Shishálh Nation

10/09/2025

A Message for Self-Government Day from lhe hiwus yalxwemult Lenora Joe

Today, we proudly recognize the 39th anniversary of the shíshálh Nation Self-Government Agreement, one of the first of its kind in Canada, and a powerful affirmation of our inherent right to govern ourselves according to our values, teachings, and laws. On this day, we honour the strength and vision of our past hereditary hiwus and hihewhiwus who worked tirelessly to reclaim what was always ours: the right to shape our own future.

Self-government is not only a milestone in our history, it is a living responsibility. It means making decisions rooted in our culture, protecting our lands and waters, and ensuring the well-being of our people for generations to come. Each of us has a role to play. Whether it’s voting in elections, attending community meetings, learning about our constitution, or passing on our history to youth, these are all acts that carry our governance forward. We must continue to engage, participate, and support each other as proud members of this Nation.

As we celebrate this important day, let us give thanks to those who came before us and recognize the work still ahead. Together, we carry their legacy with pride and humility. On behalf of our Council and the hihewhiwus, we wish everyone a meaningful and joyful 39th Self-Government Day.

?ulnumsh chalap
lhe hiwus yalxwemult
Chief Lenora Joe
shíshálh Nation

09/30/2025

Our hands go up in gratitude to everyone who joined us today on the swiya of the shíshálh Nation in ch’atlich for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Your support and presence honour the Survivors of residential schools, the children who never made it home, and their families. By gathering, listening, and walking together, we continue the hard but necessary journey of truth, healing, and reconciliation.

This work does not end today. Reconciliation is a daily responsibility, one rooted in truth, respect, and action.

ʔulnumshchalap

09/30/2025

?iy te kwiy kwiy, (Good morning)

September 30 marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a day for all Canadians to reflect on the history and legacy of residential schools. For the shíshálh Nation, this is not distant history, it is lived experience. St. Augustine’s Indian Residential School stood in our community for more than 70 years, and its impacts are still felt by our survivors, families, and children today.

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is not a holiday. It is a call to action. A call to remember the children who never made it home. A call to listen to the voices of survivors. A call to confront the truths that were ignored or denied for far too long.

Last month, our Nation confirmed an additional 41 unmarked graves at the site of St. Augustine’s, bringing the total number to 81. These findings are painful, but they affirm what our Elders and survivors have always known. As difficult as these truths are, facing them is the only way we can move toward reconciliation.

Reconciliation, however, must be more than a word. It must be a practice. It requires governments to honour their promises, schools to teach the full history, and individuals to make the choice to learn, to listen, and to act. Wearing an orange shirt is meaningful, but it is only the first step.

On National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, I ask all Canadians, and especially our neighbours here on the Sunshine Coast, to take time for learning and reflection. Read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action. Talk with your children about what residential schools were and why they matter today. Attend community events when invited and do so with respect and openness.

Most importantly, carry this work beyond September 30. The children we honour deserve more than one day of remembrance. Survivors deserve more than symbolic gestures. And future generations deserve to grow up in a Canada that has fully embraced the truth and is committed to lasting reconciliation.

Despite the deep wounds left by St. Augustine’s, our shíshálh people persevere. We continue to practice our culture, teach our language, and guide our youth with the wisdom of our Elders. Our resilience is a reminder that reconciliation is not only about dealing with loss, but also about honouring the strength and vibrancy of Indigenous Nations today.

On September 30, I ask you to stand with us. Remember the children. Honour the survivors. Learn the truth. And walk with us on the path of reconciliation, not just for a day, but for a lifetime.

lhe hiwus yalxwemult
Chief Lenora Joe
shíshálh Nation

09/25/2025

Orange Shirt Day / National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is fast approaching. Join us on September 30th for a commemoration ceremony, walk for reconciliation, and a community feast. Details below.

09/23/2025

Honour Orange Shirt Day / National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and support our Elders with the new 2025 t-shirt, featuring designs by shishalh artists Manuela Salinas and Everett August.

T-shirts are $30 each (cash only) for non Nation members, and all proceeds go directly to Elders for wellness supports, activities, and events.

Pick up your shirt in person at the tems swiya Museum starting 8:30 am Thursday, September 25.

Reserve your size by calling: 604-740-5600 Ext: 298, 778-726-3145, or 778-561-4389.

Limited quantities available.

09/18/2025

shíshálh Nation is proud to announce the two designs selected for this year’s Orange Shirt Day 2025. While our original plan was to choose a single design, we felt the strength and meaning in both submissions deserved to be honoured.

Design One: “Spirit Hands”
Artist: Manuela Salinas

Manuela’s design features spirit hands forming a heart shape around a white butterfly.

• The hands symbolize ancestors and their connection to the spirit world, surrounding the butterfly with protection and healing.

• The white butterfly symbolizes hope and new beginnings.

Together, the hands and butterfly highlight the presence of our ancestors watching over us as the shíshálh community continues to rise, heal, and move forward in strength.

Design Two: “Honouring Memory – Embracing Healing – Walking Together”
Artist: Everett August

Everett’s design is a visual representation of the intergenerational impacts of Residential Schools and the resilience of Indigenous communities in their ongoing healing journey.

This “two-world” design is split into two halves:

• Left Side: Represents the traumatic past of Residential Schools. Children walking in shadow symbolize stolen children, lost lives, and the deep pain that continues through generations. Fallen feathers and broken movement reflect grief and loss of hope.

