Kleekleeha: The Saga Continues

Kleekleeha: The Saga Continues.
      This blog entry has been, what I think appropriately named Kleekleeha: The Saga Continues.  This song is still growing and in a state of transformation! I have previously blogged about this song but the stage was set, so to speak, and she has transformed just a little bit more. We have seen and heard the song that was once just performed with the children of Huuayaht when I was their teacher, we have seen it become the Grand Entrance Song of the King & Queen of our great nation, and now we have seen the Saga of Transformation Continue. This honor is thanks to Ha-koom Hu-min-iki for it was her involvement in the Capitol Theatre that lead to this performance. Her network of friends and colleagues helped us the Huuayaht to transform our Ancient Spirit Song; The Kleekleeha: The Saga Continues!

The Lightning Canoe & Thunder Drum: A Timeless Bond. 

Kleekleeha Dancers Enter the stage!

       Is the name of this particular skit a short one about thirteen minutes in length and it is a story, in a nutshell of just one song. It has not only transformed the song but the story telling as well. It is my wish to add more theatrics to our Modern Mind presentations, while still holding true to our Ancient Spirit! That is the motto of my people the Huuayaht. This performance was on Friday the Twenty-seventh of Two Thousand and Fifteen at the Capitol Theatre in Port Alberni BC.  While there has been performances of our songs and dances in the Theatre before, this was the first, as far as being a part of a much larger Multi-Cultural society such as ours in Canada. We The Huuayaht had the fortune of opening the stage for the Third annual arts district grant program hosted the Rotary Arts Council. The opening act was a fitting one, we got to acknowledged the host nations whose territory we were fortunate enough to be within a custom of ours in the beginning of any ceremonies. For us The Huuayaht it was truly an honor!

A Sacred Journey: The Proposal. 04-08-2007

Transformation: The Song.
       As I have stated the song went through a little transformation, and at a glance it may not seem like very much at all. To the Huuayaht however it is significant. I clearly outline here in the presentation, the story and song, what is unsaid though will one day in the future have much more significance. Right before the main chorus of our song where it is saying Kleekleeha, Kleekleeha, Huuayaht, Huuayaht the singers pause for just a moment and the steersman of the canoe yells out Kleekleeha-Olio and we respond by yelling out who; who; who; who that is the transformation, and that is the addition. Its significant because Olio represents our Huuayaht Princess Olio is her nickname, and it reflects the sacred journey aboard the kleekleeha when her dad Tlii-shin proposed to her mom Hu-min-iki. That gesture reminds us aboard the Kleekleeha~Huuayaht, and in life itself that: "Our canoe, and our people best move in unity" for it is for the betterment of our children, our future Huuayaht that we move in unity.

Transformation: The Story Telling.

Thunder Drummers, Tyee Tlii-shin, & His Speaker

      The story telling too has been transformed, I have always been a little bit theatrical, not dramatic ;) Wink, wink. Something old becomes new once again, because from what I have been told the people of The Huuayaht and our larger language group The Nuuchahnulth we have always been the grandest of story tellers. I am simply trying to live up to that old adage, and make it new once again. Take note of the talking stick in hand, and to my Tyee Tlii-shin and Ha-koom Hu-min-iki the talking stick is very symbolic of history in the making. He first hands the Talking Stick to me the seekh-ci "The Speaker", and I take it with my receptive hand (The Left) and it is a reminder to me to not only talking from a place of my teachings but my heart as well. It is important to The King and Queen that my thoughts are aligned with my heart that allows for the teachings of the talking stick to transcend time.

Wedding Day: The arrival 05-06-2015

The Saga Continues! 
      We now know that the sacred canoe of my people The Kleekleeha Huuayaht its song and story attached to the our peoples and on the eve of the Huuayaht princess' birthday the story and song transformed just a little bit. Our people of the Huuayaht will tell of this day when we performed at the Capitol theatre. For this song is the spirit of our people and only together can we move forward. This invitation to perform our song The Kleekleeha Huuayaht was a perfect opportunity and all whom were there to witness seen both our Ancient Spirit and our Modern Mind. We also bore witness to a transformation, one day this will be a song and story that our princess Olio to tell, and she is a representation of the future of Huuayaht and its for them our future generations that we remember; Kleekleeha Huuayaht; Our Canoe and our People Best Move in Unity! 

