Elders and Mennonites Share a Meal

Vancouver, BC - It had been a long drive from Edmonton to Vancouver and the trip wasn’t over yet. So the elders of the Gwa’Sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw nation in Port Hardy were grateful for a rest stop and a home cooked meal. The meal came courtesy of the women’s group at First United Mennonite Church in Vancouver who offered a typical Mennonite meal of “kotletten” (meat balls) potatoes, cooked vegetables, salad, and homemade “zwieback” or buns.

“This is the kind of meal we often ate during hard times when we didn’t have a lot,” said Selma Sawatzky, one of the women helping in the kitchen who also gave thanks for the meal.

The evening meal and fellowship time was coordinated by Darryl Klassen, Aboriginal Neighbours Program coordinator for MCC BC. MCC has had a long history in Port Hardy and Klassen felt the meal would be a good opportunity for the two communities to connect.

After the meal, the group sat in a circle and shared songs in both English and Kwakwala.
Chief Paddy Walkus shared offered his thanks to MCC for its history with the people of Gwa’Sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw and the way in which they have built relationships there.

“This is how MCC works – not coming in to say ‘here we are helping the poor Indian,’ to make themselves look good, but to come to us and help us, give us integrity,” Walkus said. “So many of our kids hold their heads up now, proud of their culture.”

Klassen was quick to note that the relationship has been reciprocal.

“I just want you to know that it’s been a two way street,” he said. “It has been a blessing to be your friends and you have changed our lives too.”

The evening ended with a song, written by one of the elders:

Come unto me the Lord Jesus said,
I am the way the truth and the life
I bid you enter in, he has saved
Jesus said, come unto me.

The circle of friends gather to sing and share a meal.

Mennonites and Aboriginals share a meal together
at First Mennonite church in VAncouver.

Music group provides accompaniment as the group
shares favourite songs. Seated in the centre is
Darryl Klassen, Aboriginal Neighbours Program coorindator.

Chief Paddy Walkus of the
Gwa’Sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw nation in Port Hardy
speaks to the group at First Mennonite Church in Vancouver.

One of the elders leads a song in
the Kwakwala language

For more information on the Aboriginal Neighbours Program contact program coordinator Darryl Klassen at: (604) 850-6639 in Abbotsford, 1-888-622-6337 from outside the Lower Mainland. E-mail: abneighbours@mccbc.com

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