To the editor,
Re: Celebrate our heritage, Editorial, May 18.
I was happy to see our early citizens honoured this weekend.
History tells me that for thousands of years, different peoples have inhabited this country. The latest exciting news from anthropologists is that they have now dated the oldest human settlement in Canada between 15,000 to 24,000 years. We have indeed inherited a huge land ready for us to explore and care for.
Our heritage is huge.
We have only got to go back now a few years to the first British and just before them 30 Chinese miners who came here to establish what we now call the City of Nanaimo. The British had their wives and children with them in contrast to our first Chinese, but they were all homesick and lonely for their homelands.
The British loved their queen and started the very first parade in Nanaimo.
In time our first long weekend holiday was named after her that is why we call this past weekend Victoria Days.
Our museum has the pictures of those early days and parades. Including the May Queen and all her attendance. Yes that was then.
History though can not be wiped out; it is a fact that we must respect and give thanks to all our previous tenants.
From one 91-year-old to the other this Victoria Day, cheers to the Queen of Canada, Elizabeth II.
Eileen Little, Nanaimo
To the editor,
Re: Celebrate our heritage, Editorial, May 18.
I would like to commend the Nanaimo Heritage Days organizers and volunteers for a great job.
Well done.
From the parade, to the events at Diana Krall Plaza and Maffeo Sutton Park, there were smiling children and adults all around.
What an enormous amount of awesome Nanaimo spirit. Thank you!
Kevan Shaw, Nanaimo