First Nations meet royal visitors in city of Victoria

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As First Nations singers and dancers performed a welcoming paddle dance, and the Royal Canadian Air Force Snowbirds blasted over the domes of the Legislature, Queen Elizabeth II mingled with Vancouver Island residents, talking at length with First Nations children and artisans.

From the moment the Queen and Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh arrived on Vancouver Island until the moment they left, First Nations people played a pivotal role in celebrating the Queen's golden jubilee.

When her plane touched down at the Victoria military airbase she was greeted by First Nations children from the Songhees, Paquachin and Esquimalt First Nations of the Victoria area.

When she attended the Sunday service at Christ Church Cathedral, many First Nations people joined the hundreds of onlookers. And at a special luncheon at the historic Empress Hotel, many First Nation chiefs and leaders shared a meal with the royal party.

"I wasn't really enthusiastic about the invitation because of our history and historical relationship with the monarchy, but when I thought about it I realized there's been indications over the past few years that the monarchy is actually concerned about First Nations people," said Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council Central Region co-chair Nelson Keitlah. "We talk about 'the honor of the Crown' quite a bit in treaty negotiations, so it was interesting to see the person behind that phrase, and to think of the history shared between her family and our people," he said.

Keitlah, along with Northern Region co-chair Archie Little and Hupacasath Chief Councillor Judith Sayers, were among a dozen Vancouver Island First Nation representatives invited to the luncheon.

"I was hoping to get a chance to speak to her about the honor of the Crown, but royal protocols prevent that," said Little, adding that he was able to broach the topic with Queen Elizabeth's personal physician and Prince Phillip's personal secretary who were seated with the Nuu-chah-nulth delegation. "They were really down to earth people, and they were very interested in First Nations issues," he said.

"It was a privilege to be invited and be part of the pomp and circumstance, and it was really interesting to see how people are willing to spend hours waiting to catch a glimpse of her," said Sayers. "Our chiefs are our royalty and their bloodlines go back even further than the Queen's, and I can't help but think that if people knew our histories and understood our bloodlines we'd be in a much better situation as B.C. First Nations," she said.

After the luncheon, the Queen and Prince Phillip were driven over to the legislature where more than 20,000 people cheered their arrival and joined a celebration of the Queen's 50-year reign.

As the Queen and Prince Phillip descended the granite steps of the legislature, a group of more than 30 Coast Salish singers and dancers performed a welcoming paddle dance which the royal party stopped to watch before being presented with a carved talking stick by Cowichan Elder Simon Charlie.

"She's a nice person," said the 82-year-old Charlie after meeting with the Queen and presenting her with a symbol of his family's history. "She asked me about all the animals on the stick and what they meant," he said before explaining the role of the thunderbird, killer whale, wolf and salmon designs on the talking stick he spent five weeks carving.

The singers and dancers from the Cowichan, Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations were equally impressed with Her Royal Highness.

"It was so awesome," said George Thomas of Esquimalt. "It was a real honor to share our culture with them," he said.

"We did this back in 1994 when she came to open the Commonwealth Games in Victoria," said Ray Peter of Cowichan. "It's always an honor and a pleasure to perform before a royal audience, but this time was extra special because she and Phillip actually stopped and talked to us," he said.

The Tsinqua singers and dancers, led by Ray Peter, George Thoas and Songhees' Lila Dick, started practising two weeks before the event once they agreed on the version of the song they would perform.

"It was challenging, but definitely worth it," said Peter. "There were no politics involved, just happiness and celebration."