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As I Remember It: Teachings (Ɂəms tɑɁɑw) from the Life of a Sliammon Elder The Sliammon-language term for this label means “it is mine.” This book contains the teachings and history of the ɬaʔamɩn people as remembered and narrated by Elder Elsie Paul. The effort and care she takes in this work is important. She offers a counter-narrative to incorrect and inappropriate interpretations previously drawn by settlers. Please respect Elsie Paul’s right and responsibility to relate the history and teachings in her own words. She does so from her own perspective and does not attempt to speak for all ɬaʔamɩn people. Please attribute the stories shared in this book to Elsie Paul.

Some sections of this book are authored by other individuals and should be attributed to the appropriate person(s) as indicated. This label refers to a teaching that emerges throughout this book: “you learn from someone by example.” (The literal translation of tiʔiwš is “fast learner.”) The goal of this book is to share ɬaʔamɩn teachings and history widely with ɬaʔamɩn community members, students, and teachers at all levels, and with any other interested readers. This is Elsie’s goal in sharing ʔəms tɑʔɑw, and all of the authors hope the book serves an educational purpose. The authors ask readers to take care to use this information respectfully and in context. Material in this book may be culturally sensitive for a number of reasons. This label identifies such content by stating: “it is ours.”

ɬaʔamɩn teachings, laws, and practices that flow from them are subject to the ʔəms naʔ label because they are communally held and collectively stewarded by ɬaʔamɩn people for future generations. Much of this knowledge is captured in our legends, for example. The authors recognize that ɬaʔamɩn, Klahoose, and Homalco families have their own tellings of the legends.

Other parts of the book are labelled “ʔəms naʔ” because the ongoing nature of settler colonialism means that the histories discussed here are not part of a distant past. For close to a century, colonial laws and policies prevented community members from sharing teachings freely in their community without fear of punishment or retribution, imposing silences that remain even today. Thus this label also applies to chapters that discuss the genocidal practices that sought to interrupt the transmission of teachings and to sever ɬaʔamɩn sovereign rights to their territory.

Please treat information and photographs marked with this label with special care, especially if you plan to share them with others.

