Writing is hard. Expressing opinions is hard. Exposing ourselves to criticism is hard. We all have an internal critic, telling us we’re not good enough, we’re not choosing the right words, nobody wants to hear us anyway.
In the face of all these challenges, the Grade 11 students at Xet’ólacw Community School in Mount Currie tackled the task of writing articles for Pique Newsmagazine with determination and inner strength. Just a few months ago, we were perusing the news in our Social Studies class. Several students commented on how Mount Currie and the Lil’wat Nation are rarely in the news, and if they are, it’s usually not positive. I said, well, maybe we can change that.
We reached out to Pique with our idea and quickly received an encouraging response from editor-in-chief Braden Dupuis and features editor Brandon Barrett, who were keen to support the students in making their voices heard. To start the process of writing, students first brainstormed topics important to them and their community. Students then visited the Pique office in Whistler and had the opportunity to talk with the editorial staff about their careers, the journalism industry in general, and guidelines for writing articles. Students worked individually on their chosen topics and edited both their own and their peers’ writing to polish up their articles before submission.
As a teacher, one of my biggest hopes for students is that they develop the skills and confidence to express themselves. Watching these articles evolve has been an exciting journey, and I look forward to seeing what projects these creative, determined young people tackle next.
- Charlotte Jacklein, Grade 11 teacher
Appreciating Lil'wat history - and its unceded territory
By Aidan Ducharme
When I step out of my door, I see endless forest. Wood smoke from the chimneys mixes with the scent of pine and cedar. The rushing creek by my house is as loud as a highway. I hear dogs bark and wind in the trees. St’át’imc people, also known as the Lil’wat people, have been living off the land here for thousands of years. Artifacts from our people date back to 5,500 BCE. We have developed a rich culture here, and we still live closely connected with our land.
My name is Aidan, and I’m 16 years old. On my mom’s side, my family is from Samahquam, a small community at kilometre 33 on the gravel road on the west side of the Lillooet River. On my dad’s side, my family is from Kawacatoose First Nation in Saskatchewan. I was born in Vancouver, and lived in B.C. and Saskatchewan for most of my childhood. We moved 13 times that I remember, and lived in different apartments and houses. Last year, we moved back to Samahquam, because my mom had a good job opportunity.
Since I moved so much as a kid, I saw lots of different schools. I’ve been to eight different schools, and I learned that, to some degree, people are the same everywhere. I speak English, as well as some Cree and Ucwalmicwts, the language of the Lil’wat. Where I live now, I have an hour-long bus ride to school each way along a gravel road.
The bus ride I take to school each day along the Lillooet River follows the route that miners took to the gold rush in the Cariboo between 1858 and 1865. More than 30,000 gold-crazed miners travelled along the Harrison to Lillooet route. At that time, a single potato cost $1. Going farther downstream to the Fraser River and farther back in time to 1793, this is when Lil’wat people first made contact with Europeans and the Alexander Mackenzie expedition.
Every day from my school, Xet’ólacw Community School, I see a huge rocky mountain that’s so wide and fat it takes up half the horizon. In the winter, it’s snowy and bright, and when the seasons change to spring there are avalanches and landslides. This mountain is called T’szil by the St’át’imc people. The European settlers named the mountain Mount Currie, after John Currie, who was the first non-Indigenous settler in the Pemberton Valley.
At my school, every May 10 we celebrate Declaration Day. This day highlights one of the most important events in Lil’wat Nation history. Lil’wat Nation is one of the 78 nations that did not participate in the BC Treaty Commission process, and instead signed the Declaration of the Lillooet Tribe in 1911 together with other St’at’imc Nations. This declaration demands the reinstatement of traditional land rights and protests against the theft of First Nation land. To this day, our people hold rights and recognition over the land.
When I drive home, I see the trails leading up to the sacred Stein Valley. In 1989, the Lil’wat people worked on creating the “Save the Stein” initiative. Artists like Bruce Cockburn, Buffy-Sainte-Marie, and Gordan Lightfoot joined together with environmentalist David Suzuki to organize a concert and raise awareness about protecting the Stein Valley. This action protected the entire Stein Valley watershed, and has protected it to this day.
