RIVER OF KNOWLEDGE:
FIRST NATIONS POST-SECONDARY SUCCESS ALONG LISIMS
by
Lori Nyce
BA, University of Northern British Columbia, 2007

THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF
THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
MASTER OF ARTS
IN
FIRST NATIONS STUDIES

UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA
JANUARY 2015
© Lori Nyce, 2015

i

UMI Number: 1526507

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Abstract
My interest in the Master of Arts program is to study the impact that the Wilp
Wilxo’oskwhl Nisga’a has made on the Nisga’a Nation by providing post-secondary
education. This thesis focuses on the educational journeys of four students while attending
the Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a Institute and how they were able to succeed in obtaining their
Bachelor of Arts degrees within their own traditional territory. Stories of success are
important to hear, so that others can see education is not achieved overnight, but is a series of
small steps taken every day. These educational journeys are metaphorically equated to a
journey along the K'alii Aksim Lisims River that runs through the territorial lands of the
Nisga'a. There are four classifications of action that organize my presentation of each
student’s journey in education: 1) Taking the Helm, Exploring Options 2) Life Currents of
the Student 3) Learning to Paddle 4) Coming Ashore. Based on the Lisims (Nass River)
these themes emphasize how life experiences involve different water currents and depths,
runoffs, reflections, and routes.

II

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract

ii

Table of Contents

iii

List of Maps

vi

Acknowledgements

vii

Chapter 1

Introduction
Research Question and Approach
Purpose of Research
Nisga'a Territory
Nass River, K'alii Aksim Lisims

1
2
3
4
6

Chapter 2

Background and Context
10
Nisga'a Education: Pre-Missionary
11
Nisga'a Education
16
Phase One: Church Missionary Teacher School
18
Phase Two: 1920's Residential School
21
Phase Three: Mid 1930's Missionary Run Village Schools
22
Phase Four: 1940's Department of Indian Affairs Village Schools 23
Phase Five: 1945 Department of Indian Affairs Boarding Program 23
Phase Six: 1950's Indian Day Schools
24
Phase Seven: Five Changes in Nass Valley Education
26
Creation of School District No. 92 (Nisga'a)
30

Chapter 3

Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a Institute (WWNI)
WWNI and University of Northern British Columbia
WWNI Board of Directors
WWNI Faculty
WWNI Staff
UNBC Regional Operations
WWNI and Northwest Community College
WWNI Institutional Partnerships
WWNI Academia

,

36
36
43
45
46
47
48
49
50

Chapter 4

Method and Methodology
Method
Methodology
Theoretical Framework
Decolonizing Methodology
Re-Indigenizing Methodology

53
54
58
58
65
67

Chapter 5

The WWNI Student Stories

70
III

Data Collection of WWNI Student Stories
WWNI Student Stories - Kathryn, Allison, Pamela and Carey
Kathryn’s Story
Taking the Helm, Exploring Options
Life Currents
Learning to Paddle
Coming Ashore

70
72
73
74
75
75
76

Allison's Story
Taking the Helm, Exploring Options
Life Currents
Learning to Paddle
Coming Ashore

77
77
78
78
79

Pamela's Story
Taking the Helm, Exploring Options
Life Currents
Learning to Paddle
Coming Ashore

79
79
80
80
81

Carey's Story
Taking the Helm, Exploring Options
Life Currents
Learning to Paddle
Coming Ashore
Reflections

81
81
82
83
84
84

CHAPTER 6: Journey of Knowledge
Reflection of the WWNI Student's Stories -Kathryn, Allison, Pamela
and Carey
Exploring the Student's Stories
Emerging Student themes
Voyage of Discovering your Identity with Education
Cultural Empowerment of Knowledge
Student Representation

86

CHAPTER 7: Conclusion and Visions for the Future

99

Glossary

105

Bibliography

107

Appendix A1: Nisga'a Publications

112

Appendix B1: Nisga'a Education Timeline and other important Nisga'a dates

113

IV

86
89
91
91
94
97

Appendix Cl: Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a Institute Graduates (1994 - 2013)

116

Appendix D1: Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a Institute Board of Directors (1994 - 2014)

117

Appendix E l: Wilp Wilxo’oskwhl Nisga'a Institute Faculty (1994 - 2014)

118

Appendix F1: Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a Institute Staff (1994 - 2014)

119

Appendix G1: Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a Institute Approved Research Protocol Letter

121

Appendix H I: University of Northern British Columbia Approved Research Ethics Board
Letter
122
Appendix II: Participant Consent Letter

123

V

List of Maps
Map 1

Nisga'a Territory

VI

Acknowledgements
First, I thank the Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a Institute (WWNI) for providing this
educational facility and commemorate the dedication of the Nisga'a Nation in bringing post­
secondary education to their traditional lands. I would also like to acknowledge the support
from the WWNI Board of Directors, Staff and Faculty for their ongoing support and
encouragement.
My sincere thanks to my Nisga'a friends; Kathryn, Allison, Pamela and Carey for
sharing their time, friendship and trust to tell their stories of academic success. You are all an
inspiration to others entering their academic journey. Your accomplishments will ripple
along K'alii Aksim Lisims for many years to come.
I would like to show my appreciation to my committee, Dr. Margaret Anderson,
Dr. Sarah de Leeuw and Dr. Ross Hoffman. Your words of encouragement and guidance are
greatly appreciated.
A genuine thank you to the members of the Nisga'a Nation, you whole-heartedly
welcomed me into the Nisga'a community. Especially, to the late Lavinia Azak, who “took
me in” as her daughter and to her family for always being there and providing me a place to
participate within the Nisga’a culture.
My cohort members Linda, Julia, Gary, Yvette, Hilda and Joanne made this
experience enjoyable. I would also like to thank other students for their encouragement
especially Linda and Deidre, your friendships along with our many talks throughout this
process were invaluable and were a great way to complete the process.

VII

There are many people I would like to acknowledge such as my family members in
the Haida Nation that are greatly appreciated for their many words of wisdom and ongoing
support. Special thanks to my sister, Nicole, who always pushes me to succeed. Haawa!
Deanna and Harry Nyce Sr., my in-laws, are also deeply valued, in their belief in my
potential and constant foundation of inspiring words of guidance.
Most of all, I would like to thank my husband, Harry Jr., my daughters, Stamita,
Kaitlyn and my son, Wilson, who support me unconditionally in everything that I do with
their love, laughter and tears.

This thesis is dedicated to the loving memories of my mother,
Wilma Flora Wilson, October 18, 1938 - November 10, 2007
and my grandparents,
Alexander John Wilson, September 1, 1914 - October 10, 1980
and Julia Arbutus Collinson Wilson, May 16, 1916 - November 28, 2003.

VIII

Chapter One: Introduction
I am a Haida woman who grew up in Prince Rupert, British Columbia. I married a
Nisga’a man in 1995 and moved to the community of Gitwinksihlkw. I began working at the
WWNI in the Fall of 1994. Since WWNI is a small organization, I worked in multiple jobs,
and currently hold the position of “Student Support and Registration Administrator."
Having the privilege to work within the WWNI has pushed me to complete my own Bachelor
of Arts and to pursue the Master of Arts program. At the WWNI, I am able to further my
education, work full-time and continue to participate and live within the Nisga'a culture.
This would be difficult if I were to attend another university, since it would not be possible to
participate regularly in Nisga'a cultural activities. It is essential for me not only to succeed,
but also to show my children the importance of cultural and academic education. At this
point, they think it is "awesome" that mom has homework too and we all can sit at the table
and study together. Going to school elsewhere would create a different picture and a much
busier lifestyle, demanding more travel time and the expenses of needing to go to work and
school simultaneously, and curtailing my opportunities to meet my cultural obligations. The
WWNI provides the same level of education, but is on a much smaller scale than other
universities in British Columbia while providing a full range of support for students.
Like myself, many of the students at the WWNI are committed to their studies and
also to maintaining their Nisga'a culture. My own learning journey began when I was a child
in Prince Rupert, and has taken me through the process of learning Nisga’a culture after my
marriage to a Nisga’a man, and then through my post-secondary education.
The late Jacob McKay, former Chair of the WWNI, was dedicated to his role in
bringing post-secondary education to the Nass Valley. He once stated:

1

Only by learning to share did the Nisga'a people flourish in our rugged and isolated
comer of British Columbia. Today, we are forging full partnerships with other
educational institutions in order to provide top quality, culturally appropriate post­
secondary education to everyone who lives here in the Nass River Valley.
Increasingly, we welcome students from other parts of the world as well. (Jacob
McKay, "Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a Institute ", 2009)
I hope that this account of the learning journeys of the four graduates of the WWNI
will be useful additions to the story of Nisga’a education. In writing this thesis, it has been
my honor to share these stories and the dedication of the past generations to bringing
education to the Nisga'a territory.
Research Question and Approach
The goal of my research is to document the culturally relevant processes and practices
by which post-secondary education is attained within a First Nations community in Northern
British Columbia - this documenting will serve as a knowledge foundation for future
generations of Indigenous educators interested in self-determining culturally specific post­
secondary education frameworks. Through this research thesis, I demonstrate that delivering
formal education in a rich, flourishing cultural context can enhance the experience of
Indigenous students and can offer something beyond more standard non-Indigenous
approaches to post-secondary educational experiences and frameworks.
My approach is a “strengths-based” one, using storytelling to build on the work of
authors such as Linda Tuhiwai Smith (1999) and her work of expanding Indigenous
knowledge that is not defined by colonial views or expectations. There are many authors
who have mastered the art of expressing strengths-based knowledge using oral literature
through Indigenous storytelling, including Jo-Ann Archibald (2008), Julie Cruikshank

2

(1990), and Vema Kirkness (2013). The question at the center of this research focuses on
understanding the transformational potential of post-secondary education. Specifically, I ask:
“How might strengths-based, nation-located stories offer insight into the Nisga’a Nation’s
on-going efforts to establish education in the Nisga'a First Nation and associated
communities? Answering this question involves qualitative research methods, mostly in the
forms of personal ethnographic knowledge collected as an embedded member of the Nisga'a
Nation, and story-telling based interviews with key participants in the Nisga'a educational
system of the Nass Valley.
Purpose of Research
My specific goal in this research is to share stories that illustrate the potential of
providing post-secondary education in a First Nations context under First Nations ownership
and control. This research, then adds to the ‘library’ of stories demonstrating the success of a
Nation based approach. I present accounts of several graduates of the Wilp Wilxo’oskwhl
Nisga’a Institute (WWNI) who have successfully completed undergraduate programs and
attained the degree of Bachelor of Arts in First Nations Studies while studying in the Nass
Valley. This approach is in harmony with the tradition of oral transmission of knowledge in
Nisga’a culture. I want to capture the excitement expressed by students and families about
having a local university campus within Nisga’a territory. I also want to draw your attention
to the students’ stories of empowerment. This thesis is thus about success, and will be
written subjectively from the perspective of my experience inside the Nisga’a community
rather than as a distanced critical evaluation of the impact of the WWNI written from an
external perspective.

3

I will look at post-secondary education from an Indigenous perspective, documenting
the growth and success of the Wilp Wilxo’oskwhl Nisga’a Institute through stories shared by
several graduates. While I researched the history of advanced education in the Nass Valley,
and while I collected information on the numbers of registrants and success rates, and other
measures of performance, I focused primarily on a story-telling approach by interviewing
four students who had successfully completed their Bachelor of Arts: Nisga’a degree at the
Wilp Wilxo’oskwhl Nisga’a Institute. In turn, I would like to provide insight into their
individual journeys, and how they overcame various issues to attain success in their studies.
It is my hope that these stories will encourage and inspire others to pursue learning.
Documenting the experiences of students who have gone through the process is
central to my research because I want to explore ways that these students gained
empowerment as they gained knowledge. This will be revealed through the students’ own
stories of self-empowerment and improvements of the quality of their lives as a result of their
post-secondary education. Delivering post-secondary education within the community also
has an impact on entire families. The majority of past and present WWNI students have a
family member that attended. As the WWNI celebrated its 20th anniversary in June 2013,
Deanna Nyce, WWNI President and Chief Executive Officer, proudly reflected during the
Convocation ceremony in Gitwinksihlkw:
Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a Institute is serving generations of Nisga'a families:
fourteen (14) families with three generations (grandmother, mother and child) have
attended Wilp Wilxo’oskwhl Nisga'a, and forty-four (44) families with two
generations of attendance. (Personal Communication).

4

Nisga’a Territory
Nisga'a territory is located in Northern British Columbia. The Nisga’a connection
with the land governs who they are and who they have become in history. The land is
described in a number of cultural stories that reflect how the Nisga'a people live and how
ownership of land is maintained. The Nisga'a hold the knowledge of their territorial lands,
work together as a Nation as active stewards of the land and continue to live in the same area
as their ancestors. This dedication and cultural knowledge demonstrates the Nisga’a have
been here since time immemorial.
The Nisga'a Treaty became effective May 11, 2000. The Nisga'a Treaty resulted in
100%-Nisga’a owned lands. According to the Nisga’a Final Agreement it is
Comprised of 1,992 square kilometers, more or less, of land in the lower
Nass Valley consisting of 1,930 square kilometers, more or less; and 62
square kilometers, more or less... (Nisga’a Final Agreement, 1998, p. 31).
The whole of the Nisga’a Traditional Lands area, some 14,830 square kilometers, is
subject to control by the Nisga’a in partnership with the governments of Canada and British
Columbia (Raunet, 1996, p. 74). As taught by their ancestors, Nisga’a people are aware of
all the surroundings such as the land, mountains, streams, rivers, and food sources available.
This map of Nisga'a lands shows how the K'alii Aksim Lisims River - as a large watershed connects all four Nisga'a communities through its streams, glaciers and surrounding water
ways.

5

Map of Nisga'a Territory
(Source: Nisga'a Lisims Government, Land and Resources Department)
Nass River, K'alii Aksim Lisims
'K'alii Aksim Lisims' (the Nass River) will be used through this work as a central
metaphor. The thesis will unfold as a journey along Lisims to explore themes that have
developed from the students’ stories. As with the students' life experiences, I take and
understand the river as reflecting experiences of different water currents, depths, runoffs,
reflections, and routes that are constantly changing from day to day. In navigating the river,
it is important to be aware of your environment, the need to be alert and observe where you
are, what you are doing, who you are in nature's elements and why you chose this path.
Similarly, the students’ decisions in life are parallel to the movements in the river and
reflected in their paths. The communities of the Nisga’a Nation have always been located
along the river and shaped by its forces. Similarly, the students’ lives are shaped by their
experiences in their lives and their education.
6

One purpose of the student stories is to inspire others to utilize the WWNI. I want to
celebrate having a university within one’s own community, looking at how it is an immense
opportunity for the Nisga'a nation to prosper. These students’ stories, may motivate and
encourage others to take the first step in education. Each individual participant in this
research has a personal post-secondary experience and a story to tell. Common student
routines that my research examines include 1) balance of school life with everyday routines
and responsibilities such as maintaining one's personal life, 2) issues around employment, 3)
challenges and opportunities of family/social life, cultural activities and duties. These are
explored throughout the various sections of my thesis, which are broken down as follows.
Chapter 1 provides an introduction to my thesis topic and approach, and introduced
myself. I summarized how I will organize the discussion of the context and background of
my study and how I implemented my research.
Chapter 2 provides background and context for my study. I will begin by explaining
the Nisga’a theory of education-that it is a lifelong project wherein experiential learning is
central, and that storytelling and feasts are important methods of knowledge transmission.
Chapter 3 will describe the process by which the Nisga’a took control of education on
their territories, gaining control of primary and secondary education. The next step was the
development of a Nisga’a post-secondary institution, and I will explain the process by which
the Wilp Wilxo’oskwhl Nisga’a was developed, bringing post-secondary education to the
Nass valley. This will continue with a discussion of Indigenous research on education, and
completing the chapter with adding additional information on the research context (Nisga’a
communities, culture, the land and the river).

7

Chapter 4 explains the theory and methodology of the study. Indigenous research
principles underlie my research, particularly the decolonizing of knowledge about Indigenous
peoples and the use of storytelling to transmit knowledge. I will then explain the application
of this method in my study, describing how the students were selected and their stories
collected.
Chapter 5 provides stories from a small sample of the WWNI student base collected
in open ended interviews and gives the student’s voices to tell their own stories of success
and struggles with being a student without having to be removed from the culture. By
sharing these stories from an Indigenous perspective my goal is to inspire current and future
students pursuing higher education.
Chapter 6 is my reflection and analysis of the stories. Common threads are
encountered by the students, who hold many roles. The chapter is organized by the use of
the metaphor of the river that is a vital component in the life of the Nisga'a Nation.
Chapter 7 concludes with my discussion of the importance of sharing Wilp
Wilxo’oskwhl Nisga’a students' educational journeys and to demonstrate that it is never too
late to pursue education. As each individual has a busy lifestyle, education can provide
structure, personal growth and enhance your lifestyle with career opportunities.
This thesis is important for me as it provides the opportunity to share stories of
empowerment and focus on Nisga'a education. There is not much in Western literature that
reflects this history. This is a way to share with the wider society the potential of Indigenous
education in a rural area. I feel that this is a story that needs to be acknowledged and
recorded for current and future generations. It is important to acknowledge that throughout

8

my thesis I use Nisga’a, Haida, First Nations, Indian, and Aboriginal interchangeably to
represent indigenous people.

9

Chapter 2: Background and Context
Ts'im gan wilaak'il's wil luu sisgihl gandidils” is the philosophical basis for Nisga'a
education. Translated [T] literally, it means "within the pursuit of knowledge, therein
one will find the true meaning of life." For the Nisga'a, one of the main prerequisites
to attaining the aspirations of Indian education is the involvement of all the Nisga'a
people, children and adults, in the pursuit of quality education. Education is a total
way of life. (McKay and McKay, 1987, p. 64).
McKay and McKay’s statement, almost 30 years ago, is a testament to the importance
of Nisga'a education. It also underscores how education is a life long journey. For the
Nisga'a, language and culture made them a strong society and will make them a stronger
society again in the future. With a firm sense of identity and deeply rooted historical ties to
their land, the Nisga'a Nation has been and will continue to be a powerhouse in society.
Nisga’a customs and traditions have been passed from generation to generation
through a strong oral culture of educating each other, often through storytelling. This
‘storytelling’ of the Nisga'a history continues today as a living culture. Storytelling can be
seen at feasts and is taught in schools from nursery to the university level. The stories are
more commanding and compelling when told in the Nisga'a language. Although they are
also translated from Nisga’a to English, some indescribable power seems to be lost in
translation. Indeed, during the transformation into English some knowledge or meaning
seems to evaporate. There are so many branches of the story to the Nisga'a that it cannot be
told in one sitting - it might not even be transferable in a lifetime since it is always evolving,
always alive and changing. I explore these historic facts within the confines of this thesis
because Nisga’a education is an important story to be told and to fill the gap of this topic
within written literature. Anchored in this understanding of the importance and impossibility

10

of story, and storytelling, this chapter will cover a historical glimpse of Nisga'a education. In
my research, I found very little on the subject of the historical story of Nisga’a education. In
this chapter, I essentially tell the story, as I know it, of Nisga’a education. I can only hope
not too much is lost in translation.
Nisga'a Education: Pre-Missionary
Nisga’a education has always existed. The Nisga’a developed and maintained a
culture that has continued to current generations. With each generation, the Nisga’a have
adapted to advances in technology while still holding the historical knowledge of their
ancestral way of life.
The Nisga’a people continue to tell oral stories, the heart of which is the land where
they have always lived. These oral stories of the Nisga’a have been passed on from
generation to generation. These are also known as adaawak. Adaawak are
.. .stories about the history of the Nass Valley and of the Nisga’a people, some of
these stories answer questions about the history of the Nass Valley and of the Nisga’a
people. Some of these stories answer questions about the Nass Valley and the
animals and plants that live here... Other adaawak tell about the past of each of the
many huwilp and pdeek. These stories record the activities of people who were
members of those huwilp or pdeek long ago. These adaawak do not belong to all the
Nisga’a people. They belong to just one wilp or pdeek. By listening to these stories
Nisga'a learn about the properties, values and beliefs of each wilp and pdeek.
(Nisga’a Language and Culture Department, 1996, p. 29).
These adaawaks are shared and practiced throughout the Nisga’a lands and are
spoken at every Nisga’a feast. The lands and environments are the classroom for learning the
knowledge that transforms into stories, which are education. On the land and water, the
Nisga'a hunted moose and mountain goats, fished for salmon, eulachon, halibut, cod and red
11

snapper, crabs, cockles, clams, hunted sea lions, and picked assorted berries such as
blueberries, huckleberries, raspberries, lava berries and they collected mushrooms. This is
what the stories teach. During these activities, and through storytelling, elders teach by their
actions and convey their knowledge about the land, such as the history of the Nisga’a Nation,
landmarks as guides, territories belonging to Sim'gigats, various plants for consumption and
medicinal purposes, the animals in the area, and many food sources on the land and from the
river, ocean, streams and lakes. All these activities still exist today, so learning about the
land where the Nisga’a live is an important tool that allows the Nation to maintain
equilibrium. Stories and land based activities ensure that food sources are not depleted
and/or land resources are not overharvested, so that they are able to replenish for future use.
Indeed, as others have noted:
Traditional teachings are conveyed through example, through stories and songs, in
ceremonies and most importantly, through engagement with the natural world which
is governed by laws of life just as human beings are. (Castellano, 2004, p. 98).
Despite being an oral culture, the Nisga’a people have developed written
publications. Printed texts document Nisga'a oral stories and traditions told directly by the
Nisga’a people. Books compiled and published by School District No.92, Nisga’a Tribal
Council and/or the Wilp Wilxo’oskwhl Nisga’a include such stories and traditions. One
important element in all these texts is that they tell a wide range of Nisga’a stories to educate
their people about their past. A full listing of these texts is provided in Appendix A1.
Four of these are Nisga’a volumes that contain priceless knowledge for the education
of future generations. The four Nisga'a Tribal Council volumes are Nisga’a Origins-Volume
1, Nisga'a Clan Histories-Volume II, Nisga'a Society-Volume III and the Land and
Resources: Traditional Nisga'a Systems of Land Use and Ownership-Volume IV. These
12

volumes were collected and printed by the Nisga’a Tribal Council, now renamed Nisga'a
Lisims Government. Most importantly, all content in the texts is written by individuals
within the Nisga'a Nation.
These volumes were based on the oral stories told by various Nisga'a members and
contain a full listing of the authors of the stories both by their Nisga'a and English names,
age, and the wilp that each member belonged to. The interview transcripts also provide
reference numbers. These reference numbers are important for locating the original primary
source of the story that documents each elder. The names and the stories in each of these
volumes have been passed on since time immemorial. Many of the authors in these volumes
are no longer with us, but through the publication of their stories and voices, their knowledge
continues to strengthen the Nisga'a Nation. All the Nisga'a publications are central and
surround the entire aspect of re-indigenization. The reason these are important to this thesis,
which explores my story of belief in the value of education in the Nass Valley is because
these stories are told directly from the wilp or the clan and only those within that specific
clan can tell their clan stories. Through storytelling the Nisga’a have maintained a strong
culture of who they are and their origins. These texts are, in essence, educational tools.
These texts are highly recommended for all ages, because the culture is always
evolving, with technology, population and environmental growth in surrounding and
neighboring areas. It is important, from the perspective of individual responsibility, for each
Nisga'a citizen to learn their clan history and clan stories in order to carry this to the next
generation. The Nisga'a Nation continues to follow protocol from the previous generations.
It is thus important to understand the past and history of one’s identity in order to succeed in
the future. Most importantly, these publications are based on experiences and stories told

