Equity and Inclusion at Camp Nor’wester
Everyone is Welcome
Camp Nor’wester strives to be an open and inclusive community for all people. It is our intention to provide an equitable experience for all campers who enroll at Camp Nor’wester.
Camp Nor’wester strives to be an open and inclusive community for all people. At the board level, a committee called Creating Cultural Competency in our Camp Community (C5) guides the organization in the efforts of equality and inclusion.
C5 strives to ensure the camp community can access the “essence” of camp which includes fostering authenticity, connection, and the opportunity to develop one’s growth mindset.
Our vision is to provide an inclusive environment for the diverse campers, staff, and stakeholders already connected with Nor’wester, with the belief that as we become more equitable and inclusive internally, additional campers, staff, etc. from diverse backgrounds will organically connect with Nor’wester. By developing our diversity inclusion, the entire organization benefits.
We also envision a camp community in which conversations about equity and inclusion are normalized so that campers, staff, etc. expect to engage in courageous conversations and have the comfort and skill to do so.
It is our intention to provide an equitable experience for all campers who enroll at Camp Nor’wester. Training our staff, providing safe spaces for discussions at camp and ensuring campers can access the program equally are just a few examples of the foundation we’ve built to positively impact the camper experience in regards to these important issues.
Camp Nor’wester Anti-Racism Pledge
As an organization that serves a multi-generational community around the world, Camp Nor’wester is committed to the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion. Toward that end, we affirm our commitment to the practice of anti-racism, while recognizing that each of us connected to Nor’wester is at a different place along this path of awareness, education and engagement. Camp Nor’wester seeks to be intentional and pro-active in its pursuit of recognizing bias, as well as creating a courageous space for all to engage in the work of dismantling racism and ethnic oppression.
Cultural Connections with the Northwest Coast Peoples
Located on a site with clear and longstanding evidence of native occupation, we strive to acknowledge that the property is located on traditional Salish land on ancestral lands of all tribes and bands within the Lhaq’temish (Lummi), Samish, Swinomish, Noxwsaag, WSÁNEĆ (Saanich), Songish, T’souk-e (Sooke), Nəxʷsƛayəm, and Semiahmoo Nations. WȾÁEMEṈ is a local indigenous name for the island, and means “the sound of barnacles at low tide”
[W̱ȾÁEMEṈ; “the sound of barnacles at low tide”, Lummi dialect, WSÁNEĆ elder, KANTENOT, Helen Jack]Nor’wester also has a unique tradition of Northwest Coastal art and culture.
Nor’wester has unique tradition, inherited from the Henderson Camps, based on a relationship that started in the 1950s between members of the camp community and members of the Kwagiutl community from Tsax̱is (known as Fort Rupert). This relationship is reflected in the camp’s totems, canoes, and a spectacular Kwakwaka’wakw-style Bighouse. This continued relationship has influenced much of the artwork produced for camp, and is the basis for the gift exchange which takes place at each season’s end. All campers and staff learn about Northwest Coastal tribes, including the Kwagiutl, other groups of the Kwakwaka’wakw Nation, and the Coast Salish groups that inhabit the region where camp is located.
Central to this tradition is the community’s continued relationships with First Nations campers and alumni over the years. Since the 1950s, First Nations and Native American campers have attended camp sessions, gaining from the Nor’wester experience as young adults, and many have returned to camp in a staff or visiting educator capacity. As a result, camp’s Cultural Community Connections Program has thrived.
Focusing on educational experiences for campers in the realm of indigenous culture, art, traditions, and history, the program has been a highlight for many generations of campers over the years, and is often named by alumni as the spark for a life-long interest. Units participate in traditional games, enjoy stories and teachings, assist in creating art and regalia, and learn about songs and dances.
Although the focus is often centered on Kwakwaka’wakw culture because of the relationship Camp has with members of the Kwagiutl community, art of several Northwest Coast styles can be found around the property, and Nor’wester continues to build relationships with indigenous educators and artists of many backgrounds through outreach and our Visiting Artist/Educator program. As we increase our collective understanding of the history and current experiences of coast Salish people in the region, and recognize that Nor’wester exists on coast Salish land, we strive to bring more understanding of the coast Salish people, language, and culture to our campers and seek opportunities to express continued gratitude and share the land once again with the original stewards.
