First posted: 9 April 1996
"Yo," she greets me, meeting me half way. "What's up?"
"I've been thinkin' it's about time you and i took a trip up-coast, to be talkin' to the Bands about the highway contract."
"Yeah, sounds like a plan," Linda agrees. "What with the Niska land deal pushing through it would be an especially good political move to give the appearance of consulting with the Band councils."
I study Linda momentarily with a bit of a frown. Never quite sure when she's testin' me or not. "'Tis not an "appearance" i'm goin' for. I be serious about the Band councils' input. True as it is that we may nae be able to incorporate everythin' they'll be wanting, i really do think it important to hear what they have to say."
Re-evaluation, or rather, continued data correlation shows in Linda's eyes. She's a Plains Cree, moved to th' coast, but now that she's here she treats the land as if it were that which her ancestors traditionally held.
"Huh. Sure you aren't just worried about some of the more radical Native groups committing a few choice acts of sabotage and vandalism during construction?"
"Truth be told, i am worried about that. The radical splinter groups have caused problems in the past on big construction projects and i want to be keepin' th' problems down to a minimum. I be sympathetic to their concerns for th' land. But an attack like th' one on the Shantana Bay Harbour Project that left six construction workers and one Wolf Pack Warrior dead, not to mention the wounded, isn't th' way to be goin' about it. The highway must be upgraded. Tis an environmental hazard as it is, and with the growing move toward Native self-rule th' Bands will be needin' the roads as much as anyone else. Me aim here is to seek th' elder's advice and counsel. Be open. Answer questions."
"Mmhhh. Ok," Linda smiles. "You've played fair so far. Better than my last boss. He really had the proverbial "forked-tongue". You actually mean what you say, John. Who do you want to talk with first."
"I be in your hands on that one. I...used to have a good friend up in the Queen Charlotte Islands. Haida. But that was a long time ago. Not even sure where he is now. You've spent far more time than i up coast with the ecological survey. Why don't you an' i take about a week or so and work our way through the communities that will be along th' highway. You pick the schedule."
"Ok. Sounds good. When do you want to go?"
"How long will it take you to set it up?"
"Two weeks. Maybe three," Linda says as i nod approval. "You speak, what, i can't remember?"
"Salish. Learned it a while back. I may be a bit rusty, though. I've been workin' on it lately downtown with some of the kids at Andrea's centre. Although," i clear me throat and look a bit sheepish at this, "i'm afraid th' kids have been havin' a spot o' fun wi' me. I think i'm pickin' up a touch o', ah, impolite slang in me vocabulary under their watchful guidance."
"Heh. Well, kids, eh?" grins Linda. "It'll do. Like i said, you do mean what you say. Not many white engineers bother to take the time to learn to talk to the Bands properly. By the way, when did you learn Salish, originally, i mean."
Ah. Yeah. When indeed... "Long time ago. Long story, too. Maybe i'll tell ye on th' trip."
"Fair enough. Ok. Let me see what i can set up."