At Hada River estuary, in the heart of Musga’makw Dzawada’enuxw territory, a vision of cultural revitalization is becoming reality. The vision is of a place where Kwak̓wala, a language on the brink of extinction, will once again be spoken immersively; a place where cultural revitalization underpins economic and social well-being. The place is Nawalakw.
Driven by Chief Maxwiyalidizi K’odi Nelson and the leadership of Kwiḵwa̱sut’inux̱w Haxwa’mis, Nawalakw is a ecotourism destination, healing village and culture camp that will offer healing, language and cultural immersion programs for Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw people most of the year, while operating as a world class ecotourism resort in the summer months.
Nawalakw anticipates that over the next decade it will be poised to deliver more than 300,000 hours of Kwak̓wala language and cultural programing to youth and provide over 200,000 hours of wellness programming, employing up to 100 people—all while protecting and enhancing the fragile ecosystem of the Hada River estuary which will serve as a hub for the stewardship and conservation management efforts of the Musga’makw Dzawada’enuxw First Nation governments.
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Na̲nwak̲olas Council recently announced its member First Nations had secured the cooperation of the forestry industry to sustainably steward wilkw/ k’wa’x̱ tłu large cultural cedar trees in their territories.
Na̲nwak̲olas Council has worked with the forestry industry for many years to help them better understand how the First Nations make resource management decisions, and in turn to understand the economic and other impacts on forestry activities of complying with Na̲nwak̲olas First Nations’ laws.
As a result of those discussions, Western Forest Products Inc. and Interfor Corporation have signed up to implement Na̲nwak̲olas Council's Large Cultural Cedar Operational Protocol, and a number of other major forestry companies and BC Timber Sales have indicated their intention to follow suit in the coming weeks. |
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As a First Nations-led conservation trust fund (CTF), Coast Funds stands apart as a globally unique model. Though nearly 50 per cent of conservation funds invest in organizations or associations of Indigenous Peoples, no other fund is centered entirely upon Indigenous-directed governance and self-determination.
Recognizing the Indigenous leadership central to our history and governance, along with a range of achievements by First Nations and Coast Funds since our inception, the Conservation Finance featured Coast Funds as a case study in its new global report on conservation funds. |
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Grizzly bears play a central role in the cultures, ecosystems, and economies of coastal First Nations. “The grizzly bear is an icon in our cultural heritage. It’s always been important to work in harmony with them,” explained Dallas Smith, President of Na̲nwak̲olas Council in a recent CBC article. “With bears being so important we need to be in a position to understand what they need,” he says.
With that goal in mind, the member Nations of Na̲nwak̲olas Council have been enhancing their research capabilities to best manage and steward their territories, which include the diverse habitats of grizzly bears. Part of that work involves investing in and developing a research partnership with the BEARID Project.
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A recent McKinsey & Company report examines the significant benefits of protecting our natural world. Benefits include reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide, creating and protecting millions of jobs worldwide, safeguarding a total of $300 to $500 billion in annual GDP, and critical habitat protection for threatened and endangered species.
At the request of McKinsey & Company, Coast Funds’ CEO, Brodie Guy contributed a case study to the report, building on Coast Funds’ strategic priority of continuous knowledge-sharing. The case study explores one of the first “large-scale, multi-party Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) initiatives”—the Great Bear Rainforest Agreements inclusive of the creation of Coast Funds.
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Coast Funds is accepting new applications from participating First Nations for our current round of funding until April 9, 2021. If you have a stewardship initiative or a sustainable business project or expansion in mind, please get in touch with us if you plan to apply.
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We are honoured to present the stories First Nations are sharing in this issue and online. If you would like us to publish your story, please reach out to us.
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Photo credits: Brodie Guy, Na̲nwak̲olas Council, Laura Hope, Knight Inlet Lodge, and Homalco Wildlife & Cultural Tours.
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