“Stanley gifted it to me and it’s time to go home now so his grandchildren’s grandchildren can have it,” Roy Alexander told a group of old friends over a special Aug. 20 lunch at Brown’s Socialhouse in Tofino.

Qaamina, Sam’s eldest son, accepted the "it" in question, a chaputs (canoe) on behalf of his family in Ahousaht.

“It’s heading to Maaqtusiis,” says Qaamina. “Stanley went to Ahousaht Residential School. He was always one to give and he always wanted his grandkids to have better.”

Stanley Sam or T’sasiits (wise one) was a Nuu-chah-nulth speaker for the Tyee Ha'wiih and a lifelong fisherman. He was born on Feb. 29, 1928, in Moyaha (Herbert Inlet), Ahousaht hahoulthee (territory) to Paul Sam and Katie Lucas. His mom Katie had strong ties to Tla-o-qui-aht and Hesquiaht.

During his li

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