Drumming, food, and Indigenous culture were on display at Dunsmuir Middle School on Wednesday (June 12) as representatives of various Indigenous cultures from the West Shore attended the Na'tsa'maht Gathering.
Songhees, T'Sou-ke, Sc'ianew, Esquimalt, Pacheedhat, and Nuu-chah-Nulth Nations were all honoured throughout the evening.
"Working with all the different nations, our First Nations culture is similar but not the same," said Traci Pateman, drum counsellor with Sc'ianew Nation. "The openness allows people that may not have grown up in their culture the ability to learn."
It began with dancing and song from Auggie Thomas and the dancers from the Sc'ianew Nation, with the crowd encouraged to sing along.
"This song is called celebration. Let me show you the first part of the song. This how it goes 'whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa,'" Thomas said.
The gathering is the fourth event honouring Indigenous culture hosted by the Sooke School District, with an average crowd of 250 people attending each one, said Sc'ianew Nation Chief Russ Chipps.
"It is a good day," Chipps said.
Plenty of food was on offer, including a mountain of watermelon, chowders, salmon, and salads throughout the night. After dinner wrapped up, a blanket ceremony was held to honour the work done by Sheeba Sawyer and the team at Beecher Bay Centre For Ocean Studies.
"I could not do the work without the support of my captains," Sawyer said.
Chipps said he is incredibly proud of the work done by their team as many groups will carry signs and protest but the Beecher Bay team, "Get out on the ocean and protect it."
Jon Carr, district principal Na'tsa'maht Indigenous Education, Lorraine Velie and the diversity team helped organize the evening.
The Dunsmuir Middle School drum group was led by a Na'tsa'maht Education teacher with seven students. Members from the crowd joined the group, with Richardson and Chipps drumming and singing along for sections.
Richardson said she learned from Brother Rick of the Sc'ianew Nation, and at the moment the drum group was limited to just Dunsmuir Middle School.
After the drum group had concluded, the mural designed by Jeannine Chipps was blessed.
The gathering is the fourth and final event honouring Indigenous culture in the Sooke School District and has been a great way to connect with the community after COVID-19, said Paul Block, superintendent of the Sooke School District.
"You have my word, we will do more to engage with Indigenous culture. You can hold me to that."
