2024 was a busy and impactful year for Tsartlip First Nation, packed full of wins for the community and structural growth that is preparing the Nation for a successful future. Many new staff members joined the Tsartlip team, countless events took place, and the community joined together on several occasions to steward the land.
One of Tsartlip’s biggest wins in 2024 was the return of MÁWUEĆ – formerly known as Woodwynn Farm, a significant win for current and future generations. MÁWUEĆ is a 78-hectare parcel of land that was “used by the ancestors for hunting, gathering medicines, harvesting cedar, farming, and ancient ceremonial rites” before it was taken by settlers. Now, Tsartlip is working to remediate the land so it can be used to support food security, cultural, traditional, and recreational purposes for the community.
Another community-wide win in 2024 is the implementation of new bylaws to protect Tsartlip residents. Created in conjunction with Woodward and Company, the new bylaws protect community members and reinforce the community’s vision for the future.
Further, the Tsartlip Group of Companies – the umbrella organization that oversees Tsartlip’s businesses – took steps forward with a brand new logo and website.
As Tsartlip moved forward as a community, so too did Tsartlip’s individual members. One significant individual win is that of Tsartlip community member Sakora Morris, who realized her lifelong dream of becoming a professional soccer player in 2024 when she was recruited to play in the UK.
With so much growth taking place, it has become essential to recruit new staff members to support the community’s ever-evolving needs. The staff members who joined Tsartlip in 2024 include both new faces to the community and familiar faces taking on new roles. Adam Olsen, for example, transitioned out of his role as an MLA for Saanich North and the Islands after 16 years of experience in public office and is now serving as Tsartlip’s Lead Negotiator. In this role, he will represent Tsartlip’s interests at negotiation tables and work towards establishing a governance system that prioritizes community wellbeing rather than colonial interests.
Another familiar face taking on a new role is Brenda Bartleman, who became Tsartlip’s new National Native Alcohol and Drug Addictions Program Worker. In this new role, Brenda will focus on assessing community need and enacting preventative programs and services. Brenda will also continue with her role as Tsartlip’s Indian Registration Administrator.
New to Tsartlip is Ihor, who is now serving as the Director of Capital Projects, Public Works and Housing. Ihor is an experienced engineer who is supporting Tsartlip by leading all housing, capital projects, and master plan development while overseeing operations and maintenance.
Tsartlip also welcomed a new Jordan’s Principle Service Coordinator, Adam Gauthier. Adam is working under Jordan’s Principle to connect Tsartlip’s children and youth with the products, services, and supports they need to thrive.
Another new Coordinator joined the team in 2024: Human Resources Coordinator Anuradha Walisundera. In this new position, Anuradha will handle Tsartlip’s HR needs.
Other new faces to Tsartlip include Occupational Therapist Shannon who joined Tsartlip to support children and youth under 17 and Day Camp Coordinator Sydney Griffith.
Tsartlip’s team of staff old and new worked hard to put together a full schedule of community events in 2024. Events focused on community wellness, cultural connection and education, and opportunities for fun and celebration.
One stand-out community wellness event is Road to Wellness: Healthy You, a 10-week holistic health program that offered sessions on spiritual, mental, physical, and emotional health. Another, the Vancouver Whitecaps Soccer Clinic, offered over 70 Tsartlip youth an exciting opportunity to improve soccer skills under the mentorship of the Vancouver Whitecaps. Additionally, XAXE TŦE ḴAḴ ȽTE – Our babies are sacred – offered community-based support and education for pregnant individuals, parents and caregivers with babies up to 12 months of age.
Other community wellness events included the Children’s Oral Health Initiative’s 1st Annual Medical History Update Draw, a Seeding Distribution Day that provided community members with the soil and seeds necessary to plan a vegetable garden, the 2024 Coast Salish Games, and the Spring Health Fair, which took place on April 23rd and brought in over 100 community members.
Cultural events offered in 2024 included a Drum Making Workshop on October 24th and a Song and Stories Together series by the Parent-Child Mother Goose Program®. The Songs and Stories Together event was an opportunity for parents and young children to share rhymes, songs, and stories, including some SENĆOŦEN songs.
In between cultural and wellness-oriented events were opportunities to gather and celebrate in community. Tsartlip hosted a movie day for Elders on October 3rd, an Elder’s Thanksgiving feast on October 4th, and a community Christmas dinner on December 12th.
Community members also came together several times throughout the year to steward the land. Throughout October and November, for example, community members participated in MÁWUEĆ Restoration Volunteer Days to help restore the land at MÁWUEĆ through hands-on native-seed planting and stream restoration. Community members also participated in a ḰENNES Beach Clean event co-hosted by Peninsula Streams on August 11th.
The abundance of success and celebration this year would not have been possible without the many incredible community members and collaborators who joined together to uplift the community in 2024. To each community member and collaborator, Tsartlip extends gratitude. Tsartlip looks forward to another beautiful year of celebration, growth, and community care in 2025.
