Welcome to another issue of Hagwil Yaan!
Welcome back to another Hagwil Yaan issue! If this is your first time here, volume three of this student newsletter has the name: Hagwil Yaan which means "walk softly, walk slowly" in Sm'algyax!
In each issue, we focus on an Indigenous language in our region. This month, we are happy to feature the Gitxsanimx language of the Gitxsan people!
Welcome to campus! Are you excited to start the 2024 Fall Semester? We certainly are. We know that the transition to being a college student can be tough. You are not alone! Our First Nations Access Coordinators (FNAC) team works regionally to ensure that you are set up for your journey towards success.
Please feel free to reach out to us at FNAC@coastmountaincollege.ca if you need support with personal, financial, or academic issues. We are here to help you every step of the way.
Enjoy, take care and stay safe!
Please note that FNAC Jill will have limited hours on campus for the next year. If you are in need of assistance and at the Terrace campus, please email FNAC@coastmountaincollege.ca to connect with another First Nations Access Coordinator.
Upcoming Important Semester Dates
- Add/Drop Deadline: September 10, 2024
- Reconciliation Day (National): September 30, 2024. College is closed
- Orange Shirt Day (National): September 30, 2024. College is closed
- Deadline to Opt Out of CMSU Health & Benefits: September 30, 2024
To find complete lists of important dates and schedules, please visit the CMTN website!
Upcoming Events
Elders Lunch & Student Social
Stories, Soup & Sharing
- Date: September 11
- Location: Smithers Campus
- Time: 12:00-1:00
Come join and meet our CMTN Community Elders and Knowledge Holders.
Enjoy a hot lunch with peers, staff, and faculty!
Please contact khumphrey@coastmountaincollege.ca for more information.
Welcome Back Learning Feast
- Date: September 18, 2024
- Time: 1130a.m. to 130p.m.
- Where: Wil Lu Sagaytwan, Prince Rupert Campus or via Zoom at https://zoom.us/join. The meeting ID; 960 7543 0078 and passcode 8dcSLg.
Please join us to start your academic year in a good way! We will be hosting a student learning feast at the Prince Rupert campus.
You will have an opportunity to meet and learn from local elders and knowledge holders who will be supporting you all year!
Food will be served, and gifts to witness the feast will be provided.
If you have any questions, please email FNAC@coastmountaincollege.ca.
September 30 National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
The FNAC's have a limited supply of orange t-shirts with these two amazing designs from artists Frances Campbell and Smiddy Grandison.
Design title: They tried to Bury us. They didn't know we were seeds. This piece is a tribute to the Indigenous children who never made it out of residential school but still brought their light and truth to the world. It also honours the Indigenous children who physically made it out and have fought daily to strengthen their spirits to regain their independence, families and culture. Frances Campbell is a Gitxsan artist born and raised in the community of Gitanmaax and is a member of the Gisgaast (Fireweed) Clan.
Design titled: Walking Hand in Hand. "This piece represents the heart of those that hath endured torment in our salvation and the stories that come from the heart of those children who've fought to survive and be heard as a whole being." Smiddy is a Nisga'a artist, raised in the community of Gitlaxt'aamiks, and is a member of the Laxgibuu (Wolf) Clan.
Orange Shirts will be available for students to pick up from your local FNAC at each campus location on the following dates:
- Prince Rupert - September 20
- Terrace - September 24
- Hazelton -September 20
- Smithers - September 25
If you are unable to make the date at your campus location please email fnac@coastmountaincollege.ca to see if we can support alternative arrangements for pickup
Cedar Hat Workshop
Please join us for a special Cedar Hat Weaving Workshop with renowned artist Val Morgan! Cedar hat kits will be given to each participant.
When: Oct. 21 - 25, 2024
Time: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. or 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Where: Online via Zoom link
Limited seats - sign up early! Priority will be given to registered CMTN students. Sign up for the day session or evening session. The deadline to register is October 4, 2024.
Please email your student number and campus location to FNAC@coastmountaincollege.ca to register. Thank you.
Harvest Spotlight
Have you been harvesting this summer? We would love to hear about your season and what you harvested!
The summer is a very busy time of the year for the people of the northwest. Many of us would have been preserving hun for the maadim (winter). It is great to see people fishing in their traditional fishing holes along the rivers and ocean.
hun - any fish
eek - coho salmon
ya'a - spring salmon
miso'o - sockeye salmon
milit - steelhead salmon
Please remember to harvest appropriately and safely! Before you harvest, ensure that you are asking for permission if you are not on your own territory. Give thanks to the land in which you are harvesting from and only take what you need.
What would Ye' or Niye' say?
What would Niye' have been doing during Lasa 'wiihun and Lasa lik'i'nsx? Would he have been out on the water catching miso'o to preserve for the maadim. This would have been a great time to learn as much as you can from him about where he goes to fish and if it is a traditional fishing hole of his wilp or your Nits'iits' wilp? Does he dipnet or use an aat? Find out when is the best time to go out. No doubt you have been going out with him all your life. The smoke houses are usually going throughout the summer. Does your Niye' use am'mel to smoke the fish? Would you like to share stories with us on the fun times you had with your Niye'? We would love to see your pics and hear about your special memories with your Niye'.