Lil’wat people protected this land against other nations and threats over the years. Despite losses, we never gave up the fight. To this day, we remain the rightful owner and protectors of our land. I love the forest, rivers and mountains here, and I hope they will always be here.
Tracing the effects of climate change on Lil'wat Nation territory
By Katie Joe
Flooding, fires, landslides, and more—Lil’wat Nation and our traditional territory is being impacted by climate change in many ways.
One of the biggest floods in recent memory happened in October 2003. During this big flood, the roads were blocked and the Lil’wat people couldn’t go to town to get supplies like food and baby diapers. The flood was so big that 800 people were forced to leave their homes in Squamish, Pemberton and Mount Currie, and another 5,000 residents were on evacuation alert. At least two people died and two more went missing after a bridge was washed out by the raging Rutherford Creek.
One of the most devastating recent events in our territory was the wildfire in Lytton on June 30, 2021. The fire rapidly torched the whole small town. Several people were initially unaccounted for, and eventually two were found dead. My dad is a firefighter, and he goes to fight fires wherever he is needed. It’s pretty cool for him to do that, but also dangerous to have that kind of job. When he gets shipped out to fight a wildfire, our family sure misses him. One day, I want to follow my dad in taking care of our land by fighting wildfires.
On June 23, 2019, there was a landslide north of Lillooet in a remote canyon along the Fraser River. About 110,000 cubic metres of rock fell from a 125-metre-high cliff into the river. During that time, the salmon were spawning, and were unable to swim through the debris. Officials enlisted the help of a helicopter to fly the salmon over the slide so they could reach their spawning grounds. Over the past few years, the salmon runs have been much lower than before, but this past year the fish runs have thankfully been better. When I am out fishing with my family, we see a lot of jumping salmon and I hope it’s a good run of salmon this year.
During summer break, my family and I go berry picking for our winter supplies. In recent years, we’ve noticed that our wild berries ripen a couple weeks faster than in the past. When we pick berries, we get up to 16 quarts, picking three hours a day, five days a week for two weeks before they dry out. Some days, the temperature rises to 44 C, drying out the berries faster. But we still keep picking so we can make jam out of the berries. Once our family has completed our berry harvest, we share with Elders who need them, or give them to anyone else who is in need. Then sometimes we go out again to pick more for ourselves the next day.
A typical year for my family starts with planting our vegetables in mid-May. In June and July we do the berry and cherry picking so we can preserve them for the winter season. In August, we harvest vegetables, and hand them out to the Elders first. In September, we go sockeye salmon fishing, again giving them out first to the Elders and anyone who needs salmon and cannot go out and fish for themselves. We also give a lot of fish to the school for the annual salmon barbecue.
In the fall, we move on to mushrooming just for fun, and we also do lots of hiking. After that, we move on to hunting season. We also hand out deer meat when it’s our first catch of the season. This is a tradition that Lil’wat People have followed for many generations. With our first catch, we can’t even keep a small piece. We hand all of it out to the community; first to the Elders, and then to whoever needs it the most. Then the winter comes, and in the spring we start all over.
We do most of our fishing and tswan (drying fish) at Bridge River. When we hang the tswan down at our fish camp, we wait for them to dry and then we bring some of them home over the mountain to give away or freeze. My siblings, cousins and I carry our catch up the trail. The trail is very steep, so it’s a workout—but it’s worth it. Sometimes, just the older kids do the tswaning, because the Elders can’t get down the steep trail and sometimes the little ones can’t go down because the water is too rough.
My family has noticed many changes on Lil’wat Nation land, water and rivers due to climate change. Sometimes the seasons come too fast or are too short, and the temperatures exceed historic records. I worry about climate change, and hope that we will continue our traditional activities like fishing and berry picking. Hopefully, by educating people and by taking steps to reduce our impact on the environment, we can protect our territory for generations to come.
'All donations go to me': Money and gambling in Mount Currie
By Kevin Peters
I like to gamble with my life… in video games, of course. I am a teen, after all. I can’t just walk into a casino with a big-boy loan. So, teens resort to “gacha” video games or games with so-called “loot boxes,” which offer prizes that incentivize gamers to keep playing.
This is a form of digital gambling, and not all that regulated.