Bears, Cougars, and Wolves: The Great Predators of Vancouver Island

     On Vancouver Island, the West Coast Of Beautiful British Columbia we have three main predatory animals bears, cougars, and wolves. Each of them a top rank predators in their own right, and for very different reasons. This blog I will share some of the teachings of the first people of this island and how our peoples viewed these powerful predators.

Chims, Black Bear, Ursus americanus - vancouveri.

      Chims the black bear is by far the largest of our predatory animals, but at the same time very much docile and unaware of humans. He walks around the forest as though he owns it and rightfully so does he not see any other animal as a threat. This bear is an opportunistic feeder and an omnivore. The diet of a black bear just like man is dependant on vegetation as much as it is on dependant red meat.  It is the bear’s knowledge of vegetation that garnered much respect. Vegetation has health benefits and medicinal benefits that is why many aboriginal peoples consider the bear a symbol not just power, but of medicine as well.

      Physically the bear with its big winter coat and thick hide looks like a bear, but confusion arises when you see a the skeletal remains of a bear for it too closely resembles that of a human being.  To track a black bear one would find their prints also eerily looks human. The front paw prints resemble a handprint, while the rear paw prints look like that of a footprint with claws. It is that resemblance to human beings one of the main reason why the bear were not harvested as food by the first peoples of this island. Also note worthy in this temperate rain forest zone of coastal BC, winters do not get cold enough for bears to hibernate so there they are remaining with us all year long.

Kayuumin, Cougars, Felis concolor - Vancouverensis.

      Kayumin the Cougar is comparable to humans in weight, not a big cat in any means. Its true strength is stealth, speed, cunning, claws, and bite force. Our cougars are solitary animals they are true carnivores, and have the most success at hunting. They primarily hunt deer and elk in finding remains of an animals that have fallen prey to predation. One can easily tell the hunter, Cougars are finicky and their teeth are designed for the kill and not much else. They turn their face to the side to grasp and strip muscle and tendons from the carcass. They leave bones and fur of their prey behind and this is a serves purpose to the forest and scavengers in the surrounding area.

      The cougar has garnered the most amount of fear, and even more so than that of the other great predators of Vancouver Island. It is very rare to see one first hand, that adds to the fear. Their size however makes them vulnerable, and in the event of an attack one could realistically escape given the relatively small stature of this predator. Fear however is immobilizing and fear ignites the run factor. If you run from a cougar it will chase you, but one of the scariest facts about Cougars is that they are true predators that use fear to separate and divide their prey; if they cannot separate you they try other tactics. Such as Baiting, one famous story of my people is to beware of the baby crying in the woods of night. For that cry is the cry of a cougar baiting. To hear a cougar is as scary as it is rare, but they can often be heard seemingly mimicking the cries of a baby. It is the tactics of the Cougar where my peoples leaned to bait while hunting. 

Qwayaciik, Wolf, Canis Lupis - Crassodon

      Qwayaciik the wolf is the predator my people closely identify with, they live a pack life and my people historically lived in Big houses that included much more than just a nuclear family. Just like in a pack our families were very large and depended on one another. Success in hunting with strategy based on numbers was the aboriginal way, and the way of the wolf as well. Wolves of Vancouver Island also depend on the Forest and the Ocean recourses equally. They too harvest bivalves and univalves from the tidal zone, they harvest or scavenge carcasses from marine mammals washed ashore, just as much as they harvest the ungulates of the forest. The wolves are one with the world completely. 

      I believe that is why the wolf is held in the highest regard by my peoples, they are truly one with their environment. The wolves maximize opportunities not limiting their pack to the forest or the ocean. My people are wolf clan and never kill them for food or for sport, rather just respecting them and allowing them their rightful place in the world as we know it. Wolves too in my area are excellent swimmers and can swim great distances, often one can find on the many little islands surround Vancouver Island evidence of wolves swimming around island to island in search of foods. Wolves have the most powerful bite force and can even bite through bone consuming calcium from bones of prey and the shells of tidal zone foods. The wolves inspire our belief in maximizing the benefits of the foods we consume. We know that predator and prey relations are important and improve our forests, rivers, and even the air we breathe. All animals have a purpose that is what we learned from the wolf pack. I speak now for the un spoken the predators allow them to have their own space, culling any predator for the sake of prey is not very wise in my opinion. Lets change how we treat our predatory animals in the modern day, Why? Because it’s 2015.

