March 10, 2021 - Virtual Scavenger Hunt in honour of International Woman's Day. The theme of the scavenger hunt is to find something in your house or outside your house that reminds you of an inspirational woman in your life. Drop in using this link: https://bluejeans.com/854137287

March 17, 2021 - Family Language Painting from 11:30 a.m- 1:30 p.m. Paint pictures with your child(ren) to match traditional Tsimshian, Gitxsan, Witsuwiten or Nisga'a words. Register with FNAC@coastmountaincollege.ca by March 11, 2021 to receive a painting kit and Bluejeans link. Limited seats available. It's St. Patrick's Day so make sure to wear green!

March 24th & 31st - Stories & Scrubbies from 11 a.m. - 1:30p.m. Visit with an Elder and learn how to make a scrubby. Register with FNAC@coastmountaincollege.ca by March 18, 2021 to receive your kit and Bluejeans link.

March 25, 2021 - Lets Talk Funding! Meet with FNACs to talk about the application process for programs at CMTN and how to seek funding. Live via Facebook from 12 p.m - 1 p.m. and via Bluejeans link from 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. Drop in using this link: https://bluejeans.com/196038479 Door prizes available!

Recent Workshop Highlights

Red Dress Beading Workshop & REDress Project Presentation. We would like to thank Shalane Pauls of Wise Woman Creations for facilitating the Red Dress Beading Workshop. Each participant made a beautiful pair of earrings or a pin. Hamiya'a, Wise Woman Creations!

Moose Hide Campaign & Pink Shirt Day

We were very honored to have Sage Lacerte, Youth Ambassador for Moosehide Campaign, here to speak on the Moosehide Campaign. It is a grassroots movement of Indigenous and non-Indigenous men to end violence against women and children. It was initiated by her father, Paul Lacerte, and her sister, Raven Lacerte. Wearing a Moosehide Campaign pin is a commitment to honour, respect, and protect the women and children in your life. They have distributed 2 million pins in the last ten years. Each pin generates conversation. Their goal is to distribute 10 million pins! We were also very happy to have Murray & Louisa Smith and Arlene Roberts, RHSWs with Indian Residential School Survivors Society, to provide support to the participants. Each participant was given a Pink T-shirt with a beautiful design by Michelle Stoney, Gitxsan artist, to wear and bring awareness about anti-bullying and to be kind to one another.

What Would Ts'iits' Do?

Ts'iits' would say that Gwooyim is a great time of the k'uuhl . The saak will be here. It is the first fresh fish of the year and a sign that we survived the Maadim. She would tell you it is time to trade with our neighbours, the Nisga'a, Tsimshian, and Haisla for fresh saak and sim tilix. She would have worked hard on preserving xadaa and is to trade. She would tell you about some Gitxsans that were able to go out and dip net the saak along the upper Skeena. They would bring back totes of saak to share with the people. The fresh saak would have been eaten fresh, put in the freezer for future meals or smoked. Ixsta hlgu saak! (The oolichans are tasty!)

Here are some important words for the season to practice and learn:

saak oolichan

k'uuhl year

maadim winter

xadaa moose

gwooyim spring

is soapberry

sim tilix oolichan grease

There are a number of Gitxsan Language Resources available online at https://www.gitxsansimalgyax.com/books--resources.html

Traditional Harvesting

Xadaa Shepherds Pie

Want more recipes for your smoked xadaa? Check out the recipe below shared by FNAC Katie!

Ingredients:

• 1.5 to 2 pounds potatoes (about 3 large potatoes), peeled and quartered
• 8 Tablespoons (1 stick) butter
• 1 cup of cheddar cheese or your choice of cheese
• 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1-2 cups frozen vegetables
• 1.5 lbs ground moose
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• Salt, pepper, other seasonings of choice

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Boil the potatoes: Place the peeled and quartered potatoes in medium sized pot. Cover with at least an inch of cold water. Add a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until tender (about 20 minutes).
3. While the potatoes are cooking, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook until tender, about 6 to 10 minutes.
4. Add ground beef to the pan with the onions.Cook until no longer pink, add frozen vegetables. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Mash the cooked potatoes: When the potatoes are done cooking (a fork can easily pierce), drain the potato water and place in a bowl or measuring cup (used for gravy) place potatoes in a bowl with the remaining 4 Tbsp of butter. Mash with a fork or potato masher, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Add the meat mixture a casserole dish
7. Make gravy: Melt ¼ cup of butter. Add flour while whisking until thick, keep whisking as you don’t want lumps. Add potato water and keep whisking. Add oxo to make gravy flavour.
8. Add some gravy to the meat mixture and mix around.
9. Spread the mashed potatoes over the top of the meat mixture.
10. Place grated cheese on top of potatoes.
11. Bake in oven: Place in a 375°F oven and cook until browned and bubbling, about 20 minutes. If necessary, broil for the last few minutes to help the surface of the mashed potatoes brown.
12. Enjoy with gravy or ketchup!

We are collecting recipes! Email FNACs one of your family recipes and we will add it to our Eats With Jiits’ recipe booklet project. Each person who adds to it will receive the collective recipes. This project came about when we were discussing the importance of sharing traditional food knowledge at our Eats with Jiits’ online cooking session and Cookies and Lidi drop-in social where FNACs and students talked about their family recipes, new ones, and the tea we enjoy with it.

Indigenous in Media

Indigenous Sounds!

Visit Vince Jackson's Facebook page to check out more of his music with the Damlaxamid dance group. Vince is from the Hazelton area and has many skills that he shares with the community like art and music.

