Northwest Community College Connections

First Nations Fine Arts Student Takes Back His Roots

“I’ve always been interested in art. In high school I used to make small wood sculptures and a little bit of jewelry. Art was one of my favourite subjects,” says Angelo Cavagnaro, 20 and a second-year student at NWCC’s Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art. “I didn’t really know about the First Nations Fine Arts program until I finished a Career and College Preparation course in 2011.”

From Gitlakdamix (New Aiyansh), Cavagnaro started a degree in mechanical engineering in Vancouver in the fall of 2011. He came back to the Northwest to pursue his interests in art and learn more about his culture. In his program he is learning traditional art skills in woodcarving. He carves portrait masks, spoons and different styles of bowls.

“This is a unique learning experience that you can’t find anywhere else,” he says.

Courses are taught by world-renowned carvers Stan Bevan (Tahltan/Tlingit/Tsimshian), Ken McNeil (Tahltan/Tlingit/Nisga’a) and Dean Heron (Kaska/Tlingit).

“My instructors are very helpful and it’s an honour to learn from them,” says Cavagnaro. “I do artwork during the day and hang out with students after class. I didn’t know anyone in the program when I started. Now they feel like family.”   

After Angelo graduates with a NWCC Fine Arts Diploma next April he plans to do some travelling.

“I dream of going to New Zealand to learn about the Maori people and their art. But for now I plan to stay in the Northwest. Creating artwork has inspired me to participate more in my culture. Now I want to go fishing and hunting and study the traditional use of plants. Later on I’d like to show others how to live off the land.”

NWCC students get first-hand look at biodiversity of North Coast

Marine classroom: NWCC biology students, standing from left to right, are Joe Daniels, Jason Daniels, Amarilys Ducharme and Dustin Woodman, with instructor Reto Riesen. In front is student Casey Braam.

PRINCE RUPERT – Northwest Community College (NWCC) students in an Ichthyology class, studying the biology of fish, took advantage of springtime weather for an exciting field trip earlier this month to explore fishing areas within traditional Gitga’at territory, southeast of Prince Rupert.

The Applied Coastal Ecology (ACE) students had the opportunity to engage in some interesting field research to learn more about marine fish diversity in the area and the importance of varied habitat types.

To his knowledge, instructor Chris Picard says the area had never been explored in this way.

"I am not aware of any other fisheries work being completed at our study sites, so ours was likely the first look at fish diversity there." said Picard, adding the group found a wide array of species using the eelgrass and beach habitats.

"This field trip gave the students an opportunity to become familiar with some of the biodiversity the North Coast has to offer," Picard added. "The sites were heavily used by juvenile pink and chum salmon, as well as a variety of other interesting and unique species, such as pipefish and tubesnout—both closely related to the more familiar seahorses in tropical seas. Numerous adult and juvenile flounder, along with several other species were also observed, suggesting the area is important for supporting fish biodiversity. Undoubtedly, had we more time, even more would have been learned and discovered."

Picard says it took a team effort to pull off the trip successfully.

The support of the Gitga’at Guardians was paramount to the overall success of the project. The Guardians, which form part of the Hartley Bay Band’s Land & Marine Resource Department, supported the class's permit application to BC Parks, required to complete research in the area. Extending the hospitality of the Gitga’at, the Guardians also provided the use of their guardian cabin, boat transportation and use of equipment. Picard and the students put in a lot of work, and Prince Rupert Campus Principal Wendy Prystay also worked diligently to ensure all the administrative and permitting requirements were successfully and efficiently addressed. The Gitxaala Nation also supported the BC Parks permit application.

NWCC is a valuable community asset, impacting the lives of students and our communities. Through its nine campuses, 500-plus employees and an annual injection of over $30 million into the local economy, NWCC is an economic engine supporting the many communities that look to us to provide innovative programs and services.

Students treasure the Haida Gwaii Field School experience

Northwest Community College students in this summer's Haida Gwaii Field School kayak in the spectacular surroundings of world-famous Haida Gwaii.

 

HAIDA GWAII – Northwest Community College (NWCC) likes to head outdoors at every opportunity. After all, its unique geographic surroundings make for a near boundless wilderness classroom for some of its programs and courses. And perhaps no other NWCC program takes advantage of this more than the Haida Gwaii Field School, which ran this summer through late July and into August.

An intensive and awe-inspiring learning experience on the remote island archipelago of Haida Gwaii, it is one of five field schools offered by NWCC during the 2011 spring and summer semesters. Haida Gwaii Field School students not only earn three university credits in both First Nation Studies and Anthropology for a total of six university credits, they benefit from experiential hands-on learning, they explore a completely unique marine and terrestrial ecosystem—all while being guided by the Haida people and being immersed in their culturally-rich environments and way of life.

Unique to the field school this year was Haida instructor Barbara Wilson, whose Haida name is Kii’iljuus. Wilson is a respected matriarch, and scholar, who guided and inspired students in their learning on Haida Gwaii. Wilson joined NWCC Anthropology instructor Sheree Ronaasen, from Terrace, who has led the Haida Gwaii Field School since its beginning in 2009.