13

from previous generations of Nisga’a people. The act of oral history at the feast is a crucial
factor in learning your history, since each clan out of respect can only tell their own clan
history. It is in the feast house that the stories are told directly from the Sim'oogit to their
members and their guests in attendance.
From an educational perspective, which is what this thesis is focused on, these
sources of knowledge of the past and the stories of protocols are what has made the Nisga’a
Nation strong today, honoring their forefathers’ traditions. The history started and continues
to thrive along Lisims, the Nass River. It is here the Nisga’a people had an abundant access
to art and materials to enhance the culture. Haida artist, Bill Reid best reflected how these art
materials were living pieces of art that were used on a daily basis to survive and prosper.
The people of the Northwest Coast were rich. Their sea even richer. They were
enormously energetic, and they centered their society around what was to them the
essence of life: what we now call ’Art’. (Samuel, 1992, p. 23).
Some of these items would include: clothing, cedar bark mats, totem/memorial poles,
moose hides, pelts, cradles, masks, caskets, gravestones, jewelry, nets, blankets, and robes,
all displaying the many crests of the Nisga’a Nation. These items are seen in everyday life
and at ceremonies that show others which house or clan you belong to - each of these items
tells stories and holds the possibility to educate members of the Nisga’a Nation. The house
or clan you belong to would dictate where you were able to use the resources of the land for
hunting, fishing or picking berries or seeking medicinal herbs. These traditional lands and
waters are where names are acquired and in turn can represent different rites of passage,
when used by an individual. Nisga’a society recognizes names as belonging to one of the
four clans, as told in the Nisga'a, People of the Nass River:

14

The ancient people, our ancestors, were given animals to be used as crests by each
wilp. The crest animals are the one, which showed them how to live, what to eat, and
how to catch and prepare the different food animals. This is how our forefathers
lived. (Nisga’a Tribal Council, 1993, p. 22).
Each clan took on crests and they became unique to only that clan. It is these
symbols and crests that, when used, would describe the art and material culture within the
Nisga’a Nation. The 'art' was proudly seen on woven and button blankets, totem poles,
gold/silver/copper carvings, and headdresses. These are important in Nisga'a history since
individual clan items such as Sim’oogit's regalia; button blankets and headdresses are passed
from generation to generation - all of this also comprises part of the educational history of
the Nisga’a People. Using this expression of art with the crests tells historical stories of
individual tribes and their way of life at that time. The crests were discovered in everyday
life and sometimes with the help of the halayts (shamans) and/or naxnok (the supernatural).
The stories of crests were transmitted and saved orally and explained to many generations
following within each wilp.
Stories explained the four crests used: Gisk’aast (Killer Whale Tribe), Ganada (Raven
Tribe), Laxgibuu (Wolf Tribe) and Laxsgiik (Eagle tribe). It is through oral stories that the
arts and material culture is described in great detail - we see this in an array of carvings such
as masks and totem poles. Examples include animals taking on human forms, otherwise
known as transformations; these transformations occur with the squirrel, grouse, raven,
mountain goat, killer whale, wolf, bear, eagle, beaver, halibut, frog, starfish, birds, salmon
and many more animals. Indeed, as the Nisga'a nation recognizes, “by listening to these
stories Nisga’a learn about the properties, values and beliefs of each wilp (house) and pdeek
(tribe)”. (Nisga’a Language and Culture Department, 1996, p. 29). Art and artistic
15

expression, then, is also at the heart of Nisga’a education, in the past and surely for future
generations.
Nisga'a history is alive today due to the art of storytelling and the sharing of these
historical Nisga'a voices from generation to generation. Each story may be unique to each
individual clan, but as the Nisga'a Nation is still present, and due to their treaty, they own
their traditional lands where these stories occurred. These stories are told with pride and
honor to their ancestors and are repeated on the territories in which they occurred. With
each name an adawaak, a story, is attached, this represents the materials available to that
tribe. These are all important tools of knowledge for survival of the Nisga'a culture through
the power of storytelling, by educating each member about their history and where they are
now in society. It is significant since learning never ends and nor will the stories of who the
Nisga'a are as a people, which ultimately informs the education of the Nisga’a Nation in
contemporary times.
Nisga'a Education
I don't think anybody anywhere can talk about the future of their people or of an
organization without talking about education. Whoever controls education of our
children controls the future. ("Wilma Mankiller," 2012).
The Nisga'a people have long aspired to grow and prosper within their lands and
waters, keeping their language, culture and health while building a strong economy. One of
the key steps in their progress was the acquisition of control over the education of Nisga'a
people, achieved through the development of an independent School District 92 (Nisga'a).
This was established on January 1, 1975 and was the first Aboriginal school district in the
province of British Columbia.

16

The struggle to gain control over the education of the Nisga'a people, and to bring
quality education to the Nass Valley was a struggle that began many generations ago. As the
need for education beyond what was provided in Nisga'a homes and the four Nisga'a
communities was recognized, education in the Nass Valley was initially provided by
missionary teachers. Later, residential schools, Indian day schools, and boarding schools
provided non-Indigenous settler-oriented education to Nisga'a people. A major shift to this
settler-dominated educational framework took place when three young Nisga'a citizens who
attained their education outside of the Nass Valley at the University of British Columbia,
returned home in the 1950s to dedicate themselves to Nisga'a Education. These pioneers
were the late Bertram McKay, the late Alvin McKay and Shirley Morven. I admire and have
a high regard for their efforts. Their footsteps eventually led many Nisga'a people into the
field of education.
My research on Nisga'a education has found very few 'formal' academic historical
publications. Therefore, an important source of information about the development of
education for Nisga'a people is a binder, which might be called 'Nisga’a literature’ entitled
History ofEducation in the Nass and Events Leading Up to the Creation o f School District
No. 92.

I use Nisga’a literatures, or works that are not officially published, archived, or
circulated beyond Nisga’a geographies. For the Nisga’a people these materials are alive
knowledge generating works which will be referred to as such in this thesis.1

1 In my thesis defense a t th e Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a Institute, th e value of Nisga'a literature was reinforced.

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The binder was compiled by the Nisga'a Tribal Council, and their Executive
Administrator, Rod Robinson in 1985. In "Section L", written by Alvin McKay, seven
phases in Nisga'a Education are identified as Phase 1) 1900's Church Missionary taught
schools, Phase 2) Mid-1920's Residential schools, Phase 3) Mid-1930’s Missionary Run
Village Schools, Phase 4) Early 1940's Department of Indian Affairs (D.I.A.) Village School,
Phase 5) 1945 Boarding Program, Phase 6) Late 1950's Indian Day Schools and Phase 7.
Phase Seven has five major milestones: 1) 1950's three Nisga'a British Columbia certified
trained teachers returned to the Nass, 2) 1950's Master Tuition Agreement was introduced, 3)
Early 1960's Residential Schools discontinued, 4) Late 1950's Department of Indian Affairs
(DIA) started to use the B.C. School Curriculum and 5) 1950's Indian Day school had little
to no supervision.
The history of early Nisga'a education clearly depicts their strength as a Nation to act,
and eventually take control of Nisga'a education. However, it is clear that the Nisga'a
welcomed education in their territory and used their skills and strength of their identity of
who they were and how they wanted education delivered to their current and future
generations. The determination of the Nisga'a Nation was instilled through direct
communication from generations of cultural learning from living in an oral society and the
use of storytelling. This is the story of Nisga'a education as gathered and reported by the
Nisga'a Nation.
Phase One - Church Missionary Teacher Schools
In April 1860, at the invitation of certain Nishga leaders, presumably including
Kinzadah, Duncan arrived on a visit to Ankida...At Ankida Duncan was treated to a
traditional Nisgha friendly welcome. (Patterson, 1989, p. 20).

18

William Duncan was a church missionary teacher in Metlakatla on the Northern
Coast of British Columbia, where he settled to teach his faith. “Metlakatla, British
Columbia, is a small community that is one of the seven Tsimshian village communities in
British Columbia, Canada. It is situated at Metlakatla Pass near Prince Rupert, British
Columbia" ("Metlakatla First Nation", 2014). Duncan came to the Nass to honour an
invitation that was bestowed upon him from the Nisga'a. However, the Nass would be
different than the settlement in the Tsimshian territories. The Nisga'a directly involved
themselves with Duncan's efforts, so they were working side by side with the missionaries
rather than being directed by them.
The Missionary was obliged to act in collaboration with the Nisga'a Leadership at
Kincolith. The Nisga'a were not only the main focus of the missionary, they were
also the primary agents in evangelizing themselves during this period, (my emphasis,
Patterson, 2012, p. 230).
As with many First Nations groups in the northwest, in the 1800's there was a culture
shift from direct participatory learning of their culture to new ways of learning. Focusing on
the teachings of the missionaries in the Nisga’a Nation, it has been noted that:
Missionary work among the Nishga was began in 1864, before the diocese was
formed by the Rev Robert Doolan, who gathered Christian people from the lower
Naas and, using rafts, floated to the mouth of the river where the new Christian
community of Kincolith was established....The pattern all over the northwest coast
followed that of Duncan - removing the Indians from their "heathen" past by
establishing new Christian communities, and leaving the unconverted Indians in the
old villages with the long houses and communal ways of living. (McCullum and
McCullum, 1979, p. 83).

19

Before the advent of missionaries, the Nisga'a people were trained and taught by their
elders, especially their aunts and uncles. These teachings of cultural education covered a
wide variety of lessons that helped them survive. This education taught them who they were
as individuals and how they fit within the Nisga'a Nation. Each person belonged and had a
place with the Nisga'a society specifically within one of the four tribes of; eagle, wolf, raven
and killer whale. They were given the knowledge about that tribal family, including land
ownership involving hunting, fishing, berry picking, trap lines and other food gathering
rights and stories that belonged to that tribe. Learning occurred through listening to stories
and observation and gradual active participation in adult activities. The skills acquired
maintained their way of life and thus the way of life for the Nisga'a Nation and the Nisga'a
language and culture. The Nisga'a language and culture are closely woven together and
together they represent the identity of the Nisga'a Nation. This identity is still maintained
and remains unique and intact because of Nisga’a history and stories of contact, despite
incursions from the wider society and visiting missionaries.
As a result of the arrival of the Missionaries there was a period of rapid change in
Nisga’a culture. The missionaries believed their way of life was superior, and tried to change
others to be more like them. Despite early efforts by missionaries to learn Nisga'a and preach
in that language, English became the accepted language spoken by the missionaries.
Eventually it came to be spoken by all Nisga'a people and the Nisga'a people still today use
English as a first language. The Nisga'a language has come to be endangered. This outside
contact then, and especially the disciplined missionary education, forever changed the
Nisga'a way of life, not only with the language but also with the introduction of different
foods, clothing, skills, tools and weapons.

20

Phase Two - 1920's Residential Schools
In the 1920s, Nisga'a students began to be sent away from the Nass Valley to attend
residential schools. Like other First Nations across Canada, it is commonly known that
residential schools had a severe and deeply negative impact on First Nations. Also affected
was the Nisga'a Nation. These destructive ways included the removal of children from the
community to attend school with little contact with their families. Many residential schools
were developed throughout Canada at this time. The Nisga'a and many northwest coastal
First Nations were sent to Coqualeetza in Sardis and the Alert Bay residential schools, both
in British Columbia, but hundreds and hundreds of kilometers away from the Nass Valley.
The use of English was mandated for the children who were sent to residential school.
In the Nass Valley, it is commonly known from generational stories told by Residential
School survivors, and as shared by my Nanaay, that the "children were punished if a child
used their traditional language, or if a child did not abide by the many new rules such as
stepping out of their gender roles. She also shared with me that when she was at Coqualeetza
she and her friends were disciplined for climbing trees, this was to see the surrounding area
and how far away from home they were, because it was unladylike" (personal
communication). The students learned quickly what the rules were and that breaking any of
them would result in harsh punishment. The mistreatment brought fear and doubt to the
children at residential school about their identity and also about what had been learned from
their parents, because in this environment they were being punished for what they learned at
home. It engrained doubts about who they were since they were restricted from freely
expressing themselves as shared by my Nanaay who told me that her "time away from home
was hard for the entire family unit. Being taken away was devastating to her, her parents, her

21

siblings and to her future children, the next generation. She said that she was away most of
the year and was excited to go home, but home was different after being away. She was
cautious in what she would participate in and was always in fear of having to go back to the
'sad school' where everyone had short hair" (personal communication). At the residential
school they would cut the children's hair shortly after they arrived. Children stayed for most
of the year, since parents could not afford the payment to bring the children home for visits.
This physical separation was extremely hard for both the parents and the children, and it
brought chaos and a breakdown to the immediate family unit. This was my belief, as I got
older and tried to ask my mother about residential school, she would stop talking and told me
that it was not to be talked about. This was also one issue that was sensitive to my mother
every time it surfaced in the media.
Phase Three - Mid 1930's Missionary Run Village Schools
During this time all Nisga’a children from grades one to six attended the missionaryrun village schools in the Nass Valley, while the older children were still sent away to
residential school to attend the higher grades outside of their home communities.
The Missionary Run Schools usually consisted of one classroom. All ages and levels
were taught together simultaneously. Alvin McKay notes "each community was assigned a
nurse and her husband was automatically the teacher - whether trained or not"... School
District No. 92 (Nisga'a), Section L). The missionary schools still were not structured with
set guidelines or personnel with training or experience in academic fields. With no training,
these 'teachers' were limited to what they knew -their educational efforts, arguably, did not
enhance the lives of Nisga'a children.

22

Phase 4- 1940's Department of Indian Affairs Village Schools
The Department of Indian Affairs took control over the Missionary Run Village
Schools in the early 1940's (McKay and McKay, 1987, p. 68). During this time, teachers
with limited training came to the valley and did teach from updated textbooks, although these
“updated” texts were still outdated and behind the provincial curriculum by a decade. The
goal of the schools was not to educate the village children. “These government-funded,
church-run schools were set up to eliminate parental involvement in the intellectual, cultural,
and spiritual development of Aboriginal children” ("Truth and Reconciliation", 2014). We
must remember that schools in Canada were once part of the governments’ plan to assimilate
us (Monture-Angus, 1995, p. 79). Parents were forced to send their kids to residential school
rather than attend the one classroom schools in the villages. The children attending
residential school at this time were still secluded in the school system and kept away from the
influence of their culture and community. For many people, then, education during this time
was still another attempt to forcibly make Nisga’a children use only the English language
(School District No. 92 (Nisga'a), 1985, Section L, p. 2).
Phase 5-1945 Department of Indian Affairs Boarding Program
In 1945 the Department of Indian Affairs introduced the Boarding Program. The
Boarding Program meant sending off young teens at the Grade 9 levels to live in boarding
homes and attend school in the Vancouver area (McKay and McKay, 1987, p. 68). This
change galvanized parents and Nisga'a members to support the Nisgha Tribal Council to
approach D.I.A. to build proper schools so younger children in grades 1-8 could attend
schools in their own communities while living with their own families (School District No.
92 (Nisga'a), 1985, Section L, p. 5-6). Nisga’a people felt passionate about this because of

23

the pain knowing that their children were going to be sent away to attend grade 9 at a
Boarding school and live in room-and-board situations without their families nearby. This
“shipping off” of children meant they would experience culture shock linked not just by
being away from the community, their family, and their land but by being immersed in a
wider society of people.
Phase 6-1950's Indian Day Schools
In the 1950's, the Indian Day Schools, located in Kincolith, Greenville and New
Aiyansh in the Nass Valley had expanded and had separate classes from two to six rooms
depending on the size of the community. Robinson's report to the Nisga’a Tribal Council,
(School District No. 92 (Nisga'a), 1985, Section L, p. 2). does not include the community of
Canyon City, now known as Gitwinksihlkw. According to Irene Seguin, "many of us went to
a one classroom Indian day school that had grades 1-6 in the Salvation Army Day School"
(Irene Seguin, personal communication, October 30, 2014). In many ways, the education
system was a continuation of earlier missionary schools; Seguin, for instance, noted she
understood similarities to her mother attending the missionary school here in Gitwinksihlkw
as a girl. This greatly affected two generations in her family, but she is proud to still have
held onto her Nisga'a Language and is currently teaching Nisga'a Language at the WWNI.
She is also a current student working towards her Bachelor of Arts degree -an indication
about the deeply felt conviction of being educated on Nisga’a territory for Nisga’a peoples.
Even by the 1960's, schools were still controlled by DIA, which hired the teachers for
each community. Due to the remoteness, many teachers only stayed one year at the most.
The impact of this was to inspire even further efforts to secure Nisga’a based education, as
the Nisga’a Nation was unsatisfied with the quality of education Nisga’a children were

24

receiving. United together, the Nisga’a researched how to bring change by gaining control of
education in the Nass Valley. The teachers hired did not respond well to the remoteness of
the Nass Valley and were unprepared for the dedication required for long term student
success. This is well documented:
The trained teachers were not certified by Victoria, since most of them were trained
in other provinces. Many of these teachers were beginner teachers, and the bulk of
them were 1st or 2nd year college students looking for work. All hiring was done
through the Vancouver office via Ottawa office - most of it by phone or letter
correspondence. The result of this practice was that many teachers could not fit into
the isolated Nass communities, and left at Christmas or Easter time. (School District
No. 92 (Nisga'a), 1985, Section L, p. 3).
The Nisga'a highway, today known as Highway 113, was in the 1960s a narrow dirt
road, with deep potholes. On a good day, the highway took two hours to travel, one way to
Terrace, the nearest city, to shop for everyday basic necessities such as groceries, clothing
and gas. Greenville and Kincolith were even more isolated, these "two communities relied
more on trips to Prince Rupert by boat" (Irene Seguin, personal communication, October 30,
2014). The isolation of the Nass Valley directly impacted the new teachers: the remoteness
was unexpected and many were unprepared and quickly left. This led to a lack of
educational continuity in the Nass, something many knew could only be solved by taking
control of our own education. Many teachers had good intentions but were met with the
cultural shock of how isolated the communities were.
During this time, to attend a higher grade level than grades 7/8, students still had to
leave their community to go to school via boarding homes located in the Vancouver area and
some as far away as Alberta, or they were directly placed in residential schools. Leaving
home will always be difficult, but Nisga’a children had to leave in order to pursue education.
25

This was a difficult time for the citizens of the Nisga’a Nation to send their children off to
school in faraway communities where they could not be under the protection and guidance of
their parents. At the time, this was the only option to gain higher levels of education that
would one day bring a better quality of life as an adult. This approach resulted in the
disconnection with the Nisga’a culture, and the Nisga’a language that was experienced in
everyday life when the children were at home with their parents and extended families. The
education learned at home regarding their ancestors was, and is still today, a powerful tool
that is shared through storytelling, and the children who had to leave the Valley for school
were separated from that at a crucial time in their lives.
Phase 7-Five changes in Nass Valley Education
Due to the many factors just explored, Nisga'a people strived for change in the
education received in their homelands. The Nisga'a began to investigate and become
proactive, to ensure a change occurred around an improvement in education for their Nation.
The first change, as mentioned above, was during the 1950s, when Bert McKay,
Shirley Morven and Alvin McKay became the first Nisga'a people to obtain higher education
and to receive their British Columbia Teacher Certification. Bert McKay received his
educational certification in 1954 and Alvin McKay was certified as a teacher in 1955.
Shirley Adams (nee Morven) became inspired through her teaching and later returned to
university and obtained two degrees in education.
All three of these ‘early forbearers’ of formal education in the Nass returned to teach
in the valley: their goal was to bring an education curriculum on par with the rest of the
province of British Columbia but for Nisga’a people, on Nisga’a land. Each was very
proactive in informing the Nisga'a communities about how to create change and each had