Indigenous Reads! 

Indigenous Peoples have always carried the knowledge necessary to heal. When our people heal, our families heal, our communities heal and our land will heal. You cannot have one without the other.

These stories are teachings, prophecy and protocols shared throughout the years by elders, language speakers, medicine people and helpers. They have been the foundation to individual healing and learning self-love. They teach us how to make good decisions for ourselves and for all other aspects in our lives.

When our people were young, they were sent on the land to gather as much experience and knowledge as they could, and when they returned, they would contribute what they learned.

Elaine Alec is Syilx and Secwepemc and although many of my teachings come from this place, they also intertwine with indigenous knowledge shared through ceremony from many other nations.

People from all backgrounds have embraced concepts from other parts of the world that promote self-love, healing and well-being through practices of discipline and meditation.

Very little has been shared about indigenous systems and how it promotes self-love and approach to healing.

You can purchase this book HERE or you can borrow the e-book through your local public library!

Your weekly meme!

Self-Care is Essential

Self Care is very important for our well-being. Sometimes when you have a lot of anxiety and stress, it can make you feel overwhelmed. It is really important to say to yourself "I have some worry," or "I have some overwhelm" rather than "I am overwhelmed". Tell yourself "I am going to be okay"! Your body needs to hear that. Give yourself a hug, pat yourself on the back, and tell yourself you are doing okay. It does your heart good to do this once in a while. These are some of the tools we learned from our Beyond the Blues workshop with Wii Esdes, Sandra Martin Harris, Indigenous Trauma Practitioner & Community Development Planner. Hamiya'a, Wii Esdes!

On-Campus Safety Guidelines

Due to our COVID-19 response, things look a bit different this year at CMTN. Take a tour of our Terrace campus to learn more about how what kinds of changes to expect this year if you need to visit any of our campuses for the practical training component of your program.

****PLEASE NOTE****

We have a No Visitors Policy. Access is granted to staff, students and others upon special approval. The Waap Galts'ap longhouse at the Terrace Campus and the Smithers Campus Library are designated study spaces for registered CMTN students. Contact a FNAC or member of the student services team to request this access.

Some of the changes we have implemented include:

• Limited face-to-face activities: Only approved face-to-face activities will take place on CMTN campuses this academic year.
• Self-assessments: How are you feeling? Only come to campus if you are healthy and not experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19.
• Wash your hands: People are encouraged to wash hands with soap and water frequently, particularly before and after entering new spaces.
• Physical distancing: Stay 6 feet - or ONE MOOSE - apart.
• Face coverings are now required in all spaces on all campuses.

Find more information HERE on our website or you can connect through info@coastmountaincollege.ca

Student Support

Golnoosh Namazi, Organiser for the Coast Mountain Students’ Union, is here to support students with events, services, and advocacy. If you’re having trouble understanding your rights as a student, navigating through school procedures and policies, or engaging in campus life, the Students’ Union is here to support you. We want to hear from you! To learn more about what we’re here for or just to say hello, email us at organiser@mycmsu.ca or visit our website: mycmsu.ca

CMSU APP now available on the Google Play Store or Apple App Store! Download the APP to check out virtual community boards, services and supports in your region. You can also visit their website here: http://cmcsu.campusapp.com/

Having a hard time academically? We can connect you with the Learner Services team to make sure you have even more tools to complete your studies successfully. For the Learner Support Team & Accessibility Services, email: las@coastmountaincollege.ca. For Education Advising, contact ea@coastmountaincollege.ca.

Bursaries, Awards, Scholarships! Oh My! CMTN & Northern Health have partnered to offer the opportunity for funding if you are in the Health Care Assistant program! Successful participants will get paid $785 and get their school costs covered. Express your interest HERE!

Mental Health Check-in

Foundry BC is now offering virtual drop-in counselling for young people ages 12-24 and their families. To access this service, call 1-833-FØUNDRY (yes, that’s FØUNDRY with a zero! or 1-833-308-6379) to book an appointment. Sessions available through chat, voice-only calls or video calls.

Here2Talk connects students with mental health support when they need it. Through this program, all students currently registered in a B.C. post-secondary institution have access to FREE, confidential counselling and community referral services, conveniently available 24/7 via app, phone and web.

Keep Me Safe connects CMTN students to a counsellor, available 24/7 through multiple formats (call, chat, email and videoconference) for you! Go to coastmountaincollege.ca/counselling or www.mystudentsupport.com for more info.

Other resources you can reach out to:

Youth Online Chat at crisis-centre.ca or text 250.564.8336 or call 1.888.564.8336. A confidential, anonymous peer support service operated by trained youth answering calls from other youth. Available 24/7.

Northern BC Crisis Line A safe, confidential and non-judgmental crisis line to discuss anything troubling you available 24/7. Call 1.888.562.1214.

BC Suicide Line 1.800.SUICIDE or 1.800.784.2433. If you are considering suicide or are concerned about someone who may, please call! Available 24/7.

The Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line is available 24-hours a day for anyone experiencing pain or distress as a result of their Residential School experience. Call 1.866.925.4419.

COVID-19 updates & FAQs

At Coast Mountain College we monitor the COVID-19 situation very closely and are guided by the Provincial Health Officer as we work with the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Training. For updates and FAQs please visit our website here.

Have something you want to contribute for next month's issue?

Feedback, story ideas or pictures to share? Contact us:

FNAC@coastmountaincollege.ca