Tla-o-qui-aht Days festivities kicked off on Monday, Aug. 4 with a mid-morning parade through the streets of downtown Tofino and flag raising ceremony in front of the municipal building.
Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Parks led the group to the Village Green while Tourism Tofino cruised at the back of the community parade with both their old-school 1966 VW van and their new electric VW ID. Buzz.
After a traditional Welcome Song was performed, Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation (TFN) Chief Councillor Elmer Frank thanked the crowd on behalf of the Ha'wiih (Hereditary Chiefs) for coming out to celebrate Tla-o-qui-aht Days.
“It brings our people together and it brings our community together,” said Frank.
Tofino sits on unceded traditional territory (Ha-Hoothlee) of the Tla-o-qui-aht. The First Nation was a whaling society and known as the Cedar Salmon People, governed by the laws of ʔiisaak, meaning respect, his-shuk-nish-tsa-waak, meaning everything is one.
“When we first started talking about reconciliation, maybe 10 years ago, the government came with this new word, saying that they wanted to do reconciliation. So, I asked the government, ‘When did we ever really have a relationship? When did we have a relationship to call it reconciliation?’,” said Frank.
“A government that sadly treated us badly. You’ve heard about the Hudson Bay blankets, you’ve heard about residential schools, the Sixties Scoop, you’ve heard about these negative things that we were able to survive. We were able to survive because people in our communities knew how to protect our Ha'wiih and our musčum,” Frank continued. “That’s why it’s a great day for us today. Today is a true sentiment that shows we are not going anywhere, we are all committed to working together, celebrating days like this together; continue to look ahead and continue to support each other to heal together.”
In the early 1800s, Tla-o-qui-aht warriors protected Clayoquot Sound from American invasion and forty-one years ago, TFN, with support from the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council (NTC), famously declared Meares Island the “Wanachis Hilth-huu-is Tribal Park” under Nuu-chah-nulth law.
The Meares Declaration protected the old-growth forest from being logged, and is recognized as one of the largest demonstrations of civil disobedience in North America. Prior to the conservation stance, there was no “tribal park” in existence under provincial or federal legislation.
Today, Tla-o-qui-aht’s Tribal Park Allies program connects about 130 Tofino businesses with TFN to contribute to the common goal of restoring and protecting our shared home for future generations.
Tofino Mayor Dan Law was invited to speak during the Tla-o-qui-aht Days opening event.
“Not only is it an honour and a pleasure to be here to celebrate Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, it is my duty,” said Law, noting that the flag raising ceremony was a gesture to recognize “truth and to work together in the spirit of friendship.”
“It’s my sincere hope, and with purpose, that we walk together shoulder to shoulder for the benefit of all people,” he said.
Following the flag-raising ceremony, Tla-o-qui-aht hosted a community barbeque and TFN member Saya Masso shared stories about the nation’s history. Kids participated in culture, dance and a bouncy castle.
Tla-o-qui-aht Days runs all weeklong with a beach day at Esowista near Long Beach on Aug. 5 and family camp out on Ookmin in Clayoquot Sound Aug 6 to 8.
