I was invited to the legislature on Oct. 8 to attend an Indigenous smudging ceremony with Elder Shirley Alphonse. Alphonse is from T’Sou-ke Nation, and was appointed to be the elder to the premier when John Horgan was elected.
She has offered guidance, cultural teachings and practices, such as blessings and smudging, in her role. She has smudged in the premier’s office and a few MLAs in the past, but this was the first time Alphonse’s smudging was offered to everyone in the building. When I say everyone, I mean everyone. Horgan was the first to participate, and then a lineup, including MLAs from all parties and legislature staff, spanned from assistants to ushers.
To have our premier demonstrate his leadership in this way is refreshing and admirable. This is the kind of leadership that will not only trickle down through the legislature, but to each community across B.C. If you’re curious, ask your MLA if they participated.
When I walked through the legislature, I made notice of the architecture, the furniture and the designs on the carpets. I thought to myself: “This must be the most colonial building in Greater Victoria.” Shortly after that thought, I was greeted by Alphonse and saw a small table set up with sage in a shell, cedar boughs and other cultural items and materials.
I felt so honoured to be there, it was a great demonstration of meeting in the middle. When you are in a very colonial institution, the middle needs to bring in a heavier Indigenous presence. I sat there in the quiet room and watched for nearly an hour and a half, and the lineup never wavered and it continued long after I left. It was beautiful to see how many people were interested in participating. Minsters were standing in line next to members of opposition, and then ushers were standing in line with them. It really brought people together.
When I left, I thanked Alphonse for her time and said: “You are changing history.”
“We wanted to do this at the beginning of the session,” said Esquimalt-Metchosin MLA Mitzi Dean. “We are shifting the culture and bringing culture in. After all Indigenous people have been through, they still want to paddle with us.”
When I sat with Alphonse before the smudging started, I asked her about how she was appointed to the position as elder to the premier. She told me a story about how Horgan had met with T’Sou-ke Nation Chief Gordan Planes, his longtime friend, to discuss if he wanted to continue politics and lead the NDP.
Alphonse explained to me that Planes suggested he speak with the nation’s elder, Alphonse, if he was looking for guidance.
“That shows the trust Gordy has for me,” Alphonse said. “I met with John and we had private time together to talk.”
“Back in 2011, I was wondering whether I should run to be leader of the NDP. I met with Gord and he set up a smudge and chat with Shirley. After we were done, she said she saw very good things in my future,” said Horgan. “A few months later, I lost the leadership race. I saw Shirley and she had that big wise smile she always wears and told me I was not finished yet. Three years later, I was leader of the NDP. Her guidance is always balanced and positive. It is a great comfort to me to know she is in my corner keeping me grounded.”
This is the first time I had heard this story, and I wanted to share it to demonstrate another great example of meeting in the middle. Horgan approached his friend and was asking for advice. Planes is an Indigenous man, and in Indigenous culture when you are seeking advice, it often comes from an elder. Horgan stepped out of his comfort zone and more familiar decision-making processes, to speak with an elder. And through this our premier is the first to have an elder.
Dean also shared with me that she, too, is learning from an elder and is taking Lekwungen language lessons. For her first lesson, her entire constituency staff attended with her. Recently, Dean began a speech in the legislature with acknowledging the traditional territory, using the Lekwungen language to do so.
Charla Huber is the director of communications and Indigenous relations for M’akola Housing Society and M’akola Development Services.
