Aug 25 2025: BC Adventure - A deeper understanding

We had a chance to explore Port Hardy with BLAM. A lovely walk to water, along the shore and through town. 

Blaine made new friends on the pier. Fisherman and former Chef Jim. 

The shoreline had many treasures. 

And our first bald eagle sighting. We were very very excited (we didn't know how plentiful they were!).

The others arrived, our party now complete. Our first day guide, Davis, met us in the hotel lobby and, in his gentle manner, told us about the significance of the hotel and the art, including the beautiful copper engraving. This piece is 18 feet wide and depicts the history and the legends of the Gwa'sala Nakwakda'xw people. 

Artist Shain Jackson. 

This was our introduction to the deep cultural history, and cultural devastation that the First Nations people have suffered here. There is so much to learn, and there has been so much lost. But the people are strong and the community works so very hard to heal.

Davis took us to a special bay, where we gathered to learn more history of the land and the people. 

Our next stop was to visit the reserve.

The small parcel of land provided when they were displaced from the mainland in Blunden Bay and Seymour Inlet.  In 1964, 97 came. To find 4 houses, and not much more. They have overcome so many barriers and created a strong community. 

We had a tour of the school, including the cultural classrooms to celebrate music, song, dance and language. 

We even got to experience the newly created outdoor classroom. 

The magical moment of the day was when we were invited into the Big House. This sacred place has such deep meaning. This is where the potlach takes place. A POTLACH is a traditional ceremonial feast, and is a place where the stories and songs and music of the Indigenous Peoples of the Northwest Coast are shared and learned. The celebrations include births (the 10 Moon naming ceremony for new babies), deaths and other celebratory events. 

The Canadian government banned Potlachs in 1921, effectively making the passing on of tradition impossible. Thankfully some kept traditions alive through underground Potlachs. It was not until 1951 that the government made them legal again, and the first revived potlach took place in 1953. 

This Big House we visited has not yet officially opened, but already contains the sand dance floor, with sand imported from the original land of these people, and totems erected, for each corner of the room, with significance in every carver's knife stroke and every painters brush stroke. 

It was truly breathtaking. 

Walking into this Big House is a moment I will always keep in my heart. Breathtakingly beautiful. 

Back at the hotel, Davis joined us for our welcome dinner and listened to us and shared more of his stories. A gentle giant, a cultural hero, and lovely human.