Overall, there’s not much gambling in Mount Currie. Mainly, we have 50-50 draws, other raffles, and bingo; “light” forms of gambling, you could say.
For all the small corruptible children reading, this is how the three aforementioned “light” forms of gambling work in Mount Currie:
50/50s: Sell tickets and draw a winner, who gets half the (totally legal) earnings from the tickets sold;
Raffles: Enter for a chance to win a metal pipe;
Bingo: The caller says a letter and number, and if you have the correct pair, you get to stamp that square (better pray to Allah that you have the winning combo). If you make a line across the sheet, yell “BINGO” and you win. If you win a big bingo game, the prizes can be in the thousands of dollars.
That’s right, you mini-humans, it is very simple stuff.
Now on the topic of money: Whatever happened to the Scotiabank in Pemberton? With the closure of the only bank in Pemberton, aspiring local bank robbers have lost their training grounds.
Despite being a fully functional teen with a bank account, I still use cash (mainly because I always forget my pin number). Now I have to walk all the way to Whistler, two-kids-in-a trench-coat-style, just to try to get that big-boy loan.
I don’t really know what else to talk about, so I’m going to make another bank-robbery joke. Maybe add a little word fluff.
Listen up! This is a robbery! We don’t want to harm anyone. We’re after the bank’s money, not yours. Your money is insured; you won’t lose a dime. Think of your loved ones, and don’t try to be a hero. Now shut up and stay down and this will be over in no time.
If we had more funding, I can think of a number of ways to spend it. We could use more funding for law enforcement in Mount Currie. I’ve heard several people talk about about getting a bylaw officer here to take care of our dog situation.
Moving on to a less controversial topic, we could also use more funding for our school, which would allow for more staff and more options with our elective classes—though that sounds more like a luxury than a need. Perhaps, instead, the funding could be used to form a small but well-regulated militia. I don’t really know what the militia would be for, other than it would be neat. Plus, the government might get a little suspicious if we do form one.
All in all, more money is good. You can give the Mount Currie Band money through Patreon (probably), or I also accept monetary contributions. *All donations to me go to the Caffeine Cult.*
Pick up after yourselves, please
By Marshall James
Whether it’s empty cans on the trees or in the ditches, or slushie cups on the roads and trails, litter is a big problem in Mount Currie. Everyone knows this, and if you don’t know—what are you doing?
One major reason our land is covered in litter is that children, teens, and even adults leave their garbage behind. I can only speak from personal experience, but it seems to me that it’s mainly the teens who don’t care to pick up after themselves. One day, on my way to the store, I noticed a big pile of litter over by the rec center where young teens (like myself) hang out every day at lunch. Seeing all the garbage upset me quite a bit, so I began picking it up. It’s sad that people could be so careless about a hangout spot.
Litter affects our land a lot. It affects plant growth, wild animals, household pets, and nearby rivers. It pollutes our water and gets ingested by salmon and other fish, which isn’t good for Indigenous people, since salmon is a very big part of our culture.
Garbage also impacts other local animals, including our beloved furry friends we care for dearly. Wild animals like bears, deer and birds scour our whole territory for food. If there’s empty food wrappers or pieces of plastic lying around, they may eat it, which can cause them to become ill. The same thing can happen for cats and dogs. As you may know, a lot of people in Mount Currie allow their dogs and cats to roam around freely outside—so it’s up to all of us to ensure they’re not getting in to carelessly-disposed-of garbage.
There are many ways we can prevent litter. First, we need to teach kids and teens about the importance of picking up after themselves. Kids need to be educated about it so they don’t become selfish adults who will just dump their garbage everywhere in rivers or out their car window.
But we also need better infrastructure. Currently, there are only public trash cans at the store, the recreation building, the school, and the health centre. We can teach kids about the importance of picking up after themselves all we want, but if there isn’t a place for them to dispose of their litter, we will keep seeing it on the ground. Having more trash cans and recycling bins around the town would help prevent litter from being scattered all over the roads and lawns.
My last idea to keep our land free from litter is to launch a volunteer service for people who want to help pick up trash. When I was younger, I always saw this old-ish guy walk around with a trash picker and a garbage bag. He would walk around our community picking up litter. I would love to help clean up the community and keep our land nice and clean, and I’m sure others would, too. If we can make it a paid position, that would definitely also motivate people to clean up more.