Lasa 'wiihun - July - when the fish are plentiful
Lasa lik'i'nsxw - August - When the grizzly bears are eating fish
Maadim - winter
miso'o - sockeye salmon
Wilp - House
aat - net
am'mel - cottonwood
Want to learn more? Check out First Voices for a Gitxsanimx dictionary along with many other languages! You can find words, phrases, stories, and songs.
Eats with Nits'iits'
Fry Bread
4 - 5 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
4 tsp salt
2 tbsp yeast
Mix all ingredients together. Pour in 4 cups of warm water and 1/2 cup of oil. Let stand for 10 minutes then begin shaping and frying. Enjoy! Recipe from FNAC Katie
Please send pictures of your dish if you get a chance to try the recipe to FNAC@coastmountaincollege.ca
Your weekly meme!
Indigenous in the Media
This is a wonderful video shared online about Indigenous Food Fishing on the Skeena River. It shows every step of the way, the hard work involved when fishing by net at the traditional fishing hole, to gutting, cutting and jarring or smoking it. Valuable knowledge shared in a kind and generous way. Family working together to preserve fish for the winter. Very heartwarming to see them remember to be thankful and to always remember our ancestors.
Indigenous Reads
Hoarders. Scavengers. Clever foragers. Bringers of new life.
Ravens have many roles, both for the land and in Gitxsan story and song. The sixth book in Hetxw'ms Gyetxw (Brett D. Huson)’s Mothers of Xsan series transports young readers to Northwestern British Columbia, where they will learn about the traditions of the Gitxsan, the lives of ravens, and why these acrobatic flyers are so important to their ecosystem.
Follow along as Nox Gaak, the raven mother, teaches her chicks what they need to survive with the help of her flock.
The book is available in the CMTN library! Check it out today! Thank you.
Student Support
Coast Mountain Students' Union
The CMSU 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 then the Students’ Union is here to support you. Download the CMSU app for virtual community boards, services and support systems in your region.
To learn more about what the student union does, email the student union oraniser at organiser@mycmsu.ca or the student union outreach worker, at outreach@mycmsu.ca.
Please be cognizant of the CMSU Health & Dental Plan that you are auto-enrolled into when you register for courses. This is a $285 annual fee that students can choose to opt-out of if you already have coverage. You have 30 days to opt-out from your program start. Connect with CMSU for more details.
This is a $285 annual fee that students can choose to opt-out of if you already have coverage. The cost is subject to change.
The Opt out link can be found here: https://cmsu.studenthealthbc.ca/LearnOptout. Go to their Opt Out Here tab. Feel free to contact a FNAC if you need assistance with the form. Thank you.
Learner Services
LAS & Advising Help
Having a difficult time academically? We can connect you with the Learner Services team to make sure you have even more tools to complete your studies successfully.
One-on-one Brightspace Help — If navigating and using Brightspace is making your course more difficult to manage, let us help!
Our Learning Assistance Specialists (LAS) are available to walk you through the finer points of Brightspace so you can focus on your coursework.
Need tutoring? Check out TUTORME! A new, on-demand virtual service with access to over 1000+ tutors in 300+ subjects. Writing support is available as well. All CMTN students can access this service for two hours a week for free!
To contact the Learner Support Team & Accessibility Services, email them at las@coastmountaincollege.ca.
Education Advising
For Education Advising, please use the button below to book an appointment or Toll-free: 1.877.277.2288! Email: advising@coastmountaincollege.ca
Financial Aid
CMTN Awards, Bursaries & Scholarships!
Be sure to apply for any of the Awards, Bursaries, & Scholarships available to registered CMTN students. Contact the FNACs if you would like an application form or if you need assistance completing the application. Don't miss out on these great opportunities!
Coast Mountain College offers an emergency funding program available to eligible students experiencing unexpected financial hardship during the course of their studies at CMTN. Find more information about emergency financial assistance HERE!
Next Deadline for CMTN Awards, Bursaries, & Scholarships: October 1st, 2024
Have any financial aid questions or would like to know more about general awards, bursaries, and scholarships? Please contact the Financial Aid Officer, Allison Conway, at 250.635.6511 ext. 5204 or by email at financialaid@coastmountaincollege.ca or visit the Financial Aid webpage!
First People's Days of Significance
September 30- National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Keep up to date with important dates through the CMTN Website!
Mental Health Check-in
Are you looking for support? Here at CMTN, we can help you explore and find what support works best for you. Follow this LINK to find resources like regional counsellors, mobile apps, and crisis lines.
Need Support right now?
Suicide Crises Helpline- Call 9-8-8 or text 9-8-8 a safe space to talk, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. If you are considering suicide or are concerned about someone who may, please call!
Stay connected and check out our FNAC Facebook group to keep your finger on the pulse!
Have something you want to contribute for next month's issue?
If you have any feedback, story ideas or pictures to share, please contact us: