Hagwil yaan Student newsletter | February 2022

February Events

What would Jiji Do?

Jiji (grandmother) is all about starting the Sii K'uuhl (new year) in a good way. Jiji likes to share gratitude for making it another year with her loved ones. Here are some phrases you might hear Jiji saying at the beginning of the year. Jiji also knows there have been a lot of emotions lately, especially after hearing about more of her children found at St. Joseph's Mission Residential School. Share these with your loved ones to let them know how you feel.

Hluxwhluut'uxwim̓hl T'ist'isit! We Treasure Our Elders!

Sag̱ag̱etgum̓hl T'ist'isit! Our Elders Matter!

Hluxwhluut'uxwim̓hl K'ubatk'ihlkw! We Treasure Our Children!

Sag̱ag̱etgum̓hl K'ubatk'ihlkw! Our Children Matter!

Sag̱ag̱etgum̓hl ḵ'aylimḵsit! Our Teenagers Matter!

Hluxwhluut'uxwim̓hl Ḵ'aylimḵsit! We treasure our teenagers!

And in true Jiji form, Jiji wants you to know - K'il̀hl wilt ii sim ts'axwhl ba'askw ahl hloḵsa Buxwlaḵs (Sometimes it's very windy during the month of February). Make sure you wear your k'udats' (jacket), especially if you're getting ready to go out dipping for oolies!

Learn more at First Voices HERE!

Eat with Jiits

Are you missing the homemade goodies made with Jiji love? Check out this recipe for Huckleberry Muffins from Jiits Marilyn Hooper.

Topping Mix Together and set Aside:

• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 ½ tsp grated lemon zest

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees while you prepare your muffin ingredients.

• 2 cups Huckleberries
• 1 1/8 cup of sugar + 1 tsp for Berry Mixture
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 4 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup butter milk
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1. Spray muffin tins or use liners
2. Bring 1 cup of huckleberries to a simmer with 1 tsp sugar. Simmer for 6-7 minutes until thickened while mashing berries with spoon and stir frequently. Let cool about 10-15 minutes.
3. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.
4. Whisk the remaining 1 1/8 cup sugar and 2 eggs together. Melt butter and cool. Then add it to egg mixture along with oil. Add milk and vanilla.
5. Mix 1 cup of huckleberries with flour mixture then add wet ingredients. Do no over mix. Fill muffin tin ½ full with batter.
6. Drop a teaspoon of cooked berries and swirl with toothpick or knife on top of muffin batter. Sprinkle with lemon sugar over each muffin.
7. Bake for 17-20 minute or until tops are golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from muffin tin.

We would love to see how the recipe worked for you. Send pictures of your baking to FNAC@coastmountaincollege.ca

Your weekly meme!

It's buxwlaḵs, you know what that means...

Indigenous in Media

What does Truth & Reconciliation mean to you? The Nisga'a people in the Nass Valley gathered together for the first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation on September 30, 2021.

They gathered to show the world what truth and reconciliation means to the people and to the nation. Watch this beautiful video and catch a glimpse of their truth.

Indigenous Reads

From Griffin Poetry Prize winner Jordan Abel comes a groundbreaking and emotionally devastating autobiographical meditation on the complicated legacies that Canada's reservation school system has cast on his grandparents', his parents' and his own generation.

NISHGA is a deeply personal and autobiographical book that attempts to address the complications of contemporary Indigenous existence.

As a Nisga'a writer, Jordan Abel often finds himself in a position where he is asked to explain his relationship to Nisga'a language, Nisga'a community, and Nisga'a cultural knowledge.

However, as an intergenerational survivor of residential school (both of his grandparents attended the same residential school in Chilliwack, B.C.), his relationship to his own Indigenous identity is complicated to say the least.

NISHGA explores those complications and is invested in understanding how the colonial violence originating at the Coqualeetza Indian Residential School impacted his grandparents' generation, then his father's generation, and ultimately his own.

The project is rooted in a desire to illuminate the realities of intergenerational survivors of residential school, but sheds light on Indigenous experiences that may not seem to be immediately (or inherently) Indigenous.

Drawing on autobiography, a series of interconnected documents (including pieces of memoir, transcriptions of talks, and photography), NISHGA is a book about confronting difficult truths and it is about how both Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples engage with a history of colonial violence that is quite often rendered invisible.

This book is available in the CMTN library, ISBN #780771007903. Ask your local librarian to secure a copy to borrow today).

On-Campus Safety Guidelines

Due to our COVID-19 response, things look a bit different 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 your program.

Golden Rules on Campus

• If you're sick, stay home and get tested
• Masks are mandatory
• Wash your hands often and thoroughly
• Cover your face when you cough or sneeze
• Practice careful social contact
• Use hand sanitizer when it's available

Please note that all student housing will require proof of vaccination effective September 7, 2021.

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. Updates will be shared as information becomes available.

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 then the Students’ Union your go-to.

To learn more about what the student union does or just want to stop by to say hello, email Golnoosh at organiser@mycmsu.ca or visit their website at mycmsu.ca

Welcome Mudit Mehta as the new student union outreach worker! Mudit can be reached at outreach@mycmsu.ca

CMTN Students' Union recently launched a new service, an extended health and dental benefits plan for members. As a member of the CMTN Students' Union, you are automatically enrolled if you met the eligibility criteria (taking 6 or more credits, or enrolled in a program of 26 weeks or longer). There is a $250 annual fee for this service, and any students who already have coverage through another provider can choose to opt out, or maintain dual coverage.

Deadline to submit an opt-out request is 30 days after the first day of the month in which your program starts (ex. for students starting programs in September, the deadline is September 30). If you decide to opt out and require assistance, please feel free to reach out to the CMTN Students' Union directly.

To learn more about the plan, or if you're unsure whether you qualify to opt out, please contact Golnoosh or visit the CMSU's Student Health BC website. On this site, you will also find the opt-out request form.

CMSU APP is now available on the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Download the app to check out our virtual community boards, services and support systems in your region. You can also find the app through this link here: http://cmcsu.campusapp.com/