Litter is an obstacle every creature on Earth has to deal with every single day, so it’s important for us to talk about it. If we don’t begin to deal with this issue now ,it will only escalate. Kids must learn to pick up after themselves, as do teens and adults. If you see garbage on the ground, think about picking it up to help the environment just a little bit. Every little thing matters.
Stl'atl'imx territory is bear country
By Lawrence Charlie
In our community of Skookumchuk in the Stl’atl’imx territory near Lillooet Lake, we have a population of about 95 people. Since the beginning, our people have coexisted with wildlife, including bears.
In early spring, bears come out of hibernation. They forage for food like fresh plants, roots, and salmon to eat. During this time, spring foliage and new plants grow with the help of the sun. This is my favourite time of the year to hike the Bear Trap Trail that leads up into the mountains. This trail is near the community of Skatin in Stl’atl’imx territory along the Lillooet River; a beautiful place to be during this time of year—and always.
Bears come in all sizes, from small and cute to very large and fat, but they are speedy runners and good, fast climbers. If you see a bear while hiking, do not approach it. But you should also not run away from bears, because they are fast. If you see one, the best thing to do is slowly back up, because this is respectful.
Bears eat lots of cherries in our area—so when they poop, they can deposit cherry seeds, and later a cherry tree might grow there (that’s why we have lots of cherry trees in our territory).
People need to remember to not feed the bears, and keep their garbage in bear-proof containers to avoid bears digging through them and becoming garbage bears.
If bears come near town, they get chased by our local dogs. This keeps them out of our neighbourhood, and reduces their ability to become a nuisance to our community. Once the bear is chased out by the dogs, the coyotes will go after them, too. Though black bears are most often fairly docile, they can become vicious and unpredictable when injured—so it’s best to always give them lots of space!
The word for “bear” in the Ucwalmícwts language is míxalh. The Skatin people are from the Bear Clan and have a song and dance to honour the bear. In doing so, the bear is protected.
Taking you on a ride through the Lil'wat Lake Rodeo
By Nelly Joe
The Lil’wat Lake Rodeo, which happens every May long weekend in my hometown of Mount Currie, has every fun activity you can imagine, for both youth and adults. Picture everyone you know in one place, except there’s also horses, cows and, sometimes, even pigs.
Some people travel from far away to compete in this yearly event and to show off their talent and skills, meet new people and learn from each other. The rodeo is the biggest annual event for the Lil’wat Nation. At the same time, there is also a powwow within easy walking distance, a celebration featuring traditional drumming and dancing. This powwow, combined with the rodeo, means extra money, more people, and more fun.
The powwow and the rodeo are fundraisers the Lil’wat Nation community. People compete to see who will be the fastest or the most skilled. Whenever a competitor wins a prize, they ride their horse around the arena for a celebratory lap. First, second and third place in each category win prize money or a new saddle or belt buckle.
Barrel racing is one popular sport featured at the rodeo. Competitors gallop their horses as fast as they can around three barrels, set in a triangular pattern. In 2019, Katrina Williams clocked in the fastest barrel run, at 16.4 seconds.
I also competed in barrel racing that year, but in a different division. Williams is the only woman in the whole rodeo that can beat everyone in barrel racing. She grew up competing and is very skilled.
One year, however, she came second place to a woman from out of town who was a professional barrel racer and travels everywhere to compete in different rodeos.
I was only 11 years old when I first entered the Lil’wat Rodeo. As I grew up, each year I competed against other girls my age. When I was 14 years old, my whole family surprised me with two new female horses. One was a light brown dun named Lily. She was well trained and behaved well. The other horse was named Honey, and she was still young and stubborn at times.
I learned to take care of the horses. Each day, I would feed them, clean them. Family members showed me how to train a horse, and my dream was to become a professional barrel racer one day. Slowly, however, that dream died down.
Gradually, I lost my competitive drive and my dream of becoming a barrel racer. I gave up on my horses, and over time, they became less motivated. We didn’t have the same bond we did before.
