Kolette Cristante
Director
Since its inception M’akola has always been a part of Kolette Cristante’s life. The long-time board member once spent her summers working in Victoria as a M’akola maintenance worker starting in 1986. She moved up to work in other front-line positions including office assistant and then a Tenant Relations Manager in Duncan. Her mother Judy Bourne was the first executive director of M’akola. Kolette is Cree, Métis and Anishinaabe from her mom’s side, and English/Canadian from her dad.
After graduating from University of Victoria Kolette left M’akola to pursue her passion of teaching. Kolette has taught in a variety positions in School District 61 including Aboriginal Education for 20 years. She has been teaching for 30 years. Some of her roles within the district include member of the Indigenous Education Committee, member of the Indigenous Mentorship Program and member of the Indigenous Ad Hoc Committee. Not long after becoming a teacher she joined the M’akola Group of Societies Board and has been a member for over 20 years. She has also been on the Hulitan Child and Family Services Board for over 15 years.
“As a child I have been blessed to grow up on the beautiful lands of the Lekwungen speaking people of the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations. I have fantastic memories of playing on the beaches and visiting the inner harbour, climbing mountains and hiking through fields, only to later realize that as a settler to these lands that I have been calling home, these are the original camps, harvesting grounds, hunting and fishing grounds of the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations. I raise my hands and give thanks to them for their generosity, their stewardship, their connection to all relations, and their resilience. While working at Esquimalt High School I was further blessed by working with families of the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations. Again, I raise my hands to them for teaching me and welcoming me into their community. My journey as an Indigenous person has been enriched by the children and families of these Nations, who have shared with me and taught me many lessons. Hay’sxw’qa si’em! For the last thirty years, I have lived and raised my family on the bountiful lands of the W̱SÁNEĆ People. I raise my hands to them and say thanks to them for sharing their traditional territory. Their wisdom and understanding of being connected to the land and water and all of creation does not goes unnoticed. HÍSW̱ḴE SIÁM.”
– Kolette Cristante