A cold water challenge has caught the imagination of Nuu-chah-nulth-aht. In this unusual time of year for a swim in coastal waters, people in nations up and down Vancouver Island are taking the plunge.
It started with a challenge just to play outside in the cold. A young Pelelakut woman, Kura Jack, 19, from Chemainus, BC, was thrilled when she saw a blanket of snow outside a family home near Sidney, BC.
“It snowed…it NEVER snows and I wanted to play in it,” said Jack.
The UVic student pressured her brother Cordell to go outside with her, but he wanted to stay inside the warm house and play video games.
Jack said she eventually dragged her brother outside where she made a snow angel in her swim suit. She challenged her brother and a few cousins to do the same or better.
On Feb. 23 Jack and her relatives made videos of Kura making snow angels at Paquachan Reserve and issued a challenge to others to do the same. The story appeared on televised news on Feb. 28.
By early March, dozens of videos of people accepting the challenge have been circulating on Facebook. By then the snow had melted in most places, so nominees opted to jump into frigid bodies of water.
Once they completed their task they faced the camera and nominated others. Some have been nominated more than once.
When told how far reaching her challenge has gone, Jack replied, “That’s crazy!”
“I’ve heard its spread to the mainland in places like Seattle, Newfoundland, California and even Hawaii and New Zealand,” said Jack.
She was impressed when she heard National Chief Shawn Atleo was nominated.
“I’m really honoured,” said Jack of the success of her challenge.
Jack hopes to extend the challenge into the summer. She and her mother and brother have been thinking about the types of challenges they can dish out in the coming months.
“It will be awesome because everyone is outdoors in the summer,” she said.