As I grew older, I stopped thinking about barrel racing and became more involved in other sports, like soccer and baseball. One day, I called a horse rescue farm, and they picked up my horses. Now they have a beautiful home in Squamish, living their best life with other horses, young and old.
There are local bull riders who went on to become world champions, after first climbing the podium as champions at the Lil’wat Rodeo. From age 16 to 21, Kevin Wallace was Lil’wat Rodeo champion, and to this day, he continues as a bull rider, with many local families showing love and supporting him in his bull-riding career.
This year, I did not compete in the rodeo. I miss my horses. They were such a big part of my life. It was hard to watch them go, but I know it was the right choice. I didn’t have the time to watch or feed them. These days, I go to the rodeo without them.
While my barrel-racing days are over, I still watch and cheer for my friends and family who compete in the rodeo.
When it comes to housing in Mount Currie, we need to think of the generations to come
By Kiona Tilalus
My grandfather made the house we live in today. He bought a trailer for $1,500 and used it as a framework that he mostly tore apart while renovating. He got building materials from people who were throwing away supplies, and he took a cabinetmaking class.
With the help of some really good friends, our house was built. Before the house was completed, my grandfather met my grandmother. They lived in that tiny trailer—five people in the bedroom, three in the living room—for quite some time. Together with their cats and dogs, they all lived in that small trailer while my grandma was pregnant.
Today, there are similar stories, still—stories of kids living in the laundry room because there’s nowhere else for them to stay. On the reserve in Mount Currie, living with your family is part of the culture. All your aunties, uncles, and grandparents live under one roof, in the same house that gets passed down through generations.
There remains a lack of housing in Mount Currie and in Pemberton, making it hard for both new residents and long-time locals to stay in town. I know a lot of people who couldn’t afford to stay here any longer.
There is a large portion of cleared land on the site of the old Pemberton Music Festival grounds, between Mount Currie and Pemberton, that is being sold. That land used to belong to the Lil’wat Band, but was signed over without the knowledge of the Lil’wat people. We could be using the land for recreational purposes, such as a skate park, where they won’t tell us to leave because we are Indigenous. Or it could be used for Indigenous-owned shops, where we could share our culture with everyone.
We would also benefit from having our own nursing home. When they need support they can’t receive at home, most of our elders are sent to Hilltop House in Squamish. Imagine the stress and sadness they feel when they are taken away from their homes and community and put in a place far away from their families. We have trained people in the community that could help staff a nursing home, which would also create more jobs for our people.
Creating more affordable housing for our community is incredibly important. We need to think of the next generations to come, especially if we want our community to stay together.
A Lil'wat sporting life
By Grady Peters
Our small town of Mount Currie has a big thing for sports. Ball hockey, soccer, softball and snowboarding are just some of the sports that are popular here. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been playing sports all year long here.
Ball hockey takes place most of the year every Wednesday at Ullus, the community centre. This sport typically involves many in the community. Teams can be co-ed, all women or all men. Because it is such a popular sport in Mount Currie, many people come out to play or cheer on the ball hockey players. When we host tournaments, there are teams from Lillooet, Vancouver and, of course, many local teams.
I was eight years old when I played ball hockey for the first time at home. I learned how to play from my parents. They taught me everything I know, and, today, I’m still learning new things such as ball handling, shooting, blocking, reading plays and adapting to a situation on the fly.
There is also indoor soccer—also called futsal—in the winter, and outdoor soccer in the summer. For futsal, the balls are a bit heavier than standard soccer balls, which are bouncier and lighter. Futsak or indoor soccer does not use the same lines as on a normal soccer pitch, and it is very easy to strategically use the walls to pass the ball off of.
In the spring and summer, the Lil’wat Youth Soccer Team travels to play in places such as Sechelt and Musqueam in East Vancouver. I usually play right back. I like finding the perfect moment to pass to my teammates.
In a recent tournament in Sts’ailes, a three-and-a-half-hour drive away in the Lower Mainland, we narrowly lost in an intense shootout.
The softball league in Mount Currie starts in October and goes until snowfall. There are usually eight teams. As it gets darker earlier and earlier, sometimes we play until we can barely see at night. I usually play in the outfield. I’m not good at throwing, but I’m fast and can catch the ball.
