In 2023, Pique was happy to have the chance to platform Grade 11 students from the Xet’olacw Community School (XCS) in our first “In their own words” feature (Pique, June 18, 2023). Students tackled a wide range of heavy and deeply personal topics—from climate change and housing in Mount Currie to growing up on unceded territory.
The goal was twofold; to balance out a relative lack of press coverage of Lil’wat Nation compared to other communities—a longtime and persistent challenge for Canadian newspapers—and to present students with a writing challenge. We’re happy to feature the second instalment of that challenge, here.
Over the winter and spring seasons, Grade 11 and 12 students from XCS have worked with their teacher, Charlotte Jacklein, and Pique staff to craft articles on their chosen topics. Some are personal anecdotes, some are visions for the future of their community and some are calls to action.
These stories are this year’s insights into what inspires the next generation of Lil’wat leaders.
- Luke Faulks, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Mount Currie needs a dance studio for the Lil’wat Nation
By Mandi Frank
Since I was young, I’ve always loved the feel of dancing—both to express my culture and just for the fun of it. Even now, as a Grade 11 student, I love to dance.
Last year, there was a Halloween masquerade at the U’ll’us, our community centre. I wore my best costume ever. I dressed up as Alan from The Hangover. Since he has a beard and moustache, I could hide my face and go all-out dancing. Some people in the crowd said, “My favorite costume is the Alan guy from The Hangover.”
Dance is a beautiful way to pull yourself out of your comfort zone. A lot of my people express themselves through dance, like in saquta (traditional dance) and powwows, and even in their own homes through drumming, listening to music on their phone or their own cultural dances.
But many Indigenous people have to practise their foot work in gyms or living rooms or even in their carports and I can tell you this: our feet hurt from the gravel and uneven floors. It’s also embarrassing when people are watching us while we’re out of our regalia watching our feet trying to perfect our foot work.
I want our community to have a place that’s safe and a good learning environment for people of all ages.
I know it’s a long shot, but I dream of a place to practice dancing in our community. I hope that one day we will have a dance studio here.
Kukwstumckalap.
The legacy of residential schools
By Aeja L. Charlie
Residential schools are a crucial topic in understanding the impact of colonialism on Indigenous peoples in Canada. These institutions were established with the intent to assimilate Indigenous children into Euro-Canadian culture, often through coercive means. The government, in collaboration with Anglican and Catholic churches, removed children from their families and communities and stripped them of their languages, cultures and identities.
The legacy of residential schools includes not only the immediate effects of abuse and neglect but also long-term psychological and cultural impacts that persist today. Both of my parents and my older siblings attended residential schools. My oldest brother was born in 1976 and attended St. Mary’s Residential School in Mission, which closed in 1984.
These experiences broke down my parents and siblings mentally and physically.
They’re haunted forever by their memories of residential school. My father still doesn’t like the sound of loud bells. My mother hates seeing long rulers because she was beaten with them, and she hates the smell of bleach because she was cleaned with it. Many survivors of these schools have shared their experiences, revealing the harsh realities they faced. Acknowledging this history is essential for fostering healing and reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.
Raising awareness about residential schools and revitalizing our culture is vital for current and future generations. I should be fluent in Ucwalmícwts, our language; instead, I have minimal knowledge of my own language, and this makes me feel separated from my own culture.
By understanding this dark chapter in Canadian history, society can work towards preventing similar injustices in the future and promote a more inclusive and respectful environment for all cultures.
Montana, the big mean dog
By Zik Joey Harris
Montana was an old rez dog. She was a black dog with grey spots, who lived on Rancheree Road in between me and my friend Pierre’s houses in Mount Currie. Pierre and I had to go past Montana to hang out. We spent time together most days—we’d bike around, hike, play Xbox 360 or go to the dump to look for kids’ toy cars and roll them down the hill.
Montana barked at everything that went by. She had a really deep bark, and hearing it always scared me. Pierre and I would try to bike by as fast as possible. Montana would come charging out at us, and she was fast.
I was about six years old when I started biking to Pierre’s. I had a small BMX bike that was blue with little black details. Pierre had a 10-speed bike that was black and grey. We didn’t wear helmets. We would take backpacks if we were going on an adventure, and sometimes we’d bring a hatchet or fishing rod if we wanted to cut down a tree or catch fish.
Even when we got older, Montana was still scary. She didn’t seem to slow down. Eventually Pierre moved to another house in the community, but I still had to walk past Montana if I missed the school bus. This was a good incentive to try to catch the bus.
Montana wasn’t a bad dog, though. She died of old age in 2020. When I think of Montana now, I think of my childhood and I almost feel happy.
