Truth and Reconciliation: Two Friends, One Mission
Richard Till (smanit stumish) and Candace Campo (xets’emits’a)
I would like to introduce you to my s-yaya (friend), Richard Till. Richard, born in England, is a land-based educator, guide, builder, writer, and storyteller. He has been my closest friend and colleague for over 28 years, and together we have co-educated and built Talaysay Tours into the successful ecotourism business that it is today. Richard’s name, given to him by our elders, is smanit stumish—Mountain Man—because of his love for climbing. Fondly called "Mountain Goat" as a term of endearment, he is an avid outdoor guide and educator. Safe to say, our Shíshálh people are fond of him. He is our friend, and he is our ally.
My name is Candace, and I am the founder and co-owner of Talaysay Tours. I am Shíshálh, born and raised on a reserve in Sechelt on the Sunshine Coast, BC. I am a trained cultural ambassador, teacher, anthropologist, and artist. In our Salish culture, when we engage in “the good work”—communicating, sharing knowledge, and offering perspective—we call upon a “floor speaker.” The floor speaker, who speaks on behalf of the family in a formal and respectful way, conveys the family’s truth, point of view, and intentions. This might be to honor another family or tribe, pass on ancestral and traditional names, stand up a Chief, or support someone in need of love and recognition. This practice is part of the blanket ceremony, where we physically wrap the person in a blanket as a sign of love and communal respect.
This ceremonial work is sometimes used to address conflicts, always with the intention of making things right. The process begins by publicly speaking your truth before your community, and announcing your resolution. These actions aren’t just symbolic; they’re real commitments to balance and justice, often involving tangible compensation. Our people have been doing this for as long as memory holds.
When we do historical tours, Richard—well-researched in history and our people's life stories—addresses the more difficult topics: colonization, residential schools, and the government policies that continue to burden us today. As a settler, Richard often hears the unspoken racism that indigenous audiences do not have to explain. We hope to bridge these gaps by sharing our relationship to the land, our societal practices, and the historical and contemporary matters of reconciliation and conciliation.
These are Richard’s words as our company’s “floor speaker.”
The nature of Talaysay Tours’ interactive experiences places us at the forefront of reconciliation work. This aligns with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action, which encourage:
Teaching all Canadians the truth about Indigenous Peoples' treatment.
Creating educational and economic opportunities for Indigenous Canadians so they can fully participate in society.
Talaysay Tours goes deeper. Through exhaustive research, we reveal the full spectrum of colonial interferences and outcomes, and unveil the struggles of First Nations people to recover from the post-apocalyptic realities of the 1862-63 smallpox epidemic and the church-run residential schools. One of the least spoken about harms caused by colonial policy is the continuous effort by provincial and federal governments to separate Indigenous peoples from their land.
Residential schools were designed to remove Indigenous children from their land, culture, and ecologically sustainable ways of living. Indian Agents and the reserve system were given the power to restrict access to land. For Indigenous people, land and spirit, health and wellbeing, are inseparable. Removing any part of this life results in a decline in the health and wellbeing of both the land and the people—as they are one.
Talaysay Tours gratefully employs 10 Indigenous guides, both experienced and in training, as well as 4 non-Indigenous guides. We are committed to training non-Indigenous guides, wellness facilitators, outdoor educators, botanists, and birders to learn our culture and history firsthand. These efforts are our co-actions and commitment to reconciliation. The employment and training of young Indigenous people as guides, ambassadors, educators, and artists is our family’s way of creating opportunities for the next generation to experience life and work on the land.
Many of our Indigenous guides are Salish, while some are from Northern and outer coast nations like the Haida, Nisga’a, and Nuu-chah-nulth. Together, we work as a team, sharing food, speaking Indigenous languages, and discussing protocols. There was a time when Coast Salish tribes were in conflict with the North. Today, we sit together as a new generation, discussing our ancestors with curiosity, love, and respect. The oral histories shared are invaluable, and our people still hold deep connections to our ancestors and elders.
Richard often refers to himself as "an old Brit," and we smile and laugh. I often reply, “Yeah, whatever Richard, you’re our elder dude!”
We are a living story and practice of reconciliation.