Every Sunday all winter, the Lil’wat Youth Snowboarding Team goes to Whistler. Sometimes we just ride with the instructor, and sometimes they coach us on certain tricks and techniques. I like snowboarding in all sorts of conditions. My goal is to one day do a 360 on my snowboard.
Sports are such a big part of my life as a teenager in Mount Currie, and I plan to keep doing them for a long time.
Mount Currie needs more shops—and better transportation
By Liddell Jameson
When I walk around the village of Mount Currie, I’ve noticed that the streets are often devoid of people and things to do. No fun shops to explore, nowhere to buy clothes, and no restaurants close by. To do these simple little things, I need to go to Pemberton or all the way to Squamish. I rarely go to Whistler, because it’s too expensive and parking is chaotic. Having more amenities like shops, banks and restaurants available locally would be very convenient, add a spark of happiness to the community, and create more opportunities to socialize with other people.
The way things work around here, especially in Mount Currie, is a solid inconvenience. As I’m writing this, the bridge to Pemberton is half blocked off due to repairs that are taking workers months to complete.
The lack of simple services like banks is also a major problem in Mount Currie. There used to be a Scotiabank branch in Pemberton, but it closed in 2021. In February, my family had to take time out of their busy lives to drive me and my younger brother all the way to Whistler to the closest TD Bank—an approximately 45-minute trip, one way. For those who can’t drive, like Elders or young people like myself, we need to get a ride there, or take the bus. Today, taking transit requires catching one bus from Mount Currie to Pemberton, and then a second bus to Whistler (which only runs a couple times a day), then repeating the whole process to get home—a long and complicated journey to reach a bank. Sure, online banking is great, but accessing a real bank is still necessary at times.
I would also love to just go out more and visit people without needing to scrape the ground in hopes of finding a ride. Having more local amenities like shops and transportation would immediately improve the lives of residents. If life in Mount Currie continues to be dry and difficult, it may only motivate myself and others to leave so we can see things we’ve always wanted to and have new experiences.
In May, my class took a field trip to Vancouver to see the Richmond Night Market. Everyone really seemed to enjoy themselves walking around and socializing. With pandemic restrictions behind us, this trip really made me realize how much I want to get out and see more and open my mind to new things and experiences.
While the world may be calling me, I care about my community, and I wish there were more amenities in Mount Currie.
Mount Currie youth would benefit from organized sport
By Kory Wallace
Boxing may not be a traditional Lil’wat sport, but it could carry immense benefits for people in our community.
The sport admittedly has a mixed history for Indigenous people. Our ancestors were forced to participate in European sports in residential schools because the government believed that would teach discipline and “civilize” them.
But people should be allowed to choose what sports they want to do. Sports can be a good way to develop athletic ability, instil confidence, spend time with friends, learn teamwork and leadership, and have opportunities in life
I would love to see organized boxing in Mount Currie so that we can train safely with the proper pads and headgear. Boxing without proper gear can really hurt you and your future if you don’t box properly or train safely.
I want to learn those skills, but we don’t have that opportunity here unless people’s parents have lots of money and can hire personal trainers or drive to Whistler. I’ve boxed, but only in a more street-fighting style when I’m training with my friends, or when I’ve been peer-pressured to be in a fight. Young people sometimes get peer-pressured into fighting when a whole group are out together on a weekend at night and decide that two people should fight each other because it would be a good fight. When the group decides that, it’s hard to go against them, because you want to fit in.
One time, I was at the library in Pemberton at night hanging out with a group of friends, when they tried to peer pressure my friend and I to fight. He’s around the same height and weight as me, and the group thought it would be a good matchup. I tried to shake off the nerves as one of my buddies gave me a pair of boxing gloves.
Just before the fight started, my friend took his own gloves off, saying he didn’t want to fight. I was relieved that I didn’t have to fight my friend. But that is the power of peer pressure.
My brother is the only person who really fights with me. We fight, but it doesn’t go wrong, because he’s aiming to teach me and not actually to hurt me. He’s two years older, but a few inches shorter and about 20 lbs lighter.
But he has a lot to teach me—and I can see how those lessons could benefit more youth in our community.