26

become directly involved in their children's education. This commitment, along with their
leadership was of enormous importance. The previous education system up to this point had
such a hard impact on family dynamics, but Alvin, Bert and Shirley were dedicated to and
believed that education would empower the Nisga'a Nation. They suggested that in future
years, educated Nisga'a children who learned on par with the rest of the province but who
were trained and educated on Nisga’a territory, would grow to become leaders, teachers, and
administrators and would ultimately enhance their people’s ways of life. From their vision
came another educational milestone in Nisga’a education history.
The next milestone was the development of the Master Tuition Agreement. This
agreement provided British Columbia with guaranteed federal funds based on the previous
year's head count of students. As a result, First Nations in higher grades were quickly
integrated into the public schools in the urban areas -it made good financial sense to a
colonial education system to draw on student numbers from First Nations communities. But
it made little to no sense for First Nations communities like those in the Nass. Education
numbers were about acquiring the most money possible based on the number of students
enrolled. Many Nisga'a students were enrolled in Vancouver and Terrace, but mainly in
Prince Rupert. The Fishing industry was strong at this time and families moved to salmon
canneries such as Sunnyside near Port Edward, B.C. Educational dollars flowed out of
Nisga’a communities and children remained educated away from their homelands.
The third change occurred in early 1960s when children no longer were forced into
attending residential school. Still, based on the distances away from their home
communities, many older students were encouraged into trade certificates or diploma
programs that had shorter timelines to complete, rather than pursuing a degree which would

27

take up to four years or more. Overall, there was not much success with many Nisga'a
students: many of them returned home without achieving their trade certifications. These
certifications from my perspective were not successful as anticipated due to the distance of
being away from home and the lack of family support; many students still carried the trauma
of residential school experiences and had to deal with racism. Racism and bullying is an
issue that is still seen in current society. However, there were many that did succeed
obtaining full certifications and this may be due to being more focused and finding their own
healing paths quicker than others to deal with the issues of trauma and racism in urban areas.
Nisga'a students who attended the trade course had to travel approximately 100km to
Terrace, the next community out of the Nass Valley. At this time the roads were narrow and
unpaved, therefore it was about a two hour drive. A few students went to the larger urban
areas with trade programs, like Vancouver. With these programs still being offered long
distances away from home, most students that attended were again isolated from their homes
and communities. Trades Programs for which students had to move away or travel long
distances did not generate much success for the Nisga'a peoples.
The late 1950's saw the fourth change in education when the British Columbia School
Curriculum was put in place and used throughout all British Columbia schools. Obtaining
higher level grades and trades training out of the Nass Valley continued for many years and
was a struggle for the Nisga’a Nation. Through this struggle, the Nisga’a became
empowered and focused on obtaining Nisga’a control of Nisga’a education. What made
them successful was their knowledge of who they are, this was learned through the process of
generations of storytelling of the Nisga’a heritage. Jo-Anne Archibald reflected that "Elders'
life stories can show how we, as Indigenous peoples, survived and how we can keep our

28

cultural knowledges intact. Their life stories depict resilience and resistance to colonization"
(2008, p. 43). This method of storytelling is powerful and I believe knowing who you are in
society, reflects strength of identity and self-confidence in everyday life routines. This
collective strength of the Nisga’a Nation prepared them for the long struggle of gaining
control of Nisga’a education.
The fifth change was the “Nisga’a parents and the Nisga’a Tribal Council (NTC)
leaders decided to deal with the haphazard handling of the education of the youth.. .it was
decided that the NTC would open discussions with the Education Services of DIA ...”
(McKay and McKay, p. 72). The superintendent was supposed to visit the school in the Nass
twice a year, at the beginning of the school year in the fall and at the end of the school year
during the spring, but this frequently did not happen. At this time, the Terrace region was
upgrading their educational services, and the Nass had been left an entire year without any
superintendent visits. Alvin McKay reflects his strong disappointment that the Nisga'a
school was a low priority:
In 1973, D.I.A. decided to set up the Terrace region for its own school
Superintendent-a whole year lapsed without any services, and the Nass Valley
schools were in actual fact being run on the decisions of their engineering
department.... A vital ingredient for the continual growth of the educational services to
a school district depends on the regular consistent monthly supervision of the District
Superintendent of Schools. Up to the take-over of S.D. #92 - there was not evidence
of these services. (School District No. 92 (Nisga'a), 1985, Section L, p. 6).
It was becoming more evident that in order to provide the education level that was
required in Canada and across the world, the Nisga'a people would have to take control to
bring a higher educational standard to the Nass Valley. This was voiced by Nisga'a people
themselves; "The main reason for the educational failure from the 1870's to 1974 in the
29

development of Nass Valley Schools was that Nisga'a education was handled and
administered by agencies outside of the Nass" (McKay and McKay, 1987, p. 71). Frustrated
by the situation, the Nisga'a Tribal Council went to meet directly with the Ministry of
Education. It is the time in this story to speak of the Nisga’a creation of an independent First
Nations School District.
Creation of School District No. 92 (Nisga'a)
The Nisga'a are also the leaders in the field of education~we are the first Indian
group in Canada to have complete control over our educational system, through our
status as British Columbia District 92 (Nisga'a). (McKay and McKay, 1987, p. 66).
The Nisga'a Nation strove for the rights to their lands while at the same time they
fought for the rights to quality education. Nisga'a leaders wanted the standard of education
to be at the same levels that were seen across Canada. They knew that when the treaty came
to the Nisga'a, they wanted to have their own people in those positions of governance.
Sometime ago, the Nisga'a started to notice their language fall into disuse among the
young. Children had to leave their people and travel to the city for basic education.
The cultural shock was too much of a strain for most of them and ninety percent
dropped out of school before graduation. So, the Nisga’a’s took up another fight.
Demanded and won, the right to control education of their children. Nisga'a
Elementary School was the first Indian school district in Canada when it came into
being on January 1, 1975.
James Gosnell continues as to why this was so important to the nation:
They said high school or education was in the bright lights of British Columbia.
Come to the bright lights. This is where education is and we said - no! We can bring
education home rather than export our children to all the schools throughout the
province. We said, we will import the school and education to our children right here
in this valley. ("CBC Digital Archives", 1978).

30

The continuity of cultural stories combined with the use of the Nisga'a language is an
important factor in who the Nisga'a are as a Nation. It had become a major concern to many
Nisga'a, the witnessing of their members leaving their traditional lands and the consequent
great decline in use of the Nisga’a language. It took great determination and strength of the
Nisga'a to stand together and construct a plan of action to convince the Minister of Education
that it was imperative to have control of education on Nisga'a lands
When planning to take control of education, the Nisga'a composed a detailed plan that
involved incorporating the Nisga'a language and Nisga'a culture into the educational system.
This system would be called the Bilingual-Bicultural Department and would start at the
Nursery schools and continue from Kindergarten to Grade 10. The strength of the school
would come from the Nisga'a people:
The school cannot effectively function unless the community is actively involved.
The separation of the school, its teachers, administrators, its philosophy and practical
application from the community only leads to mutual ignorance, mistrust and apathy.
The school must use persons within the community in all facets of school life. It
must also adapt and use the cultural experience of the community, if it is to be
relevant to the students. (School District No. 92 (Nisga'a), 1985, Section A).
The creation of School District No. 92 (Nisga'a) took many years and involved many
discussions with the Ministry of Education. It was through these meetings and
correspondence that the Nisga'a demonstrated the importance of breaking away from School
District No. 88 (Skeena-Cassiar). The Nisga’a were supported by the first Aboriginal (and
Nisga'a) M.L.A, Frank Calder. Mr. Calder was a very active and pioneering member in the
fight for Nisga'a land rights and control over Nisga'a education. As M.L.A, Frank Calder
wrote in one letter to Honourable Eileen Daily, Minister of Education, his views of the

31

Nisga'a process moving forward; "I and my tribe are anxious to reach a final decision on this
vital project soon in order that you may be able to make an announcement during this Spring
Session of the Legislature". (School District No. 92 (Nisga'a), 1985, Section B).
During the Februaiy 13, 1974 meeting between the Nisga’a Delegation and the
Minster of Education, at the Legislature in Victoria, Mr. Flemming, Deputy Minister of
Education "stated that the Department of Indian Affairs supports the new school district
under provincial jurisdiction... and 'passed' the agreement of a new school district. The
agreement including “The Government of British Columbia agrees in principle to a new
school district in the Nass Valley” (School District No. 92 (Nisga'a), 1985, Section B).
School District No. 92 (Nisga'a) doors opened on January 1, 1975. This was understood as a
great accomplishment for Nisga'a control over Nisga'a education.
The bill gave the Nisga'a people a voice to implement direct needs to improve the
quality of education. School District No. 92 was established, and the district erected a new
school in New Aiyansh. This opening of the new school represented a source of pride for the
Nisga'a nation and the Nisga'a people carved and raised a traditional carved pole called the
'Unity Pole'. This was the first totem pole raised in 100 years and it still stands in front of
the Nisga'a Elementary Secondary High School in New Aiyansh. The efforts were
summarized and reflected upon by one of the early pioneers:
In January, February, March 1976, each of the five communities were canvassed as to
the name to be applied to the new complex. All five of the communities unanimously
agreed since it involves the whole Nass Valley) to call it the Nisgha Elementary
Secondary School. (McKay, Alvin, "n.d.", p. 14).
Today, there are four schools that are part of School District No. 92, one in each
Nisga'a community. The Nisga'a Elementary Secondary School opened on January 1, 1975
32

in New Aiyansh. My husband was six years old, but he recalls "I still remember when we all
left the Indian Day School where education was provided further down the hill and together
we all marched to NESS carrying all our supplies and that is how we moved into the new
school" (Harry Nyce, Jr., personal communication, November 30, 2014). It was a very
significant time for the young Nisga'a people and a step forward in providing a strong sense
of community through education. Greenville Elementary School opened in 1975 and had
numerous name changes to their school: Laxgalts ap Elementary School to Alvin A. McKay
Elementary School, and it is currently named Alvin A. McKay Middle School. This was the
community that Alvin was from and his efforts in education were honoured by renaming the
school after his legacy in 'bringing education home'. Alvin returned not only to become the
First Nisga'a Superintendent for School District 92, but he taught in the
elementary/secondary schools for many years and later became the first Nisga'a Culture
instructor for the Nisga'a University, Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a. The Nathan Barton
Elementary School opened in 1976 in Kincolith. Kincolith was the most remote Nisga'a
community with no road access until 2003. Transportation was by float plane or boat. When
the road opened in 2003, it linked directly with all the Nisga’a communities; Laxgalts'ap,
Gitwinksihlkw and New Aiyansh. The road provided them with direct access to the other
communities and Terrace. This road gave them the opportunity to attend all Nisga’a
community functions and feasts. One of these functions was the Gitwinksihlkw Elementary
School opening on September 1994 in Gitwinksihlkw. This school is modelled after a
traditional Nisga'a longhouse. Gitwinksihlkw is the smallest of the four Nisga'a communities
and is directly adjacent to the Nass River. The community is small but has a big heart. Irene
Seguin recalls that "the community collectively agreed to sacrifice their sports field, since it

33

was the only place large enough to build the school" (personal communication, October 30,
2014). Today, in 2014, Gitwinksihlkw has an elementary school but still has no field.
(Nisga'a Language and Culture Department, School District No.92 (Nisga'a), 1996, p. 60-64).
These facts are important to my thesis because with education taught on Nisga'a lands,
students are active in their education that includes learning their language and culture.
Education in the Nass Valley is still important. Many instructors are returning home
to join efforts in providing education within School District No. 92. Not only are they
returning home, but they are also staying home and utilizing the local University, WWNI.
As a parent, I am very grateful that my children can attend school within their community in
which they live. This enables not only my children, but many others, education from
Kindergarten to Grade 12 and also to continue on to University. It is also at the University
level that Nisga'a education involves many levels of Nisga'a Language and Nisga'a Culture
courses that lead into certificates and later a degree. When the Nisga'a gained control over
their education, they also became fully responsible for continuing the story telling of the
Language and Culture in the formal education system.
Education is, synonymous to the bond with Nisga'a language and culture. This thesis
follows - is indeed an outcome - of that fundamental belief pertaining to Nisga'a lands and
Nisga'a children's and youths' future well-being. Through education, these are woven
together and this learning process will continue the survival of the Nisga'a Nation. In order
to fully understand and maintain a passionate attitude toward the educational process of the
history of the Nisga'a, you must visit the territory. You must see and hear directly from
Nisga'a who they are. The ties to the land, the mountains and the Nass River are imperative
to their cultural stories that educated each Nisga'a to their heritage. It is from that place, a

34

place of connectivity to the land, to the water, that I write the story of my own journey with
education in the Nass Valley. My story is part of a much larger history, a much longer story.

35

Chapter Three: Wilp Wilxo’oskwhl Nisga’a Institute (WWNI)
Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a is a Post-Secondary institution whose mission is to assure
that students of the Nisga'a Nation and non-native have access to quality education in
the Nass River Valley. (Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a, "n.d.", p.i).
WWNI and University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC)
The development of the Wilp Wilxo’oskwhl Nisga’a is closely entwined with the
history of the University of Northern British Columbia for two reasons. One reason is
coincidence; the university was just starting-up at the same time that the WWNI was in its
formative period. The second reason is that UNBC took as part of its mandate to develop a
strong program in First Nations Studies, and consequently was able to recognize that offering
education in First Nations language and culture, in partnership with communities, was a
uniquely appropriate educational prerogative. This chapter provides some of the history of
the relationship between WWNI and UNBC, including some of the history of both
institutions.
The name of the Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a, translated as "The Nisga’a House of
Wisdom", means where wisdom is contained and acquired. The doors are always open to
welcome and assist students and visitors; this is similar to a feast house, in that it is convivial.
The WWNI course offerings are in response to the communities’ educational requests. The
WWNI staff guides and assists students in achieving higher education by providing guidance
into an educational path that leads to their requested degree. For example, a student may
attend WWNI for the first few years completing courses towards a program outside of the
Bachelor of Arts such as a Bachelor of Psychology and transfer to finish the last two years at
the UNBC Prince George campus. The WWNI gives the students the opportunity to
complete as many courses as possible at home before moving. WWNI will at this time guide
36

students to the resources at the Prince George campus such as UNBC housing, the UNBC
writing centre, and the UNBC First Nations Centre and keep in touch with the students until
they return home for the regional convocation. This mandate is also applicable to students
from outside the Nisga'a Nation. Students from as far away as Norway, Japan, China, New
Zealand, England and across Canada have also attended the WWNI for a semester or
academic year while completing their Bachelor degree, or doing data collection for their
Masters and Doctorate degrees, or post-doctoral research.
Nisga'a Lisims Government granted the WWNI authority over Nisga'a Research.

A

protocol was drafted for students who want to conduct Nisga'a research. A prospective
researcher provides the WWNI a thorough and complete research protocol. If approved by
the WWNI, the researcher is guided and supported by WWNI throughout their project. This
gives WWNI the ability to process and monitor all research involving the Nisga'a Nation. It
also ensures that any researcher must submit in writing a detailed research proposal to the
WWNI. All requests are reviewed and decided by the WWNI Board of Directors, which
then responds with a letter. When the research is completed, it is formally presented to the
WWNI Board of Directors for consent, before it is brought to the thesis defense stage. When
the project has been approved by the student’s university institution, WWNI receives an
original signed completed copy of the student's thesis. Post-doctoral researchers also follow
the same protocol.
The WWNI is also part of the Nisga'a Language Authority, which is associated with
the British Columbia College of Teachers. Acting as the Nisga’a Authority, WWNI can
recommend a candidate for a Level One Teaching Certificate qualifying them to teach
Nisga’a language in the provincial school system. Most applicants have completed academic

37

linguistic courses and WWNI's First Nations Language-Nisga'a certificate. More recently
most applicants completed their full Bachelor of Arts in First Nations Studies. This process
is mainly utilized by potential teachers in the Nisga'a School District No. 92 (Nisga'a). This
is an exciting trend to observe, seeing more Nisga'a applicants entering the education force.
By having WWNI as a local university has fully contributed to bringing education home to
the Nass Valley. Students are able to complete certificates and degrees, and have found
inspiration to continue their journey by returning home to share their educational wealth as
instructors for not only School District 92, but also to teach courses for the WWNI.
The WWNI also offers courses in the urban centres upon request where there are
Nisga'a Urban locals; Prince Rupert, Terrace and Vancouver. Once dates have been set, the
WWNI instructors from the Nass Valley are committed to weekly commutes to provide
courses in the Nisga'a Urban Locals to provide these courses. This is also true of other
instructors who travel into the Nass Valley. Depending on the set up for these courses,
instructors move to the Nass for the entire thirteen weeks of the semester; some teach on
weekends and there are also consecutive teaching days throughout the semester. All of these
have a long history, a stretching and curving history that is not so unlike the Nass River
against which the WWNI is located.
Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a was the outcome of research for the 1988 Nisga'a
Population and Training Needs study requested by the Nisga'a Tribal Council. The study
was conducted by David Naime & Associates Ltd of North Vancouver. The purpose of this
study was to contribute to the ongoing process of human resource development among the
Nisga’a people as they moved towards settlement of comprehensive land claims and control
of local resources” (David Naime & Associates Ltd, p. 1). This study gave the Nisga'a people

38

a voice by compiling knowledge that reflected their individual community needs and
proposed training for the future. This included the four communities of the Nisga'a Nation;
Greenville, New Aiyansh, Canyon City (now Gitwinksihlkw) and Kincolith. Information
gathered from community workshops and surveys gave the Nation a collective voice and
identified their needs and goals for each community in order to strengthen the Nisga'a Nation
as a whole. One of the main findings was that people in the Nass wanted to obtain higher
education and training with certification. They also wanted to enhance economic
development to employ more Nisga'a members within and outside of the Nass Valley. The
study documented that "education and training is vital to the creation of a healthy labour
force, which is of course the backbone of the economic process" (David Naime and
Associates, 1998, p. 1). Nisga'a Tribal Council responded to the study and moved education
as a priority for the Nisga'a Industry Adjustment Committee. The Chair of the Tribal
Committee stated that:
In 1985 the Nisga'a Tribal Council (NTC), established an Industry Adjustment
Committee with a mandate to determine the training needs needed to implement a
Treaty. The Committee noted that access to post-secondary education remained
illusive to the majority of the Nisga'a population and recommended the establishment
of the Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a (WWNI) to provide formalized post -secondary
education. An educational administrator from School District #92 was seconded in
August 1993 and, in December, the WWNI was incorporated under the Society's Act
of BC, governed by an Interim Board of Directors appointed by the Nisga'a Tribal
Council. Nisga'a post-secondary education came home. (Evans, McDonald &
Nyce, 1999).
Focus groups and discussions began on the topic of bringing Post-Secondary
education home to the Nass Valley. This decision was wholeheartedly supported by the
Nisga'a Nation and is now law in the Nisga'a Treaty; "Post-Secondary Education, Section
39

103, Nisga'a Lisims Government may make laws in respect of post-secondary education
within Nisga'a lands...and Section 104, “Nisga'a Laws in respect of post-secondary education
will include standards comparable to provincial standards...” (British Columbia, Canada and
Nisga'a Nation, 1999, p. 177). Deanna Nyce, Chief Executive Officer for WWNI reported to
the 16th Annual Nisga'a Education Convention on October 6,1995; her report included a few
historical moments that led to the creation of WWNI. She noted in 1991 the four Nisga'a
communities (New Aiyansh, Greenville, Kincolith and Gitwinksihlkw) with the assistance of
the Industry Adjustment Committee formed a plan to bring post-secondary education home
to the Nass. During this time more members from other Nisga'a institutions were added.
This included a representative from Nisga'a Tribal Council, School District No. 92, and the
Nisga'a Valley Health Board. The result of this committee was the authorization to establish
a Post- Secondary institution under the Nisga'a Societies Act. WWNI was incorporated
under the Societies Act in December 1993.
There were five key people in the creation of the WWNI: Deanna Nyce, President
and WWNI Chief Executive Officer, Ian McKenzie, WWNI Board Chair, Dr. Geoffery R.
Weller, UNBC Founding President, Dennis MacKnack, UNBC Regional Operations and Dr.
Margaret Anderson, UNBC Regional Northwest Chair. These five people realized a
framework that was suitable to the Nisga'a Nation. When UNBC was first established, five
major themes of study were developed 1) Environmental Studies 2) Northern Studies, 3)
Women Studies, 4) First Nations Studies and 5) International Studies. The First Nations
Studies theme at UNBC emphasized teaching of language and culture courses in partnership
with First Nations communities, and was the ideal program for the WWNI to offer so that
students could obtain one of three certificates in two years; the certificate in General First

40

Nations Studies, the certificate in First Nations Language in Nisga'a and the certificate in
Nisga'a Studies. These three certificates then laddered into the Bachelor of Arts in First
Nations Studies-Nisga'a. This is important to note in this thesis, as Nisga'a education was a
priority and the First Nations program answered the Nisga'a peoples' request to bring
education home and this venue was through WWNI and UNBC. WWNI was able to offer
courses that were academically parallel to the same standards of UNBC and students
received accreditation upon completion of courses.

