2026 Indigenous Cultural Ambassador - Elder Barbara Whyte (Billy)

The Hornby Festival conducts all Indigenous programming under the cultural direction of and in deep relationship with a local Coast Salish, Pentlatch Elder and member of the K’ómoks Nation. We are deeply grateful for the ongoing support, guidance, cultural education, and care provided by Elder Barbara Whyte (Billy).

Elder Barb is the daughter of a Deep Bay First Nation fisherwoman who fished in the Salish Sea off the shores of Hornby Island and Deep Bay and of late Sonny (Emmerson) Billy, Chief of the Pentlatch people, passed down from his father, Chief Willy Billy. She is a traditional knowledge keeper, healer, holder of the Pentlatch healing wand, and an expert in traditional plant medicine. She also serves as an Indigenous health consultant for major hospital building projects and for institutions such as the UBC Faculty of Pharmacy. Elder Barbara Whyte (Billy) was the creator of the educational plant medicine garden at the Comox Valley Hospital, the first in Canada to be attached to a hospital. She is the recipient of both national and provincial awards for her work in cultural and contra-indication education in the field of Pharmacy. This includes the 2025 HEA BC Award of Merit for Leading Practices: diversity, equity and inclusion, presented for pharmacy learning about Indigenous traditional plant medicines of Vancouver Island, and the 2025/26 Excellence in Pharmacy Practice Leadership Award sponsored by Health PRO Canada and presented by the Canadian Society of Health Care Systems Pharmacy.

All profits from our Indigenous programming go into the Elder Barb Fund to support future Indigenous cultural activities and educational initiatives on Hornby Island that contribute to education for awareness for change

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2026 Indigenous Artists-in-Residence and honoured guests of Elder Barbara Whyte (Billy).

Hwiemtun is from the unceded traditional territory of the Quw’utsun’ people on Vancouver Island. Born and raised in Khowutzun territory (the ‘Warm Land’) by a Coast Salish mother, Hwiemtun received many teachings of his Coast Salish culture. Through many years spent with elders, he learned the cultural and spiritual traditions of his ancestors. He is also of Hawaiian lineage on his father’s side. For over 30 years, Hwiemtun has journeyed around the world to share and explore Indigenous ways of being with elders and healers from many tribes. His connection to the spirit world, passion for storytelling, and dedication to sharing Indigenous knowledge have made him an intercultural teacher and guide. Hwiemtun uses oral history, music, and ceremony to nurture personal and collective transformation. He believes we are all related in some way, and that this understanding is key to achieving knowledge. He regularly conducts presentations, workshops, and ceremonies to promote awareness of Indigenous ways of knowing.

Lekha Michelle Hayes, White Turtle Woman, is a Métis woman who has lived in the Quwut’sun territory for the past 15 years. She has had a lifelong passion for music and singing which include a wide variety of ceremonial songs, devotional songs and percussive instruments that allows for improvisation and intuition of spirit to flow through her. She has extensive knowledge and training in traditional sweat lodge ceremonies and leads sweat lodges for women. Lekha has also studied the healing arts of Acupressure, Reiki, and Ayurvedic massage, and has worked with First Nations elders in their tradition of clearing and brushing off energy. She has developed a strong sensitivity and intuition of people’s energy fields, and has implemented this into how she works in the sound healing journeys.