He's been hunting for over 65 years to provide food for his family and community. Sutherland Sr. started out in his youth observing his father and brothers when they would hunt.
His father said to him, “from here on in, you are going to always going to work on your own animal,” explained Sutherland Sr. “Every animal you get is your responsibility to work on it that way.” When a community member or a family member is struggling with an illness or a loss, Sutherland Sr explains that he helps by offering them traditional food that has been hunted.Just as Sutherland Sr., Haiyupus started his hunting journey as an observer of his father and brothers getting bigger animals such as deer or bear. To this day, Haiyupus continues to go out hunting with his brother.
“They're all my favorite memories because I can pretty much remember just about every year and every place that I caught an animal,” said Haiyupis.Haiyupis said that he struggles not seeing much Indigenous leadership speaking out about issues involving hunting. “We go through all this screening when we do our application for our Possession and Acquisition Licence. And yet, it's not enough that we shouldn't be trusted with what we own,” said Haiyupis.Darren DeLuca is owner of Vancouver Island Outfitters for the last 30 years. Deluca grew up in Port Alberni where he had access to the backcountry and started hunting with friends as a teenager.
With Nuu-chah-nulth teachings at the center, Sutherland Sr. teaches respect for the environment, animals that are hunted and the people who are joining the hunt, whether they are elders or the younger generation. Respect is the number one priority, including not overharvesting.“The last minute amendment feels like a target on rural communities, and has distracted from the original purpose of the bill,” said NDP MP Rachel Blaney while in the House of Commons.