Lastly I want to talk about the official designation of these three predators, their Latin Names

By: Wish~Key

Notice that in each of them in they are a sub species of a much larger group Unique to Vancouver Island. Vancouver Island predators and Vancouver Island’s First Peoples are truly unique and have evolved to survive the rugged west coast in this temperate rain forest zone. Ironically there are  also three main tribal groups on Vancouver Island My people the Nuu-chah-nulth of the west coast, The Coast Salish of the Southern and eastern side of Van Isle, and the Kwakwaka’wakw of the northern and eastern side of Van Isle. As much as I would like massive urban centers let us Islanders instead allow for nature to be natural. The world needs these great predators and even though there are similar species scattered all over the world, lets keep Vancouver Island as unique as it has always been. Lets protect the island for the benefit of all its inhabitants and for all time. protect it for the next Seven Generations.  

      

Wolf and The People of The Wolf Clan!

 

Canis Lupus Crassodon * Vancouver Island Wolf * Quiet~seek

     Canis Lupus Crassodon: Or the Vancouver Island Grey Wolf, is as unique to this world as the people whom first worshiped this incredibly fierce, and powerful predator!  

     Wolf clan: I am, as all of my people are, belonging to the Wolf Clan.  I am Nuu-chah-nulth-aht or the "People of the Mountains Facing the Ocean" and all of our peoples are Wolf Clan or they are not Wolf Clan. It is quite simple, yet to this day it is still considered the most sacred of all ceremonies is that initiation into the Clan. It is not my intention to divulge the society secrets, not at all, my intention is to simply share the intrigue  that surrounds the Vancouver Island Grey Wolf. One other connecting facts. Disturbing fact but not irreversible, is the fact that both the Wolf  and the language of the people whom first worship the Wolf are both considered endangered. What can we do?

"Quiet~Seek" The spirit guide,
and companion to life.

      The Language:  To promote usage of my endangered language, I will from here on out use Quiet~Seek the Vancouver Island Grey Wolf original Nuu-chah-nulth name. It is spelled here for general public. I believe that the Quiet~Seek is one that people will remember, for the wolf surly has many more names than this, and that is part of the fame of Quiet~Seek. I will continue to add some more "ququ?aca"  The Language Of the People (Nuu-chah-nulth) as I move along on my story here. I hope you enjoy,

     Quiet~Seek Physical Characteristics: Their size 60-90 lbs among the Quiet~Seek that is a medium size, or the size of a typical German Shepard. From nose to tail approximately 4-5 feet for adults, and live in packs usually of consisting of 4-9 members in rare cases they pack can grow exponentially and have up to 35 plus pack members. Appearance wise they can vary like all grey wolves they can be Grey, black, brown, reddish brown, and even white. Their diet like other wolves is largely Ungulates such as White Tail Deer and Roosevelt Elk. The Quiet~Seek also very adaptive and will harvest salmon from spawning rivers. They will forage just like the Nuu-chah-nulth the tidal zones to find the most bountiful area for mollusks like Clams, mussels, and oysters etc. The Quiet~Seek maximized all food sources within their territory.

     Happy Singing People: A famed author in our country the Nuu-chah-nult; Dr George Clutesi Of the People Of Tseshaht, and it was he whom first coined the phrase; "They were a happy singing people" in his early play write days. He shone a spotlight on our people and the love of music that is within each of us! On the West Coast of Vancouver Island we the Nuu-chah-nulth have songs for any and all occasions. To name some key events in which a song is in order we have the following; birth, birthday's, for paddling, for going to war, to make peace, to grieve, to finish grieving, to be happy, and most importantly to gift give.


Who~haa "Howl": Ironically the Quiet~Seek also sing for any and all occasions. In the wild the Quiet~Seek will howl for the sake of howling, to harmonize, to celebrate life, to mourn death of a pack member, to go into battle, stand their ground if defending territory, and most commonly to sing to the full moon. This could be case for famed Irish poet and novelist quote by Oscar Wilde: “Paradoxically though it may seem, it is none the less true that life imitates art far more than art imitates life.” Now I wonder do the Quiet~Seek imitate Nuu-chah-nulth or vice verse? It does indeed pose a good question, and I for one can not say for certain, as these are traits that the Quiet~Seek and The Nuu-chah-nulth have had in common for centuries. I know only this for certain, the Quiet~Seek like to Who~haa as much as the people of Nuu-chah-nulth like to sing. 

