Language & Culture

The values listed were intended to match those identified by our Sul'eluhw and then to assist the reader to add a bibliography for additional learning. This paper may be useful for any program writers/managers who are interested in identifying specific skills of Sul'eluhw.   Submitted by William White.

Thunderbirds, Thunder-beings, Thunder-voices: The Application of Traditional Knowledge and Children's Rights in Support ofAboriginal Childrens Education.  Philip Cook and W. White The American Review of Canadian Studies. Aboriginal Peoples Special Issue.

Volume 31, Numbers 1 & 2, Spring and Summer 2001 pp. 331-347

William White is a Snuneymuxw member living in Duncan. He was Aboriginal Liaison Officer with the University of Victoria until his retirement in 2006.

"Today, young people are not as lucky as baby boomers who likely heard their Sul'eluhw/Elders tell stories from their own childhood.  Then Snuneymuxw Sul'eluhw used to speak about growing up, in this case, in the main winter village called St.'etl'iinep and when families threw nobility blankets called Swuqwalh to guests gathered for a potlatch.  This short article connects a number of these elements all at a Snuneymuxw family's' gathering in 1880." - W. White and A. Cienksi

"The traditions, values and strengths the old people have always spoken about are as old as many of our cleansing rites.   This short article speaks about a family heading over to Lulu Island around 1863 and identifies in Halkomelem many of our very old traditions such as working together, being strong, etc." - Wm. A. White and Andrew Cienski

"In 1974 the National Indian Brotherhood's policy paper "Indian Control of Indian Education" called for improved training of teachers. In our experience, this should occur in two major areas. First, improved and innovative course offerings which equip teachers who work in the Coast Salish area with an understanding of our values and cultural strengths. Second, for those teachers in the system, longer-term professional development training might be considered. The attached report is a good example of (a) calling on speakers from within the Coast Salish region who can identify positve ways of working with our children. Finally, teachers comments may help Education Co-Ordinators who are planning workshops." - William White.

W. White was the Co-Ordinator of Indian Education for S.D. #63 from 1974 to 1982 and served for 13 years as the Aboriginal Liaison Officer at the University of Victoria, 1993-2006.