Join the Coastal Queer Alliance and local hiškʷiiʔatḥ and Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ elder, Nicki Love McCarthy, for an afternoon of storytelling, language learning and screen printing.
Learn more and register for the event HERE.
Background
Queerness has existed for time immemorial, though it has been named differently throughout time, culture, and locations. Queerness is expansive, and it has the potential to connect us to people all over the world. Just as importantly, it also allows us to share local connections, and learn from the revitalization of language and stories that tell the tale of immemorial queerness in the lands that we call home.
Queer Language from Creation is a celebration of queer Nuu-chah-nulth language, identities, and community. Join local hiškʷiiʔatḥ and Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ elder, Nicki Love McCarthy, for an afternoon of storytelling and language learning. This monumental event includes a never-before-told Two-Spirit Creation Story, and sharing of pre-colonial Nuu-chah-nulth words for queer identities. Following Nicki's presentation, Naasʔi ʔawatin will be leading a free screen printing workshop featuring a design made specially for this event. We welcome you to join us in learning from, celebrating, and uplifting Nuu-chah-nulth queers.
Who are the event faciliators?
Nicki Love McCarthy (she/her) is a new kind of elder, poet, writer, researcher, committed to redistributing ancestral teachings in a contemporary society. As a trans woman with roots in Hesquiaht and Ucluelet, she has dedicated over 30 years to fostering a new economy based on the redistribution of knowledge, networks, and compassion. Nicki is an educator, known for her extensive work in mental health and cultural advocacy. She has been a national emcee and educator for Truth and Reconciliation Canada, playing a pivotal role in promoting Indigenous mental health and wellness across the country. Nicki is currently the Regional Coordinator at the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, where she focuses on integrating cultural best practices into mental health and wellness. Nicki is also a published researcher and has lectured at universities throughout North America.
Naasʔi ʔawatin (they/them) is a Hesquiaht Two-Spirit creator dedicated to building communities of care and culture on their homelands. Their work blends storytelling, mixed media, and mending to explore themes of identity, resilience, and connection to land. Through their practice, they challenge colonial systems and binary ways of being and reflect on the transformative power of embracing imperfection. Rooted in Indigenous stewardship and the belief in community as liberation, their practice seeks to heal ecosystems, cultural ties, and collective relationships, offering new perspectives on growth, respect, and inner strength.
This event is supported by Coastal Queer Alliance and the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust.
Photo credits: Coastal Queer Alliance
