Mothers' Day celebrated at Ahousaht

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Ahousaht youth and men paid tribute to the women in their lives with a mark of respect that has become an annual event. Mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers and anyone playing a role as mom were invited by Ahousaht's youth and men for two feasts and a day of rest from the kitchen.

Ahousaht's teenagers arrived early in the morning to reverse roles-to make breakfast for their mothers under the guidance of the youth centre co-ordinator, Carl Perrika. Women were invited for a breakfast at the Ahousaht Youth Centre and were cheerfully served a full breakfast cooked and served by the teens of the community.

Later in the day the men of Ahousaht invited all mothers to the Thunderbird Hall for a seafood feast that was many days in the making. After days of harvesting and cooking, the men proudly served the special ladies in their lives a feast of tutsup (sea urchins) halibut soup, steamed clams, gooseneck barnacles, steamed mussels, crab, breaded & fried oysters, barbeque sockeye salmon, and fried cod and halibut. The meal was topped off with fresh fruit salad and special Mother's Day cake.

Doreen Sam thanked the men for their efforts and their meaningful acknowledgement of motherhood. Her comments were met with a standing ovation, a show of the women's respect by their men.

Louie Frank, Sr., standing with the men, praised the women of the community, "Thank God blessing us with such a wonderful group of women!"