Early Days

Spring 2005. I began to observe the group I would spend the most one-on-one time with throughout the course of the project. The Elders, Elder Support-Community Recorder, and Researcher had been proofreading material for some time at this stage. It was obvious from my perspective that the task was not very enjoyable for them; it was more of a chore. I asked if they could share with me how they do their work. Some discussion ensued. They felt there was a timeline present that they were racing to. So, the process they were working in felt hurried and uncomfortable. It was not that they did not enjoy what they were working on, it was clear that they were being subjected to the University way of doing things. Again, not that this process does not have its place; it just does not have its place with Elders. I suggested they create their own process. I asked what would they do differently if they could. They felt the key element they needed was time for discussion to make an agreement on a word, sentence, phrase and the translation from SENĆOŦEN to satisfactory English. Knowing that they had the power to make what at first seemed like unreasonable demands, opened up the process to a more enjoyable and productive environment. Most words, sentences and phrases were simply proofread and agreed upon, others created discussion, recollection and then agreement.

Working with the Elders and their Community Recorder had to be the most rewarding experience I have taken away from my time as the Saanich-CURA Coordinator. I have known the Elders throughout my life from a distance. It was a very intimidating feeling knowing I would be working so closely with them throughout the project. Mainly, I did not want to let them down in anyway. In a contemporary setting, they may have considered me their manager or, as they put it, "our young boss" ... I made it clear from the beginning that I was not their boss, but rather someone who gets them what they need... It was this attention to creating an environment of respect that gained almost immediate trust, a trust I would never take for granted.

The group in the main room works on a much different level from the Elders and the Community Recorder in the old mobile. The Elder that leads this group is a language authority for the Saanich people, through agreements with the four Saanich Bands, Tsartlip, Tsawout, Tseycum and Pauquachin, and the Saanich Indian School Board as the educational voice for the community. He knows every aspect of his subject and can be writing and arranging very complex material most days. My view from looking in from the outside is that he is a crucial key to providing the much needed building blocks and curriculum framework for the next generation of SENĆOŦEN teachers, learners and parents, while paying heed to contemporary material formats. His vision is clear. He collaborates with a linguist from the University of Victoria Linguistics Department and a Junior Research Assistant. The environment they work in, although set in the Saanich community, feels quite similar to a university lab in its organization and productivity. An interesting note: The building they work in is one of the first Catholic-built and -controlled schools in the community, and has since been taken back, as the Elders would say... The Elders have also expressed to me over time that that building was where some of their peers had their SENĆOŦEN language taken out of them. Today the Old School stands as a constant reminder...