• Right Side: Portrays healing, hope, and resurgence. A rising sun behind the cedar tree symbolizes cultural restoration. An Elder holding a child’s hand represents strength, love, and guidance. Upward-facing feathers embody protection and the regeneration of First Peoples’ culture.

This artwork is a call to action: to remember our past, confront systemic injustice, and ensure every child is treated with dignity, safety, and respect.

We are proud of both of our Nation artists for sharing their vision, creativity, and heart with our community.

08/15/2025

shíshálh Nation is saddened by the findings of an additional 41 unmarked graves identified by archaeologists, bringing the community total to 81.

In 2023, shíshálh Nation announced the first results of the ground-penetrating radar (GPR) scans within the areas in and around the former St. Augustine’s Residential School grounds.

“We are deeply saddened, but these numbers are not a surprise to us. We have always believed our Elders. This wasn’t a school, it wasn’t a choice, and the children who attended were stolen,” said Chief Lenora Joe. “We didn’t need the GPR to prove this happened; we always had enough proof to know.”

At this time, we are asking for space and privacy as we take care of our community.

Read our full news release on our website or the comments.

07/30/2025

IMPORTANT UPDATE
BC BULLETIN # 06

A large earthquake has occurred in the Pacific Basin near Kamchatka, Russia. The National Tsunami Warning Center has issued a cancellation for all watch, advisory and warning notices for coastal British Columbia that were issued for this event.

No zones of coastal British Columbia are at risk. Repeat, no zones of coastal British Columbia are at risk.

The Province will be standing down its operations centres.

This is the final bulletin that will be issued for this event.

🌊 TSUNAMI ADVISORY UPDATE – PLEASE READ
Notice to community members:
We want to update you on the Tsunami Advisory currently in effect for parts of British Columbia. Please be assured that **our area is located in Zone E, and at this time, the advisory does NOT apply to our zone.
That said, out of an abundance of caution, we are asking everyone to stay off the beaches and out of the water until more information becomes available and the advisory is lifted province-wide.
Staff are actively monitoring official updates from Emergency Management BC and will share any changes as they come in.
Thank you for your cooperation and care for one another.
Sending thoughts and prayers to our neighbouring Nations who may be impacted.
You can find more information in the link below.

Tsunami - A magnitude 8.8 earthquake has occurred 80 miles (136 km) SE of Petropavlovsk, Kamchatka, Russia. A Tsunami Advisory is in effect for B.C. Tsunami Notification Zones A, B, C and D. This includes Haida Gwaii, the north and central coast, and the northeast and outer west coast of Vancouver I...

07/17/2025

July 16, 2025 – chátlich (Sechelt), BC — shíshálh Nation is saddened by the death of the mayukw (grizzly bear) recently found on spilḵsen (Texada Island).

Over the past weeks, we had been in communication with the Province and other partners regarding potential relocation efforts that could have safely returned the bear to Xwémalhkwu (Homalco territory). Though the outcome is not what we had hoped for, we remain committed to respectful, coordinated approaches to human–wildlife interactions.

As stewards of these lands and waters, shíshálh Nation holds a deep responsibility to care for all beings that live here. This incident is a stark reminder of the need for early planning, open communication, and shared responsibility when wildlife moves through or settles in populated areas.

We will continue working alongside other First Nations, government agencies, and local communities to improve how these situations are handled, centering safety, respect for wildlife, and the shared values that connect us to the lands we call home.

ʔulnumshchalap

07/04/2025

Basket Returns Home to the shíshálh Nation

The tems swiya Museum is honoured to accept a wonderful contribution to our collection: a beautifully crafted basket, recently donated by Michelle Bruce.

This basket holds not only the intricate skill of shíshálh weaver, Mary Jane Jackson, but also a personal and cultural story. It was purchased in Gibsons in the late 1950s by Colleen Bruce, Michelle’s mother-in-law, from Mary Jane, a shíshálh matriarch known for her basketry. For decades, the basket was carefully stored in a cedar chest, preserved with care and respect by the Bruce family.

Now, more than 65 years later, it has returned home.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Michelle Bruce for this generous donation. Her decision to bring the basket back to the Nation ensures that the artistry and legacy of Mary Jane Jackson can be shared with community members, visitors, and future generations.

?ul nu msh chxw, Michelle and the Bruce family.

06/21/2025

ʔiy te kwiy kwiy (Good morning), as we celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day.

Today, we honour the rich culture and history of our shíshálh Nation and our beautiful swiya (birthplace, land, "territory"). From the stunning landscapes of ch'átlich (Sechelt) to the vibrant traditions and language of she shashishalhem, shíshálh people continue to inspire with resilience and wisdom.

We celebrate the teachings of our (s-)tl'éxtl'áx-mín (Elders) and the determination of our youth. We celebrate our s-yíyaya (families), our knowledge systems, and the work we do every day to uphold the laws and values of our shíshálh people. Every step we take, whether through ceremony, education, or community-building, is a continuation of the path our ancestors laid for us.

Let us come together in gratitude and respect for all Indigenous Peoples, acknowledging their connection to the land and the deep cultural heritage they share with us all.

ʔulnumshchalap (Thank you all)

06/18/2025

shíshálh Nation Acknowledges Historic Heritage Act Ruling, Reaffirms Commitment to Land, Justice, and Future Generations

shíshálh Nation acknowledges the recent ruling under the Heritage Conservation Act (HCA), which confirmed the unlawful disturbance of a sacred site, xwuxwkwiwan, within our swiya. Delivered in the heart of our swiya, this decision is a historic moment: the first ruling of its kind, and the first ever heard and hosted within our longhouse.