Deep Roots Initiative

Deep Roots Steering Committee leader David Rousseau, Volunteer and Fundraising co-ordinator Odette Auger, Senior Producer Greg Osaba and Klahoose Co-ordinator Jacqueline Mathieu are interviewed on the ECOreport‘s Jan 10 broadcast (rebroadcast Feb 21). See Campbell River Mirror article derived from the podcast above

Background

The Deep Roots Initiative will build upon a strong foundation of CKTZ’s successful Legends series over the past year, and our long running Coast Salish language program. Cortes has a remarkable reservoir of cultural knowledge, environmental science and practical expertise, all with deep roots in volunteerism, and local responsibility. The Initiative will provide the vehicle for putting those resources to work in the community, through the radio.

The Project

The Deep Roots Initiative will develop local and regionally based community radio programming on topics such as local First Nations culture, island history, and environmental issues. Most environmental issues are global in nature, but have local faces with unique perspectives, strategies and actions. These can be effectively intertwined with our present day needs and challenges, transformed by traditional knowledge.

Annual General meeting

If you love Cortes Radio and care if we stay on the air… We need your presence at Cortes Community Radio’s 2024 AGM!We have a lot of fun and interesting things going on, new shows and amazing people. But we need your participation to keep this valuable...

Volunteer with cortes radio

DJ Have an idea for a radio show? We’ll provide training, access to music and equipment, a timeslot, and help you develop the show that’s right for you. Community Announcer Multiple openings for volunteers to read community announcements over the air....

Beaver benefits outweigh flooding caused by the animals, says local advocate

April 24, 2024 The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) and Friends of Cortes Island (FOCI) are teaming up to tackle a recent flooding issue at Kwas Pond. According to FOCI’s Executive Director Helen Hall, the flooding is caused by beaver activity, but she says the...

Short-term rental opt-in won’t take effect until November on Cortes Island

April 24, 2024 New provincial legislation regulating short-term rentals will take effect May 1. But for exempt communities like Cortes that will opt-in, the rules will not affect the 2024 summer tourist season, instead taking effect in the fall. Regional Director...

Dance company makes last stop on Cortes Island on retirement tour

April 19, 2024 A dance troupe of 34 years, Motus O performed one of their last shows as a company at Mansons Hall on Tuesday night. This was also the first time performing for a Cortes audience. The contemporary dance company performed their 29th full...

Alpaca rescuer celebrates tenth year of ‘gentle method’ wool shearing

April 15, 2024 This spring, local islander Serene Watson sheared her alpacas for the tenth time, marking an anniversary since she rescued them in 2013. Watson has been caring for three alpacas as part of her sanctuary for rescued animals. The camelids were rehomed by...

School library ‘decolonized’ and ‘genre-fied,’ says librarian, principal

April 15, 2024 Cortes Island School has done away with the Dewy Decimal System in their library, with the help of School District 72’s District Librarian Cathy Fowler, in an effort to reorganize the space and to make things more inclusive and accessible. The books...

Early bird programming inspired by British ‘Dawn Chorus’ coming to Cortes

April 11, 2024 Friends of Cortes Island (FOCI) is taking inspiration from a British tradition called “Dawn Chorus.” The early morning event, “Birdsong and Breakfast Pie,” is a multisensory experience offering attendants the chance to listen for birds on the farm with...

‘Hunny Bunnies’ emerge from Cortes winters

April 9, 2024 “Hunny Bunny Houseparty” on March 30 at the Waverly in Cumberland showcased several artists with roots to Cortes Island. Eva Yensen, who grew up on Cortes, was featured in addition to DJ Yaffa Ibrahim, Laurena Fairbairn, and Sadie Marfisi, all...

Ayajuthum Language Program set to complete first year

Cortes Island School displays Ayajuthum language posters throughout the halls. Photo by Michael Datura. Cortes Island School is collaborating with the Klahoose First Nation and Jehjeh Media to offer an Ayajuthum Language Program for all ages at the school. The program...

