Story of Ekam from Snuneymuxw First Nation
Thank you a thousand to the power thousand times Snuneymuxw First Nation and Canada!
One of the hiking and trekking freak among our friends is Amby. She is kind enough to think of us when she’s planning any outdoor activities. Three families were supposed to join for the trip but we ended up with two families as the third family had been swamped as both the mother and father are busy living it up on weekend away from work and with the child and the child’s grandparents that itself eats up 48 hours in one day.
I simply love the concept of bigger “Jointer” families growing up to its previous glory.
About the Land we went to for camping and the land we love as our own mother land. Let’s call it मासी land :D
— The British Pilgrims/चारवाक? called it Colviletown and renamed it to Nanimo in 1860, as a mispronunciation of Local name for the Nation.
Coal wasn’t “discovered” in so much as the Snuneymuxw already knew of its existence. Unbeknownst to the community, one individual chose to share their indigenous knowledge with the British who came to colonize British Columbia (BC). In 1849, Chief Che-wech-i-kan (later nicknamed Coal Tyee by the British) saw a blacksmith in Fort Camosack (now the provincial capital of Victoria) heating a forge with coal from Fort Rupert (now Port Hardy). Coal Tyee shared his familiarity of places with better “black stones” near Nanaimo and brought a canoe of high quality coal when he visited Victoria a year later. [1]
[1] SIMON PRIEST, David Bodaly. SAYSUTSHUN or Newcastle Island. http://simonpriest.altervista.org/HERITAGE/Saysutshun.pdf.
Ekam (name changed), a native of the land allowed us to camp there on walk-in camps although it was full. It was a special case scenario, we missed our boat multiple times as we traveled with kids of very tender age and we kept as satisfied an attitude as possible thanks to the family we traveled with. Family of a great Mathematician and a great Sales Expert. kidding! (K)not!!
Things took a turn for the best when the 3+ years old spoke with the Universe when he was failing to understand what was happening when we were ready to walk back towards the shore to catch the ferry back home, after all, we just got there why are we going back. Why is the world such confusing? There’s plenty of space here to pitch a tent, see see!!
The ferry denied us the trip back as it was late on its schedule. Ekam came running, hugged one of the girls among us and allowed us a piece of land near to their private home, of I am not sure, on the island for one night to camp. She offered us her own hammock and we loved taking turns on it.
Then happened a big parade of smiling faces carrying the luggage in an iron cart that took away all the miseries and brought upon all the delight. A festival of lights in broad day light.
It was a lovely gesture and I love the traditional all embracing culture of the Canadian lands and I love the rule of Law.
We had all sorts of fun activities on the island during our sleepover. We habitated the island for one day with Deers. More — Racoons that are of some special kind, different from the ones found outside of the island.
We had good conversations, good food, good coffee and great walks during our waking hours. A lot of play time with about 1 and 3+ years old and a lot of conversation with the latter. We did paddle boating. My wife won’t stop speaking about it for so many reasons.
We paid for the priceless gesture in some Canadian Dollars, without having been asked for it by anyone and we also paid in terms of some heart felt emotions that would keep taking us back to the सः-सत-संग (Say-Sut-Shun New Castle) Island again and again.
Boo (the 3+ years old) does what he’s asked not to do. At the end of the trip I asked him to stop speaking with the Universe.
