Learning together to revitalize Pacific herring – Coastal First Nations

December 9, 2025

The late Kitasoo Xai’xais Hereditary Chief Haay-maas Ernest V. (Charlie) Mason shared his extensive knowledge on revitalizing Pacific herring and helped bridge cultures. Image: Moonfish Media.

It was a cold and dark afternoon in November 2023. The rain poured loudly on the roof. Thankfully, we were dry inside the Big House: the ceremonial building that the Kitasoo Xai’xais built in their home community of Klemtu. The late Hereditary Chief Haay-maas (Ernest V. Mason), informally known as Charlie, stood on the sand floor beside the unlit fire pit—among enormous cedar poles carved to depict the stories of his people.

Chief Mason was well known as a harvester who helped feed his community with traditional foods—herring eggs, halibut, sea ducks, and salmon, among others—and with stories about the surrounding cultural seascape. He was also a bridge between cultures: willing to share his knowledge with visitors who showed genuine interest. Sturdily built and capable of producing a smile that washed over anyone near him, Chief Mason continued, at 80 and despite his recent adoption of a walking cane, to exude a vitality and generosity matched only by his stature as respected leader.

Read More: https://coastalfirstnations.ca/resources/learning-together-to-revitalize-pacific-herring/