Justice for litter
By Nathaniel Leo
As long as I can remember, there’s been too much garbage and recycling lying around our community.
I live at the New Site in Mount Currie, about 14 kilometres northeast of Pemberton. When I was a younger kid, I used to litter. I changed my ways when I started noticing how many places—like ditches, yards and even the river—contained litter. Plastic takes a long time to decompose and burning it is bad for our air quality. Littering doesn’t leave a good legacy for the Earth.
Seeing all the garbage and recycling lying around makes me angry and makes me wonder why people bother saying, “Take care of the land” when nothing gets done.
Taking action is what will help take care of our land.
We only have two public garbage cans around the New Site, at the store and at the ice rink. We need a lot more garbage cans to reduce littering, especially where people commonly hang out.
People need to care about the land more. We need to take action instead of just talking.
My journey with guns
By Pierre Smith III
I was six years old when I first shot a gun. My dad had two BB guns that my younger sister Kaylee and I would use to shoot cans outside. It was easy and fun. One time we hit a table, and the BB ricocheted off the table, and hit my dad’s window. He came out and yelled at us and told us to go shoot something else.
Kaylee and I tried hunting birds because we got bored of cans. It was fun to try, but we were always too loud and scared the birds away. My uncle hunts ducks and I wanted to go with him, but I didn’t have any boots.
A couple years ago I was over at my friend Zik’s house. My friends Zik, Grayson, Phoenix and Leo were shooting Zik’s BB guns in his yard. Leo was on the balcony with a pellet gun when out of nowhere, he accidentally hip fired me in the right cheek. I was shocked and threw the handgun I had towards Leo. It made a dent in the wooden wall. Leo just stood there in shock.
My face had blood flowing out of my right cheek, so I went inside to wash up. Zik went to see if he could find the pellet, but he never found it. After that we went back to Phoenix’s to eat dinner. We had Kraft Dinner, but it was hard to eat with the pellet in my cheek. It hurt to bite down into the food.
I still have a scar on my cheek from that day.
When I’m old enough, I’d like to get my gun licence, buy a gun and go hunting in the woods. I like the idea of watching a bird fall and knowing I can eat it.
Traditional Gathering at Xet’olacw Community School
By Kadee Dan
Traditional Gathering is a vibrant and enriching event that happens once a year at XCS to celebrate Indigenous culture and traditions. This day is an opportunity for students, educators, and their families to come together to perform and appreciate our traditional Lil’wat dances and songs. Each song and dance has its own meaning and significance, often rooted in stories and tradition passed down through generations.
The gathering starts with a parade of students and community members holding up Indigenous flags and banners. Then, we welcome our elders and start drumming and singing our Welcome Song. We traditionally sing it for visitors to our community. It feels like a warm hug; it is a way to greet people and make them feel at home.
This year, our traditional gathering happened on my birthday. My uncle bought me the prettiest mukluks—traditional tall boots made from animal hide—from a vendor selling beaded jewelry, ribbon skirts and other items. I was so happy because I have always wanted mukluks because they’re cute.
It makes me happy that we have this meaningful celebration at our school. I love seeing our community get together. I love seeing people wearing their regalia and ribbon skirts.
I love that it brings us closer to our culture.
Lessons from skateboarding
By Grayson Jameson
Is skateboarding a sport or an art form? I don’t think it’s either; I think skateboarding is a test for how we live our lives.
When I started skateboarding, I was so bad I could barely scoot past a speed bump. With time and practise, I got more comfortable on ramps and trying grind tricks. Now I’ve been skateboarding for seven years—minus winters and injuries.
Skating is a way to cope with stress. Being in the moment and in the fresh air helps me get out of my head. It’s better than being in a dark room playing video games. I skate if times are tough and this helps me move forward.
Skateboarding can help us overcome mental barriers. We all have that voice that tells us we’re going to fall or fail. This is an instinct to keep us safe, but it can also hold us back. Skateboarding teaches us about developing confidence and getting over fears; it just takes perseverance.
Skateboarding is also a way to live a less materialistic life. All we need is shoes and a skateboard. This has taught me that true value isn’t based on how much something costs, but how we use it and how it helps us.
Sometimes I want to quit skateboarding, but then I think about what I want to achieve and this keeps me motivated. Reaching a goal feels like winning the lottery, just without the massive fortune. There are always some rocky parts in life, but—like skateboarding—when you fall, just get up, walk it off and try again.
My day at the PNE
By Bree Peters
My day started off normal. I went to school and came back home. But then I got a call from my auntie, who said, “Get ready! I am going to pick you up.”