The WWNI Board of Directors, faculty

and staff directly provided and participated in the success of each WWNI graduate. It is their
dedication to their work in Nisga'a Education that made WWNI successful. The WWNI uses
a slogan that describes us as 'A small university making a big difference'. This difference can
be seen with the other UNBC regions as well. UNBC has three main regional campuses:
South-Central, Peace River-Liard and Northwest. The WWNI maintained that WWNI
instructors were to be paid on par with the main Prince George campus. However, in order
to save on travel costs, WWNI utilized local educated talent from the Northwest. Robin
Fisher, UNBC Dean of Arts, Social, and Health Sciences stated that all instructors must teach
to their degree level. For example, someone with a Bachelor of Arts could only teach within
the Bachelor of Arts program and someone holding a Master of Arts degree could only teach
to the Master of Arts level and only your area of study. The only exception was with the
Nisga'a Language courses, since many of the fluent speakers were not formally credentialed.
The Nisga'a language instructors completed linguistic courses and were fluent in the Nisga'a
language both written and oral (Deanna Nyce, personal communication, October 7, 2012).
Their credentials as fluent speakers and cultural experts are acknowledged by the university
and by the WWNI.

41

The Nisga'a Nation continued to thrive with persistence and determination that
resulted in joining forces with a new university, the University of Northern British Columbia.
Charles Jago, former UNBC president describes this union as the beginnings of the first
community-based initiative “based on a protocol agreement signed by UNBC and Wilp
Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a (WWNI) - the Nisga'a House of Learning (sic) Wisdom - in 1993 for a
five year term (renewed twice, in 1998 and 2003). The two entities also signed an affiliation
agreement in 1998, giving WWNI authority to offer UNBC degree-programs in specific
disciplines" (Jago, 2004). The WWNI/UNBC Protocol agreement was renewed again in
2014.
The Nisga'a Elders are a very important part of the WWNI. They come forward with
a large database of knowledge and advice on multiple subjects that involve Nisga’a language,
culture, mapping, plants, fishing, buildings, traditional names and territories. Each Nisga’a
Elder’s perspective is unique and vital to the Nisga'a way of life, present and past. In return
the WWNI remunerates the Elders for their expert traditional knowledge when they
participate in courses with students. The Elders are very generous with their time and
knowledge.
Growing up I always heard that it takes a village to raise a child and more recently it
took the Nisga'a Nation to bring education home and build a university. The focus of the
WWNI is to provide quality post-secondary education to both Nisga'a and Non-Nisga'a
students.
The WWNI is a non-profit society that is recognized as a Revenue CanadaCharitable institution for tax purposes. Donors receive tax deductions for monetary

42

donations to WWNI. Over the years, these donations are slowly growing and making a
difference by allowing the WWNI to continue the educational services to the Nisga'a Nation.
WWNI Board of Directors
The governance of the WWNI involves community members who are strong cultural
knowledge holders as well and they each bring their own story to the job of governance. The
Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a Board are all Nisga'a Nation members, residing on Nisga'a lands.
The WWNI Board of Director are essential in the educational direction of how the WWNI
continues to meet the needs of the Nisga'a Nation. This leadership guides the educational
direction of the WWNI and impacts students educational story of how education is obtained
in the Nass. This board speaks on behalf of the Nisga'a communities needs and concerns in
post-secondary educational programs. The WWNI Board members attend monthly meetings
and, collectively, the WWNI Board, Faculty and Staff are the heart of the institution. These
are the people who helped thirty-eight students’ graduate with their Bachelor of Arts in First
Nations Studies and numerous certificates in the past 21 years and achieve their educational
goals. Please refer to Appendix Cl - Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a Graduates.
The WWNI Board of Directors is composed of five voting members, plus the WWNI
President/Chief Executive Officer and the WWNI Chief Financial officer. (Appendix D1 Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a Institute Board of Directors). The WWNI Chair is appointed by
the Nisga'a Lisims Government Executive Committee and each of the four Nisga'a Villages
are represented by their appointed WWNI Director. The WWNI Honorary Director is chosen
by the WWNI Board of Directors. The role of the Honorary Director is to provide guidance
and recommendations to the Board of Directors in providing educational services in Nisga’a
Language and Culture to the Nisga’a Nation. The role of the WWNI Board of Directors is

43

varied: 1) to establish protocol/federated agreements with other post-secondary institutions;
2) to govern the WWNI academia; 3) to develop and maintain WWNI policies and
procedures; 3) to oversee the WWNI organization; 4) to report Nisga'a Village requests and
provide future courses of action; 5) to promote and inform their communities of WWNI
current events and academic programs; 6) to oversee financial assets and resources and; 7) to
ensure the longevity of the WWNI, as stated in the WWNI Society Act.
The WWNI Board of Directors have a number of committees: the WWNI Personnel
Committee, WWNI Finance Committee, WWNI Advisory Committee and the WWNI
Building Committee. These committees each have a Chair appointed by the Board
Chairperson. The WWNI Board itself has the following officers of the Board, they are as
follows: Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary-Treasurer and Directors that are appointed by the
Board Chairperson. These committees are important, since each member of the committee
brings to the table their community members’ educational interests or their organization’s
future training needs. This is critical information in order to respond to the educational needs
of the communities. This is important, as it gives the Nisga'a Nation members a platform to
voice their vision for current and future educational programs to not only meet the current
job market in the Nass Valley but elsewhere in the province of British Columbia. Expressing
their voice gives Nisga'a members a venue to shape how education will support employment
in the economy. The leadership of each individual WWNI Board member represents each
Nisga'a community as they gather to represent and guide the post-secondary educational
needs of the Nisga'a Nation.
The WWNI committees were large for a few years, but as operational costs became
higher, the committees in turn became smaller. Each committee member receives an

44

honorarium for their time and input towards increasing and sustaining the educational needs
that WWNI provides. Deanna Nyce reflects that:
During the Nisga'a Tribal Council days, before Treaty, the WWNI Board had
members from each of the entities. These included School District No. 92 (Nisga'a),
Nisga'a Valley Health Board, and Nisga’a Economic Enterprises. Soon after Treaty
this changed as the WWNI Board could no longer sustain the size of the Board or the
honoraria. (Personal communication, October 7, 2012).
Today, the WWNI continues to utilize the wisdom of each committee to meet the
educational needs of the Nisga'a Nation and their urban locals in Prince Rupert, Terrace and
Vancouver. In a supporting role, part of the committees function as an avenue to post­
secondary education. The committees are an extension of WWNI that connect the institute
with the educational needs of the Nisga'a public service entities.
WWNI Faculty
The faculty of Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a Institute consists of at least 95% qualified
educators from the Nisga'a Nation. The WWNI instructors are contracted each semester.
Most of the instructors completed their credentials outside of the Nass Valley. They
committed their time and efforts at other institutions in order to return home with the
knowledge and their acquired skills to make the Nisga'a Nation stronger and more selfsufficient. WWNI provides them an opportunity to share their knowledge. The WWNI has
also been honoured with many other highly respected instructors that have shared their talent
in promoting higher education. With the creation of the WWNI, these amazing educators are
sharing not only their knowledge, but are role modeling educational prosperity in the Nass
Valley. Please refer to Appendix El - Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a Institute Faculty. There
are twenty seven (27) PhD. level instructors that have come to the Nass Valley to teach at the

45

Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a Institute. These instructors have a wide diversity of educational
history in their own academic fields and it is great to see this talent at WWNI. The
instructors each bring a story of what influenced or directed them to their discipline. These
background stories of the instructors facilitate the trust and relationship building with the
WWNI students and staff. Communication through storytelling about oneself is from the
heart and gives the storyteller a reflection of their personal journeys and what has been
accomplished along the way. Although - these instructors are not Nisga'a, they have brought
wisdom. In their teachings they have not only gained the respect of the people but also
learned about the Nisga'a Nation. Some instructors have only taught one semester, but
students remember and still discuss the variety of instructors teaching methods, and most
importantly their storytelling.
WWNI Staff
The Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a staff are primarily members of the Nisga'a Nation, as
seen in Appendix FI - Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a Institute Staff. The WWNI staff work
directly and alongside the WWNI Institute President/Chief Executive Officer, Faculty and
students to ensure a solid daily foundation for the institution.
The majority of the present and past staff are WWNI-UNBC alumni's and/or current
students that have earned either a Certificate in Nisga'a Studies, a Certificate in First Nations
Language-Nisga'a, a Certificate in First Nations Studies and/or the Bachelor of Arts degreeNisga'a. Since all staff have been students, or are students working on their own higher
education degrees, they are familiar with all the course offerings. This shared experience
forges a connection that makes students relationships more open with the staff. The WWNI
Board of Director encourages staff to partake in the courses. The dedication and camaraderie

46

of the staff makes the work enjoyable, straightforward and rewarding. The WWNI staffs are
the heart of the WWNI organization. Once a year, the entire WWNI revels in the success of
convocation not only as individuals, but as a community.
UNBC Regional Operations
The University of Northern British Columbia is unique in its northern and regional
mandate. It is a university "in and for the North" and it is committed to serve the
needs of northern people and significantly amongst northern people, First Nations
People. Regional Operations is the prime agent within UNBC to fill fill the northern,
regional and First Nations community mandates. Regional Operations will forge
partnerships with other units of the University and with external partners to achieve
those mandates. (UNBC Regional Operations, 2014).
UNBC’s Regional Operations office is a direct route for the WWNI to access
assistance with services in obtaining course approvals, grade reports, course outlines and
other university issues. That office is the first point of contact for service for the WWNI and
UNBC Regional campuses. Dennis MacNack, now retired, was the founding Director of
Regional Operations. He graciously oversaw the provision of all services to the WWNI and
the three regional campuses. The regional operations staff is the core source of the regions’
successes. Each employee in this department has always provided service with the utmost
respect and patience when staff at the WWNI requested information or assistance. They are
also part of our story.
At the beginning, learning all the mles and regulations that are required at a
university was overwhelming. Dennis MacKnak was able to facilitate a system that made for
a smooth learning curve for the WWNI with all UNBC departments, such as the Deans and
Registrar’s departments. It was through the Regional Operations meetings during the Fall
and Winter semesters at the UNBC Prince George campus that the WWNI and Regional staff
47

learned of the current services provided by UNBC. We also had tours of the Prince George
campus from year to year, as programs and facilities expanded, such as the Northern Medical
Building. These meetings covered administrative and educational regulations. For example,
information on changing policies, forms, and the staff that were involved in the registration
process. Being able to personally meet the overwhelmingly large staff from the UNBC
President’s office, UNBC Registrar’s office, UNBC Library, UNBC First Nations Centre and
all the departments in between is equally productive. During these meetings, meals are
shared and friendships developed. These have continued for many years with each of the
regions. Overall, the Regional Operations office staff has been and continues to be extremely
supportive and welcoming. The Regional Operation meetings and that department have
directly impacted the knowledge and services needed for WWNI to provide quality
educational services to the WWNI students. They are also part of our story.
WWNI and Northwest Community College (NWCC)
In 1988/89, the Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a and Northwest Community College (NWCC)
re-signed a Protocol Agreement that permitted WWNI to offer courses in two areas:
Vocational-Technical programming and Career and College Preparation programs.
Vocational-Technical programming at WWNI is comprised of a large range of short­
term and long-term courses. The WWNI offers courses that are requested by the Nisga'a
communities and they are mainly offered on a cost recovery basis. The courses are delivered
in the requested community and also at the Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a Institute.
A sample of short-term courses would include: Occupational First Aid levels 1-3,
Marine First Aid, Traffic Control/Flagging, Food Safe, Bear Awareness, Building Service
Worker 1 and 2, Workplace Hazardous Material Information Systems (WHIMS),

48

Construction Safety, General Radio Operator, S-100 Fire Suppression, Red Cross Babysitting
and Home Alone. Examples of long-term courses include the Office Technology Program,
Log Home Building, Carpentry Level 1 and 2, Plumbing and Electrical and Home Support
Care. All these courses have expiry dates; therefore, the WWNI offers these courses every
few years. Many of the instructors for these short and long term courses are contracted from
outside of the Nass Valley.
The Nisga'a Nation has had a long standing relationship with the NWCC, mainly with
the trades programming that initially had all courses delivered only from the Terrace campus.
As noted by the longest faculty member of WWNI:
The Nisga'a sanctioned by Nisga'a Tribal Council had a long-standing relationship
established in 1975 coinciding with the inception of School District No. 92 (Nisga'a).
The first School District employee shared with Northwest Community College was
Maurice Squires, whose title was "College Coordinator". (Deanna Nyce, personal
communication, October 7, 2012).
WWNI Institutional Partnerships
The WWNI has many academic partnerships with other institutions around the world.
These relationships are directly impacting the Nisga'a community as many of those
institutions are also re-Indigenizing their own social structures. It is essential to see other
education programming at other institutions and have the WWNI maintain a similar
academic level as other institutions involved with First Nations Studies. WWNI partnerships
have included the Open Learning Agency (OLA), the Justice Institute of British Columbia
(JIBC) and the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (NVIT).
With these partnerships, the WWNI is able to provide a wider range of courses that
are requested by the Nisga'a communities. For instance in 2013 the WWNI was able to offer

49

courses in Office Administration with our partnership with NVIT. Instead of a group of
students going to the NVIT campus, the WWNI was able to have an instructor from NVIT
teach onsite for a six month program. This allowed students to achieve higher education at
home without relocating their families.
WWNI is a member of the following organizations:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

First Nations Education Steering Committee
Vancouver School of Theology Native Ministries program
Indigenous Adult and Higher Learning Association
National Association of Indigenous Institutes of Higher Learning
Association of Canadian Universities for Northern Studies
Yuuhadaax, Centre for Indigenous Scholars
University of the Arctic
(note: WWNI students, including myself, have taken Circumpolar North
Courses with the University of the Arctic as part of their Bachelor of Arts
degree.

Having a formal relationship with all these gives the WWNI an insight to what is
currently being offered at other institutions and how indigenous instruction is supported and
implemented.
WWNI Academia
Working in the Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a as the Student Support and Registration
Administrator has given me with a personal insight with each of the students from the
various program as they obtained certificates and completed their Bachelor of Arts degree. I
have become a part of their stories, and they have become a part of my own story. Working
with the WWNI since the Fall 1994 has provided me with many direct opportunities to get to
know the people of the Nisga'a Nation and follow their journey through post-secondary
education. This relationship has developed to the present day and I have seen how each
former student gives inspiration to their own Nation, tribe and immediate family members.

SO

It is impressive to welcome a new student, assist and guide them during their studies,
witness their graduation from UNBC-WWNI. Then hear that they went on to achieve
higher credentials for example, graduate with a BA at WWNI then obtain a Bachelor
of Education elsewhere. These students' success has transformed their family’s
quality of life forever. (Deanna Nyce, personal communication, October 7, 2012).
Some students continued on to acquire their Bachelor of Education and are currently
teaching for School District No.92 (Nisga'a). Many of the students from WWNI have
continued and remained in the Nass Valley as leaders, principals and administrators. There
are also WWNI alumni or students who have taken WWNI courses employed in almost every
Nisga'a entity: including Nisga'a Lisims Government, Nisga'a Village of Gitwinksihlkw,
Nisga'a Village of Gitlaxt'aamiks, Nisga'a Village of Laxgalts'ap and Nisga'a Village of
Gingolx, Nisga'a Valley Health Authority, Nisga'a Fisheries, Nisga'a Commercial Group of
Companies, Nisga'a Essential Skills & Training, Hli Goothl Wilp-Adokshl Nisga'a, The
Nisga'a Museum, and a few students with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police LISIMS/Nass Valley Detachment.
Having a university facility within arm's reach in a rural area is crucial and beneficial
for all Nisga'a. The WWNI course offerings provide the entire Nisga'a Nation the potential
to become a nation of educated citizens, which in turn is important for the Nisga'a who
became the first in signing a Treaty. Therefore, with this new acquired power, they must
develop the skills and accreditation to run the Nation in all areas of governance, education,
health, economics, social services and utilities. Here at the WWNI, programs can be offered
to people in current or future positions while at home, allowing them to fully participate in
daily cultural and community activities. At the WWNI, students are able to attend university
without having to leave their homes and the support of their communities. This allows

51

students to attend and achieve higher education, to be able to maintain their identity within
the community, family and culture and at the same time role model for their community,
tribes and the people in their nation. Preserving the spiritual connection with the land and the
culture is important and very significant to who a First Nations person is. Direct
participation in the culture confirms, strengthens and re-energizes your spirit:
Soon they all go together with other villages nearby and learned to work together.
This is why this Nass valley is called the bowl of unity. The bowl is where they got
the fish and meat they share and what binds them together is peace and love for one
and another. For as long as the river shall run, that is how long the people shall be
bond in peace and unity. Our forefathers told us that no one is ferocious enough to
stop that river from running and to try to separate the Nisga'a. The Nass River
belongs to the Nisga'a and it always will. Lisims. (Nisga'a Lisims Government,
Saytk'ilhl Wo'osihl, p. 2).

52

Chapter Four: Methods and Methodology
The educational and socialization processes of the various First Nations cultures
throughout this country were seriously undermined by the formal education system that
imposed upon the people some very different values and denigrated their spiritual
practices, their languages and their overall way of life. It is, therefore the challenge to
today's peoples to correct the situation created over three hundred years of assimilation.
To achieve this, the First Nations children of today must know their past, their true
history, in order to understand the present and plan for the future. First Nations
cultures must once again be respected and the traditional values must again be held in
high esteem. (Kirkness, 1992, p. 103).
A research method, most broadly, might be understood as how research is undertaken,
where the research knowledge comes from and - to a lesser extent, how it is learned. In this
thesis, I understand 'storytelling' as a research method - it is through stories and storytelling
that I come to this work, to the conclusions I reach in my research. Research methodology,
on the other hand, is the broader conceptual framework that explains why a researcher chose
the methods used to gather information - methodologies guide the direction of methods in
this study, including of how Indigenous knowledge is obtained and acquired.
This chapter explores the methodologies and methods of my research; it is divided into
four parts. I begin by exploring the research method and methodologies through storytelling.
This method of storytelling will explain where the knowledge comes from and how it is
learned. This is how culture is transmitted from generation to generation. The second
section is the theoretical framework that will discuss the process of storytelling and why it is
important in the Nisga'a culture. Decolonizing methodology, the third part, will reveal how
Nisga'a culture is in an ongoing process of relearning the cultural aspects of governance. The
final section is re-indigenizing, applying methodology to the Nisga'a culture. This is how the
53

Nisga'a Nation is currently learning from their history and their ancestors and using this
knowledge today to enhance a stronger Nisga'a Nation.
Method
The methods used in this thesis included one on one interviews, personal knowledge
of cultural learning within the Haida and Nisga'a cultures and research of indigenous
teaching methods of storytelling.
One of the most common Indigenous means of storytelling is an introduction of
oneself before telling a story. An introduction of where you are from reveals "the unique
aspects of our tribal cultures are held in esteem because they emerge from those ancestral
interrelationship found in place. Our tribal affiliations must be acknowledged - it is about
identity and respect" (Kovach, 2009, p. 37). Growing up and being part of a First Nations
culture, whenever I encountered someone new, they would ask who my mother and
grandmother were. This was crucial in order to see and understand my family lineage. In
Chapter 1 ,1 gave a brief introduction of my employment status in relation to this thesis and
will continue here by sharing the story of where I am from and how I was "taken into" the
Nisga'a culture.
My family belongs to the Raven clan in Haida Gwaii, I am from the Na7ikun
Qiigawaay, my clan is Those bom at House Point. My grandmother was Julia Wilson (nee
Collinson), fondly known as Nanaay, and my mother was Wilma Wilson, both of whom have
now passed on. They were my biggest supporters in everything I have accomplished. From
birth, they were my confidants, my disciplinarians, my teachers and my storytellers. This is
important to share since the Haida are my ancestors, and my ancestors are highly treasured.
It is our ancestors that deserve the credit of the Haida Nation’s successes today. They have

54

paved the road and endured hardships so that current generations could be self-reliant and
obtain the education needed in order to survive and maintain our Haida culture and heritage.
The Haida Elders, Chiefs and Matriarchs always have kind words to share, stories of our
culture, encouragement and disciplined words of wisdom. When they spoke it was with the
best intentions and their words were spoken from the heart and were and are spiritually
uplifting. Most teachings learned are remembered with fond memories evoked by the
context in which they were taught, such as when we prepared fish, deer meat, herring eggs,
and halibut, canning and baking. For instance, when canning fish, crab or deer meat, there
are teachings about the canning process. It feels as though a rhythm of momentum begins,
like the soft beat of a drum, continuing as stories are told of who taught them how to 'can'.
The telling also includes stories about the food being processed from the land and how
everything has a spirit and it too must be respected through practices such as returning shells
or fish to the ocean, so its brothers will return to visit. Sometimes the storytellers kindly
reveal their own individual personal journeys and reflections to prompt us to move forward.
Due to colonialism, First Nations had an extreme change in culture with the
introduction of foreign laws, new technologies, sickness, forced changes in family dynamics
and an invasion of their lands, to name a few. Colonial practices continue and are still
present within society. Daes reflected that "our struggles have continued into the modem
world" (2000, p. 4). However, colonialism was not successful in erasing the First Nations
identity. Many First Nations are strengthening their culture through stories and feasts, and
slowly their voices are being heard. First Nations are uniting together to bring back the
culture.
Indigenous people have made significant strides toward reconstructing their identities
as autonomous individual, collective, and social beings. Although much remains to be
55

done, the threat of cultural assimilation to the North American mainstream is no longer
overwhelming, because substantial pride has been restored in the idea of being Native.
(Alfred, 1999, p. 2).
For my research, employing an Indigenous methodology is crucial - as is beginning by
situating yourself in the culture you are researching. One way to do this is - and the way I
have chosen to do it - is to reflect on my own identity. Awareness of your identity begins as
a child and the immediate family has the strongest influences telling stories of your heritage
with the laws that are followed. Willie Ermine reflects that "for Aboriginal People, first
languages and culture are crucial components in the transformative learning process" (1999,
p. 102). For example, the Haida Nation are descendants of a matrilineal society. Regardless
of where you live, a Haida mother and child will always belong to the same clan.
The Haida nation is made up of two groups of People - Raven and Eagles - each of
which is divided into clans. Because we are a matrilineal society, lineage and property
are passed down to the next generation through the female line. In other words, 'We
follow our mothers'. (Smithsonian Nation Museum of the American Indians, 2005, p.
147).
The Nisga'a Nation is also matrilineal, which made it quite comfortable for me, as a
Haida woman, to join a Nisga’a family. The Nisga'a tribal system is complex and complete
with its own cultural rules. There are many similarities between the Haida Nation and the
Nisga'a Nation; they both have strong beliefs and feast systems that we follow and highly
respect. It is at these feasts that the Sim'oogit tells the clan story of the Chieftainship he
holds. Many of these stories are told in the Nisga'a Clan Histories (1995). My birth roots
are from the Haida Nation. Similar to the Haida people, the people of the Nisga’a Nation
want to ensure longevity for their culture by using their strong feast system. It was at a
Nisga'a feast in Gitwinksihlkw that I was "taken in" through a Nisga'a cultural adoption into
56

the Ganada Wilp of Ksim Xsaan by the late Lavinia Azak. She was one of the matriarchs
from Gitwinksihlkw who "took me as her youngest daughter". My Nisga’a name is Hlguu
Ksim Ganaaw, which translates to Small Lady Frog. It is also the Nisga’a version of my
Haida name Jaada Gaawjuu meaning Little/Small Girl. Being 'taken in' was an important
occasion, being Haida and being accepted in the Nisga'a Nation. This naming ceremony
gave me a place and a cultural role within the Nisga'a society. As stated in the introduction
o f N isga’a Clan Histories, “Each clan also took various animals to be their crest or emblem.”

