembly. These priorities are:
Land, culture and heritage; finances under Treaty; self-government; and Huu-ay-aht social wellbeing;
Huu-ay-aht musčim perspectives on what is going well and what needs to be improved under Treaty;
How Nation-level benefits translate into individual-level benefits; and
The relationship Huu-ay-aht First Nations has with Treaty Partners (e.g., Canada and BC governments) and how these relationships can be improved
We need your expertise and experiences about the third priority to share what we learn with Huu-ay-aht leadership. If you are interested in taking part in a confidential, one-on-one discussion to provide invaluable insights into how the Treaty is impacting you, please be in touch with Onyx at: 250-508-3410 or email: onyx.sloanmorgan@ubc.ca or Heather at: 902-489-2412 or email castleden@uvic.ca
Executive Councillor’s Edward R. Johnson, ƛicitatḥ and Stephen Rayner, n̓aasquʔisʔatḥ receiving a Premier’s Award on behalf of Huu-ay-aht First Nations along side other partnering Nations (Photo provided by Wendy Norris).
On November 21, 2023, Huu-ay-aht First Nations was awarded, alongside other Nations, a Premier’s Award for the work done on Bill 38.
The Premier’s Innovation and Excellence Awards are given annually to honour exceptional accomplishments and contributions in various areas.
Huu-ay-aht was awarded in the leadership category by Jennie Ireland, Executive Director of the Ministry of Child and Family Development. The Premier’s Awards celebrate British Columbia’s creativity, innovation, and dedication and the public service employees who make it possible.
In 2022, British Columbia, in collaboration with Indigenous partners, drafted Bill 38 (Indigenous Self-Government in Child and Family Services Amendment Act), resulting in historic changes to its provincial child and family service legislation.
Bill 38 amended the Adoption Act and the Child, Family and Community Service Act to align both acts with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, aiming to recognize, uphold, and reduce barriers to Indigenous jurisdiction over Indigenous child and family services in B.C.
Notably, the 1996 passage of the Child Family and Community Service Act (CFCSA) in B.C. replaced the colonial-era Family and Child Service Act, which had been in force since 1980, marking significant amendments since then.
The goal of this bill was to rework jurisdiction and allowing Indigenous Nations to have say over child welfare in communities. It aimed to grant Huu-ay-aht and other Indigenous nations the authority to determine how families facing challenges would be supported and how Indigenous children would be cared for, with the goal of avoiding the removal of children from Indigenous families.
The Premier’s Innovation and Excellence Award presented to Huu-ay-aht First Nations (Photo by Amanda-Lee Cunningham).
“This is a historical event for Huu-ay-aht First Nations and all First Nations involved” says Councillor Edward R. Johnson “This collaboration with the Province, brings us one step closer to creating change for future generations”.
Councillor Edward R. Johnson explains that with the collaborative work on Bill 38, it is working towards our main priority of keeping Huu-ay-aht and all Indigenous Children healthy, safe, and connected to their family, home, traditions, and culture.
The Indigenous Child Welfare system is a work in progress, Councillor Edward R. Johnson explained he was honoured to participate in the process of Bill 38, but also looks forward to contributing on future amendments that recognize and uphold inherent Indigenous jurisdiction over Child and Family Services in British Columbia.