When my auntie came, my little sister and I got into her van and we were on our way to a mystery location.
We stopped at Walmart and my auntie grabbed three pairs of bubblegum pink pants—one for me, one for my sister and one for some unknown reason that we would figure out soon. I fell asleep on the drive.
We stopped in a parking lot and met my older brother Benny. We said hi and played for a bit. Then we got back into the vehicle and left. I fell asleep again and woke up to my mom getting in the vehicle. I was so happy to see her I was almost in tears. It felt like I hadn’t seen her in forever.
That third pair of bubblegum pink pants were for my mom. My mom, my sister and I were matching!
We went to the PNE together, and it was so much fun. We went on a ride that was spinning, and one that went fast and another one that went high in the air. I was so full after all the food I had, but we kept going on rides.
After everything was done, we went home. I cried seeing my mom go back home and she cried seeing me cry.
I was told that my brother talked non-stop about our day together. I miss watching him play sports, and how he would lift up both me and my sister. Now, I’m 16 years old, and he can still lift both of us up. He is only one year older, but I look up to him. I see my brother every month and I see my mom once a year, plus phone calls.
When I went back to school, I told all my friends about how cool my mommy is.
She had some addictions, but she is getting better.
We still talk about the day we went to the PNE together.
Volleyball at the U’ll’us
By Kale Smith
The U’ll’us is our community centre in Mount Currie. It holds many events, such as powwows, graduations, gatherings, funerals, tournaments and a weekly sports program. My favourite activity at the U’ll’us is volleyball, which happens twice a week.
I love the sense of satisfaction I get when spiking the ball straight down or blocking a heavy hit. Volleyball at the U’ll’us has some unique rules; for example, you can block a serve which you can’t actually do in official rules. This local rule adds surprising spice to the game.
I’ve been playing volleyball there for about three years and have only missed about a week’s worth since I began. When I started, I was actually a year too young, but they still let me play because the organizer knew me. My skills have gotten much better since I started, mostly because I only had about a year worth of playing before going.
For anybody who wants to join a sport, volleyball is pretty easy to get into. I enjoy the people on our team, the feeling of playing together, and having a good rally. Unless something serious happens, I plan on playing volleyball ‘til I’m old.
My experiences with hockey
By Andy Walker Pierre
Hockey has taught me a lot of things, like that you aren’t always going to win. And that you’re also not going to be good at something when you first try it.
When I was seven years old, I used to spend lots of time with my friends EJ and Wyatt. When they started playing hockey, I didn’t see them anymore. So, I decided to join hockey to try and see them more. However, they were a year older so we didn’t end up on the same team.
Still, I loved hockey right away. I fell a lot at the start, but I didn’t mind. The coaches liked how I smiled and didn’t cry when I fell. It was hard putting on all the equipment, and my mom helped for the first few years. I liked making new friends and telling everyone I played hockey.
In my second year, I started playing goalie full time. I started playing goalie because no one else wanted to do it, but discovered that I liked it. I liked the satisfaction of stopping the puck, especially making a glove save.
I played hockey for 11 years and was selected for the National Junior Hockey League. I played for the High Prairie Red Wings, and we practiced every day. It kept me in the best shape of my life, but we were always busy and I struggled to stay on top of schoolwork. Eventually I had to quit hockey to finish high school.
I’m graduating this year and planning to go into welding, but the lessons of perseverance from hockey will stay with me forever.
The stories behind our art and culture
By Kierra Frank
We don’t talk about our stories as much as we should. There are stories behind our regalia, our dances and songs.
Our songs are prayers we use to tell our stories. Our drums are the heartbeat of the powwow. All our regalia have a story to them, and stories we tell with them.
Everyone tells their own story when they get out on the floor, like the different colours and patterns we share with our families. Usually, families will share similar colours and patterns on regalia; for example, my sister and I have always worn red, orange and yellow.
We may all be St’át’imc, but we have different clans. My clan is the porcupine (Kiy7amc), also known as the saviours. There are also the frog (Pegpiglha) people, the bear (Mixalh) clan and the wolf (Qawam) clan. There are more clans, but those are the ones I am related to.
Our culture keeps us together. It protects us, heals us and keeps us in good spirits. Our culture has a beauty like no other and I have always found it powerful how hard our ancestors and elders work to keep our culture here with us today.
If they didn’t, I wouldn’t be dancing at powwows today.
Exploring B.C. colleges and universities
By Julian Dan
I’m not sure yet what I want to do after high school, but I’m thinking about doing welding, automotive or culinary training; fortunately, my Grade 11 class went on two college tours in March and April.