It is important to have a name in First Nations communities and the Nisga’a have strong
cultural ties. As Hubert Barton explains,
Having a name means having a place in our society, having rights to territories, and
having a history. It is through owning a name that we know who we are. This is of
such fundamental importance that almost everything in our culture revolves around this
fact. (Nisga’a Tribal Council, Nisga’a Society, 1995, p. 7).
I first met Lavinia Azak in Victoria, B.C., during the summer of 1994. It was over a
short period, but I bonded with her. During this time, I was engaged to be married and going
to school and working part-time, and it was great to spend time with Lavinia being far away
from my family. What I enjoyed the most was her sharing the stories of being part of the
Nisga'a culture. This sharing of knowledge through storytelling develops into a strong
relationship of trust and respect (Cruikshank, 1990 and Archibald, 2008). I truly missed my
Haida culture and family and it was nice to share this time with an elder. When we moved to
Gitwinksihlkw that winter, I was honoured by her request to "take me into her family". Her
family, like mine, is from the Raven clan.
Now I belong to many families: my Haida family, my husband’s family and my
adopted Nisga’a Raven family, the Ksim Xsaan House. It is important as a First Nations
57

researcher to abide by cultural laws and traditions to honour my Haida and Nisga'a clans.
Indigenous methodology begins from seeing yourself located in the culture.
Methodology
Theoretical Framework
Stories are important in oral societies in order to help you understand, where you
have been, where you have come from and the hope for the future of the culture. Sometimes
the stories include information on how to sustain the culture over time. In order to maintain
sustainability, the Nisga'a have ten Laws, also known as Ayuukhl Nisga'a. These laws are
embedded in Nisga’a stories and have been laid out explicitly as the Ayuukhl Nisga’a. The
most important law is used in every aspect of governing oneself and others... This law is
respect. It is commonly known in the Nisga'a culture that 'Respect' is the main law and "if
you do not have respect then every other law will be broken" (Nisga'a Tribal Council, 1993,
p. 125). The next law is Education, meaning that each member contributes knowledge to the
Nisga'a Nation. The third law is Chieftainship and the Matriarchy. In the Nisga'a culture,
which "is a matrilineal society, these two people are equal" (Nisga'a Tribal Council, 1993, p.
127). Next is the Settlement of estate, this is "when the occurrence of a death, property is
returned and wealth does not entitle status, this is earned" (Nisga'a Tribal Council, 1993, p.
127). This refers to the transferring or passing down of traditional names within a Wilp. The
law of Reciprocity means that the property earned through a marriage is returned after a
death. This occurs when a spouse passes away and all marital cultural ties such as sharing of
territorial rights go back to the clan when one becomes a widow/widower. Marriage and
adoptions "sacrosanct of marriage vows" and "keeping the family bloodlines separate, no
intermarriage within one tribe" (Nisga'a Tribal Council, 1993, p. 128). Through example,
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action and storytelling, these laws are inculcated into young people, creating an awareness of
their identity as Nisga’a. This awareness of your identity begins as a child. The immediate
family has the strongest influence. The stories that are told reinforce Nisga’a heritage, and
the laws that are to be followed
A prime example of oral traditions or storytelling continuing within immediate
families is the same story told by three generations. Chief Hleek, Nisga’a Sim’oogit Dr.
Joseph Gosnell, stated the principal reason for the creation of the crest system during a
Nisga'a Culture lecture.. It was to prevent two members marrying within the same tribe.
This type of relationship is forbidden, and known as "hawahlkw". The union of members of
the same tribe is also referred to as "kaats" (personal communication, March 18, 2009).
Sim'oogit Hleeks' father had also stated the importance of why the Nisga'a Nation clan
system kept same tribe members from uniting together within the same tribe. Here is the
information, as told by Sim'oogit Wii Gadim Xsgaak, Eli Gosnell, Joseph Gosnell’s father,
re-telling a story told to him by his father:
My father defined the word "clan" as one blood representing the root of a family tree
right from its origin. This root, therefore, binds the clan as one body and one blood.
So the clan system segregates different blood. The law of our forefathers was to never
marry a member of your own clan, because Laxgibuu, Ganada, Laxsgiik or Gisk^ahaast
are each of the same blood. The example of marriage laws of the Nisga'a are as
follows: Laxgibuu would marry a Laxsgiik; there is different blood between these two
clans. Gisk'ahaast would do the same to Laxgibuu or Ganada; these four clans would
intermarry. So that there would be strength and power - this was the purpose of these
families to form clans. (Nisga'a Tribal Council, Nisga'a Clan History Introduction,
1995, p. 1-2).

59

Divorce is the next law. In earlier generations this was a rare occurrence and only if a
life was compromised did a divorce occur. The eighth law relates to war and peace. "The
Sim'oogit’s role was to prevent wars and maintain peace since K'amligihahlhaahl gave us
enough land, he gave us enough resources.. .we won't have to go outside of our own territory,
to take someone else's" (Nisga'a Tribal Council, 1993, p. 129). Trading was also a law, trade
with neighbouring tribal Nations for livelihood supplies. The final law was "penalties", one
is called restitution or Ksiiskw, payment for senseless loss of life (Nisga'a Tribal Council,
1993, p. 129). These ten laws are still respected today in the Nisga'a culture, but with the loss
of entire tribes living together, and now in individual dwellings, it has become difficult to
enforce each law.
The Nisga'a ten laws are one of many cultural aspects of why things are done the way
they are and at the same time these laws and stories teach Nisga'a pride of their ancestors and
willingness to contribute to that legacy. Storytelling is a powerful method in tribal societies.
The power of storytelling affords people the opportunity to share the lessons and teachings of
the past, present and future events. It talks about leadership, roles and responsibilities, selfgovernance and self-determination. It is through the stories from the Nisga'a elders, leaders
and educators that came before me, that I am able to share the story of Nisga'a education and
it is an important story because colonial stories have for too long been dominant.
The Nisga'a have always viewed education and physical territory, including land and
water, as intimately linked. This thesis follows that fundamental belief. Chieftainships are
tied to the land and river through stories and songs. It is important that young people
continue to learn these stories. Learning these stories and songs is important to the survival

60

of the Nisga'a culture for those that hold future Chieftainships and Matriarchal roles (Nisga'a
Tribal Council, 1995; Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a, 2000; Nisga'a Lisims Government, 2008).
Another, albeit slight more complicated and less "formal" methodology is the
recognition of paradigms. A paradigm is a theory of knowledge - it can be seen in many
First Nations cultures such as Nisga’a culture, Haida culture and Maori cultures. Looking at
cultures from a paradigm view shows that each culture has their own specific identity that is
unique but some have the same culture beliefs in their origins and generational ownership of
land and historical stories that are tied to the lands in which they each live. These
philosophies and storytelling are ways of keeping each of the cultures alive, giving each
nation a parallel of relatedness, connectedness and validity of the importance of each culture.
The Nisga'a paradigm begins its focus from within the Ayuukhl Nisga'a, which is the cultural
law of the Nisga'a, it branches into so many areas that it covers every aspect of being Nisga'a.
Smith explains this in Decolonizing Methodologies, "identifying as Maori and as a Maori
researcher, is a critical element in Kaupapa Maori research" (1999, p. 196). This is parallel
with First Nations doing work on their own Nations. My focus is on identity and survival of
the Nisga'a, as related to learning and education. An important aspect of the Nisga'a
Paradigm is to acknowledge that it is a living and practiced culture. It is important in First
Nations culture to know who you are, where you came from and this will determine your
place in society. There are many parallels within the Nisga'a and Haida Nations such as
being from a matrilineal lineage and how you learn about your culture. Your immediate
teachers are your family and extended family known in Maori as whanau (Smith, 1999,
p. 169). These are the people who are connected through genealogical and geographical
kinship ties, culture, and spiritual beliefs. Teachings are learned and inculcated through

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respect, visual representations, oral traditions, and by teachings which reinforce lifelong
practice.
The late Dr. Bertram McKay taught for the Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a about culture, and
every year he would take the students to Fishery Bay during oolichan season. He would always
comment that firsthand experience and direct observation included being out on the land and using
your five senses of hearing, sight, smell, touch, taste and in particular, spirituality and dreaming.
This form of learning would then be engrained and show the importance of the Nisga'a relationship
to the land. This method of educating students about their land and resources was a powerful
method of engaging the students with first hand or direct experiences. Many of his previous students
still continue to share stories of participating in the culture at that time with others community
members. Dr. McKay's method connected education directly to the land and he shared with his class
that through 'direct participation' is how he learned the process of making oolichan grease.
Direct participation in the culture confirms, strengthens and re-energizes your spirit.
It is an invisible boost, like a wave in the water that ripples out from the point where a stone
is dropped, sending positive vibes to all those around you. It reaffirms your identity, giving
you confidence in your sense of who you are. This confidence is an important tool, to be
able to uphold yourself within your nation and other outer societies. The Nisga’a practice of
learning by doing is similar to the Maori "Kaupapa" philosophy of being active within all
levels of the culture to ensure learned practises for the current and future generations (Smith,
1999, p. 184).
To make a concrete connection to my research on the value of offering post­
secondary education while residing on Nisga’a territories many students attending school and
or/working are able to maintain direct participation in Nisga’a cultural practices and

62

harvesting of foods and plants throughout the year. They experience and participate in the
preparation of oolichans, salmon, seal meat, berry picking, drying and smoking salmon. It is
during this time that stories are shared and life lessons are learned just as in the classroom.
This is what I describe as the First Nations classroom. It is a methodology itself. This is
learning wherever you are, it is a hands-on experience or active learning process that is
applicable to everything within the culture and it is a constant ongoing lifelong learning
experience. It is important to participate within the culture or it will slowly drift away, or the
individual who does not have the opportunity to participate will drift away from the culture.
The Nisga’a culture is a way of life that has flourished since the beginning of time.
Each person bom into the Nisga’a Nation has a specific place in the Nisga’a society. All
tribes have an adaawak: an oral history of family/tribal stories. As Gadee’Libim Hayatskw,
Rufus Watts, explains, this is the oral literature of the Nisga’a and verifies the origin of
houses and their place in society, and these stories can be told only by members of that
specific clan. (Wilp Wilxo’oskwhl Nisga’a, 2000, p. 15). These stories can be elaborately
discussed at a feast, or during a one-on-one sharing, or to instruct and sometimes discipline
young and old.
The knowledge and wisdom of ancient and contemporary Indigenous peoples,
especially their traditional ecological knowledge of specific homeplaces, represents a
treasure trove of important but historically neglected environmental knowledge and
wisdom. (Corsiglia and Snively, 2003, p. 103).
The culture is how all four Nisga’a communities along the river interact with one another. The
interaction between the four tribal clans (Raven, Eagle, Wolf and Killerwhale) is functional, as each
respects the other and their place in the Nisga’a Nation. Every person contributes to culture, since it
is how (s)he lives within the Nisga’a society and honors the clans in which s/he belongs. This also
63

includes "Indian" dancing with the Haida and Nisga'a Four Crest dancers. Many symbols are used
within the clan systems to tell the history of the tribe. It is through these displays and interactions
that the culture can be seen, heard and felt physically and emotionally. The knowledge gained
through seeing and participating in these events cannot be gained from books. It must be
experienced. Students who are able to do their post-secondary education on Nisga’a land are able to
maintain their place in their clan and community and to learn through their involvement in cultural
activities.
Knowledge is powerful in storytelling, as well as in directly experiencing the land and its
resources as the Nisga'a people demonstrated in Volume IV, The Land and Resources. This volume
includes invaluable information for future generations. The land provides all the materials needed to
survive. This knowledge was respected and acknowledged within the Nisga'a Nation wilps (the
Houses within the four clans). In the Traditional Nisga'a system of different wilps managed the
organization of their harvesting activities in different ways (Nisga'a Tribal Council, 1995, p. 19).
An Indigenous methodology also respects the contribution of language to the process of
research and education. Knowledge of the Nisga'a language is very important and tightly connected
to the culture. For example, Sim’algax, speaking in Nisga'a, can teach many cultural lessons at once
by just using the language. The Nisga'a language can instruct, advise and council all at once. Such
as Tiawit', this is a command for stop. Using the traditional language, this command is softer and
will get an immediate response of respect rather than using the English word 'stop'. Archibald also
describes this understanding of the loss of translation when transferring stories from First Nations
language to English. "Indigenous stories have lost much educational and social value due to
colonization, which resulted in weak translations from Aboriginal languages to English (Archibald,

64

2008, p. 7). Telling and re-telling stories restores the system of knowledge transfer interrupted by
colonization.
Cultural education at the Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a is an important tool for
storytelling and relearning cultural ways and languages. Education at the WWNI involves
participation by local elders and other methods of bringing in the language and culture,
including through technology, such as using the Nisga'a Language App. These are direct
methods of learning about Nisga'a language and culture. In the Nisga'a culture, the main
logo that represents the Nisga'a is a hayatskw known as a copper shield and this is also the
logo for WWNI. It is a symbol of wealth among West Coast First Nations people. The
copper shield alone visually represents the Nisga’a culture. Deanna Nyce recently
commented that the hayatskw is a powerful symbol for the WWNI because education creates
wealth.
Decolonizing Methodology
It is important for every Nisga'a and every First Nations person to hear their cultural stories
that reflect a 'way of life' that has developed and corresponds to their ancestral lands, traditional
foods and family lineage. As an oral culture, this is how learning skills are obtained and brought to
the next generation. This is, and will continue to be, an ongoing process of instruction from
generation to generation. Educating by storytelling is an important skill to bring forward. It
provides clear understanding of who they are in society. This Nisga'a process of relearning involves
all the cultural aspects of upholding oneself within their 'wilp' and demonstrating or relearning the
'laws' and the language that is in unison with the culture.

Smith discusses the importance of First

Nations peoples surfacing as scholars and having their stories "written by someone who grew up
within Indigenous communities where stories about research and particularly about researchers (the

65

human carriers of research) were intertwined with stories about all other forms of colonization and
injustice" (1999, p. 3). She continues with concern and recognition that "many Indigenous
researchers have struggled individually to engage with the disconnections that are apparent between
the demands of research, on one side, and the realities they encounter amongst their own and other
Indigenous communities, with whom they share lifelong relationships, on the other side (Smith,
1999, p. 5). However, there is a steady growth of Indigenous researchers and it is about time First
Nations start recording and produce written works of success because there is a lot of it (Smith,
1999, p. 7).
Relearning the Nisga'a stories in the Nisga'a language is crucial for each generation to pass
on the accurate stories for future generations. This will ensure that no meaning is lost in translation
if7when translated to English. There are different levels of Nisga'a language that is being taught at
the Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a. Having this educational facility is a manifestation of selfgovernance for the Nisga'a Nation. It replaces the colonization of institutional practices that were
forced upon First Nations such as residential schools and the 'Potlatch Law' to name a few.
Relearning the language is not only important, but also relearning the Nisga'a art that gave life to the
cultural/family historical stories. During the potlatch law,
Much had already been taken away or destroyed. Playing in the crawl space under his
grandfather's house in Gitwinksihlkw, the young Joseph Gosnell did not understand why
anyone would carve such beautiful figures on the dusty wooden beams. It was only years
later, after returning from residential school, that he realized the foundations of his
grandfather's house had once been the towering Nisga'a totem poles that graced the main street
of the remote village. (Rose, 2000, p. 156).
The above quote gives a powerful example of just one story that affected so many First
Nations across Canada. These hidden carvings are an example of how the Nisga'a people maintained

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their history and pride of who they were. This is also how the Nisga'a were able to regain their
culture and their unique traditional art forms that are still used today
Re-Indigenizing Methodology
"Although there are limitations in applying research framework language to Indigenous ways
of knowing, these frameworks can assist Indigenous researchers by naming and acknowledging three
distinct aspects of Indigenous research: (a) the cultural knowledge's that guide one's research
choices; (b) the methods used in searching; and (c) a way to inteipret knowledge so as to give it back
in a purposeful, helpful, and relevant manner" (Kovach, 2009, p. 43-44).
The importance of storytelling is an example of re-indigenizing knowledge. Re-indigenizing
means relearning and making the language and the culture Indigenous again. The very act of writing
this thesis, which in some ways is my own storytelling, involved the process of story collecting, and
then analyzing the stories' contents, is a re-indigenizing methodology. I am trying to contribute to
help fill a lack of knowledge produced by Indigenous peoples, about Indigenous peoples, and am
trying to fill a gap in the history of the Nisga’a Nation. This method of thesis writing is a re-storying
of the educational history of the Nass Valley, of the Nisga'a people. Bearing in mind the essential
Nisga'a law of respect, my research method included recording and presenting these stories in their
entirety (edited only to remove filler words like 'um'). Finally, I had the interviewees review the
edits for approval to include in this thesis. I then analyzed the stories in the context of Nisga’a
culture.
The Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga’a Institute is a place of re-indigenizing by providing
an opportunity to re-unite the Nisga'a people with their culture and language. Deanna Nyce
reflected that "it has been successful in bringing post-secondary studies and graduate
completions that have continued to enter the workforce immediately. WWNI graduates are

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often recruited to employment opportunities on or before their graduation" (personal
communication, October 7, 2012). This success has been noted in the recent External
Evaluators' Evaluation report. The late Dr. Renate Eigenbrod noted,
I consider the Institute's greatest strength its foundation in Nisga'a culture and language
(the most heavily enrolled courses). This total reversal of residential school policies
(which I heard often in my various conversations) contributes to building a healthy
identity, confidence in one's capacity for leadership and therefore is a crucial aspect of
decolonizing education corresponding with the goals and objectives of the Nisga'a
Treaty achieved after 113 years of negotiations (2014, p.5).
The WWNI is also re-indigenizing the Nisga’a language by using technology through a
partnership with First Voices; they launched the Nisga’a language app on January 25, 2012.
This Nisga’a language app is a free download that can be accessed through the First Voices
website http://www.firstvoices.com. It is commonly used in the WWNI classrooms and can
be seen used at Nisga’a feasts. Nisga’a feasts are important events where the language is
spoken. It is at the feasts that clan lineages are shared through storytelling of current and past
generations. It is at the Nisga'a feasts that re-indigenizing occurs from the moment you walk
in the door and this participation and experience will always remain with you as you
encounter other aspects of life.
Connectedness, or a sense of belonging, is core to a culture. As stated previously,
each person in an Indigenous culture is bom and immediately a part of the culture and this
relationship will occur for an entire lifespan. This is also seen in the Haida culture. When I
became engaged to be married, my uncle Dempsey, the late Chief Skidegate, spoke to me
about living within Nisga'a lands and within the Nisga'a culture. He stated that I was bom
Haida, and will always be Haida, and Haida Gwaii would always be my home. He told me

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that my marriage was another thread in strengthening the relationship ties between the Haida
and Nisga'a Nation. These words were said to me over twenty years ago, but I can still hear
these words - they were and are, very powerful for me to hear. It is teachings and guidance
from our Elders about our identity that is an important reminder of who we are and where we
are from. These are all linked back to the methodology of storytelling.
There are many forms of re-indigenizing such as repatriation of researching and
bringing home traditional museum pieces, visiting archival collections of written pieces,
photos and films. These would include the works of "both Franz Boas and Edward Sapir,
two of the foremost scholars in the American Tradition, who studied the language and culture
of the Nisga'a people..." (Anderson and Nyce, 1999 p. 283). These early anthropological
works would convey a portion of a story of the Nisga'a history. In future, Nisga’a
researchers will be able to work with their materials and re-incorporate them into the story of
the Nisga’a nation. This will be a part of the re-indigenization process.
The main focus of re-indigenizing is the willingness to learn and enhance the culture
and then sharing this knowledge with others. First Nations peoples, including the Nisga'a
Nation, have been using the method of storytelling for generations and have kept their culture
alive and prospering. That will continue as 'long as the river flows'.