What Can We Do for the Nuu-chah-nulth language? I will continuously promote usage of the language. I will add to the vocabulary in each blog entry, I will use all my skills to re-vitalize the language I love. I will do as the wolf does use my language and clearly communicate within my family group or pack. I will continue to sing my songs, for in each song is a hidden treasure of the language of the people. Songs inspire words, inspires story, and that story connects back to a family. The songs are my guide, like the Whoo~haa is the guide for the Quiet~Seek , the songs will guide my my spirit to the Language that I Love!

What Can We Do For The Quiet~Seek?: For the Quiet~seek best thing we can do is understand that top predators are indeed a Key Stone Species.  Wolves being a top predator, wolves are important in many habitats. Wolves keep deer populations in check and too many deer will eat small trees, which leads to fewer trees. In turn, there would be fewer birds and beavers and the whole ecosystem would change. They are also responsible for causing improvements on the rivers that surround their territory. The rivers are effected by the consumption of vegetation by ungulates is thus restrained, giving many riparian areas a chance to recover. Where the Quiet~Seek reside, life is abundant. They need their space, they need for their habitat to remain wild as they are. To much development equals habituation, and Quiet~Seek habituation equals certain death. A habituated Quiet~Seek is a dead one, keep the wolves wild, and the people will be safe! 

Hish~uk~ish~tsa~walk: Ancient principles guide the People of Nuu-chah-nulth to be more like the Quiet~Seek. Value your family, value your wolf pack, value the territory in which you depend on for survival, value the old for teaching the ways, value the young for learning, value everything and remember Hish~uk~ish~tsa~walk "Everything is One and Connected!" 

BY: WISH~KEY #WolfPack #NuuChahNulth #SkyOfNightWatcher #LifeLongLearner!! 

Nourishing the Soul!

  

     

Quiche ~ "The Robin"

    
          Nourishment of the body is done by the foods and drinks we partake in, Nourishing the Soul on the other hand, is done through the company we keep over a meal. This is a story of how an unexpected Robin we shall call her Quiche. No not the delicious French Breakfast dish, rather short for Quiche-key-cou and the word for the bird Robin in my language, and how Quiche transformed the narrow view that Ko-ishin-mit "Son of Raven" has for vegetative foods.

Ko-ishin-mit ~ "Son Of Raven"

        Based upon the stories of my people the Nuu-chah-nulth whom use an anthropomorphic style in story telling. Which is basically just giving human characteristics and form to anything other than human beings. I know that this character Ko-ishin-mit is very much food driven, he is also something of a trickster or boisterous character. A squawker always has something to talk about. One thing for certain with Ko-ishin-mit he never, never says no to an offering of food.



        So one nice summer day Quiche moved into the tree next to Ko-ishin-mit. Almost instantly these neighbors discover that the social nature of Ko-ishin-mit as he liked to eat with others. That fact would soon build a bond between the two. Day in and day out they would feast with  one another.  She soon found out that Ko-ishin-mit liked to eat salmon with everything. Quiche would often bring vegetables to contribute to the feast, teaching along the way the different benefits of vegetation.  

MmMmm Salmon

   
      Ko-ishin-mit thought that salmon was the, end all to be all in food. He soon found that matching and pairing of foods was quite beneficial and tasty! His reluctance to try new foods, soon was overcome by Kindness, Imagine that kindness in unkindness (a collective of ravens) it was kindness and generosity that bonded the neighbors. Ko-ishin-mit would often talk of generosity of mother nature, of people and especially of generosity in sharing of food. For that action alone is a staple in how we the Nuu-chah-nulth conduct the most sacred of business, is conducted over a meal. Quiche and Ko-ishin-mit where they came from was worlds apart, yet as individuals they were very much the same, sharing a meal together is what bonded these two characters.