Fiber optic cable cutting mischief ‘heart breaking’: Foreman

Fiber optic cables were exposed to the public eye, and severed in at least 17 locations on Whaletown Road. Photo by Jason Brine. Citywest, the Strathcona Regional District, and its subcontractor, WCI faced a roadblock on Cortes Island on March 21st, discovering an...

Community Radio Fund of Canada

Tides Canada

Victoria Foundation

Klahoose First Nation

Friends of Cortes Island

Greg Osoba

Senior Producer

CKTZ listeners will know Greg Osoba by his on-air persona “Nat King Cono”, who has been bringing his Friday Lunchtime Locomotion music program to the airwaves for nearly 10 years.

Born and raised in Vancouver, he trained as a broadcast professional in Ontario before working as a radio news reporter for eight years in Toronto, Edmonton and Vancouver covering crime, the courts, politics, the arts, lifestyle and sports.

He also worked for 26 years on Cortes at Hollyhock, primarily in the role of Marketing Manager as well as in several other departments. He brings to the Deep Roots Initiative his passion for working with others, enthusiastic collaborative content creation, and professional quality programming.

Jacqueline Mathieu

Klahoose Coordinator

My Name is Jacqueline Mathieu. I am the Daughter of Emma Yvonne Louie and Pierre Mathieu My Grandparents are John Louie, Emma Hill and Laurier Mathieu , Jacqueline Lamire I belong to the Klahoose First Nation on Cortes Island Originating in Toba Inlet. I am Currently working in Language preservation and Cultural revitalization within my community as well as a liaison between Klahoose and the Cortes island radio specifically working on the Deep Roots Project. Without my ancestors I would not be doing the good work I do, my people motivate me. With my work in the Deep Roots project I would love to see more Indigenous writers telling indigenous stories. Our main mandate with my work in Deep Roots is to ensure authenticity and I know our team of writers and editors will make my dream a reality.

Rob Selmanovic

Trainer

It was the tinny tones of talk radio reverberating in the childhood kitchen that first captured Rob’s imagination and wonder. Listening and learning.

Fast forward to young teen when Rob’s electric guitar became a new tool to explore sound and music. That fascination with electronics, wires and gadgets inspired a deeper curiosity about recording and broadcast.

Eventually, the confluence of music, technology, and stories flowed naturally into a career in radio with the CBC where Rob contributed as a technician, engineer and producer for over 20 years.

Along the way, Rob developed a passion for teaching that led him to become a trainer and course designer for CBC Radio and The Canadian Media Guild.

Now living on Cortes Island, Rob is teaching yoga and health practices and happy to be part of the Deep Roots team at CKTZ.

Howie Roman

Coordinator

Howie is a long term Cortes Islander who has been with Cortes Radio from almost the beginning 11 years ago. He and a friend, Paul the K, have one of the longest running shows on CKTZ, Anything Goes. Over the years Howie has taken many roles at Cortes Radio, from carpenter, janitor to programmer training to much more. Howie’s role in Deep Roots is to help tie the pieces together to further CKTZ. He will be working with everyone in the project to fit their piece into the overall jig saw puzzle that makes Cortes Radio unique.

Sean Cowell

Technical Manager

Sean is a founder of Cortes Radio, a well known DJ and has kept us on the air from the beginning.

Morgan Tams

Senior Producer

Morgan Rhys Tams is a multi-disciplinary artist and media educator who spends his time on an assortment of small islands on British Columbia’s West Coast. As an artist his work has been shown in galleries, festivals and broadcast internationally. As an educator he has taught in partnership with The National Film Board of Canada, The City of Victoria Artist in Residence Program, The Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee, Hot Docs International Documentary Festival and The Klondike Institute of Art and Culture. Morgan has a passion for creative storytelling, community engagement, and pushing the boundaries of media form and format. Deep Roots represents his first foray into radio, but it certainly won’t be his last.

Odette Auger

Fundraising & Volunteer Coordinator

Odette Auger, of Sagamok Anishinabek through her mother, Communications and Project Financial Manager. Odette brings her background in education, support work, literacy outreach, visual arts and fund raising to naturally combine in Deep Roots Initiative. “This project is meaningful to me because it positively and creatively revisits assumptions and perspectives.”