Television crews were immersed in the coastal environment and the Heiltsuk community of Bella Bella in May.
“We heard about it and didn’t know exactly how it was going to unfold,” said Chief Marilyn Slett, of learning the TV docuseries Ocean Warriors ~ Mission Ready would be filming an episode locally.
The APTN and CHEK TV series will showcase the work of the independent Coastal Nations Coast Guard Auxiliary (CNCGA), made up of four coastal British Columbian First Nations, the Heiltsuk, Ahousaht, ‘Namgis, and Quatsino.
Over 13 episodes, each half-hour show will highlight the work of the search and rescue volunteers being put into place in these remote coastal communities.
An episode was filming in Bella Bella May 21-28 and the TV crew was invited to a feast to get to know the greater community while they were there.
“We were pleased to be able to highlight and support the work that we’re doing. I think that they were really able to see a good portion of our community,” said Slett.
“It was super exciting.”
While Slett was unable to attend filming because it was also the week of the community’s annual general meeting which had been scheduled long in advance, she was pleased to have a chance to meet them.
Slett said there were elders in the community who used to fulfill some of the role of local coast guard or search and rescue support, but the new program is going to enable the community to do more.
“We’re excited to see some of that investment into the coast guard auxiliary,” said Slett.
She expects this greater investment into training and equipment to translate into more capacity in marine response and marine safety on the coast.
This is something critical to the remote island community, accessible only by air and water on the rugged central coast of the province.
“We rely on the ocean as our marine highway, for our economy, for our sustenance,” said Slett, of the community’s close relationship with the coastal waters.
“Being a mariner’s community, we are the first responders,” said Slett.
The new trainees for the local contingent of the CNCGA have just received their boat and the vessel was given a ceremonial blessing by the cultural leaders of the community about a month ago.
At the ceremony, hereditary chief and community elder Frank Brown shared a story about falling into the water while harvesting kelp out by himself.
Slett recalled Brown’s story and said he was able to access his radio and make a call for help and community members went out to rescue him. He stressed the importance of having local resources to assist in these situations.
“We know our territory and we know each other,” said Slett.
The last couple of years have involved the organizational planning for the new auxiliary, and more recently the training of the selected participants has been taking place.
With the boat and the training now in place, the group will be able to respond to marine search and rescue emergencies.
The documenting of the group’s work by the TV series will showcase the work the CNCGA will be able to do and the communities of the coast.
Slett herself was even interviewed for the show, speaking to her time in leadership and the community’s goals and focus as well as the CNCGA as it has developed.
She also recalled how in October of 2016, a Texas-owned fuel barge returning from Alaska ran aground near Bella Bella and the tug pulling it sank.
She said this was was another event which helped highlight the need for local responders.
The tugboat also spilled thousands of litres of diesel fuel into the coastal waters near the community, impacting their economy. The spill led to closures of shellfish beds and they have not harvested there since.
Slett said she wants viewers to grasp the work these coastal communities do to protect the people and the ocean they are so reliant on.
“I definitely hope when people watch it they see and understand the importance our Indigenous communities have on the ocean and the health of the ocean.”
Read more: New doc series started production in Bella Bella this month
Read more: Coast Guard transports BC Hydro crews to restore Central Coast community’s power
ruth.lloyd@wltribune.com
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