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 beautiful Sm'algya̱x language of the Ts'msyen people!
Welcome to all the new students who are just starting this Ha'liwilgyisiyaask (February). Please check out our student handbook, which is listed below. We hope the students who started earlier are all doing well with their studies, and you are keeping up with your assignments and classes. Hats'a̱naasüü (good luck) with your studies. K'wilo'ox (work hard)! Your ancestors are smiling down to you.
As First Nations Access Coordinators (FNACs), we are here to provide you with support if you need our assistance with personal, financial or academic issues. Please feel free to reach out to us by email at FNAC@coastmountaincollege.ca
Enjoy, take care and stay safe!
We would like to give a warm welcome to Veronica Waechter and Lori Blumhagen who joined our First Nations Access Coordinator Team. They will be working with Jillian Swank at the Terrace Campus. Please note that FNAC Jill will be in on Wednesdays only. Veronica will be in Waap Galts'ap (the Longhouse) everyday and Lori will be part-time in Waap Galts'ap.
'Connection is Indigenous' Indigenous Student Handbook
Welcome to our new students to Coast Mountain College. We hope you do well with your studies and enjoy your time here CMTN. We created an Indigenous Student Handbook to provide you with information on supports and resources available to you while attending classes at CMTN!
The online version can be viewed here on our website at https://issuu.com/coastmountaincollege/docs/indigenous-student-handbook_digital?fr=xKAE9_zU1NQ. or with this QR code.
Upcoming Important Dates
- Feb 8 - 15, 2025 - All Native Basketball Tournament, Prince Rupert, B.C.
- Feb. 15, 2025 - Deadline to apply for CMTN Awards, Bursaries & Scholarships
- Feb. 21 - 22, 2025 - Hoobiyee (Nisga'a New Year) Waxing of the crescent moon in February, Gitlaxt'aamiks Village
Upcoming Events
Chat with a FNAC Drop In (Terrace)
- Date: Feb 13, 2025
- Time: 3 p.m. - 4 p.m.
- Location: Drop by the Terrace FNAC offices or via Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/92825512316.
Please feel free to drop by the FNAC office to meet with Veronica and Lori. Have a cup of tea and a snack. No need to register!
Weekend Warriors Pilot Program
Bags will be refilled each month. Limited spots per campus - sign up asap!
For those students who have signed up already, please feel free to drop by your local FNACs office any time after Feb. 21, 2025 to pick up your Weekend Warrior Bag.
For more information and/or to sign up, please email to FNAC@coastmountaincollege.ca.
Walk for Wellness
There is still time to join our Walk for Wellness program!
We hope to have enough steps to virtually take us from the Prince Rupert campus to the Smithers Campus. The goal is to walk towards a healthier body, mind and spirit. Your steps will help get the 348 kilometers (487,200) we need. We have until April 11, 2025 to do it! Last year we surpassed our goal and made it as far as Manitoba! We can do it together, one step at the time.
Go to the QR code listed below to enter your steps every Monday for the previous week Monday-Sunday. Every entry gets your name in a draw for a special prize at the end of each month.
Register by going to FNAC@coastmountaincollege.ca.
‘Xbisuunt Dancers Practice
- Date: Every Monday
- Time: 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
- Where: Waap Galts'ap (Longhouse), Terrace Campus.
Join the 'Xbisuunt Dancers group from the Ts'msyen Nation at Waap Galts'ap on Monday evenings for singing and drumming. Light snacks and tea/coffee available.
Practices are not held during final exams and statutory holidays.
For more information call Jill at 250.635.6511 Ext. 5222 or email FNAC@coastmountaincollege.ca.
Gitlax̱dax Sayt-K'il̓im G̱oothl Nisg̱a'a Practice
- Date: Every Tuesday
- Time: 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
- Where: Waap Galts'ap (Longhouse), Terrace Campus
Join the Gitlax̱dax Sayt-K'il̓im G̱oothl Nisg̱a'a Dancers from the Nisga'a Nation at Waap Galts'ap on Tuesday evenings for singing and drumming. Light snacks and tea/coffee available.
Practices are not held during final exams and statutory holidays.
For more information call Jill at 250.635.6511 Ext. 5222 or email FNAC@coastmountaincollege.ca.
Hoobiyee Celebration
- Date: February 18, 2025
- Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- Location: Waap Galts'ap (longhouse), Terrace campus or via zoom: https://zoom.us/j/99717214542
New to Hoobiyee? Curious what it is about? Join this event to learn through traditional song and stories and welcome the new harvest year. We are singing the oolichans back!
