My cousin Chief Russell Kwakseestahla.

Chief Russell Kwakseestahla (right) and his "Northern Cousin" May 22, 2009.
Photo by Girlie Osorio Quocksister

My cousin Russell used to come and visit me when I'd make the trip to Campbell River, British Columbia to visit my father and his wife.  Russell appeared to me to be the kind of guy that lived a life you would read about in newspapers.  This was true.  Russell always found his way into newspaper articles one way or another.  Some because of his troubled youth and then later as an strong advocate for aboriginal issues such as title and recognition.  On a recent visit to the Museum at Campbell River Archives just prior to his passing I had the opportunity to review a file about the Quocksister family and Russell was prominently represented in the newspaper clippings.  He lived an interesting life.

The thing that amazed me about my cousin is that he wanted to spend time with me and he did.  He wanted to get to know his "Northern Cousin" and to make sure that I understood who our noble family was and is.  Our time together was a mixture of serious talk mixed with laughter and friendship.  I enjoyed hearing Russell talk about our family and the history of our family.

In 1998 I asked Russell why he changed his name to Russell Kwakseestahla.  He told me that he didn't change his name to Russell Kwakseestahla!  His name was Chief Russell Kwakseestahla.  I had been duly corrected.  The story of why he changed his name I found to be truly comical.  I still laugh when I think about it.  Apparently Russell insisted on being addressed as "Chief" during a court proceeding.  From what I remember Russell telling me, the presiding judge informed Mr. Russell Quocksister that he could be called, "Mr. Quocksister" or, "Russell" but, as Russell was not an elected Chief and his first name wasn't Chief he would not be addressed in such a manner.  Shortly after this profound piece of legal advice Russell then went through the process to legally change his name to Chief Russell Kwakseestahla.  I just about wet myself laughing!  He would then have to be addressed as "Chief" in court because that was his first name.  I thought the irony was totally what Russell was attempting to achieve.  Russell was concerned about my mental state because he didn't think it was that funny.

This is one of the memories that I have of my cousin born August 14, 1951 Russell Murphy Quocksister and passed away May 20, 2011, aged 59 years, as Chief Russell Kwakseestahla.  The Chief has left the building.