Elsie Paul Collecting Fruit Tree Branches at the Lunch Stop

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Contents of this tag:
21. Christmas Blankets
22. Elders and Cedar Roots
24. Cutting Fish
25. Elsie at Deep Bay
27. Wedding Day
28. Christmas (1)
29. Elsie and Stella
30. Elsie and Glen (2)
31. Elders and Friends
32. Elsie and Glen (1)
33. Assessing the Catch
34. Mother’s Day, 1980
35. Having a Laugh
36. Elders' Gathering
37. First Home
38. At the Elders Lodge Elsie Paul with ɬaʔamɩn Elders when she was running the Elders’ program. Front row, from left: Elsie Paul, Henry Bob, Katherine Blaney, Mary Harry, Rose Louie (behind Mary), Joe Paul Sr. (behind Rose), Willie Bob, Calvin Harry. Back row, from left: Louise Bob, Marie Hackett (behind), Nora Wilson, Annie Dominick, Dave Dominick, Agnes McGee, Rose Peddie, Peta Francis (Okee Dokee), Johnny George, Charlie Charlie, Peggy Harry.
40. Graduation (1)
41. Working Out
42. Preparing an Offering
43. Retirement
44. Prince William
45. Party at Elsie Paul’s House
46. mɑksɛmɑ’s Cabin in toχʷnɑč (Okeover)
47. Joining Council
48. Bride and Groom
49. Baby Glen
50. Friends (1)
51. Visiting with Annie and Norman Gallagher
52. The Children at Home
53. Elsie at Steveston in the Late 1940s
54. The Ladies
55. Language Work Linguist Honoré Watanabe stands behind ɬaʔamɩn Elders at the Elders Lodge. Elsie was caretaker and lived at the Elders Lodge for many years. From left: Marion Harry, Mary George, and Elsie Paul. Honoré worked extensively with these three women over more than two decades, living with Elsie during his time in Sliammon. Marion was Elsie’s “little sister” at residential school and worked with Honoré to transcribe and translate the selections in Sliammon language included in this publication.
56. Sliammon Village Waterfront
57. Elsie at Home
58. A Day in Town
59. Collaborators
60. Elsie and Teresa at the Cannery
61. Elsie, Agnes, and Children
62. Elsie and Cathy (2)
63. Elsie and Cathy (1)
64. Boat to Westview When this photo was taken, it was quicker to get to town by boat than by foot, since people didn’t have cars yet. Peggy Harry is at the back of the group (with barrettes in her hair); Molly Timothy is on the right (with headband); Elsie Paul is in the centre (with flowers in her hair); Stella Timothy is centre right, beside Elsie; further right, holding a baby, is Agnes McGee, and in front of her is Sosen Galligos. Smokey John is on the left (wearing a hat), and lɑsɑ is in front of him.
65. Party Time
66. On the Town
67. Newlyweds
68. Wearing Slacks
70. Repatriation
71. Going to Church (1)
72. Settlers’ Camp (1)
73. Dedicated Work Partners
76. Siblings Elsie Paul with her siblings at her brother Barney’s house in the early ’80s. Standing, from left: Teddy Francis (Elsie’s brother), Leo Francis (Elsie’s brother), Lillian Francis (Elsie’s niece, Barney Francis’s daughter), Elsie Paul, Doreen Hopkins (Elsie’s sister), Charlene Francis (Elsie’s niece), Jason Francis (Elsie’s nephew), Greg Francis (inch, Elsie’s nephew). Seated, from left: Aunt Agnes McGee, Rita Francis (Elsie’s sister), Nancy Phillips (Elsie’s sister), Vangie Francis (Elsie’s niece), Elizabeth Blaney (Elsie’s sister), Lily Timothy (Elsie’s mother).
77. A Visit with Auntie Katherine
79. Christmas with the Girls
80. Traditional Prayer Songs
81. Baby Marlane
86. Honorary Doctorate
87. Helping Ma
88. Going to Church (2)
89. Childhood Friends
91. Paul Family
92. Elsie Paul with King of the Sea
94. Important Medicine
95. Friends (2)
96. Author Group (7)
97. The Shield
98. Beautiful Baskets
99. Author Group (5)
100. Rowing with mɑksɛmɑ
101. Author Group (4)
102. Pals
103. Author Group (8)
104. Author Group (6)
106. Sharing the Book (5)
107. Give It to Them
108. Becoming Strong
109. Sharing the Book (2)
110. Territory
111. Life History of This Project
112. Living with the Land
113. Cleansing
114. Sharing the Book (3)
115. tʼᶿɛwqʼ (pronunciation)
116. You Thank It
117. Watch Your Children
118. Community Activities
119. Sharing the Book (4)
120. Contact Happened
121. Designated Area
122. Old-Timers and Hard Work
123. Gifted People
124. My Dog Patsy
125. Recovery
126. Part of Our Survival
127. Times of Transition
128. Lonely and Homesick
129. tɑʔɑw
130. He Got His Spirit Back
131. Her Name Was Jane
132. Author Group (3)
133. The Young Girl and Eleven Puppies (English)
134. Thank the Creator
135. The Chinese Restaurant
136. Author Group (2)
137. When It’s Your Time
138. Homebrew
139. Root Digging
140. Problems Handed down from History
141. The Young Girl and Eleven Puppies (Sliammon)
142. New Year’s Dance
143. Grieving
144. We Were Already Here
145. Elsie Paul Collecting Fruit Tree Branches at the Lunch Stop
146. Police Patrol (2)
147. Police Patrol (1)
148. Author Group (1)
149. Paul Family Photo
150. New Baby
151. Naming Ceremony
152. The Police Were Standing by the Bed
153. Preparing Fish and Community Drive-Through
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