No sign up required! All are welcome!
What would Ya'a (Grandfather) say?
Ya'a is getting ready to head to the All Native Basketball Tournament! He is always checking the weather to make sure everyone is safe. What would Ya'a say?
G̱al, Lamdza̱xsm, Ła Gyemga Aks! - Come, Everyone Come In, The Water Is Hot (The tea is on)!
A dm wil lulixst'ooyag̱at a ludaba goomsm - Where they would hibernate for the winter
Luk'wil yełiksga daaw da la̱x g̱ayna - The ice is really slippery on the road
Ła gwaantga gyisiyaask - The north wind is blowing
T'iinm sigwelga lak - gwatga gyelx! - Hurry and start a fire- it's cold outside!
'Na laxha nwil wanm ła lisay'alm da g̱ała'atit - We sat up on the bleachers to watch basketball
T'oyaxsut 'nüün to Joey Wesley and The Discourse for creating and publicly sharing this video about being an urban-living Ts'msyen and how he brings Sm'algya̱x to his everyday conversations.
Eats with Ts'iits
This month's recipe is Panko Chicken. It's always a hit in FNAC Lori's household. It's from the cookbook The Modern Proper. So far, every single recipe from this book has been a success!
Ingredients:
- Chicken breasts. Buy boneless, skinless breasts for this one. You’re going to butterfly and pound them until they’re nice, thin chicken cutlets, so that they can be quickly fried to crispy perfection.
- Panko. These crisp, airy Japanese breadcrumbs will take your breaded chicken cutlets to a whole new level. Made from bread that has no crust, they make the crispest coating for chicken breasts we’ve ever tasted.
- Eggs. This is what makes the panko stick to the chicken cutlets, and sadly there’s no good substitute for the egg here.
- All-purpose flour.
- Vegetable oil. This is for the frying bit. Vegetable oil or any neutral oil suggested for frying as it does not burn as easily as olive oil (e.g. vegetable oil has a higher smoke point).
- Salt and pepper. Always!
Directions
- Pound the chicken cutlets. Use a meat mallet or rolling pin to pound each chicken breast to ½ -inch thickness.
- Line up your whisked eggs in one bowl, flour in another bowl and panko in a third bowl.
- Dip the pounded chicken breasts into flour, then egg, then panko. That way, the panko will stick to the chicken.
- Time to fry! Without crowding the skillet, fry your breaded panko chicken in the oil until it’s nicely golden brown and crisp. It’ll take about three minutes per side.
- Serve with dip and salad!
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Your weekly meme!
Indigenous Reads
This new book is available at the Campus Book store and at local bookstores, as well as for order online. This book is the first to feature solely women carvers. With beautiful illustrations, the book highlights four Freda Diesing alumni, Freda Diesing herself, and more Masters Carvers and emerging artists. You might even see a familiar (FNAC) face inside!
FNACs are looking to order some copies for our FNAC lending library. Let us know if you are interested by emailing FNAC@coastmountaincollege.ca
Indigenous in the Media
In celebration of All Native Basketball Tournament 2025, we want to highlight a new movie on Netflix called "Rez Ball".
"From producer LeBron James and the co-creator of Reservation Dogs, comes the story of the Chuska Warriors - a high school basketball team rich in Native American heritage. After losing their star player, the team must come together like never before to keep their state championship dreams alive."
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 organiser at organiser@mycmsu.ca or the student union outreach worker at outreach@mycmsu.ca.
2025 Winter Session
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.
Information on the CMSU Health & Dental Plan can be found here https://cmsu.studenthealthbc.ca/Optout. Here is the link to the opt out form here. Please 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.
To contact the Learner Support team & Accessibility Services, email them at las@coastmountaincollege.ca.
Education Advising
For Education Advising, to book an appointment, please call 1 877 277 2288 or email advising@coastmountaincollege.ca. Follow this link to book an appointment online - https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/AdvisingAppointments@coastmountaincollege.ca/bookings/
Financial Aid
CMTN Awards, Bursaries & Scholarships!
Be sure to apply for any of the awards,bursaries, and 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!
Next Awards Deadline February 15
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 https://www.coastmountaincollege.ca/student-services/financial-aid/student-emergency-financial-assistance#:~:text=The%20Ministry%20of%20Post-Secondary%20Education%20and%20Future%20Skills%20provides%20grant!
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!
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 or text 9-8-8 for 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!
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