FPCC’s Youth Empowered Speakers (YES) Program participant Ben Joseph shares about his experience learning his ancestral language with his three different mentors
Xulimut Ben Joseph is in his third year of FPCC’s Youth Empowered Speakers Program. His goal upon starting the program was to become fluent in his ancestral language of Hul’q’umi’num. He is also working to become a community speaker and leader within the villages of his home in the Quw’utsun Valley.
Ben has had three mentors to help him achieve these goals and guide him on his language journey. In addition to spending time learning with his mentors, Ben has completed a certificate and diploma in Hul’q’umi’num’ Indigenous Language Proficiency through Simon Fraser University. He is now close to completing a Bachelor of Arts with minors in Indigenous Languages and Linguistics.
By becoming fluent in Hul’q’umi’num, Ben plans to contribute to the revitalization of the language in his community and serve as an advocate for his people. This is why he applied to YES, a program that invests in the next generation of language leaders by combining mentor-apprentice immersion learning with a paid internship at a First Nations organization.
To be eligible for the program, you must be learning a B.C. First Nations language, be enrolled in a post-secondary program and demonstrate a commitment to sharing the language with others. Not only does Ben plan to become a public speaker for his community, but he also hopes to pass the language on to his daughter so she becomes a fluent speaker and can pass on Hul’q’umi’num to future generations.
Ben is grateful to have had three mentors in the program. Each of his teachers has had a distinct approach for transmitting Hul’q’umi’num. Whether learning about his heritage in everyday conversations with his grandfather, Joseph Norris, practicing protocol and ceremony with his uncle, qu’quyelh Johnathan Joe, or learning about such things as proper sentence structure and the roots of words with his friend and former teacher, wuxwaxtunaat Gina Salazar, Ben appreciates every moment spent.
“My future will be to teach the language,” Ben says, “so having these three combined mentorships means when it’s my turn, I will have these strengths to carry on with this language and revitalize it for the next seven generations.”
Tth’ihwum ch tse’ ‘i’ xwiya’mustham’sh – Please tell me a story
Ben’s first mentor is his grandfather, Joseph Norris, who he calls Papa Joe. At 87 years of age, Joe is a hereditary Chief who has spoken Hul’q’umi’num’ his entire life. Joe kept the language despite attending residential school because, Ben says, “he wanted to return home and be able to speak to my great, great grandmother.” Papa Joe is always telling Ben stories about his past, teaching him about family history and his roots:
“With Papa Joe, we’ll make a sandwich, or we’ll make soup, and we’ll have a conversation on where I come from,” Ben says. “His biggest message to me is ‘do you understand where you come from?’ Because of him I do, and I’m proud to hold my head up high because I come from a strong background of leadership. This is what warms me up, because you have that special bond with someone that’s lived 87 years in this life and has seen so many dramatic changes to roads, to buildings, to people. It’s so important to sit down with your grandparents and to hear about how life used to be.”
Qwal ch tse’ – You will speak
Ben’s second mentor is his uncle. Johnathan is a fluent Hul’q’umi’num’ speaker who is very active in the community and sits on several committees and boards related to language, health and land work. An established and respected public speaker, Johnathan is teaching Ben how to follow in his footsteps:
“With my Uncle Johnathan, he knows how to speak and deliver a message, but he also knows how to be humble to the public. With him, there is a bit of a role-playing element to our language speaking. We’ll stand up and we’ll rehearse a whole ceremony, and then he will test me: ‘How many things can you remember?’ So, this type of learning really helps me to feel confident when I step forward and speak. I’m not stuttering. I’m confident because I’m training – he’s training me to walk this life.”
With his uncle, Ben has learned about, and helped to share with others, protocols and practices integral to his culture.
“It’s an immense honour for me to revive and reintroduce our language not only to my family but also to our community,” Ben says. “These ceremonies have been passed down through generations, serving as a source of support and restoration for our people. By engaging in these rituals, I am able to play a role in fostering a sense of connection in our community.”
‘I tsun tatul’ut kw’unus hwu Hul’q’umi’num’ – I am learning Hul’q’umi’num
Ben’s third mentor is Gina Salazar, his former university teacher and friend. Gina’s background in education means Ben gets a classroom-style approach to learning that complements what he’s learned from his other two mentors.
“Gina carries a lot of knowledge, and you can be sure whatever she teaches will stick. I sit with her and we just go over the dictionary. We’ll go over proper sentence structures. She will ask me ‘how many consonants can you pronounce?’ These are important also. I get the teacher aspect. It means I’m not only going to be a public speaker, but I’m also going to properly know how to spell the words, and I’ll know how to identify where the root words come from. That’s crucial when you want to become a next-generation teacher.”
Ben has also appreciated Gina’s unwavering commitment as his mentor:
“Gina fully understands the responsibility it takes to be a mentor and fully encompasses the cultural perspectives and protocol required of public speaking,” Ben says. “She’s been an incredibly dedicated teacher and very supportive.”
Nanum – talk, have a discussion
When asked what advice Ben has for anyone considering applying to the Youth Empowered Speakers Program, Ben says:
“I highly recommend joining the FPCC family, as they are a huge support system. FPCC not only helps you carry your dreams but will also push you to your limits on learning the language. They remind you to live and breathe what you love. And what I mean by that is we have these hours set up – so that is always in the back of your mind, to do it – but it also pushes you to do this every day.
The recommendations say ‘do this three times a day, X number of hours,’ but I could sit with my Papa Joe for six hours and it would just go by in a blink of an eye. And maybe the next day, four hours. So, what I really like about it and what it’s taught me is if you really love something, live it and breathe it. And that is doing it every day.
So that’s what I’ve been practicing since I started my language journey and since I’ve been a part of FPCC. I’ve just been doing it every day, and I encourage everyone to do it every day if they can.”
YES program now open for applications
Are you a B.C. First Nations post-secondary student aged 18–35 who is interested in learning your language while working towards a rewarding career as a language immersion teacher, early childhood immersion educator or community language revitalization leader? Consider applying for FPCC’s Youth Empowered Speakers Program!
The application deadline is January 13, 2026.
Please visit the Youth Empowered Speakers program page for more information, links to the guidelines and application, and to view the recorded information session.
For any questions, please contact us at: yes@fpcc.ca
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Do you have a story about the work your community is doing to revitalize First Nations languages, heritage and arts in B.C.? We want to hear from you! Please send your story to info@fpcc.ca and check back as we post more stories about the good work being done across the province.
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