What made you choose the representations in this film?

The men starring in Canoe Connections are my father and brother, who I grew alongside in
canoe carving and racing since I was 6 years old. My grandfather Cedric Billy was a canoe
carver, and captain of North Vancouver Canoe Club (N.V.C.C) for many years until a shoulder
injury forced him to stop paddling. The immediate halt to his War Canoeing career broke his
heart, and he had a difficult time returning to the sporting events soon after. This was also before
he had the chance to properly coach his children in War Canoeing.
His son, Mike Billy Sr., initially was not interested in this way of life but was talked into it by his
childhood best friend. He focused on telling Mike Sr. of the excitement of travelling to canoe
races with our people. Mike Sr. fell in love with War Canoe racing the moment he sat in a canoe
for the first time. He was 15 years old. Over those next few years as a novice canoe puller, Mike
Sr. witnessed his N.V.C.C’s need for faster canoes as the canoe club started placing in races. He
lived in a trailer in the middle of a field for a couple of years to carve these canoes.
During his early adulthood, Mike Sr. and his best friend built a crew of Squamish Nation
members. They knew they had the potential to become champions, so they begged Cedric to train
them. He refused but after several attempts to get Cedric to coach, his wife Penny said, “it can’t
be that hard. I’ve seen how he does it. He just sits there with a stopwatch while they canoe back
and forth.” After one season of Penny training them, Cedric finally agreed to train these youth.
Under one condition.
“Four years. That’s all you get.”
By the end of their coaching contract with Cedric, they championed the 6-man canoe
Melanie for years afterward.
Over the next 4 decades, Mike Sr. would carve canoes of all different sizes at the expense of his
time, energy, and money. During this time, he had 3 kids and chose to pass on his knowledge to
us when he saw that we were ready to take on this responsibility.
There is a sacredness to the generational continuity of canoe-carving leadership between Mike
Sr. and Jr. The stewardship of North Vancouver Canoe Club is fundamental to the traditions of
our people. I hope to brag on behalf of my father and brother's richness in traditional knowledge.
They are too humble to do it themselves.

What is the intention behind the film itself?

My intention for this film was to highlight the intergenerational aspects of leadership in Coast
Salish-style war canoeing. It is incredibly important to me that eventually, the commentary on
War Canoeing is that it is good medicine for the people. Like in every culture, there are mentors
who are confused and do not teach in a good way. But if you teach in a good way, War Canoeing
is incredibly fulfilling. The hard work is enjoyable. Uniting with the people and being Nch'u7mut
can only benefit your mind, body, and spirit. War Canoeing is not some relic of the past that is
slowly evaporating. War canoeing is revitalizing summer by summer, and with each generation,
we learn to incorporate traditional knowledge into our daily routines.
Mike Sr. and Jr. are both leaders in the war canoe racing and building spheres, so the perspective
of the film is in good hands. I wouldn't have dreamed of this kind of support for canoe building
even a decade ago, so it is also valuable to publicize Canoe Cultures purpose and function as a
non-profit arts organization. Its very existence is helping this part of our culture evolve to suit the
needs of the people.

What was it like growing up as a First Nations person?

I come from the Squamish, Yale, and Nuxalk First Nations in what is now referred to as British
Columbia, Canada. I grew up in North Vancouver with my Squamish people on Mission rez. I
received many of my teachings from here, but I also received button blanket and potlatch
teachings from my Nuxalk family and fishing and grieving teachings from my Yale family. I
have many roles, but they all fall under the giant umbrella of finding any way I can to support
my people's artists and knowledge-keepers. This is exactly where my heart is and I dream of
supporting my people, but my family story of war canoeing will forever be closest to my heart.