I would love to see kids and adults in Mount Currie have opportunities to train for boxing, with training schedules and better nutrition. By eating healthy food instead of junk food, people’s confidence and health would improve. Having sports like boxing in Mount Currie would encourage more kids to be involved instead of taking the wrong path like smoking and partying with their friends.
A beginner's guide to Lil'wat back roads
By Everett Jameson
There are many back roads and trails in our Lil’wat Nation territory, but it’s important to be aware of wildlife and other drivers—and to clean up after yourself—if you go out exploring.
I love to take my family’s quad to the lookout points spread across the valley. When I’m up there, I feel chill and relaxed—but I also feel sad, because I see the garbage and beer cans that people left lying around.
My family has had our quad for three years now, and I’m the person who uses it the most. I wear a helmet and goggles when I’m driving it, and I bring a backpack with snacks and something to drink. I also bring a jacket in case it gets cold. I go with friends, because it’s more fun and it’s safer to be in a group.
One site that I like is the Lower Lookout. It takes about 15 minutes to drive a quad there from Mount Currie. From the lookout, you can see the old reservation down in the valley on Highway 99, and the new site of the village of Mount Currie to the west. The view from the lookout is great, but the area around the lookout is kind of disappointing, because of all the garbage and cans. I wish people wouldn’t drink up there, or leave their garbage.
While driving up and down to the Lower Lookout, you have to be cautious on the corners. There are lots of blind corners where you can’t see hikers or other vehicles. A car can make it up this road, but a Jeep or truck would be better for avoiding the roots.
Another favourite destination is Isaac Totem. This site has a totem pole as a memorial to a man who died by suicide. From this location, you can’t see down below, because there are too many trees, but it is a great place to hike or bike, and a good place to appreciate. Hiking to this lookout from Mount Currie takes about 45 minutes.
As far as wildlife goes, it’s mostly birds and squirrels. I don’t often see bears or cougars, but they’re out there—so be cautious and aware.
Then there’s Mud Lake—where lots of local people party. Beyond Mud Lake you can find another trail, which can serve as an alternate route to the Lower Lookout.
But beware of other drivers! One time, I was driving my quad up to Mud Lake. There’s one hill on the road to Mud Lake which creates a blind spot, because you can’t see up or down very well. One time, I was driving my quad up to Mud Lake, and halfway up the hill I encountered a side-by-side going full speed. The driver didn’t stop, and forced me to suddenly swerve to the right to avoid a collision. I was already cautious—now I’m even more cautious at blind spots.
If you decide to drive on our back roads, here are some top tips to follow:
Don’t go fast around blind corners;
Don’t leave beer cans;
Don’t leave garbage.
With summer fast approaching, I can’t wait to be out on the quad and on the back roads around Mount Currie more often.
The rez dogs are getting out of control
By Charlie Wallace
The rez dogs are getting out of control on the rez. Everywhere I look, I see a damn dog. I can’t even bring my dog for a walk without another dog trying to bite or maul him. I always get mad when I see dogs at the store or school. It’s as if other people don’t give a shit about dogs.
What is a rez dog? Well, it’s a dog that lives on the rez, short for “reserve,” the small chunk of land the colonial government gave us after stealing our territory. They’re nothing really special; just dogs that grew up in a tough environment.
The only difference between a dog and a rez dog is that normal dogs are usually well-fed and loved, but rez dogs aren’t always so fortunate. It’s usually because of the owners. When dogs aren’t well-loved, they tend to get aggressive and scary.
I’m not the only one who is mad about these borderline-stray dogs. There are countless people across different reservations who share the same frustrations. It has become an almost universal problem for people living on-reserve.
Kids and adults get chased virtually every day by rez dogs. Recently, I saw a Facebook post about a black dog in Mount Currie chasing someone. Apparently, the person didn’t even see the dog approaching before it started chasing her. In her post, she said she shouldn’t have to walk with fear while travelling to her client’s house. Something has to change. At the moment, nothing is being done and, to be honest, it’s quite frustrating.
There are a few possible solutions to the rez dog issue. They could be brought to shelters where they can be adopted. More of them could be neutered or spayed. There should be stricter laws in place prohibiting loose dogs from running around. The Lil’wat Nation could make strict rules on who can own a dog around here and restrict people who don’t take good care of them. This would help with all the other dogs that are starving and being abused, helping them find a better home than the one they have right now.
