Women of Tla-o-qui-aht power Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation’s naaʔuu

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Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation (Tofino, BC) – Now into its second year, Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation is excited to announce its roster for its experience team that is impressing guests at their cultural feast, called naaʔuu.

The three-hour dinner and cultural experience has returned to Tin Wis Resort (Tofino) Friday June 7 for weekend dates until June 29. Visitors and locals purchase tickets to witness the experience and enjoy an all they can eat seafood buffet, harvested by and cooked by Tla-o-qui-aht citizens.

Co-Producer Maria Clark sees naaʔuu as a springboard to a much more ambitious plan for Tla-o-qui-aht citizens to realize a bigger piece of Tofino’s multi-million-dollar tourism economy. “naaʔuu provides a platform for our people to showcase our culture, on our terms and includes spin offs to future opportunities growing Tla-o-qui-aht’s piece of the Tofino Tourism pie.”

WATCH: Meet the women of Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation’s naaʔuu, seeing through their dreams while helping to power their nation's future in tourism.

Watch Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation’s naaʔuu; on sale now on YouTube.

The event series production team includes 21 Tla-o-qui-aht citizens, 14 of them women, in top positions including:

  • Roberta Tom, Caterer
  • Maria Clark, Co-Producer
  • Allison Howard, Host
  • Ivy Cargill- Martin, Creative Designer
  • Tla-o-qui-aht Dancers; Anna David, Rae Amos, Bev Dorward & Denise Amos
Photo: Bryanna Bradley
Tin Wis Resort Assistant GM and naaʔuu co-producer Maria Clark generating community opportunity

For Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation naaʔuu caterer Roberta Tom, she is leveraging this opportunity to launch her own catering business. “People know about Chinese food and Italian food, but I want them to know about our food, Tla-o-qui-aht’s diet and what we eat.”

You can learn more about “what’s cooking” via Tom and her team through this ZenSeekers feature 

Naaʔuu caterer Roberta Tom seeing her dream come true in cooking traditional food for the world

For Ivy Cargill-Martin the experience is about showcasing Tla-o-qui-aht art, something that has been with her since she was first born, growing up in a house full of artists and cultural stewards.

You can hear Cargill-Martin’s passion come through for what she loves, via this recent Tuff City Radio spot where she explains the plans she has in place for fortunate naaʔuu ticket buyers.

Photo: Bryanna Bradley
naaʔuu’s Creative designer Ivy Cargill-Martin presenting her story

Ivy Cargill-Martin working on large scale Tla-o-qui-aht curtains that will be on display in the Tin Wis Conference Center, one of the many highlights of the naaʔuu evenings. 

Ivy Cargill-Martin working on large scale Tla-o-qui-aht curtains that will be on display in the Tin Wis Conference Center, one of the many highlights of the naaʔuu evenings.
Ivy Cargill-Martin working on large scale Tla-o-qui-aht curtains that will be on display in the Tin Wis Conference Center, one of the many highlights of the naaʔuu evenings.
Ivy Cargill-Martin working on large scale Tla-o-qui-aht curtains that will be on display in the Tin Wis Conference Center, one of the many highlights of the naaʔuu evenings.

 

After its successful debut weekend in May, the event continues it run Friday and Saturday nights, June 7 through June 29, 2024, tickets can be bought here.

To learn more about Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation’s naaʔuu, head on over to the naaʔuu website.

WHEN YOU GO

Stay: Tla-o-qui-aht owned Tin Wis Resort
About five minutes from downtown Tofino, all rooms are oceanfront

Book: an e-bike ahead of time for your Tla-o-qui-aht time to experience the new multiuse bike path connecting you from the Tin Wis Resort through the Pacific Rim National Park. You can make the rental via their website

Feast: Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation’s naaʔuu includes an all you can eat seafood buffet, for the full menu and further information check out the Eventbrite page

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