Any casual observer would be forgiven their confusion as to which group constituted the ‘guests’ and which were the ‘hosts’.

Those words were part of an article in The Lookout, a newspaper from Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt. It documented a visit by about 30 Nanoose First Nation members to the military lands that they see every day across Nanoose Bay.

Navy Lieutenant Michael McWhinnie, who was at the event, is a public affairs officer for CFB Esquimalt and is the writer of the article. He said that he was personally moved by the visit of Chief David Bob and the community.

“As casual conversation was replaced by formal address, Chief Bob began by emphasizing the importance of the land to his people, pointing out culturally significant geographic features and recounting childhood memories,” he wrote. "I remember as a boy, coming here to hunt venison.  I would drag my canoe up onto the land and hide it so as not to be discovered by the navy patrols."

The visit was meant to renew the commitment by the military to allow Snaw’Naw’As people access to lands along the shoreline that are not used for military purposes.

The Royal Canadian Navy purchased the 580-acre former farm property in 1951 to be used as the Canadian Forces maritime experimental range. For the past 45 years, Canada and the US Navy have operated a three-dimensional sonar underwater tracking facility from there.

In attendance for the meeting was CFB Esquimalt’s commander, Capt(N) Craig Baines and his family. He carried a letter of agreement granting Snaw’Naw’As access to the natural lands within the test range.

"Our children will be able to walk the land and experience it as their forefathers did," said Chief Bob. "This agreement means the Nanoose people will no longer be forced to trespass in order to come to this place."

McWhinnie wrote that Snaw’Naw’As members “will be able to access specific wilderness areas along the shoreline and at the southern end of property. Controlled access… will be maintained, while hunting and overnight stays remain prohibited.

“Through conversation it became clear the Nanoose people place great emphasis on nurturing their Coast Salish cultural identity, including maintaining their language and traditions. Communing with the natural lands at (the facility) will be a valued additional resource available. Several of the women expressed an interest in rediscovering the native berries and plants used in traditional diets and medicines that can be found within the territory.”

Photo courtesy of Lt(N) McWhinnie

www.lookoutnewspaper.com