I hope that one day people can walk around the rez without being chased or barked at by dogs, and I hope the dogs can be well cared for and enjoy a good life.
My land, my language
By Kmyia Grandbois
Ama sqit, e’ntsa s Kakwela. Lilwat7ulkan.
Good day, I am Kakwella, I am Lil’wat.
I am writing from an Indigenous point of view to inform those reading about the importance of acknowledging the land and acknowledging the Indigenous people who reside here. This is an important step on the path to reconciliation between settlers and Lil’wat7ul.
I believe it’s important for those inhabiting our land to take a moment to reflect on where you are and whose homeland you are on. Due to colonization, residential schools, genocide, and prejudice, there has been an erasure and disappearance of Indigenous languages, and a loss of land and land rights across the world. This destruction has resulted in a loss of knowledge and a part of people’s identity. Acknowledging the people, language, and land are the best ways we can reconcile.
Some facts about my nation:
The Lil’wat territory extends out to the Squamish area, east towards the Cayoosh, west towards Bute Inlet, and north near Monmouth Mountain. Lil’wat is part of the St’at’imc Tribal Group here in B.C., and there are three dialects within our tribal group. Lil’wat Nation speaks Ucwalmicts (or Lillooet, also known as Lil’wat).
When writing Ucwalmicts, our language uses numerous letters from the English alphabet, along with several letter combinations, which include: ii, ao, ts, kw, cw, qw, xw, gw, and lh. Then there are the letters and letter combinations that have plosion sounds, shown as p’, t’, ts’, k’, k’w, q’, q’w, z’, l’, m’, n’, w’, y’, r’, g’, g’w. Weirdly enough, number 7 is also used in our alphabet. The 7 acts as a brief pause between syllables, also known as a “glottal stop.”
If you’re interested in going a step further to learn about our Nation and language, I’d suggest visiting firstvoices.com. It’s an amazing feeling to go to places and see signs in Ucwalmicts, hear others speak, and have my language spoken to me. Firstvoices.com is a great website and app to learn numerous Indigenous languages. It was created for Indigenous communities by Indigenous communities to share, help teach, and promote and strengthen language as a community. On this website and app, you can find many languages, definitions, audio recordings, songs, stories and games.
I hope my language will be spoken more and will be around far into the future.
Kukstumckacw kalanwi. Thank you for listening.
The power of powwows
By Patrick Smith
Powwows are a community celebration and drumming ceremony that have existed for generations. The powwow draws people together and is a forum for the First Peoples of this country to express their solidarity and cultural heritage.
I’m Lil’wat and have been going to powwows since I was too young to even remember. My family and I usually attend about 10 powwows a year, both locally and in other communities. Anyone can attend a powwow and may choose to participate in what’s called the Intertribal Dance, an opportunity for Indigenous and non-Indigenous to dance together.
The most common and recognizable songs performed at powwows are inspired by the Spirit and sung for everyone. Many songs have a long history withing the tribes and among the honour warriors. All must stand during a veterans’ song, sung to honour an individual for their accomplishments, someone who has passed, or a family.
Some examples of prominent powwow groups include the Northern Cree Singers; the Bear Creek Singers; the Black Bear Singers; the Red Bull Singers; the Midnite Express Singers; The Boyz; and the Young Spirit Singers. My favourite powwow group is the Halluci Nation, formerly known as A Tribe Called Red. Their songs are really good and make me want to attend powwows more often.
When drumming the rhythm of a song, the beats represent the performer’s emotions. Making a drum is an important part of preparing for a powwow. People learn the skill and teach others to make drums, so the tradition can grow.
People also sell hoodies, hats and other custom-made accessories at powwows that feature their Nation’s logo, so other people know where they are from. The Lil’wat Nation logo celebrates our mountains, animals, and people.
I feel chills every time I hear my favourite song at a powwow. Called “Grand Entry,” it was written relatively recently, in 1997. All powwows begin with a grand entry, when all the dancers enter a circle, led by the veterans and head dancers.
When I go to powwows, I feel power from the singing, and I feel a spirit guiding me through the day.
