Hundreds of community members from Stz’uminus First Nation and Ladysmith gathered at Transfer Beach last Wednesday to celebrate National Aboriginal Day.
This year’s theme was Pre 150 – Sharing the Knowledge of Traditional Welcome.
Chief John Elliott said Transfer Beach is a traditional village and fishing site that forms an important part of history.
“This site is over 5,000 years old and that’s part of what we’re sharing today,” he said. “It’s not only our culture but we’re also willing to learn from other people’s cultures to make sure that we grow and work together.”
Both members of Stz’uminus and Ladysmith councils stood together to kickoff the day of events.
“It’s showing the unity that we work together. We want to build a better place for our communities,” Elliott added.
The day included many impressive performances including Chances by the Stz’uminus Community School Grade 6 class (photo right) who won the Lieutenant Governor’s Sing Me a Song contest recently and were set to perform Tuesday in Victoria.
Mayor Aaron Stone said learning and working together creates a better understanding of our “true history.”
“I am so thankful for the perspective this work has given me, not only as it relates to our shared future, but to how I look at my own life, the lives of our children and future generations to come,” he said. “I see the world in a different way. I see that the decisions we make today will be best measured through the impact on those who come after us, the legacy we leave behind.”
