Editor's note: This is part three of Cathie Roy's diary, a seven-part series on the recent Pulling Together canoe voyage designed to bring together First Nations, youth and police forces.
Day three of the trip sees me up at 5 a.m. My plan is to beat everyone else to the shower, have breakfast at the Sliammon community hall and be ready to go before we have the circle scheduled for 6:40 a.m. The plan works almost perfectly except for the extra walk I take past the turnoff to the hall. I'm not surprised - my sense of direction is pathetic. But at least I provide entertainment for an elder watching my antics.
Soon the time comes to put the canoes in the water and say goodbye to our generous hosts. Originally the group was going to transport the canoes to Will-ingdon Beach in Powell River and begin the journey from there. A Sliammon elder has quietly advised the organizer, Insp. Eric Grummisch of Vancouver, that's not protocol, so hence we depart from the beach where we've camped for two days.
On the beach to see us off is Mary George, a tiny elder in her 80s. Mary surprises all of us with her staying power. From dawn to dusk she's been present non-stop for the past two days. She has the smile of a saint and all who come to talk to her feel blessed.
We ask permission of the Sliammon people to leave their land, and the Natives among us invite the Sliammon to their lands. That protocol is repeated each time we come ashore and leave over the next week. It never fails to move me. It speaks to me of respect and peace, both often missing in our modern world.
At Willingdon Beach, school children are waiting to meet the canoes. It's exciting see the canoes arrive at our first port of call. On the stage in the park are several dignitaries. Along with the Sliammon people is the mayor of Powell River and school board trustees.
We're treated to sandwiches and drinks. Cindy Pallen, the Sliammon mental health worker, introduces some talented young people who entertain us with Native dancing and drumming. Later, when all the Pulling Together members are given a souvenir from Powell River, a Sliammon elder tells me with tears in his eyes how proud he was to see the kids learning the Native ways. When he was a child he went to a residential school and was beaten for speaking his language. This day is a healing one for him.
The next part of the journey takes us to Palm Beach. The paddle is a short one, a great way for the many among us who've never paddled to get used to the water.
Palm Beach is a marine park with no potable water or showers. What it does have is Citizens on Patrol (COPS), a terrific group of mostly senior citizens who come from Powell River to provide our next four meals. The COPS turn out to be a lot of fun and, not incidentally, good cooks. One of the best laughs I have on the journey is watching one senior COPS woman flick up the hem of piper Fred MacLeod's kilt to check on the state of his underwear -cheeky in all senses of the word.
For the most part, our time at Palm Beach is relaxing. Some of the people learn Native crafts from the experts. Beading, making roses from strips of cedar bark and learning about herbs such a devil's claw occupy almost everyone.
One of the teachers is an Aboriginal woman from Langley, Jean Wasegijig, Jean received a woman of the year award in March this year from the Langley Times for the work she does in prisons.
She conducts Aboriginal programs for inmates, a 12-week substance abuse program. Jean did the research and writing of the program in Saskatchewan when she worked in a women's prison in Prince Albert.
"Sometimes I'm the first person they've (Aboriginal people) been able to talk to about their issues. Childhood issues. Many were brought up in foster homes and have no idea of their culture," Jean explained.
She helps the inmates to deal with their childhood trauma as well as the consequences of substance abuse. Jean also helps the people to plan for prevention of a repeat of their problems on the outside.
"Sometimes they've never had a real program, a way to move on with their lives."
Right now Jean is working at Mountain Institution at Agassi. She's worked with an elder for the past two years. The prison is home to 500 men with a population of 125 Aboriginals. Jean had an experience with Pulling Together in 2004 that nails the value of this trip for her. She recalls one boy on the previous journey.
"He said, 'I don't want to be here.' He hugged me on the last day and wanted his picture taken with me." Another paddler I get know better at Palm Beach is Wes Nahanee. Wes is an amazing person. He's 39 "belly button age" and 19 "spiritually".
Wes is a member of the Squamish Nation. He grew up in Mission. His life hasn't been easy, sometimes because of decisions he made and other times because of decisions made for him.
He had an experience with a foster family when he was little.
"I'll always remember a big fancy room with lots of toys. As soon as everyone left I was down in the basement."
As a young man Wes spent about a year on the street in Vancouver. He never got into the heavy drugs like crack cocaine or heroin but did sleep in doorways, a fact that surprised his family when they found out.
"My mom thought I was with my stepdad and my stepdad thought I was with my mom in North Van," he explained.
Wes counters a strong teaching, natural leadership style with an unexpected sense of humour. He has deep respect for all Aboriginal culture. He's learned to weave, drum, sing and carve. He's on the journey with seven young people and four workers from the Urban Native Youth Association (UNYA). Wes is skipper on the UNYA canoe and all the youth appear to respect and look up to him. His explanations of Native beliefs and protocols add much to our journey. The atmosphere at Palm Beach is loose. So loose in fact that a number of our tough cops end up with bright red toenails after dares from some of the women on the journey. Fred Stark ends up being duped by his old friend, Ed Hill into have his nails painted. Fred tells the girls he'll only play along if Ed agrees to have his nails painted. And of course Ed has already had his feet adorned so Fred has no choice but to go along. I admire these macho men for being so willing to show the kids cops do have a sense of humour.
Read the next installment of experiences at Saltery Bay and Egmont in the Aug. 11 edition of Coast Reporter.
