We just hosted Lets Gather a Sunshine Coast Aboriginal and eco-tourism networking event in Sechelt on Thursday.
This inaugural event is not a new or novel idea with respect to gathering for the shíshálh. Lead drummer Andrew Puglas Jr. can announce over Facebook that he would like to drum and 25 people, men, woman and children, will be up at the longhouse in hours wanting and ready to drum.
We meet, greet, hug, laugh, joke and joke some more.
Willard Joe lights the fire in the longhouse, Andy Johnson Jr. makes the labador tea while the kids play.
The longhouse is our communal home. It is where you go when you need to lift your spirit and lifting our spirits has been a real need for our people with the loses in our community and with some of our drum members experiencing illness.
Everybody jockeys to hold the babies. I have dibs on Luka and Rochelle is holding Cyprian. Luka, 10 months, bobs his head and sings along while Cyprian just smiles at all the ladies with his sparkling blue eyes. Both baby boys know that they are little kings.
We drum, we sing.
Editor's note: Candace Campo writes regularly for Coast Reporter on Sechelt Nation issues, its people and its history.