Soon the Ko-ishin-mit became very versatile in  food preparations, little

did he know that adding volume to how and what he eats with his salmon would add such versatility. He would make a raw vegetable dips of canned salmon. He would prepare salmon "Fish Hash" a variety of root vegetables mixed in with canned salmon. He would eat salmon on his pizza, and it is quite delish too! He would make chicken eggs and salmon eggs and spinach omelet. He loved that his vegetative repertoire was expanding he soon found what grabs the attention of his taste buds, is more a blessing that anything he has experienced before. All thanks to lil quiche, she open his world view, and truly explored foods and vegetation.

     Everyone you meet has something valuable to teach you! You need only be open to teaching, learning, and sharing with one another. My time of "Life On The Edge" during the summer of 13, was indeed lasting and memorable. Quiche may have migrated back to her home, she remains however bound to the heart of a raven. We are told as children that food nourishes the body and our company nourishes the soul. For we are social creatures in search of great food, and great company. I know for certain that Quiche has taught Kindness, vegetation, sharing, and most importantly respect for foods and how foods are harvested and processed. Something Ko-ishin-mit took for granted, and will take for granted no more.

This is one story of how an unexpected little robin "Quiche" and how she nourished the soul of Ko-ishin-mit. The salmon loving Son Of Raven for she did the unimaginable through kindness and persistence changed his view on the foods we eat! A change for the better, I might add!! 

        

HUU-AY-AHT Klee Klee Ha: In a flash of Lightning An Entrance Song Is Born.

KLEE KLEE HA HUU-AY-AHT: 

     In a Flash Of Lightning An Entrance Song Is Born The 6th Of June, Tyee Tliishin and Hakuum Homin'niki were officially married and when these two beautiful people choose to, enter into the building they choose to do so with this song: The KLEE KLEE HA ~ HUU-AY-AHT "Huu-ay-aht Lightning". A very proud moment for I, Wish Key am the song maker but in this case the song found me and now I wish to tell you how this song has a gift to navigate its own way!

      The actual Canoe came first before the song so I will start at the beginning tell you the whole story, for it was the Canoe that inspired the song.  On the 5th of June 1999 the Huu-ay-aht invited all to an event to launch the Klee Klee Ha - Lightning Canoe. Hosted by Tyee Tliishin (A.Spencer Peters) and the Huu-ay-aht People. The day started with song and dance, followed by a Blessing, and the Inaugural launch. Followed by a celebration in honor of Master Carver Nuukmiis "Ed Johnson Sr" & Apprentices Ed Johnson Jr and Gabe Williams. I had a feeling we needed a song for our canoe, but I was basking in the moment, I have witnessed many historic events in my life, but never anything like this! All I could think "Wow do we have an powerful canoe!"

     One other historic ceremony happened on that day! Tsu-i-ya-koolth Aka Granny Aggie Peters, grandmother to our current Tyee Tliishin. It was she Aggie Peters whom was gifted as a Wedding Dowry the Anacla HaaHuulthi - Territory complete with Mountain range, River, Village, Beach and water front all  encompassed within that territory. On this historic day Aggie Peters then chose to pass it on to her daughters and granddaughter. It was an wedding dowry she got from Chief Louie Nookemis when she married Tliishin Artur Peters not sure whom to pass it onto she choose all of her descendants. As the Inaugural launch continued from Ancala beach I felt even more strongly that our people, The HUU-AY-AHT needed a powerful paddle song for our brand new canoe!

     The next summer KleeKleeHa Huu-ay-aht found me, I was sitting at the sandy point of our beach at Anacla listening to the waves and the wind. Suddenly they started to sing to me I could hear the drum beat as the waves crashed ever so softly against the sandy shore, I could hear the words KleeKleeHa Huu-ay-aht in the wind. I sat there for hours and hours waiting until I knew that I had remembered the song that had navigated its way to me. The intro of the song followed soon after as did the gifting of the song to all HUU-AY-AHT, with special mention to the youth of our community I gave this song to all our peoples

     Our HUU-AY-AHT community had a lot to be proud of, we have a canoe, we have beautiful beach, we have a beautiful song. What is it that we need now? We need a Princess for our Prince Naasiismis Derek Peters and his Late father Tliishin A. Spencer Peters paddled across the Barclay sound from Bamfeild to Ucluelet in order to propose for the hand of Irene WIlliams of Ucluelet and Hupacasaht tribes respectively. A patriarchal society we live in, we then paddled to the resident village of her father in order to follow through with this proposal.  Amazingly after much coaxing and even the words of the future king himself is what won us the HUU-AY-AHT the hand of the princess from Ucluelet. Now we must prepare to celebrate this historic day.

