Hul’q’umi’num’ hwstey: Stories of appreciation as a paddler

Cul’cimiye’
Margaret Seymour

About me
I am from Stz’uminus and I am completed my MA from SFU. I obtained my passion for teaching from my grandparents, Thelma David, Lena David, and Madeline Seymour and my parents. Perry and Elaine Seymour. I am a proud mother of six and grandmother of four.

My project
The way my Hul’q’umi’num’ Elders passed on snuw’uyulh (traditional teachings) to me was through oral narratives. In this project, I share my own passionate stories from twenty-two years of experience as a competitive war canoe paddler. Our coaches help us learn to focus, challenge ourselves, face adversity, and finish what we start. These are the same skills that we seek to pass on to our students in our Hul’q’umi’num’ language courses. By laying down these stories in our Hul’q’umi’num’ language, I hope to support the language learners in their quest to become fluent and also strengthen their hearts and minds.

Keywords: Hul’q’umi’num’; Coast Salish; racing canoes; cultural teachings