Helene Demers is an honorary research associate in the Department of Anthropology at Vancouver Island University. In 1997 she received a BC Heritage Trust grant to record Mrs. Peter’s stories.
Cowichan Elder Sti’tum’atul’wut Mrs. Ruby Peter has been a tireless advocate for Hul’q’umi’num language protection and preservation for many decades. She has served her community as a member of council, an educator, and a longstanding supporter of environmental protection and community health. Mrs. Peter has taught Hul’q’um’inum at Vancouver Island University and was an early proponent of teaching approaches that emphasize traditional Cowichan pedagogy. She is a co-author of the Hul’q’umi’num dictionary.