When I heard about the Royals visiting Bella Bella on Sept. 26, I was very excited. I grew up in Bella Coola, which is on the mainland east of Campbell Island where Bella Bella is located. In Bella Coola I lived among the Nuxalk Nation and was fortunate to learn from them and make cherished friends. During that time I also began to truly understand the devastation caused by European settlers to all First Nations of Canada, and how they are still working to recover their lost culture and have a voice in society. As happy as I am that the Queen’s University conservation program is protecting the Great Bear Rainforest from industrial logging, I am sorely disappointed in how little the people of Bella Bella were talked about, especially because the Heiltsuk First Nations make up the vast majority of Bella Bella’s population. This would’ve been a perfect opportunity to raise awareness of the beautiful culture of the Heiltsuk peoples and how different their life is now compared to before. While I think the Royal’s visit was a good first step, we still have a long way to go in admitting wrongs, making reparations, and moving forward to a better society.
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