Film uplifts ceremonies for the return of ooligan, a vital fish for Nuxalk Nation

By Dionne Phillips, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, IndigiNews Qwaxw Siwallace remembers a time in his Youth when sputc (ooligan), and the nutritious grease Nuxalk harvested from the fish species, were plentiful. “It was just a part of everyday life,” he told IndigiNews, “when it was in abundance.” His favourite food was smoked ooligan, also known as eulachon. But their grease was also added to most other foods. He loved it so much as a young child that his father had to start giving him his own bowl of ooligan grease. “Otherwise I would just keep eating,” the co-founder of Nuxalk Radio said with a laugh. “It was just something that was just part of everything in such abundance. You never imagined it would disappear.” But for 28 years, his community…

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