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Chapter Five: The WWNI Student Stories
Our ancestors said, 'Go outside and you'll find something there. It's not going to
come in here and say, here I am, take me! You got to go out and look for it. (Emma
Nyce, "n.d", p.52).
Data Collection of WWNI Student Stories
I have chosen to collect information in the form of stories from four WWNI
graduates. The process started with reviewing the WWNI alumni. It became clear to me that
these students were a representation of each of the four Nisga'a villages, and at the same time
representative each of the four Nisga'a clans. The goal of this thesis is to demonstrate the
potential for successful delivery of post-secondary education in the culturally rich
environment of the Nass Valley. The students selected are highly successful individuals.
These students have all agreed to the use of their names, demonstrating in accordance to the
Nisga'a Common bowl, that everything is shared. The four students are Kathryn, Allison,
Pamela and Carey. Each student signed a participant consent letter (appendix El).
I met with each student individually and conducted short interviews that were
recorded. The interview process consisted of ten "in-depth, open-ended" questions.
LeCompomte and Schensul note that "in-depth interviewing is...exploring a topic in detail to
deepen the interviewer's knowledge of the topic. Open-ended refers to the fact that the
interviewer is open to any and all relevant responses" (1999, p. 121).
Once I had transcribed the interviews, each student reviewed the transcription for use
in this thesis. The ten questions asked were based on the Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a
Institute, family, Nisga'a culture and Nisga'a traditional lands:
1. WTiat made you decide to attend WWNI?
2. How or what role did family have in your schooling?
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3. What influences had effect on your decision to further your education?
4. Was attending WWNI on Traditional Nisga'a Lands an important factor?
5. How has attending WWNI impacted your educational growth, if any?
6. Describe you experiences at WWNI.
7. Do you practice the Nisga'a culture?
8. How do you identify yourself within the Nisga'a culture?
9. How and has active participation within the Nisga'a culture enhanced your
educational experience as a student at WWNI?
10. Do you have any further comments you would like to add about your
educational experiences with WWNI?
This primary source of information stems from the students’ lived experience. This
thesis gives the students a voice to encourage and inspire others. They embody an example
of success, and, by sharing their stories, they provide insight into a formal education being
obtained here in the Nass Valley. In addition to collecting stories, participant observation was
also used in this study. The principal source of this was my being a direct participant and a
community member for twenty one years in the Nisga’a Nation and an employee at the
WWNI. This experience ensured a deeper understanding of myself within the research
process. All students are all clearly known throughout the Nass Valley and as Schensul,
Schensul and LeCompete explain: "We conduct ethnographic research because we find it
can be an effective tool for both understanding and improving conditions faced by research
participants and others in similar situations." (1999, p. 7). The ethnographic methods used
for this thesis included observing the students being students for years and using open ended
interviews with each participant to share their personal individual stories. Upon transcript
approval from the students, I used the storytelling method to reflect their direct words to
ensure accuracy of their stories. Although these students have graduated and are now

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employed, we all still continue to have a mutual friendship and keep in contact regarding
programs at the WWNI.
Direct quotes from the students were chosen and used to depict their experiences at
the WWNI. Upon reviewing my interviews, themes began to surface about the shared
experiences of being a student in the Nass. I then discussed these with the students,
validating with them the fact of student life being hard but rewarding in the end. The
validating of themes with participants, as others have noted, is part of storytelling: "that is,
thematic narratives use field notes not as illustrations and examples of points that have
already been made, but as building blocks for constructing and telling the story in the first
place...The excerpts in an ethnographic story are not so much evidence for analytic points as
they are the core of the story (Emerson, Fretz and Shaw, 1995, p.171).
WWNI Student Stories - Kathryn, Allison, Pamela and Carey
Every journey is different for every student. However, most students experience
personal growth. I hope that sharing their stories will be an inspiration to those beginning
their own journey in academia and during their studies. All students can relate to the
shortage of time when trying to balance school, work, personal life and a family life. What is
unique with the four Nisga’a students in this story is that they were able to attend university
within their four communities; they were still able to maintain important connections and
participate in community and cultural activities such as feasts, family functions and preparing
traditional foods throughout the year.
As shown by Cruishank (1990) and Archibald (2008), storytelling is a powerful tool
for accessing the knowledge that members of a culture have to share and understanding it in
its cultural context. Individuals who have a strong grounding in a culture often shape their
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own experiences in ways that fit with important themes in their culture. In the Nass Valley,
an important aspect of culture, something that many themes can be drawn from, one that is
highly meaningful is the Nass River itself. This is beautifully illustrated in the well-known
use of the river as a cultural theme by Chief Joseph Gosnell when he stated, at the signing of
the Nisga'a Treaty that "Our canoe has landed." I have used aspects of the river as a
metaphor to segment the information that was offered by the four successful graduates into
parallel sections.
The four Nisga'a students’ stories have been divided into four thematic sections, each
reflecting a metaphoric aspects of the K’al'ii Aksim Lisims, otherwise known as the Nass
River. The four sections are 1) Taking the Helm, Exploring Options, 2) Life Currents, 3)
Learning to Paddle, and 4) Coming ashore. It is appropriate to use Kal'ii Aksim Lisims since
this river connects all four Nisga'a communities and is a valuable resource providing
traditional foods, and it was a means of transportation for previous generations. These four
stories will represent the four communities and the four tribes of the Nisga'a Nation, starting
in the upper Nass with Gitlak'damix, and proceed to the lower Nass with Gitwinksihlkw,
Laxgalts'ap and Gingolx.
Kathryn's Story
Kathryn’s journey is inspirational. She grew up in the lower mainland and returned to
the Nass Valley in the eighth grade. She went directly from high school to UNBC, a large
university far from the Valley. She had some major turbulence and rerouted back home to
attend the WWNI and then returned to UNBC to graduate.

In between she had travelled to

Switzerland and worked as an awp a ir for six months, before returning to her studies. Her
story illustrates the fact that there are diverse routes to completing and working toward your
education and each journey is unique to each individual student.
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Taking the Helm, Exploring Options
Kathryn is from Wilps Gitxhoon, Laxgiik tribe and resides in the Nisga'a Village of
Gitlaxt'aamiks. She graduated from Nisga'a Elementary Secondary School (N.E.S.S.), in
1999 and went directly to the University of Northern British Columbia in Prince George in
the Bachelor of Arts Program as a full time student enrolled in five courses. With little
direction or how to use the university student services, Kathryn explains her experience,
I enrolled in five classes and at that time I was just 18 years old. I wasn't sure how
many courses to take, there wasn't much guidance and how many courses you needed
to take and what was considered full-time. I ended up failing two courses that
semester and another two the following semester...So, after that I came home because
I was put on academic probation and it freaked the hell out of me.
Once Kathryn had returned home, she was upset, but wanted to pursue her education.
She met with Deanna Nyce, President and Chief Executive Officer, Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl
Nisga'a Institute and together they formulated a plan. Having failed the courses at UNBC,
Kathryn was placed on academic probation and was restricted to three or fewer courses until
her grades improved. Therefore, Deanna scheduled weekly meetings to ensure Kathryn's
progress and guidance with papers and other assignments. This arrangement improved
Kathryn's marks and gave her an organized routine of how to be a student. This gave her
back her confidence to continue on to her degree. Within two semesters Kathryn's academic
probation was removed.
Kathryn began her journey with great expectations and was met with turbulences that
overwhelmed her from meeting her goals of succeeding in all her courses during her first
year of university. This route was a learning experience in her young adult life. She learned
how to be a university student after she failed a few courses, by developing the skills needed
to succeed at university.
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Life Currents
Kathryn states that "I was a victim of circumstance and it didn't start off as being my
choice to be at WWNI. But, it really helped being at home and having the support of family
and friends...” Returning home gave her the support and a place in the community. Kathryn
continued to hold her head above water and utilize the local UNBC campus at the WWNI.
With WWNI being a fraction of the size of UNBC, she benefited from smaller classes, more
direct participation and not being intimidated to use her voice amongst her peers. When
Kathryn was at the UNBC campus, this was also the time the Nisga'a Treaty was being
implemented and she found herself in some classes discussing politics of First Nations
Government, "I was one in a hundred people in the great auditorium (class)...The Nisga'a
Treaty would come up and it was really hard to sit there, maybe the only one (First Nations)
sitting there...quite a lot of them (classmates) upset about it and thinking it was a new set of
government, a separate set". This feeling of being singled out in classes can be very
intimidating even though the comments made are not intended to single you out, you know
who you are and this is your home they are discussing. This type of discussion can isolate
any person very quickly as if fighting an unexpected rogue wave on the river. Students may
not agree with all discussions or comments in a class situation, but when a topic that is
personal to an individual student becomes a topic of controversy, it can interrupt her ability
to learn. The WWNI gave Kathryn a route to be able to continue with her studies, since the
WWNI courses are all UNBC courses, she was able to stay within her intended field of study.
Learning to Paddle
Attending WWNI, Kathryn once again became immersed in the Nisga'a culture
activities with family and friends; she found balance as if she righted her canoe. She reflects
back that,
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It definitely built my confidence. I came home from UNBC shattered. All I kept
thinking was I failed, I failed and then with the support of the Wilp Wilxo’oskwhl
Nisga’a - the smaller class sizes and the location was so close, I was able to just walk
down. I didn’t have to worry about transportation. I didn’t have to take the bus. I
didn’t have to worry about when the buses were on strike...It (WWNI) helped me
become more responsible as a student.
For Kathryn, being able to participate in the Nisga'a culture was very important to her
as a member of the Nisga'a Nation. She states "It is who I am". She notes that she learned a
lot reading the Clan Histories text, developed by the WWNI for the Nisga'a culture program
and shared this new knowledge with her family members,
It was neat to read our own story, our traditional story and when my uncle or when
our great uncles were talking about it, I could hear them and say I know that, and I
know what's going to happen next. And I was telling my uncle about, he is the Chief
of our house, I was telling him about the story and he just continued on and said he
didn't read it, it was passed down, it is the same story, it just reaffirms the validity of
what we are reading when we can talk to somebody and they know the same thing
without them having read it.
Attending the WWNI, strengthened Kathryn's student skills and also strengthened her
Nisga'a identity. With this new self-confidence, she returned to the UNBC Prince George
campus to complete her final year towards her degree.
Coming Ashore
Returning to UNBC's Prince George campus, Kathryn realized how much she had
grown from a graduating high school student when she first arrived at the university. Now
she was aware of the tools that were available to her all along, such as student services, the
First Nations Centre, the Library and being able to use her voice to raise any concerns
directly with her instructors. Needless to say, Kathryn had a successful year and participated
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at the UNBC convocation and the WWNI convocation to share her success with her family
and friends. Currently, Kathryn is employed with the WWNI as the Executive Secretary and
freely shares her experience with students attending the WWNI and with the N.E.S.S. past
and current grade 12 students. She always tells students "Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a set me
up for more success and knowing who I was and what I needed to do and different services
that were available...I wasn't that defeated little 18 year old when I went back. I was
confident and I succeeded and graduated".
Allison’s Story
Allison grew up in Gitwinksihlkw. However, when her mother moved to Vancouver
to complete her Masters of Education at UBC, Allison finished her grade 12 year in the lower
mainland and stayed to enter undergraduate studies. She is continuing the tributary current
of a second generation to acquire higher education. Although, Allison has acquired both
degrees, her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts outside of the WWNI, she attended WWNI
to take Nisga'a Language and Nisga'a Culture courses.
Taking the Helm, Exploring Options
Allison is from Wilps Niist'axok', Gisk'aast tribe and grew up in the Nisga'a Village
of Gitwinksihlkw. She currently resides in the lower mainland but is employed at the WWNI
as the Funds Development Officer and is a long standing and current instructor. Her main
interests at the WWNI have been in the Nisga’a language and Nisga’a culture courses. At
this time Allison was a student in the lower mainland but was also a Nisga'a Language
instructor in Vancouver while completing her studies. When she acquired her Bachelor of
Arts degree from the University of British Columbia and she moved home and was employed
by the Nisga’a Lisims Government. Allison recalls her interest in the WWNI programs,

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The Nisga’a studies program was for professional development, because I took on the
role as the Manager of Ayuukhl Nisga’a Department, the cultural laws of the Nisga’a,
and one of the requirements was that I was to increase my fluency in the language;
both written and oral. And then the other courses I hoped to gain some more
knowledge to help teach the courses that I was teaching for WWNI.. .1 could not have
gotten that kind of professional development anywhere else. Nisga’a studies is their
at Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga’a institute and I think it really, it definitely strengthened
my ability to work for Lisims Government in the Ayuukhl Nisga’a Department and it
strengthened my ability as an instructor as well.
Life Currents
During this time attending the WWNI, she had a surge of responsibilities. Allison
started a family, was working full-time, teaching part-time and was a part-time student. Her
path had led her on many different routes all at once, like a surge of ongoing waves, and of
course there were periods of rough choppy waters. But, Allison was very organized and was
able to traverse these waves and keep afloat. She strongly states that “family is definitely
important...with the basics; like financial help...family support, you know that is necessary.
I couldn’t have been able to take the courses without their help. They were extremely
supportive”.
Learning to Paddle
Attending WWNI, had influenced and confirmed Allison’s wish to further her
education. With the ongoing support of her family, she continued on her educational journey
once again.
Helping me to see that opportunity was there and I should take it. You know, giving
me the confidence to try. Because I was not going to do my MA at WWNI, since it
was not an option. I was having to move to Prince George, not just myself, but my
family. They just make it less scary that I had some knowns; I had a place to stay,
that I knew I had funding. These are things that I could count on that made it less

scary to move and study for my masters. Not just from my parents, but from my
grandmother. It has always been her biggest thing was that education was going to be
your way that you’re going to succeed and if you can make something of that then
you go for it and take that opportunity.
Going away to school is always a huge move and an adjustment especially when you
move from a rural area such as Gitwinksihlkw, which is the smallest of the four Nisga’a
communities.
Coming Ashore
Allison was a student of WWNI and dining her time there she decided to continue her
education through a graduate program. One of her only options was to move to Prince
George, where she attended UNBC and completed the Master of Arts degree. She then came
full circle again, and as stated earlier, is currently employed and teaching at the WWNI.
Allison ends with a few words of advice, “I would say to current and future students is to
take the opportunity, get the work done and just do it because it raises up our community.”
Pamela’s Story
Pamela grew up in the lower mainland and returned home for a contract position. She
was very interested in completing her degree at the WWNI. The WWNI gave her the
opportunity to work and her family contributed with evening childcare while she attended
classes. As a single parent, she credits her family and the WWNI courses with completing
her degree.
Taking the Helm, Exploring Options
Pamela is from Wilps Nagwa'um, Laxgibuu tribe and resides in the Nisga'a Village of
Laxgalts'ap. While attending WWNI, Pamela was employed with Nisga’a Fisheries. She
clearly expressed wanting to complete here degree while working and then continuing on to
law school.
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The WWNI offered a degree program for my BA in First Nations Studies and I need
that degree to get into Law school, so it gave me an avenue when I was looking for
something to help me in the Law degree program and working with First Nations.. .1
was able to finish that degree (BA) within two years and I was really pleased with
that.
Pamela's experience was a gushing surge of waves that was always in motion. She
worked, went to school and was a single parent, her time was precious and she had an agenda
each day and carried out each item like small creeks making their way to the river.
Life Currents
Pamela would always comment on the four Nisga’a culture volumes and how
amazing they were, especially since she did not grow up here. She commented that,
I have learned so much from those volumes, like cultural aspects. I did not grow up
here in the valley, I grew up in the lower mainland and it was a really good eye
opener to what is going on with the culture here and you can see the parallels of how
they talk about a long time ago to today.
During her studies, Pamela joined in many hallway discussions with other students
about what they read. They shared quotations from different elders from the volumes and
which clan or houses they belonged to. These conversations usually carried into the
classroom.
Learning to Paddle
Pamela had also attended another post-secondary institution in the lower mainland
but found it difficult on her own. Moving home and attending WWNI helped.
I was going to school and being a single parent at the same time and working so I
depended on my family for care giving for my children because I was working then
going to school. I was gone from eight in the morning until nine or ten at night, so I
relied heavily on my family and being around was a lot easier than in the city trying
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to find someone to look after my kids, almost 12 hours of the day. It helped having
the family around and without them I would have definitely struggled financially and
emotionally as well.
Pamela comments that it is amazing to go to school and still be able to participate in
cultural functions. She was busy, between going to school and attending many cultural
functions to fulfill her cultural duties trying to attend every function. The Nisga’a Cultural
Calendar is usually full and dates are reserved one to three years in advance.
Coming Ashore
Pamela has completed her Bachelor of Arts degree and is still exploring Law schools
in the lower mainland. In the meantime, she is keeping busy and working for the Nisga'a
Village of Laxgalts'ap. She ended her story with kind words,
I miss WWNI, I could do my master’s degree but I am going for my law degree
instead. I love WWNI, I think that it is a unique institution and a lot of people would
benefit from it and I am hoping your numbers would go up in the next few years and
have more graduates come out of here.
Carey’s Story
Carey's story was interesting to me since we both attended school in Prince Rupert
and his dedication to obtaining his education astounded me. Carey had a young family and
their residence remained in Prince Rupert. Carey made weekly trips to attend WWNI for his
classes, which were in New Aiyansh at that time, and then he returned home to Prince Rupert
for the weekends.
Taking the Helm, Exploring Options
Carey is from Wilps Ksim Xs'aan, Ganada tribe and from the Nisga'a Village of
Gingolx. He was introduced to WWNI by a current student during a visit to his mother and
while submitting his resume for teacher on call position at N.E.S.S. He had been taking
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courses with Northwest Community College in Prince Rupert and was working towards his
degree with the goal of becoming a teacher. During that same week Carey visited WWNI
and met with Deanna Nyce, they planned out his courses to complete his degree and how to
obtain funding. He still clearly recalls this meeting with Deanna,
Right away she asked what courses have you taken at the community college and she
asked to you have a plan on what you want to do and I was volunteering at the
schools. And I mentioned I want to get into teaching and so we plotted our way
through it. I still remember when she phoned they were saying that Nisga’a Studies
was not a teachable subject and she had argued the fact that yes it is, saying we have
language and culture teachers here that are certified. This is going into my practicum
for my diploma and I had to make sure I had a teachable subject so Deanna phoned to
straighten it out and I was so proud and so happy. So, it [WWNI] has impacted me
quite a bit.
Carey started at the WWNI the following fall with a weekly commute between New
Aiyansh and Prince Rupert for two years. He also still gives thanks for the introduction to
WWNI and Deanna Nyce. He states, “I do not think I would be here (as the N.E.S.S. Vice
Principal and completing my masters), if I had not taken that phone call regarding WWNI
and the introduction to Deanna., .after my degree I recall the WWNI staff and Deanna
saying, "You got potential guy, you have got to do something. It was good!”
Life Currents
Carey clearly has many positive memories of WWNI and as the Vice Principal at
N.E.S.S., he is a great motivator to the students to stay in school and continue on to their
degrees. Carey's decision to live in Prince Rupert, but study at the WWNI led to both
struggles and benefits of being away from home for schooling purposes. For Carey, as for
many students, writing was a challenge that was like treading water. He shares his views on
this point,
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I had some problems with my writing. It still bothers me today that I am not an
English writer. The WWNI staff supported me to put it all on paper first, so I typed
like crazy and then the editing process... I can really appreciate the support of all my
instructors, each and every one of them...That is what we do here and is what has
gotten me here today to make sure that all our people, all our Nisga’a members are
looked after. You always keep yourself aware of who is around you and you need
supporters, it is important. The staff at WWNI also gave me that push.
Carey returned home each weekend, and he always returned on Monday energized for
his courses. He claimed that he got more work done, it seems negative but was actually
positive. "You see my wife and my kids all live in Prince Rupert and I am up here going to
school. I just found more time to do my school work, more focused". As an observer, his
positivity in his work and family greatly contributed to his success.
Learning to Paddle
Living in Prince Rupert his entire life, Carey explains his first visits returning home
to his traditional territory in the Nisga’a Nation,
I was never bom or raised here, it was 2000 when I first or second time I came up
here. But, that was my cultural shock, coming up here, I was so used to hearing
sirens and the city life. When I moved up here I was really nervous to start walking
around Kincolith.. .we went for a walk every night and I met so many people just by
walking. That really opened up and tore down the culture shock that I was feeling.
Carey continues that he had thoroughly enjoyed his experience with the WWNI, but
the Nisga’a culture courses were the most memorable. Learning about the different aspects
of the culture. He started saying the blessing in Nisga’a at the principal meetings. And co­
workers would speak Nisga’a to him as well, that really pushed him to learn more. These
experiences created smooth waters in his educational journey. Carey describes one class trip,

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I even went down to Greenville to hang oolichans with a couple of colleagues from
WWNI. Some student mentioned it and I said I had never done it so, one student
invited us all to come help her hang oolichans and the whole class went down to
Greenville. And one of my reports was on that, the process of how to prepare
oolichans. And one story that always sticks to me about that is my expressive
language that I am trying to unfold in my writing, is when a potato was thrown in the
tube and filled with water, this is outside of the smokehouse. There had to be enough
salt so that the potato would float up. This is how you know the brine is ready.
While the potato did not float and the water was white with salt, and tasted the water
and it was too salty, but the potato did not float up, so we felt around for the potato,
but it and sure enough the potato was rotten. It is things like that, that I think of when
I am writing and even with our cultural background, we have little reminders of what
to do next and the reason why we did it. As with the oolichans, when I write, I try to
be descriptive then I can put people in that place. This is where the culture portion
helps, active participation.
He then stated that this little outing would stick in his memories forever and this gave
him another inside look at the Nisga’a culture and how his ancestors lived.
Coming Ashore
During the two years while attending WWNI, Carey had always stated that his dream
was to move back here with his wife. He has now completed his Bachelor of Arts and
Master of Arts. He is still the Vice Principal at N.E.S.S. advocating for education and he is a
permanent resident with his wife, who is also in the educational field. Carey also expressed
his thoughts for potential WWNI students,
It is better to attend here at the WWNI because it is like family, I do not want to say
family, but it is like a family. We will look after you, we are here. That was the
message I am getting and walked away with.
Reflections
As the Registrar for WWNI, I have seen many students - like Kathryn, Allison,
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Pamela and Carey - become more confident in their identity of who they are. This
knowledge that is credited and learned from the Nisga'a culture and Nisga'a language is
powerful for each student and at the same time it is rewarding, as an employee, to witness
these personal educational journeys that enable each student to thrive in their traditional
surroundings.
In this chapter I have recounted four stories of students who have studied at the Wilp
Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga’a Institute. I have divided the stories into parallel sections based on the
metaphor of a journey on Lisims, and shown that each student has come ashore to their own
completion, just as the Nisga’a Nation came ashore in the treaty process. In the next chapter,
I will examine the themes that I have found in these stories and connect them back to the
theories that have helped me to see them clearly, particularly theoretical contributions on
decolonization and re-indigenization.

