Cultural & Spiritual Practices
Our programs incorporate Aboriginal historical perspective, culture and spiritual traditions.
Kackaamin incorporates Aboriginal historical perspective, culture, and traditions. This is inclusive of traditional rituals such as Cleansing Ceremonies, Smudgings, the Talking Circle, Spiritual Baths, Sweats, and Sacred Fires. Emphasis is placed on providing a spiritual backdrop that aids in recovery.
Kackaamin celebrates the culture, teachings, and traditions of the Nuu Chah Nulth peoples, recognizing that within the broad geographical definition of the Nuu Chah Nulth, are 14 nations whose language and protocols are each unique. With that, we honour each family at the community Welcome Feast where guests are traditionally welcomed to the territory.
We welcome families from all areas of British Columbia, and Canada. We also recognize that each family brings with them their traditions, teachings, culture, and protocols. We hope these families will share their drums, songs, stories, and traditions with us.
Hishukish Tsawak
This phrase means 'everything is one', or everything is connected. This is so when you drop a pebble into a body of water, the entire body of water ripples and is affected. Or, the environment, conditions and treatment of a living creature can positively or negatively affect its growth and development. As such, humans and our connection to the land and others is just as vital for well-being and survival. Even at a cellular level, balance is always the goal… and we understand everything is connected.
How do we create healthier societies? Our Nuuchah-nulth Elders suggest that it starts with raising healthy children. So at Kackaamin, our focus is to stabilize the parents so they in turn can connect and support their families. We also speak the Language of the Virtues and employ teachings from The Virtues Project. The key principle of the Virtue's Project is to teach parents how to best impart values and virtues to their children.
Virtues are grounded in sacred traditions of many world religions and traditional values among many First Nations cultures. The use of virtues is based on the simple principle of spiritual growth. Virtues help us address ourselves (and our children) as spiritual beings whose purpose to develop all the virtues and values which were created within each of us a potential.
Our parenting program is based on our Nuu-chahnulth teachings and the Circle of Security, both of which are strongly influential in attachment development between parents and children.