     Shockingly and with great devastation to the HUU-AY-AHT the family of our King's family was slowly but surely transitioning to the spirit world. All of the promises that we made on that shore of Ucluelet must wait, our canoe is still for the time being, it is motionless. Our King lost family members first of his Father and without warning or time to prepare he had to grieve and fill the shoes of his father at the same time. We also lost the Queen mother Aggie Peters, and then shortly after Steven Peters younger brother to A.Spencer Peters.  We the HUU-AY-AHT were still, quiet and very much weakened.

     In weakness we found strength, we shifted and when the time came to move our canoe again Ironically we choose an anniversary the 5th of June 2015 one day before the historic wedding and 16 years after the inaugural launch. The Klee Klee Ha HUU-AY-AHT was launched again from Poets nook we paddled from and journeyed towards Port Alberni, our Nation and the Kings family were on the move again. Thanks largely to Clara Clappis Mother to our Queen for it was she whom reminded us that we need to make use of our KleeKleeHa for in her eyes when we paddled away those years ago with her daughter in our canoe. Now we are back and we need to pick up where we left of get back into that canoe and journey onwards and forwards.

     The Klee Klee Ha HUU-AY-AHT has arrived with our King and Queen in a flash of brilliance, in a flash of lightning we made a grand entrance to the song KleeKleeHa. It took the people of HUU-AY-AHT to make my beautiful song into a powerful song! The song is now befitting of all our people. It is people that give strength to move onwards and forward we entered into the building in a flash of brilliance paying homage to our King and Queen the HUU-AY-AHT entered the Alberni Athletic Hall.

     In closing I would like to say that the KleeKleeHa song found me on the shores of Pachena Bay, the song found its way into the hearts of the youth of HUU-AY-AHT and the song founds its way to become the new entrance song for our people. The KleeKleeHa is a symbol of life, and love and has very much become a part of our history. We have a King, A Queen, and in turn A Princess "Olio" that too will transform into the song over time, for we the HUU-AY-AHT are still no more, our canoe is back our Nation is back, we are the people of the Comeback! When we enter a building to conduct traditional business, we will do so with our canoe and with our entrance song: The KleeKleeha HUU-AY-AHT.

     This is a story of a song just like the canoe in which it was named after, A song that has a will to find its own way into the hearts of people. I love this song and I say Kle-co, Kle-co to all whom helped to make this song into one of beauty, power, and intrigue. I propose that for our King and Queen we call our Drum and Dance group the KleeKleeHa. We have the Thunder drummers and dancers that flash brilliance. We are the KleeKleeHa HUU-AY-AHT just like our new entrance song says!

By: Wish-Key speaker and storyteller for Tyee Tliishin and Hakuum Homin'niki

Arriving J5 2015

Canoe Family

HUU-AY-AHT Vision, includes the KleeKleeHa.

HUU-AY-AHT FIRST NATIONS Logo

 
    

Sky of Night

Sky Of Night!

The Wolf is One with the Sky of Night.

The Wolf is One with the Lands of Plight.

Wolves are Day, and Wolves are Night.

Wolves are Fire, and Wolves are Light.

Track them as they run, thru The Milky Way.

Track them as they run, thru a Beach of Sand.

Track them as they run, My Spirit Guide.

 Clear as Quartz in the Star of Fire.

 Sweeping Moon wakens Little Spirit Wolf.

Her tracks, Clear as Stars, in the Sky of Night.

The Milky Way!

To  Eden. M. Joey Dennis ~ Qa-naa-tlay-is "Little Spirit Wolf" Is now your new name. You will always Have 'Ca?atu'kis "Little sound of Water Flowing" as your first name, but now you are Qanaa-Tla-is! To Natika Bock ~ Yax-shi-tlimth "Sweeping Moon"  is now your name. Emerged from my thoughts of a Spiritual time, I dedicate this poem to the two of you, Sweeping Moon and Spirit Wolf.  For you are as you should be, Connected forever in an unbreakable bond! Mother and Daughter and in spirit Sweeping Moon and Little Spirit Wolf. 

 

My Spirit Guide!

 

Wolves are day, wolves are night.

Crystal Quartz in the Star of Fire.

Call of light

Unbreakable bond

A Beach of Sand