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Chapter Six: Journey of Knowledge
WWNI contributes greatly to the quality of life in the Nass Valley, to the preservation
and growth of the Nisga'a culture and language, and to governance issues in the
Valley. These contributions, and the many others WWNI makes, have made a notable
difference and have changed the lives of the students. Students report such changes as
diverse as successfully completing post graduate degrees...For People living in a
relatively isolated area, the WWNI is an important institution. (McDonald,
2004/2005, p. 60).
Reflection of the WWNI Students' Stories - Kathryn, Allison, Pamela and Carey
In this chapter I will discuss the themes that I have found in the stories of four
successful graduates of the WWNI. I have drawn on the theoretical insights of authors who
have written about First Nations storytelling to explain how important it is for people to hear
stories from someone they can identify with as discussed in Chapter Four. I have used the
metaphor of the Nass River itself as a way of structuring the content of the students' stories in
Chapter 5. This chapter will examine the themes that I have identified in light of the
theoretical perspectives of the storytelling literature.
The WWNI adheres to and delivers the Nisga'a Nation's request for post-secondary
courses in their communities along the Nass River. My interest in the Master's program is to
study the impact that the WWNI has made on the Nisga’a Nation by providing post­
secondary education not only for the nation overall but for community members as
individuals.
It is important for each current and potential student to know that, regardless of which
Nisga'a community or tribe each person is from, each person has the capability to succeed.
Success in education has the ability to substantially improve one’s well-being and selfconfidence and to contribute to occupational security, financial security, and future
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sustainability. This success also contributes to the longevity and preservation of the Nisga’a
culture and the Nisga’a Nation.
Obtaining success involves internal motivation and external support. When education
is offered in the Nass Valley, the support available draws on the Nisga'a culture, including
generations of storytelling with which the Nisga'a Nation has remained strong and continues
to persevere. The WWNI has contributed to the wealth of knowledge that is shared and
obtained with the assistance of education in the Valley. With the support of Kathryn,
Allison, Pamela and Carey, I have been able to put a recognizable face to the stories of
success from within the Nisga’a Nation.
Support is all around you; in your family, in your Wilp, and in the Nisga'a Nation.
WWNI Graduates' success stories are seen throughout the Nass Valley, however, this thesis
focused on only Kathryn, Allison, Pamela and Carey. Their success is echoed many times in
the educational successes of other students. By extending educational services to the WWNI,
UNBC has raised the quality of higher education beyond the main campus in Prince George
and other regional campuses in the South-Central and Northeast and the urban communities
of Terrace and Prince Rupert in Northwestern British Columbia.
Working with WWNI students since November 1994, provided me with direct
communication with each student and each instructor. This involved supplying course
schedules, advising on the requirements for certificates and degrees, and documenting a
schedule of goals for completion. Communication with the students was important to me, to
talk about what they were writing about, assisting them with research, and also to provide
moral support. As the Student Support and Registration Administrator, I am in constant
contact with each student regarding their course scheduling and conferring with them on their

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performance in courses, and assisting where possible with administrative aspects of their
studies. Many students are competent with their coursework and require little external
guidance, but reinforcement can be helpful, and discussing their work with an interested
person often helps them to formulate their own ideas more clearly. I usually ask how their
papers/projects/assignments are progressing and sometimes I can offer assistance by
reminding them of the cultural lessons that they are researching. Many of these lessons can
be directly experienced in every season throughout the year by participating in harvesting
and cultural activities. I often direct students to one of the Nisga'a publications so they can
see the words directly from an elder, or encourage them to interview an elder, or a family
member. This is also when I remind them that everything starts with the first Nisga'a law:
respect. I also remind them of my own student experience and tell them that I understand
that the hours in the day run quickly by as does the river. I also remind them, if we take a
moment to observe the river, we can also see the calmness of the currents. I can help
students with my knowledge of the administrative procedures of the university in my official
capacity, and I can also provide peer support with my experience as a student myself.
My interest in the Master of Arts program was to study the impact that the WWNI
has made in the Nisga'a Nation by providing post-secondary education on Nisga'a territory.
This is where my Bachelor of Arts Degree was obtained, while processing numerous
applications for students who also obtained certificates and degrees. This is what I do, I assist
students in obtaining and furthering their education. Working in a post-secondary institute
such as WWNI is rewarding on many different levels. At the WWNI I can make a difference,
and can even help change the course of a person's life. The impact of the WWNI can be seen

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in many ways, including graduates from two (and three!) generations of Nisga'a families.
WWNI is "A small school, making a big difference".
Exploring the Students' Stories
When I chose to write about the WWNI, I knew that somehow, the Nass River also
known as Kalii Aksim, should figure somehow in the story of education in the Nass Valley.
Using the river as a metaphor helped me to describe the journey of learning for each student.
Learning can be seen as parallel with the river since it is always moving forward and is a
powerful force that cannot be stopped. Each student embarked on an educational journey that
took many years and that flowed forward despite obstacles. This River can be used as a
theme that evokes images of moving forward in time and the overall journey of life. I chose
to draw on the river as a metaphor as it is parallel with the Nisga'a culture, in that you can
spend a lifetime observing the culture and the river, as both are full of unbounded energy and
constantly striving forward. This is a theme that occurs frequently in Nisga'a oratory and
storytelling.
This thesis tells the story of four Nisga'a students who embarked on an educational
journey. Their stories have been carefully considered through the tools discussed earlier in
Chapter 4, in relation to the theoretical framework. The collected stories, viewed through the
perspective of decolonization and re-indigenizaion theories, show how the process of reindigenizing has given students at the Wilp Wilxo’oskwhl Nisga’a Institute such as Kathryn,
Allison, Pamela and Carey, the ability to link academics to the Nisga'a culture. In her
interview, Allison commented on the importance of learning in a small institution where
other students and instructors share experiences and cultural insights. She mentioned the:
Caring, learning environment, you have a lot of one-on-one time with the instructor.
The instructor understands what is happening, not just in your academic life, but
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your home life and community life as well. Where at UBC, it did not matter what
was happening at home or in my community. The courses ran, they stayed on
course, you had to hand in your stuff on time, and you are in a class of 300-500
people. The instructor barely knows how to put your name to your face at UBC.
Courses were definitely different at Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl. I really enjoyed having that
interaction, you don't just have the interacting in the classroom, but you have it in
the community as well. So you see that these instructors' are living what they are
teaching, it just makes it more real, more relevant to our learning.
The students at WWNI are not only obtaining higher education, they are learning
cultural stories, and the history of the Nisga'a. This knowledge is obtained from Nisga'a
publications and from the Nisga'a Elders who graciously visit the classrooms to share and
pass on their knowledge. This direct education in the culture is priceless. It helps students
know who they are today and gives them an understanding of the previous generations’
successes and challenges in all aspects of Nisga'a social and economic life that are told
through forms of storytelling. A prime example of this involves Nisga’a lands and its
environment. Nisga'a Language instructor Vema Williams shared an example of this
knowledge that she had learned as a young woman from her father:
When looking down across the valley on the right hand side of Gitlaxt’aamiks, there
is a profile of a bear's head hidden in the trees. My father explained, that you monitor
this area during the month of November and if the snout of the bear is covered with
snow, then there would be a lot of snow that winter. (Personal Communication,
October 6,2006).
This is one example of storytelling of observing Nisga’a lands, but there is so much
knowledge in the Nisga’a Nation that it is very difficult for one individual to attain all this
information.

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Emerging Student Themes
The four students were not only informally observed throughout their attendance at
the WWNI, but for the purpose of this thesis were formally interviewed on their student
experiences while they attended the WWNI. From both the ethnographic observations and
the careful analysis of the stories, a number of themes, or stories, have emerged. It was clear
that two themes united all four students'journeys. Theses themes were 1) The Voyage of
Discovering their identity through Education and 2) the Cultural Empowerment of
Knowledge. I will expand on these two themes in the next section.
Voyage of discovering your identity with education
Kathryn recalls always being prompted by her mother to continue with her education.
"When I was small, my mother always said when you go to University...it was never a
question of, if I go and we were always given support by our mother saying when you
graduate, you will go here, here, here". The seedling of the plan to attend post-secondary
education encouraged Kathryn to pursue her education and led her to attend UNBC directly
from high school. UNBC was close to home but still far enough away to be on her own.
Fortunately, upon returning home after her first year, that was discouraging in not meeting all
her goals, Kathryn had the strength and courage to complete her journey of receiving her
degree. She says that going to WWNI "built my confidence". It was during this time at
WWNI and taking Nisga'a culture courses that Kathryn discovered in the readings and
discussions that "It is who I am, I am Nisga'a!". Kathryn is the third generation of her family
to attend the WWNI.
Allison completed her final year of high school in the lower mainland and went
directly to UBC to obtain her Bachelor of Arts. During this time she also co-taught the first

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level of Nisga'a Language for the WWNI in the lower mainland. Allison is one of WWNI's
longstanding instructors; she also currently teaches various Nisga'a culture courses. It was
not until she moved home, after obtaining her degree and began working at the Nisga'a
Lisims Government, that she attended the WWNI to reinforce and obtain more knowledge in
Nisga'a language and Nisga'a culture. Allison further explains the importance of active
participation with the Nisga'a culture and enhancing her educational goals from a viewpoint
of both an instructor and student,
I could not teach the courses that I teach without having the knowledge of the Nisga'a
culture and I cannot have the Nisga'a knowledge of the culture without actively
participating in it. They are directly linked, the two cannot be separated. I think that is
what makes at least me, a good instructor or a sympathetic instructor is that I can
realize where people are at in their journey and I can help them find ways to help
them and that definitely comes from having the strong Nisga'a culture background.
The two are interlinked.
Allison has a strong belief in researching and learning from cultural traditions and stated that
"...half of your learning comes from just being part of the community". Allison's own sense
of identity was already well-developed when she started teaching and taking courses at
WWNI, but she was strengthened by the process of sharing the culture in the community
with the students she teaches.
Pamela had a goal and that was to complete her degree. She is a first generation
graduate, and in turn she has become stronger in her cultural identity. She is now a role
model not only to her community members but also her immediate family,
I did some papers and had to involve my Granny and a couple of my aunts and uncles
for feedback. I think also that my courses encouraged me to attend more feasts for
one and with me going to school and I was the only one in my immediate family at
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the time actually encouraged a lot of my family members to continue on with their
education. That if I could do it as well. There have been a couple of family members
in my immediate family that have decided to continue on with their education at the
same time as working and they are going through WWNI and that is great. So, I am
hoping that more of my family members can see that they could do it too.
Having students like Pamela sharing her experience with family members is common
and it is rewarding that student success can continue with WWNI students becoming leaders
by example in their communities.
Carey shared that having a family and being able to be the best example to his
children motivated him to go back to school. He said "I will start with reading to my oldest
daughter. I really had struggled with reading her this story book and that is what started
putting the bug in me to go back to school". Carey went back to school starting with
upgrading and then came to WWNI. He graduated with his Bachelor's degree and continued
with his Master of Arts degree. During this time he voiced his admiration for his family who
were pushing him while writing his thesis. "My family knew that I struggled with my writing
so they kept giving me that encouragement, my kids would say keep going dad, you are
almost done". Carey was in the writing process of his Master's program when I interviewed
him and he stated "Last night my daughter sent me an email to ask if I sent off Chapter 4 of
my thesis. She is still pushing me, it is amazing." Having family support and having those
around you cheering for you to succeed is very humbling and is a strong motivator to
complete your goals. Carey's identity as a Nisga'a man and a role model for his family were
strengthened through his success at the WWNI.

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Cultural empowerment of knowledge
When I questioned Kathryn about her experiences at the WWNI, her first response
was in reference to the Nisga'a culture,
With the cultural courses, it was really interesting to read the volumes and to be able
to line the people in some of the exercises that we had where they would ask who is
such and such a chief, who holds that chieftainship and who held it before. It really
showed the lineage. Also with our cultural duties, for example, when aunt or uncle or
cousin, who was not sure what was to happen next or why this was happening. I was
able to help and say this is why, the course content really helped with my
understanding of the culture and how it relates to our society.
In considering the theoretical perspectives of my research, an important thread was
the re-indigenation of education. As is evident in Kathryn's comments, the Nisga'a culture
courses offered at the WWNI helped her to become stronger in her cultural knowledge. This
is a form of re-indigenization of education. Furthermore, Kathryn's ability to then explain
cultural practices to her family strengthened her cultural identity, empowered her family, and
connected her to the long tradition of oral transmission of knowledge in Nisga'a culture,
particularly the role of strong women passing down their knowledge.
The cultural knowledge that is directly passed on from generation to generation is
done so from the heart and it strengthens the identity of where you are from. Allison
reminiscences that:
It would probably start off with my grandmother because in all of the Nisga'a studies
[courses] you are required to do any kind of interview or research on the culture or
the language. She was always the first one there to help me out. So, without her
knowledge half of my papers would not have been written. And then, also my
parents, just discussing or talking with them about what I was learning or teaching at
WWNI really helped bring a greater community...
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The sharing of cultural knowledge gives a solid foundation of your identity. Adding
the academic knowledge was always important in Allison's family. She commented that "It
has always been her [grandmother] biggest thing was that education was going to be your
way that you are going to succeed and if you can make something of that then you go for it
and take that opportunity". With this knowledge, Allison has demonstrated her respect for the
Nisga'a culture into her teaching style,
I teach for WWNI and I like to incorporate aspects of the philosophy and knowing
the capabilities of each and every student and just being more empathic to the
situations that we find ourselves in our daily lives. That is one way that I help to
practice the culture. Just to be open to the Nisga'a philosophy in the Nisga'a way of
education.
One comment that was repeated when interviewing Pamela was how grateful she was
to be able to gain academic knowledge and the Nisga'a cultural knowledge at the same time:
I would attend the feasts when I could and even brought my books along at feasts to
read. I was able to be within the vicinity where I wouldn't have to take time off from
school... sometimes it would even tie into my culture classes, I would go to a feast
and hand in some report that I had learned during that day or something that I became
aware of that I was not aware of with the culture. One of my teachers had all of us do
that at one feast, so we attended and were able to give a report back. It was very
accommodating to the culture as well.
Attending feasts was a learning experience and at the same time, as a guest to the
feast, you are witnessing the history of the practices of that Wilp. This direct participation
and direct observation is crucial in order to carry on the culture, because as a witness you
become a storyteller to those that were not in attendance. Pamela also indicated that
participating in feasts reflected her learning process:
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To read about it, then practice it at the same time, that is basically what I was doinglearning about our culture and where I came from because I never grew up here. So,
there is definitely a great parallel between what you read in the books and what you
actually experience in the community...To live it and to learn it at the same time and
that is one thing that sticks when you are trying to learn something. Well, for me
anyways is that to read is something, but to do it is another. You cannot get those
things out of a book.
Pamela's experience in education and being able to re-indigenize herself by fully
immersing in the community cultural practices contributes to not only Pamela's identity, but
strengthens the Nisga'a Nation's identity of who they are by continuing with their ancestral
cultural practices.
Learning a culture and participating in a culture are personal experiences that are
different for everyone, but to leam new ways of knowing is powerful. Storytelling is an
important aspect of learning. The entire story, however, is never revealed all at once, this
gives the opportunity for the listener to absorb and reflect what they have learned. Carey had
a similar experience,
Look at the bentwood box, when I was with Edward McMillan's class that first year
in the Nisga'a culture class, I met four carvers from the Nass Valley. We started
talking about bentwood boxes and that was my first project for class. They were
telling me what their grandfathers told them about bending wood. So, I studied it and
pulled up all these books about bentwood boxes and I studied and studied it and
wrote about it. When I went to go do it, my wood would not bend. I steamed the heck
out of it and it just would not bend. Just could not figure out what was missing, and it
took me about a week to figure it out. These guys would say you need to figure it out.
So, I went back and took a look at my notes, step by step and sure enough, back then,
they used seaweed to hold the steam in. I had nothing holding the steam in. So, I
grabbed a rag and threw it in the boiling water to get the steam in and hang it over the
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cedar and all of a sudden, within 20-30 minutes, you could see it starting to bow and
bend, it was the seaweed I was missing. That really helped me out, putting that
experience into writing with what were the struggles and difficulties. For that whole
week, I could not figure it out until I went back to find the missing ingredient. This is
just like they say in order to know the culture, you have to live it. There is a huge
process and if a person thinks they are going to come into a culture and figure
everything is going to be done for them, you have to do it for yourself.
Many cultural stories do not readily reveal their true meanings or lessons to be
learned. It is the reader's responsibility to process it in order to gain a deeper understanding
of what and why this story is being shared. Another way is to use metaphors to help assist
with the vision of telling a story.
The two themes that I have identified in the stories from four students have been
illustrated here with specific comments from the students. For each of them, their experience
at WWNI was important in the development of their personal identity and their cultural
competence. They became stronger Nisga'a citizens, and have been able to pass along their
knowledge to their families and to others in the community. Their education has been a
journey in decolonization and the re-indigenization of education in the Nass Valley.
Student representation
For this thesis, I chose four students who were willing open participants in sharing
their academic stories. Together, these four students are representatives of the WWNI-UNBC
alumni. Together, but in different academic terms, they unknowingly became my inspiration
and role models for my thesis. Like many students they began their journey by taking courses
as part-time students, and many of them become full-time students. This speeds their
progression of studies quickly and results in obtaining certificates and then flows on to the
Bachelor of Arts degree. This progression was like it started with a raindrop that quickly
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streamed into a tributary. It was amazing to observe. Not only did the students obtain
credentials, but at the same time, their personal growth and empowerment throughout the
process were both evident and admirable. This growth was also met with turbulences such as
obtaining and maintaining educational funding, employment, and the balance of time
management between being a student, being involved in family functions, and being able to
have a personal life with personal time for oneself.
The Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a Institute is an educational facility that enables
Nisga'a citizens not only to enhance their education but also helps them become part of the
Nisga'a Nation in learning the culture and learning the importance of who they are.
Attending WWNI benefits not only themselves and their family, but also the Nisga'a Nation
as they succeed and prosper.
This educational journey along Kalii Aksim Lisims and being part of the WWNIUNBC alumni will always connect not only Kathryn, Allison, Pamela and Carey, but also
every WWNI student, WWNI Board Member, WWNI Faculty and WWNI Staff. This canoe
has always been upright and full of passengers through their journey. "The Nass River is the
lifeblood of an uncommonly rich watershed. It ties Nisga'a villages to each other and Nisga'a
Lands to the sea. It connects the past to the future" ("Aboriginal Affairs and Northern
Development Canada", 2002).

