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The Hiladi Rematriation Project is a traditional Ma’amtagila village and a place of cultural resurgence, land stewardship, and resistance to ongoing colonial industrial activity on stolen land.
Located on Northeastern Vancouver Island, Hiladi, meaning “the place to make things right” is a village that has been re-established as a home base for revitalizing traditional practices, governance systems and relationships to land and water. It stands as a powerful assertion of Ma’amtagila nationhood, previously led by the late matriarch Tsastilqualus Ambers Umbas in coordination with broader Kwakwaka'wakw hereditary leadership.
Legacy, Land Back & Future Generations
Before her passing, Tsastilqualus Ambers Umbas helped lead the return to these lands through the Matriarch Camp, affirming Indigenous Rights and Title while upholding hereditary governance systems. Today, her work continues through her son Dakota Xa’nalas, Leo Peet-Kennedy, and the next generation, Heartberry and Niska, who now live on and steward this land.
Your support will help carry forward this legacy.
Why We’re Fundraising
Funds raised will go directly toward expanding essential infrastructure on the land to support current and future generations. This includes:
- Building and maintaining shelters and communal spaces
- Improving access to clean water and sustainable energy
- Supporting food harvesting, preservation, and storage
- Creating spaces for cultural teachings, ceremonies, and gatherings
- Strengthening long-term land stewardship and protection efforts
The Impact
The expansion of Hiladi village has already made a profound difference. It enabled Ma’amtagila and Kwakwaka'wakw families, along with other Indigenous relatives, to return to and reconnect with these lands and waters within this spirited, life-giving estuary.
This work is:
- Revitalizing land-based cultural and spiritual practices
- Strengthening matriarchal governance and decision-making
- Increasing access to traditional foods and medicines
- Passing on knowledge, language, and teachings to younger generations
How You Can Help
By donating, you are directly supporting Indigenous-led rematriation, cultural resurgence, and the protection of land and water for generations to come.
Every contribution, big or small, helps sustain this work and honours the vision of Tsastilqualus Ambers Umbas.
Please consider donating and sharing this campaign with your community.
Together, we can help ensure that Hiladi remains a place where culture thrives, land is protected, and future generations can grow in connection with their ancestral land and waters.
