Videos
Hudson Webster
Our people were very spiritual people. They prayed before they did anything. When they went sperm whale hunting for example, our people would prepare for that hunt with prayer and ceremony. These whales were the main source of dietary food. When a whale was caught and brought home to the people, before distribution and feasting, there was a chant to give thanks. The people were very excited as they knew that they would be fed and not go hungry. The following video clip is an example of the power of spirituality and the power of belief.
If you are unable to provide for yourself it is said that the Creator will look after you but one must pray and believe and good things will happen for you.
Your spiritual self is also connected to where you come from and this is very important to know. We go by the bases of the roots from our parents and grandparents. We have to hand this down to our children and grandchildren as kinship is a very important part of who we are as Nuu-chah-nulth people. It is a great responsibility to be the leader in a house, a leader of a family and to know your role within your community. Understanding your role within your community starts when you are young. For example, my father learned songs from his father and grandfather on both sides of the family. It was very important to have songs when you traveled to different nations and to share those songs with the people to demonstrate who you are and where you come from and as a way of giving thanks for being apart of the feast. Singing songs with great pride and clarity was a teaching that my father gave to me and these teachings were handed down from his father.
It is important to have good feelings within you as a human being and to be a good role model for your family and nation. This is what I would like to see.
