After 67 years leading the Toquaht First Nation, Chief Bert Mack has handed down the chieftainship to his youngest daughter Anne.
"I had been thinking of Anne for the chieftainship ever since she was away," said Bert, age 85, in an interview with the Westerly Monday.
Chief Anne Mack earned a degree in sociology from Simon Fraser University (Kamloops). She has six daughters.
While living away from the West Coast, Bert says his daughter constantly kept in contact.
"She asked questions about our culture. She was the most natural choice," said Bert.
Chief Anne Mack, 59, will be known as Wii-tsuts-koom (which means wealthy in the Nuu-chah-nulth language, not in financial terms but as in having lots of family).
When Anne returned to the peninsula area, she immediately began work with the Toquaht Nation as a cultural coordinator.
She focussed on preserving the Nuu-chah-nulth language and on National Aboriginal Day (in conjunction with Parks Canada). She also helped in the development of the Nuu-chah-nulth Trail in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.
The Toquaht band membership numbers 140 -- the highest number in some time. About 50 of those members live on the West Coast.
"I would like to bring our membership back to Toquaht lands. Preservation of our culture and our language is the most important thing we can do for our people," said Bert.
Passing of the hereditary chief title happened at a traditional ceremony in Port Alberni on January 10. Hundreds of people attended.
In November 2007, the Toquaht First Nation, as part of the Maa-nulth treaty table, saw finalization of their treaty with the provincial government.
Under the treaty, the band will receives 1,600 hectares of land, including 46 kilometres of oceanfront property on Toquart Bay.
"It was important for us to get the real estate," said Bert. "Logging and fishing are hurting as industries right now, but having that oceanfront land to develop is something that will always be valuable. It can be developed by and for our people."
Bert said he considers the Maa-nulth treaty to be his greatest accomplishment.
Anne expects the federal government to sign off on the Maa-nulth treaty later this year, with the document working its way through all the necessary legal channels sometime in 2010.
"My father passed the hereditary chieftainship to me when I was just 18," said Bert. "But he was there for me to consult with for about 30 years until he died."
In the same way, Bert plans to act as a consultant to his daughter.