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Indigenous-designed Valentine's Day card on sale to support B.C. group

Benson Nelson, 10, designed the Valentine's Day card that's on sale to support the Kw’umut Lelum Foundation. (Kw’umut Lelum Foundation) Benson Nelson, 10, designed the Valentine's Day card that's on sale to support the Kw’umut Lelum Foundation. (Kw’umut Lelum Foundation)
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A Valentine's Day card that says "I Love You" in the Hul’q’umi’num language was created to raise money and awareness for a new foundation that supports Indigenous youth and their potential from nine Coast Salish Nations in B.C.

"On the bottom of the card it says, 'nu stl’i’ ch,' which means 'I love you' in Hul’q’umi’num," says Frankie Shaw with the Kw’umut Lelum Foundation (KLF).

The foundation is a non-profit organization based out of Vancouver Island.

"It’s a way to get some promotion out there as to what we do, what we are about, and what we hope to achieve," says Sharon Hobenshield, executive director of KLF.

The artwork on the card was created by Benson Nelson, who is a 10-year-old indigenous youth.

"Indigenous art – especially youth, people want to support that and Valentine's is a nice time of the year to do so," says Hobenshield.

The card depicts a First Nation-designed heart, which Benson called "Mother Earth."

Benson Nelson, 10, designed the Valentine's Day card that's on sale to support the Kw’umut Lelum Foundation. (CTV News)

Language revitalization is important to the newly formed foundation and Elders were involved in coming up with the Hul’q’umi’num phrase, "nu stl’i’ ch."

"Using the Hul’q’umi’num language is a priority for revitalization which we hope the foundation can support," adds Hobenshield.

The Valentine's Day card is available to order on their website, Kw'umut Lelum Foundation, where you can find out more information about the foundation.

The cards can also be picked up at select stores on the Mid-Island, listed below:

  • Archer + Arrow | 60 Commercial St. #302, Nanaimo
  • Cascadia Liquor Nanoose | 2451 Collins Crescent #2, Nanoose Bay
  • Island-ish | 5299 Rutherford Rd., Nanaimo
  • Nanaimo Art Gallery | 150 Commercial St., Nanaimo
  • Nanaimo Oxygen Yoga | 6461 Metral Dr. unit 103, Nanaimo
  • Oyster Bay Liquor Store | 101 - 12590 Trans Canada Hwy, Ladysmith
  • Plantara 100 | 427 Fitzwilliam St., Nanaimo
  • Snaw-Naw-as Market-Shell | 50 Snaw-Naw-As Road, Lantzville
  • This & That for Living & Giving | 418 Fitzwilliam St., Nanaimo
  • Tuytaxun General Store | 1145 Totem Rd., Nanaimo

An e-card version is also available and the cost is by donation. 

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