It has been a long time coming for students and community members along Vancouver Island’s west coast to see Ucluelet Secondary School renovations come to completion with a facility that is now seismically safe.
With an overcast sky, and the smell of west coast air, a crowd mustered outside the newly constructed USS building in anticipation for their grand opening on National Indigenous Peoples Day.
Ucluelet Secondary has been under construction since May 19, 2020. Students and staff now have access to a new music room, library, administration offices, classrooms with space for 250 students, and a neighborhood learning center, reads a statement from the Ministry of Education and Childcare.
The morning began when USS Principal Drew Ryan spoke to the crowd and welcomed to the stage Tim Davie, superintendent of schools for SD 70, who did a land acknowledgment.
Jeneva Touchie (Huḥtik), welcomed the day with a cheer for all of the Aboriginal students on National Indigenous Peoples Day. Davie blanketed and acknowledged Nuu-chah-nulth families who had recently experienced losses.
Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ teens were then invited up to sing their welcome song to their guests.
“To see this beautiful building here, and the art that adorns the walls is a constant reminder of our place as Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ and First Nations within our territory,” said Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ President Charles McCarthy to the crowd. “I believe it’s an acknowledgement of whose territory you really are on."
For Iris Frank (hakumʔaał), Tla-o-qui-aht education manager, it was important to see the school be “Indigenized” to create a safe space for students and community to gather.
“For Tla-o-qui-aht, art is just a piece of who we are - it’s a piece of our culture,” said Frank in an interview with Ha-Shilth-Sa. “Our language, our art, our dancing, our teachings, are all part of our culture so being able to see a piece of art, for me, it touches my heart.”
Frank notes that this is a beginning.
“One of the biggest messages I wanted to give [the students] first is that they belong at this school, we belong here as Indigenous people, as Tla-o-qui-aht people,” said Frank as she spoke to the guests. “I’m really grateful that the elementary school came because they will belong here as well.”
Marika Swan, in collaboration with students, artists, and elders, led the installation of Nuu-chah-nulth artwork, as art continues to be installed throughout the school.
The first installation, detailed on the entrance of the school, was created by Yaaʔałʔat Jackelyn Williams of Tseshaht and Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ in collaboration with Rose Wilson of Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ.
Tla-o-qui-aht singers and dancers took to the stage, which then followed speakers such as Toquaht Hereditary Chief Anne Mack, and Lisa Morgan, director of Community Services for Toquaht, Les Doiron, Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council vice-president, and Pam Craig, chair of the Board of Education for SD 70.
The č̓iin̓uł (totem), carved by Cliff George with the help of previous students of USS, originally stood in front of school gymnasium. The č̓iin̓uł was unveiled in its new location in front of the school.
Hjalmer Wenstob, a previous student of USS who had worked on carving the č̓iin̓uł in years prior, spoke on behalf of elder, Richard Mundy, who shared that the č̓iin̓uł was now in the right place. Wenstob, with others, then blessed the pole.
“The eagle on top reminds him of our mothers who wanted to give life [and] also the ones that wrapped their wings around us,” Wenstob shared. “Our bear who looks after its family - this is your home; this is your family so look after each other while you’re here.”
“And the whale, when you travel, when you go to new schools, when you come to this school, when you leave home, it’s still here for you when you come back,” he added.
George shared that each figure has a handprint carved into it, which belongs to the student who carved it.
As Wickaninnish Elementary School sang and danced to Tim Masso’s language song, the official ribbon cutting ceremony was held.
