GRAND Vol VI, Ed III
GRAND honours and supports grandparents by providing information on resources and businesses for families and a forum for the exchange of ideas and opinions: Relearning History: A Tour to Kiixin • Summertime Is Grandparent Time • Helping Kids Face Their Fears
GRAND honours and supports grandparents by providing information on resources and businesses for families and a forum for the exchange of ideas and opinions: Relearning History: A Tour to Kiixin • Summertime Is Grandparent Time • Helping Kids Face Their Fears
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BRIGHT BEGINNING<br />
location as well as a picturesque one, set<br />
for defensive reasons “between the rugged<br />
outer coast and the protected inner<br />
waters of Barkley Sound.” Today there’s<br />
a bear waiting to greet us as we reach the<br />
sand. We keep a respectful distance, and<br />
the bear eventually wanders off—into<br />
the very section of the forest where Stella<br />
was planning to lead us. While we wait<br />
for the bear to wander a little further, we<br />
take out our packed lunches and have a<br />
quick picnic.<br />
Kiixin was the traditional capital village<br />
of the Huu-ay-aht, and it remains a<br />
sacred site. According to Parks Canada,<br />
“it is the only known First Nations village<br />
of more than 100 villages on the southern<br />
B.C. coast that still features significant,<br />
standing traditional architecture.”<br />
To see the remains of these structures<br />
in person, and to hear dramatic stories<br />
from a descendant of the resourceful and<br />
courageous people who lived on the site<br />
for millennia, is an unforgettable experience.<br />
As a child growing up in Nanaimo, I<br />
had very little knowledge of the complex<br />
indigenous cultures that existed on Vancouver<br />
Island before the first newcomers<br />
disembarked from their ships. The curriculum<br />
didn’t cover much local history<br />
back then, and what I did learn mostly<br />
began with the arrival of European explorers<br />
in the 1700’s.<br />
Things are different for my grandchildren—and<br />
for that I am profoundly<br />
grateful. I am especially grateful to Stella<br />
Peters and other Traditional Knowledge<br />
Holders across the Island who are sharing<br />
their stories and cultural teachings<br />
so generously. We can’t change the past,<br />
but we can certainly be intentional about<br />
how we go forward—and learning what<br />
we didn’t know before is an essential part<br />
of that process.<br />
Kiixin Tours are offered from the May<br />
long weekend to Labour Day. While the<br />
4-hour morning tour worked best for<br />
our extended family, there is also an<br />
evening tour, which includes songs and<br />
drumming on the beach. Headlamps or<br />
flashlights and a towel or blanket to sit<br />
on are required on the evening tour. The<br />
hike into Kiixin is rated “moderate plus,”<br />
thanks to uneven terrain, potentially<br />
slippery boardwalks and a steep flight<br />
of stairs down to the beach. According<br />
to the tour website, people with injuries,<br />
mobility challenges or hiking-restricted<br />
medical conditions cannot be accommodated.<br />
Children aged seven and older are welcome<br />
on the tour, as long as they are accompanied<br />
by a parent or guardian aged<br />
19 years or older. For more information,<br />
visit kiixin.ca/tour.<br />
Rachel Dunstan Muller is a<br />
children’s author, storyteller,<br />
podcaster and grandmother.<br />
You can find her podcasts<br />
Hintertales: Stories from the<br />
Margins of History and Sticks<br />
and Stones and Stories<br />
through her website at<br />
racheldunstanmuller.com.<br />
FULL YEAR JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN<br />
1080 Lucas Avenue<br />
Victoria, BC<br />
Full year with option to add<br />
after school care<br />
Lunches provided September - June<br />
Give the gift of a lifetime!<br />
Your granddaughter deserves<br />
the very best experience<br />
to start her academic journey.<br />
Book a school visit<br />
or connect with Enrolment<br />
TODAY!<br />
250-479-7171<br />
enrolment@stmarg.ca<br />
grandmag.ca<br />
<strong>Vol</strong>. <strong>VI</strong>, <strong>Ed</strong>. <strong>III</strong> 3