“Since we’ve started offering this field school, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard it was a life changing experience,” said Ronaasen. “The students’ immersion in Haida culture and the hands-on instruction brings a deeper understanding than anything they could’ve learned from a textbook. It’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Students experienced and acquired knowledge from a variety of different landscapes and cultural settings over the two-week field school. For example, while kayaking on Mosquito Lake at Mount Moresby Adventure Camp, they learned about endangered plants and traditional Haida plant usages. They travelled by boat with Moresby Explorers to visit the old Haida villages of Hlkinul Llnagaay (Cumshewa) and K’uuna Llnagaay (Skedans). Seeing the few remaining poles that still stand there, the students were greatly impressed by the Haida life-ways, and village locations on the ocean shorelines of Cumshewa Inlet and Hecate Strait.

Said student Doris Gorrell: “The difference between sitting in the class and being told about Haida Gwaii and the Haida way of life, and actually experiencing the unique environment and learning from a Haida Elder, is like night and day,” she said, adding. “Seeing the old village sites of Cumshewa and Skedans was an emotional experience. Altogether, I have a whole new way of seeing my world after seeing the Haida’s.”

Ronaasen says the field school was enhanced by the help of Candace Weir from Old Masset, due to her knowledge of the Haida language, and for the Long House tour by outstanding Haida artist and carver Christian White. Finally, students witnessed the launch of an important book titled That Which Makes Us Haida, which honours the Haida Elders and students working to preserve the endangered Haida language. The class was invited to the special ceremonies, dance, song and dinner associated with the book launch hosted at the Haida Heritage centre.

 

NWCC running upstream in Skeena River Relay

PRINCE RUPERT – Northwest Community College (NWCC) staff, family and friends are putting their best foot forward. And then another foot forward. And so it will go for 140 kilometres this Saturday in the Skeena River Relay.

The 10-person relay from Prince Rupert to Terrace starts at 6 am and must be completed within 14 hours.

The NWCC team – NWCC has Sole! – was put together by Paul Brady, the Learning Assistance Specialist at the Prince Rupert Campus. He says on top of the relay being a great opportunity for the college to connect with the community and demonstrate support for significant activities promoting healthy lifestyle habits, it is also a good
team-building exercise.

“The Skeena River Relay is an opportunity for our staff, faculty, administration – and friends – from different campuses to get together and do something positive outside the realm of college work,” Brady said. “I’m a believer in staying healthy, and participating in an activity such as the relay is a good message to send to people that staying fit can be fun, social and good for the soul.”

The team will be running for all those good reasons, plus it is gathering pledges with all proceeds going toward NWCC student bursaries.

Joining Brady, who will run second, is Suzanne Leblanc, Cheryl Pelletier, Jonathan Stone, Tony Sorensen, Gerry Gauthier, Amanda Kirkham, Ian Hamilton, Derek Hogan and Dennis Straussfogel. They comprise seven NWCC staff, a staff member’s husband, one NWCC student and his friend.

Prince Rupert College staffers Dave McKeever, Sherry Beal and Kaarlene Lindsay from Student Services will offer race-day support and encouragement, as will Brady’s sister Ilene, who is travelling up from Victoria.

For more information on making a donation to the team, or a donation to NWCC student bursaries in general, contact Jill Pimlott, NWCC Associate Registrar at 250.638.5477.

Autumn in Terrace

 Here are a few pics of the changing leaves on NWCC's Terrace campus on a beautiful, sunny October day. 

Each of NWCC's campuses have their own unique beauty. If you have a pic of an NWCC campus that you'd like to share, please send it to [email protected].

Here's a poem that speaks to this time of year...remember to watch for moose when you're driving. ;)

Autumn Colors in the Far North 
 by Ruth Hill 
 
Flesh, flesh flashes.
Very, very cranberry.
Straw-colored grasses,
and red-twigged osier.
Dark brown cattails:
arsenic and old lace.
Red wine Amaranth,
ancient Queen Anne’s Lace.
Pine green.
Spruce green.
Fir green.
Gold feather-grasses die
’gainst a pink-streaked sky.
Willows hold yellow-gold leaves;
orange Caragana heaves
silver slivers of
blanching branches
into the slate grey sky.
Flurries of falling leaves
leave flurries of snow...
good-bye!
Brown creek clearly dances
over grayling and mica flecks.
Blue snow shelf advances
under hoar-frost diamond specks.
Mother moose, big as bison,
introduces, “This is my son.”
Black back, chocolate side,
grey limed limbs, hide.
Calf’s calves flailing splayed hooves,
windmills clatter slippery grooves,
between opposing, racing cars.
Wild look, over the shoulder.
Wild leap, over the shoulder.
It takes a long time to stop running.
Warm pink mother-tongue waits in welcome.
Motorist missed.
Baby is kissed.
Autumn colors in the far north,
driving by,
blissed.

©2008, Ruth Hill
(This poem was first published in The Litchfield Review, Fall 2008.)