“Hey!” says Lucy Woodman to a young person checking out the Raven Room at this year’s All Native Basketball Tournament in Prince Rupert. “Good to see you.” Lucy knows many of the kids from her previous work at the Prince Rupert Friendship House. Now, as a practicum student in UVic’s Social Work program, Lucy is busy learning about the health-care system from her mentor, Mary Wesley. Today some Elders are relaxing on comfy couches with cups of Hudson’s Bay tea and filling out forms for health checks, chatting. Mary is the Aboriginal Patient Liaison for people from town and coastal villages who access the Prince Rupert Hospital. Lucy is spending seven weeks with her, watching, listening and doing.

When patients and families are frustrated with health care, Mary’s calmness is grounding. She knows practically everyone, and with almost a decade on the job, she can list resources from memory. Whether arranging travel for families or writing letters, Mary takes the time to listen to and validate each person. She smiles with pride when talking about Lucy. Mary confides that if she retired next week, Lucy would be ready to support the next generation in wellness.

“Mary took me on,” acknowledges Lucy. “She did a name removal ceremony at the request of one family.” Their loved one held a big name and was near the end of their life. Traditional protocols were shared by the family and followed at the hospital. For Lucy, acquiring this kind of Traditional knowledge is a gift, and she is encouraged to see the health system support it. 

Lucy loves stories. She recounted that her Oolie (great grandmother) Rose Trimble from Gingolx was one of the last people to have an arranged marriage. Maternally Lucy hails from the Nisga’a Wilps (House) of Ax̱dii Wil Luug̱ooda (House That Is Always Full). She wanted to have her Crest—a Flying Frog—tattooed on her. Her sister, Nakkita Trimble, has been reawakening ancient gihlee'e (tattooing process). Ts'iksna'aḵs (tattoos) were usually composed of ayukws (crests) and/or adaawaḵ (story/legend/history). The tattoos tied individuals to the feast hall, their Chiefs, their communities, their land, stories and songs. Through her research, Nakkita has been working with the council of Elders in the Nass Valley to lay the groundwork for people to follow protocol and root themselves in their identities. 

“When we know who we are and where we come from, we are grounded in our past to guide where we are going in the future in a good way,” said Lucy, who now has this beautiful symbol, a Flying Frog, over her heart.

With guidance from knowledge holders like Mary Wesley, and a true love for culture, Lucy Woodman is emerging as a remarkable young leader.