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Chapter Seven: Conclusion and Vision for the Future
In an oral culture, the true wealth of the nation flows from one generation to the next
through the spoken word. Yuuhlimk'askw. Yuuhlimk'askw is guidance and
education. It ensures the next generation is prepared to lead when their time comes.
A central concept in Nisga'a society. It is just one way of sharing the wisdom of the
elders. (Nisga'a Nation, Province of British Columbia and Government of Canada.
2000, cover to p. 3).
I chose to write about the Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a Institute and tell the story of
Nisga'a education. This was my research, research that centred on collecting stories of four
students, and then theorizing those stories as powerful tools in a process of decolonizing and
re-indigenizing some aspects of Nisga'a education - a process that has been unfolding for
many many years, along the banks of an all-important river. Interacting with students such
as Kathryn, Allison, Pamela and Carey is what I do. I do this through my place of
employment - about which this thesis tells a story. It is rewarding to work with students,
being able to witness their growth and maturity as they gain knowledge and gain confidence.
To see the development of a student, from when (s)he first applied, through to the
transformation as s/he moves towards graduation, is an honor to witness. To witness them
finding their voice is a very empowering journey not only for them, but also for me. Working
within the public sector at the WWNI has allowed me to strengthen my communication skills
and gain trust with staff, students, instructors and extended colleagues within the Nisga'a and
UNBC community. This is a story of success and empowerment, a story of strength. I
believe there are too few of these stories for, about, and by First Nations peoples.
Many of the WWNI students are part of the first generation to attend post-secondary
education and this has influenced others in their family to attend. There are now second and

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third generations attending the WWNI. I am also the first in my family to pursue graduate
studies, and like the Nisga'a students, I hope my family members will also start with a small
step, the step of taking a course. Recently, when UNBC opened a Haida Language course in
Skidegate, I called to inform and encourage family members to attend. Like the students I
interviewed, my family and friends have been with me for the entire journey.
Based on literature and research about the importance of storytelling, by scholars like
Smith (1999), Archibald (2008) and Cruikshank (1990), the method of this thesis privileged
learning from different stories, recognizing that they are beneficial as cultural learning unto
themselves. In this thesis, I have shown how storytelling may be used to explain different
aspects of learning the Nisga'a culture. Storytelling has always reflected who the Nisga'a are
and how the Nisga'a culture has adapted to today's society. This thesis was a way of reindigenizing myself; it will also flow out to those who are part of this story, those who will
read it. Not only is this thesis a vessel that brings the stories of experiences and awareness
about the use of storytelling, but it is a work that reinforces the importance of participating
directly in one's culture, which is embedded as a method of storytelling in itself.
My research demonstrates that storytelling and re-indigenization can be a foundation
of learning and maintaining the Nisga'a culture. The WWNI central courses focus on the
Nisga'a language and Nisga'a culture, both of which contribute to future knowledge holders
and leadership in the Nisga'a Nation. The WWNI is small in comparison to the main UNBC
Prince George campus, but it is a place that has many sources of knowledge holders that are
directly linked back to the use of storytelling as a method of learning.
In writing this thesis, I have learned to treasure stories I have been told over the years,
from many different people that took the time to share an important part of who they are.

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Through storytelling, they have shared their knowledge of stories they have known from past
and current generations. All of these stories are culturally related. They span generations
and will continue to flow into the next generation through of storytelling and the growing
literature. Stories are mainly told to reflect current events or specific time periods that shape
our culture today. Storytelling is an important part of learning and understanding cultures
since there will always be storytellers and stories to be told. These stories told, shape our
worldviews and our identity within society. The stories of Kathryn, Allison, Pamela and
Carey will always be important, as we are all intertwined in each other's stories of academic
success and with this have gained a wider view of cultural learning and identity.
I note that there are two areas for future analysis. One would be to study a larger
population, since I had only interviewed four students. But this was intentional on my part,
to reflect the four Nisga'a communities and four Nisga'a tribes. It is a small sample of only
four students, but it is relative to the size of the WWNI and in my opinion these students
sincerely epitomize the WWNI student body.
Secondly, in my thesis, there has been a great deal of Nisga’a literature used. This
could be seen as a negative since they are not directly considered "formal research" literature.
But when used for this purpose of storytelling, and when these stories told are from one
generation to the next, this method of transmitting knowledge cannot be trivialized - although
many of the stories I used were indeed written down, they nevertheless are transcripts and
records of stories, reflective of a rich oral culture. The Nisga’a literature used reflects a
specific local area, the Nisga'a Nation, and each story belongs to a specific cultural clan.
These publications are printed for the purpose of bringing forth who the Nisga'a
people are and where they are from. The information contained in these publications is

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mainly from interviews conducted within the Nisga'a Nation. Early in the thesis, I make the
point that stories are also shared at Nisga'a feasts. This place specific mode of storytelling in
large groups (or directly one on one), illustrates a transferring of knowledge and a witnessing
of events that occur for the purpose of the feast. Witnessing a story being told has many
characteristics, such as the tone used, facial expressions, the control of voice level and body
movements to depict actions. This cannot be replaced by written literature. This might be a
weakness of this thesis. It is a written document. But at the same time, there are many
people who can hear the same story, but may have different interpretations of what was said.
This is why the storytelling of yuuhlimk'askw is important:
We need more education in all fields. I'd like to see them take the younger
generation to the (government) meetings and record what they're doing. It's called
yuuhlimk'askw, educating the nephews. That way, by the time the chief is gone, the
nephews will know. Yuuhlimk'askw. It's a good example from our culture. It's our
way. (the late Charles Alexander, "n.d", p.28).
I have learnt that each of us are always learning and all of us have a storyteller within
us. Storytelling is and will always be observed in First Nations cultures, as it is imbedded in
the cultural practices of restating the history of who we were and how we progressed to our
current society. In my opinion, each individual we encounter, as brief as it may be, has a
direct effect on who we are. We continuously share a part of our self through verbal and
non-verbal communication and at the same time leave an invisible imprint on others we meet
on a daily basis. This is why I enjoy my position with the WWNI - this is a place of learning
and empowerment that gives a foundation of knowledge to each student wherever the
journey leads them along the river. As the WWNI Student Support and Registration
Administrator, I have witnessed and hopefully left a lasting positive imprint on many

102

students as they proceeded on their post-secondary educational journey and continue to cross
paths as they stream into professions within the Nisga’a Nation as they take their place as
leaders for the next generation. It is exciting to reflect that WWNI assisted so many students
in all level of fields in leadership within Health, Education, and Governance... It is
humbling to think how this small campus has changed lives with education. The WWNI has
fulfilled those visions of our past leaders for Nisga'a education along the K'alii Aksim
Lisims.
One of the main purposes of gaining Nisga'a control over Nisga'a education has been
to bring Nisga'a language and Nisga'a culture into the academic field, so that it is introduced
at an academic level and can also be used in the home. This is a resonance that "Education is
a total way of life" (McKay and McKay, 1987, p. 64). The WWNI has successfully
delivered courses with both components of oral literature and written literature. Using both
styles of learning has taught the students the importance of recording important events and
also the knowledge of the protocols to carry out current and future cultural events.
This thesis is also a gentle reminder of how far the Nisga'a Nation has come in the
field of education. Nisga'a publications and important historical dates were used in this
thesis to show how re-indigenization occurs through storytelling and that educating oneself
of these important events will continue to help the Nisga'a Nation flourish. Storytelling and
re-indigenizing are customs of the Nisga'a culture to carry forth the cultural history. This
mode of communicating has all the components that exemplify the Nisga'a culture. In the
Nisga'a culture there are stories that reflect everyday aspects of life. As with the storytelling,
the land and K'alii Aksim Lisims are tightly woven and consistently reflect the Nisga'a

103

Nation. K'alii Aksim Lisims is parallel to the culture, as it is in the peipetual flow of moving
forward. Its presence is always there.

104

Glossary
Key:

Haida words (H)
Nisga'a words (N)

Adaawak - A story/legend/history (N)
Lisims - The Nass River (N)
Ganada - The Raven tribe(N)
Gingolx/Kincolith - Place of skulls(N)
Gisk'aast - The Killer whale tribe(N)
Gitlaxt'aamiks/New Aiyansh - Place of the Pond(N)
Gitwinksihlkw - Place of the Lizards(N)
Hawahlkw - Something forbidden, a bad omen (N)
Hlguu Ksim Ganaaw - Small Lady Frog(N)
Howaa - Thank you(H)
Huwilp - pi. of wilp(N)
Jaada Gaawjuu - Little one(H)
K'aats - To be married/going with a person of the same tribe(N)
K'alii Aksim Lisims - The Nass River(N)
Ksim Xsaan - (N)
Laxgalts'ap/Greenville - Place on ancient village (N)
Laxgibuu - The Wolf tribe(N)
Laxsgiik - The Eagle tribe(N)
Nanaay - Grandmother(H)
Nisgha - Old spelling of Nisga'a

105

Pdeek - Tribe (N)
Simgigat - PI. of sim’oogit(N)
Sim’oogit - a Chief, one of the highest ranking men in the family(N)
Wahlin - Old, Ancient, antique, former(N)
Wii - Big/Great (N)
Wilp - House(N)
Wilp Wilxo’oskwhl Nisga’a - House of Wisdom(N)
Xk'ayhl - to give a gift(N)
Yuuhlimkaskw - to give advice (in general), advice given (N)

106

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Education Convention Delegates.

I ll

Appendix Al: Nisga'a Publications
School District No. 92 (Nisgha), [Nisga'a]
•

Am'ugithl Nisga'a - Nisga'a Clothing, 1981

•

Wil Wildigtkwhl Nisga'a - Nisga'a in Combat, 1981

•

Lip Hli Gandaxgathl Nisga'a - The People of Kamligihahlhaahl, 1981

•

Wila Niinikskwhl Nisga'a - Nishga Marriage, 1982

•

Hariiimagoonisgum Algaxhl Nisga'a, Nisga'a Phrase Dictionary, 1986

•

From Time Before Memory, 1996

Nisga’a Tribal Council, now Nisga'a Lisims Government
•

Nisga'a - People of the Nass River, 1993

•

Nisga'a Origins, Volume I, 1995

•

Nisga'a Clan Histories, Volume II, 1995

•

Nisga'a Society, Volume III, 1995

•

Land and Resources - Traditional Nisga'a Systems of Land Use and Ownership,
Volume IV, 1995

•

Lock, Stock and Barrel, no date

•

Anhluut'ukwsim Sawinskhl Nisga'a, Nisga'a Feast Procedures and Protocols, 2008

Wilp Wilxo’oskwhl Nisga'a Institute
•

Nass River Texts - Kincolith 1894,1995

•

The Nass River Anadramous Fisheries in Nisga'a Culture and History:
Part 1, Summer and Fall Salmon, 1996
Part 2, Oolachan and the Early Salmon, 1996

•

Post-Contact Pressures, Nisga'a Initiatives and Culture Change, 1997

•

Nisga'a Spirituality, 2000
Haniimagoonisgum Algaxhl Nisga'a - Nisga'a Dictionary, 2001

112

Appendix Bl: Nisga'a Education Timeline and other important Nisga'a dates
1860's

Government of British Columbia established reserves in the Nass Valley

1887

First Nisga'a Chiefs Delegation went to Victoria

1890

First Nisga'a Land Committee established

1900's

Church "Missionary - Teacher" Schools

1913

Nisga'a Petition was processed to the Queen by the Nisga'a Land Committee

Mid 1920's

Residential Schools

Mid 1930's

Missionary Rim Schools

Early 1940's Department of Indian Affairs School
1945

Boarding Program

1946

First Nisga'a enter High School in Prince Rupert

1949

Nisga'a Chief Frank Calder was elected and became the first Aboriginal
Member of the British Columbia Legislative where he served until 1979.

Late 1950's

‘Indian Day School
•Three Nisga'a British Columbia certified trained teachers returned to the Nass
•Master Tuition Agreement
•Department of Indian Affairs started to use the British Columbia School
Curriculum

1955

Nisga'a Land Committee is re-established as the Nisga'a Tribal Council

1957

(late) Dr. Frank Calder, Wii Lisims
First Nisga'a President until 1973

Early 1960's

Residential Schools Discontinued

1969

Gitwinksihlkw Suspension Bridge completed

1973

(late) James S. Gosnell, Wahlin Sim'oogit Hleek
Nisga'a President until 1988

January 1, 1975 Nisga'a Elementary Secondary School opened in New Aiyansh
1975

Laxealts'ap Elementary School opened in Greenville

January 12, 1976

Nisga'a Declaration
113

1976

Nathan Barton Elementary School opened in Kincolith

November 1, 1977

"Unity Pole", first totem pole in the Nass Valley in over 100 years

1984

William David McKay Bridge opens to Greenville

1988

(late) Alvin A. McKay, Wahlin Sim'oogit Daaxheet
Nisga'a President until 1993

1989

First totem pole raised in Greenville in over 100 years

September 11, 1989 Canyon City officially changed back to traditional name,
Gitwinksihlkw
1993

Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a, Nisga'a University was incorporated under
Societies Act of British Columbia and governed by an interim Board of
Directors appointed by Nisga'a Tribal Council

1993

Dr. Joseph Gosnell Sr., Sim'oogit Hleek
Nisga'a President until 2004

1994

Gitwinksihlkw Elementary School opened in Gitwinksihlkw

1994

Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a opens for first intake of university students

1995

"Education Pole" raised in front of Gitwinksihlkw Elementary School

October 16, 1995

Gitwinksihlkw Single Lane Car Bridge opened

March 22,1996
Nisga'a Nation signed Agreement in Principle with Provincial and
Federal Governments in New Aiyansh (initialized on February 12, 1996)
1997

Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a First Bachelor of Arts: Nisga'a Degree

May 11, 2000 Nisga'a Treaty effective date
2002

Road construction completed between Greenville and Kincolith

2004

(late) Nelson Leeson, Wahlin Simoogit Axhlaawaals
Nisga'a President until 2009

November 2009
2010

Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a Institute relocated from New Aiyansh to
Gitwinksihlkw

H. Mitchell Stevens, Simoogit K’aw 'een
Nisga'a President to present
114

May 11, 2011 Hli Goothl Wilp-Adokshl Nisga'a, The Nisga'a Museum opened
June 3, 2014 University of Northern British Columbia and Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a
renewed their Agreement of Federation until 2024.
sources:

Nisga'a Lisims Government Website - Timeline
From Time Before Memory
Nisga'a - People o f the Nass River
History o f Education in the Nass and Events Leading up to the Creation o f
School District No. 92 (Nisga'a).

115

Appendix Cl: Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a Institute Graduates (1994 - 2013)
1997
WW NI/UNBC Bachelor o f Arts: First Nations Studies: Nisga'a
W W NI/UNBC Education Diploma in First Nations Language &
Culture

1998

1

1999

2000

2001

4

2

6

2002

2003

2004

2005

1

5

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

7

5

2

1

1

2012

3

1

W W NI/UNBC Nisga'a Studies Certificate

2

12

W W NI/UNBC General First Nations Studies Certificate

1

6

W W NI/UNBC Honorary Nisga'a Studies Certificate

1

3

4

6

8

3

2

4

2

3

8

6

4

1

2

1

1

2

1

1

4

3
1

2

1

WWNI/UNBC Nisga'a Language Certificate

1

3

WW NI/UNBC Honorary Doctorate
WWNI/UNBC: Continuing Studies-Mental Health and Addictions
Certificate

1
1

2

NWCC: Office Assistant Certificate

S

NWCC. Career and College Preparation Completions

S

NWCC: Adult Basic Fundamentals Certificate

1

6

2

1

10

2

1

2

NWCC: Carpentry Entry Level Certificate

11

NWCC: Carpentry Level II

9

NWCC: Employment Skills Access Program

4

NWCC: Home Support/Resident Care Assistant Certificates

16

5

NWCC: Interdisciplinary (INTA) Participants
NWCC: Certificate in Home Support
NWCC: Course Work Completed for Home Support/Resident Care
Attendant

12

15

13

2

1
1

NWCC: Plumbing Level 1

6

NWCC: Electrical Level 1

7

NWCC: Residential Building Maintenance Program Certificate

11

NWCC: Special Education Assistant
JIBC: Aboriginal Leadership Certificate Program

4

JIBC: Emergency Medical Responder Certificate

3

SFU: Certificate in Professional Development

1

N V IT : Office Administration Certificate

6

N V IT : Office Administration Certificate Participants

1

Transitions to Employment Certificate, Nass Valley
Total

2013

9
18

9

25

5

116

25

20

7

12

21

20

36

25

7

38

26

11

18

Appendix Dl: Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a Institute Board of Directors (1994 - 2014)

Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a Board of Directors
Current Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a Board of Directors: June 2014
Honorary Director, Dr. Joseph Gosnell, C.C., Hon L.L.D., O.B.C., since 2005
Arthur Azak, B.Ed, Retired RCMP Sergeant, Chair, since 2010
Stephen Azak, Retired Red Seal Welder, Vice-Chair, since 2009
Desmond P. Barton, Director, Founding member
Tracy Tait, Director, since 2013
Andrew Robinson, MA, Director, since 2013
Past Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga’a Board Chairs
John (Ian) MacKenzie
(late) Dr. Jacob McKay
Past WWNI Board of Directors:
Irene Seguin
Peter Cross, MA
Audrey McKay
Moses McKay
Lorene Plante
Rosalee Vickers
Herbert Morven
Clifford Azak
Phyllis Adams
Kathleen Clayton
David Griffin, M.Ed
Sally Nyce, MA
Floydd Percival
Alvin Azak, MBA

117

Appendix E l: Wilp Wilxo’oskwhl Nisga'a Institute Faculty (1994 - 2014)
Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a Faculty from Fall 1994 - W inter 2014
(late) Alvin McKay, M. Ed
(late) Dr. Bert McKay
Deanna Nyce, PhD
Candidate
Rosie Robinson
Verna Williams,
Audrey McKay
Professor Emeritus
Dr. Margaret Anderson,
Dianna Rai
Peggy Venn
Professor Emeritus
Dr. Emmon Bach
Allison Nyce, MA
Rosalee Vickers
Dr. Ted Altar
Irene Seguin
Edward McMillan
Dr. Kim Hansen
(late) Raymond Gonu, BA
(late) Peter Nyce, M.Ed
Dr. Marie-Lucie Tarpent
Maurice Squires, M.SW
John Corsiglia, MA
Dr. Mary Ellen Kelm
Shirley Morven, M.Ed
Thomas Weegar, M.E.S
Dr. Marian Scholtmiejer
Heather Young-Leslie
Larissa Tarwick
Dr. Issac Sobol
David Griffin Jr., M.Ed
Harry Nyce Jr., MBA
(late) Dr. James McDonald
Linda Zimmerling, M.Sc
Todd Zimmerling, M.Sc
Dr. Randolph Radney
Mitch Verde, PhD Candidate Edward Allen, BA, LL.B
Dr. Leslie King
Carla Glen, MA
Nancy Alexander, M.Sc
Dr. Paula Sampson
Carey Stewart, MA
Derrick Reeves, BA,
MA Candidate
Dr. David Suzuki
Vanessa Morgan, MA
Corrine McKay, MBA
Dr. Tara Cullis
Dean Chandler, MA
Sharon Alexcee, BA
Dr. Sheree Ronassen
Rick Swift, MA
Peter Cross, MA
Dr. Nancy Turner
Gregg Wischaruck, BA
Alvin Azak, MBA
Dr. Nancy MacKin
Angeline Nyce, RPF, LL.P
Chris Jackson, B.Ed, B.Sc
Dr. Antonia Mills
Julia Adams, BA,
Doreen Adams, BMath
MA Candidate
Dr. Jean Barman
Wanda Thompson
Dr. Carla Burton
Dr. Greg Poelzer
Thomas Weegar, MES
UNBC Instructors, Audio conference courses from other UNBC campuses to WWNI
Dr. Greg Lainsbury
Dr. Steven Roe

Dr. Vim Kok
Dr. Rene Gadacz

118

Dr. Jon Swainger
Dr. Mark Roberts

Appendix FI: Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a Institute Staff (1994 - 2014)
Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a Employees from 1992 to present (December 2014)
CURRENT Staff to December 2014
Deanna Nyce, B.Ed, PhD. Candidate, President/Chief Executive Officer August 1992 to present
Kathryn Kervel, BA, Executive Secretary
August 2007 to present
Lori Nyce, BA, Student Support and Registration Administrator
November 1994 to present
Irene Seguin, Nisga'a Language Instructor
July 2010 to present
Raylene Chapman, CMA, Chief Financial Officer
September 2011 to present
Angela Percival, B.Comm, Accounting Clerk
July 2012 to present
Mitch Verde, PhD Candidate, Vocational Technical Coordinator
October to present
June 2011 to present
Allison Nyce, BA, MA, Funds Development Officer
January 2014 to present
Denise Azak, Receptionist
July 2013 to present
Martha Azak, Janitor
PAST Staff Members
Nisga'a Language Instructor, Full-Time
Verna Williams, Professor Emerita
Nisga'a Language Instructor and Curriculum Facilitator
Dianna Rai
Acting Director Nisga'a Language and Culture/Nisga'a Culture Instructor
(late) Dr. Bertram McKay
Curriculum Consultant
John Corsiglia, MA
Linguist Consultant
Dr. Marie Lucie-Tarpent
Legal Consultant
Edward Allen, BA, L.L.B
Financial Consultant
(late) Oalf Welde, Financial Consultant
Amanda Welton, Bursar
Finance
Orest Wakaruk, CMA, Bursar
Marilyn Tait, Bookkeeper
Bonita Young-Mercer, Finance Manger
Marilyn Davis, Bookkeeper
Douglas Smith, CMA, Bursar
Darrell Roze, MBA, Bursar
Interim Chief Executive Officer
David Griffin Jr., M.Ed
Executive Secretary
Linda Morven Adams-Tait, BA, MA Candidate
Hazel Nyce, BA, Interim
Student Support and Registration Administrator
Hazel Nyce, BA, Interim
Shannon Nyce, BA, Interim
119

Vocational-Technical Coordinator
Thomas Weegar, MES, Acting
Mitch Verde, PhD Candidate
Connie LaRochelle, BNRSc
Shona Taner, MA, Acting
Corrine McKay, MBA, Interim
Edward Clayton, B.Comm
Career and College Preparation
Lois Miller
Derrick Reeves, BA, MA Candidate
Deidre Albright, B.Ed
Library Clerk
Shannon Nyce, BA
Receptionist
Christina Percival
Stephanie Azak
Janitor
Pansy Haizimsque
Jackie Nyce

Theodore Gosnell, MBA
Linda Morven Adams-Tait, BA,
MA Candidate
Maryann Adams, BA
Patricia Squire, BSW, Interim
Sally Nyce, BA, Interim

120