On our first tour we went to Camosun College, the University of Victoria and Vancouver Island University. On our second tour, we went to UBC Okanagan in Kelowna, Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops and Nicola Valley Institute of Technology in Merritt. I felt curious because I’d never been to a campus before, and don’t know anyone who’s gone to college or university. Previously I’d only seen college campuses in movies or shows.
Our class drove in three vehicles. We had 18 students, and four adults. On the first day, the drive from our school in Mount Currie to the ferry in Horseshoe Bay took about two-and-a-half hours. My classmate Albert lost his hat when he stuck his head out the window.
We missed the 1:30 p.m. ferry and had to wait until 3:30 p.m. for the next ferry. We played manhunt on the ferry, and I kept tripping on the door frames. Then they made a big announcement telling us not to run on the deck.
Doing these campus tours was very helpful and gave me ideas for what I’d like to do after high school. I liked the culinary program at Camosun College. Camosun has a lot of support for Indigenous students, such as counsellors, financial advisors, academic support and a student lounge for Indigenous students.
The smaller campus at Camosun didn’t feel as overwhelming as some of the bigger campuses; it reminded me more of home.
How to make the rez great again
By William Wallace
Not enough people have been chased by rez dogs.
Like my friend Carson, for example. Today is Tuesday and the last time he was chased by a rez dog was on Saturday. That’s not enough. We gotta get more rez dogs, so people get chased every day.
When I become chief of the rez, I’m going to adopt 100 dogs and let them loose on the rez. That’s how to make things great around here again.
Next, we need to adopt 100 cats to balance out the dogs. The rez cats will chase the rez dogs and be the kings of their streets. My cat Missy was a beast in her prime, and would chase dogs down the street. Anywhere you go, you should bring a rez cat. Not on a leash, but walking proudly by your side like your personal mountain lion.
What else do we need? We need more rez shacks where people can grab a pop or chips. Not having to walk across the rez to get junk food would make it great again. People will need to be responsible for themselves to not get diabetes. On that note, we also need a gym around here. I don’t want to have to drive all the way to the Old Site to work out.
Lastly, to make the rez great again, I will make the health centre up here give out free breakfast every day for the broke people who spent all their money on drinks.
Vote William Wallace for chief!
My boxing experience
By Austin Gabrel
I started boxing in May 2021 because I was bullied by one person in school. He would push me around, slap me and call me insulting names. I felt like learning boxing would help me be confident and defend myself. At the time, I had no idea how much time and skill goes into becoming a boxer.
When I started boxing, I knew nothing about the sport. I found a coach in Pemberton. She told me to watch videos of fights and training to get the idea. The first boxers I watched were Mike Tyson and Ryan Garcia. Ryan got me into boxing because he was skilled and entertaining.
At first, I didn’t like boxing because I don’t like the thought of hurting someone else—or getting hurt myself—but after a few months I got the hang of it and decided to dedicate myself.
I learned the fundamentals, and in 2023, I started running two to three kilometres. Summer 2024 was my first time in a gym with national champions. I trained at Mendoza Boxing Club in Surrey for about three months, consistently. I did a lot of conditioning, skipping, running, bag and pad work, sparring, shadowboxing and footwork drills. I also moved up to five- to six-kilometre runs and I did weight training three-to-five times a week.
I made a close buddy at the gym named Jarom. We started training together outside the gym, and improved a lot as we trained through the summer. But I had to move back to Mount Currie for school.
I still push my body past its limits, hoping I’ll have a chance in the ring at the amateur level. I can teach the basics to my friends, but I want to excel past intermediate level so I can teach youth how to defend themselves and hopefully make some tough boxers.
My journey with chess
By Ronnie Joe
My first time playing chess was with my dad.
A couple years ago, he did a four-move checkmate on me, and I was so confused. I learned that opening is called the Scholar’s Mate.
I still use the Scholar’s Mate in the lower level of chess. But when I get to a certain level of chess, I’m going to stop using that opening because most skilled players know how to counter it.
My favourite chess players are Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura. Carlsen is a four-time chess world champion, and he beat Nakamura several times to become the world champ. Nakamura is a fast-paced player, and he plays bullet chess, which allows one minute on the clock for each player.
Nowadays, people mainly play chess online. I wish more people still played chess face to face. I like to see my opponent. Often, I can see what they’re going to do through their facial expressions.
I’m now a 460 Elo-rated player on chess.com. My goal in chess is to become an IM, meaning international master. I need at least 2400 or more Elo.
I just recently got back into chess. And I am glad my dad got me to play chess in the first place, because I like the game a lot.
