Breaking News: Trio of King Charles III Coronation Medals awarded in Tofino….. Check In

Tofino, BC – Joe Martin, Levi Martin and Dr. Ricardo Manmohan were awarded King Charles III Coronation Medals on Feb. 21 in front of an intimate gathering of friends and family at the newly renovated Clayoquot Sound Community Theatre in Tofino.

Tofino, BC – Joe Martin, Levi Martin and Dr. Ricardo Manmohan were awarded King Charles III Coronation Medals on Feb. 21 in front of an intimate gathering of friends and family at the newly renovated Clayoquot Sound Community Theatre in Tofino.

Courtenay-Alberni NDP MP Gord Johns presented the honour on behalf of the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada. Johns was tasked with nominating 20 individuals from his riding for the Kings Charles II Coronation Medal, an award that recognizes outstanding individuals who have made a difference in their community.

“It wasn’t easy to pull all these individuals together at the same time,” said Johns. “They are extremely busy individuals that are constantly giving everything they’ve got, and when I called these recipients, they were really humble.”

Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation Joe Martin was the first to receive his medal. Joe was recognized for a life learning and teaching the art and responsibilities of making a chaputs (cedar dugout canoe) and totem poles in the tradition of his people, through the guidance of his ancestors.

“I have to accept this on behalf of my late father, my late brother Billy, and many of those folks who my father used to speak of. They were really good at doing things and that is how they inspired me to do the work,” said Joe.

“My mom and both of my grandmothers, all those people and all the leaders. My brother Carl,” he continued.

Dr. Ricardo Manmohan was next to receive his medal for his leadership in the founding of the Pacific Rim Leadership Centre and the development of the Nuu-chah-nulth Warrior Program, which reconnects young men to the land and each other.

The biggest honour is to be presented this with both (Joe and Levi). How humbling that is. The trust that your communities had and the other Nations that we work with. Just trusting your teachings to go back to your young men that you trust me with, it means so much. It’s your future and I’m so humble. I’m just lucky to be a part of this,” said Manmohan.

Last but not least, elder Levi Martin came forward to accept his medal of recognition for his service to his people as an art and Nuu-chah-nulth language teacher and knowledge holder, and his support of the healing of residential school survivors that has made a difference in the lives of many.

I’m very honoured and humbled. I feel like I’m accepting this on behalf of my ancestors and all that I work with,” said Levi Martin.

“One thing I can say about Joe, Levi and Ricardo, is, not only do they enrich our lives and make us better and connect us to place, but they save peoples’ lives, actually,” said MP Johns.

Tla-o-qui-aht Chief Councillor Elmer Frank acknowledged the recipients on behalf of Tla-o-qui-aht Ha’wiih (Hereditary Chiefs) and Iris Frank presented them with blankets.

Chief Frank thanked Joe and his brother Carl for their work and said they had the privilege of using two canoes for Truth and Reconciliation this year for their people that went to residential school.

It was a really big healing day for a lot of our residential school survivors to be able to get into such a beautiful piece of work and paddle from where they suffered, Kakawis to Tofino, and leave behind their hard feelings,” said Chief Frank. “Some of them said, ‘I’ve never even sat in a canoe.’”

He congratulated Ricardo.

We know that you have a really big impact on our kids. Everybody sees the great work that is happening and everybody appreciates it,” said Chief Frank.

Tofino Mayor Dan Law thanked Levi for teaching him about Tla-o-qui-aht and Nuu-chah-nulth culture and values and beliefs like ʔiisaak (the law of respect) and ḥačatakin c̓awaak (everything is one).

“That’s been a gift to me and our community,” said Mayor Law.

Former Tla-o-qui-aht Chief, language guardian and elder Moses Martin spoke last.

“What I tell our students is always that it’s not enough to know and understand our language, you also have to go out and live it. And that’s what these guys are doing. They understand very well the values and the teachings of our people, that we are all one. We all share the award,” said Moses Martin.

The King Charles III Coronation Medal is awarded to only 30,000 Canadians, of which 4,000 will recognize members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF).

Tla-o-qui-aht elder Grace George received a medal in the fall for her contributions to language revitalization, Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council nursing manager Jeannette Watts and executive director of the Port Alberni Friendship Centre Cyndi Stevens were honoured with medals in November. Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council president Judith Sayers (Cloy-e-iis) received a medal in July and her son Kwatuuma Cole Sayers also received a medal for his work in clean energy.

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