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Honouring the past
FROM THE MERRITT HERALD, JUNE 2010
Pride, inspiration, honor, and heartwarming are some of the words that can express the feeling of guests at the First Annual Moqw Moqwx? es peye? Wixt (Coming Together as One) Gathering held in Spences Bridge.
Hosted by the Cooks Ferry Indian Band (Nlaka'pamux Nation) the Gathering is designed to celebrate and honor the work done 100 years ago by the Shuswap, Okanagan, and Nlaka'pamux Tribes assisted by noted ethnographer James Teit in developing the Sir Wilfred Laurier Memorial document. Between the years 1920 and 1922 Spences Bridge was the centre of meetings of Indian Leaders concerned with how their rights to land were being ignored by the federal and provincial governments. The gathering was also the grand opening of the Chief Tetlenitsa Memorial Outdoor Theatre.
Chief David Walkem welcomed all in attendance to Nkemcin, the mouth of the Nicola River on behalf of the Cooks Ferry community. Chief Walkem wore a traditional Nlaka'pamux headdress and buckskin shirt designed by Councillor Pearl Hewitt who as well wore traditional dress of buckskin and woven silver willow cape and hat. Master of ceremonies Raymond Phillips welcomed all in Nlaka'pamuxcin and introduced the three traditional Stickmen Ira Tom (Okanagan), Dennis Saddleman (Nlaka'pamux) and John Jules (Secwepemc). The Stickmen carried a staff with an eagle feather and their role was to uphold protocol in a respectful manner while keeping the event going.
The Chief Tetlenitsa Memorial Outdoor Theatre structure, with its architectural beauty in the concept of a traditional pit house and open concept staging and seating leaves the mind open to creativity, which is fitting since it was named after Chief Tetlenitsa from the Cooks Ferry Band.
Chief Tetlenitsa, an original signatory, of the Sir Wilfred Memorial was passionate about seeking a just resolution to the land question and also was well respected as an orator, teacher and singer. The ribbon cutting was actually the cutting of a buckskin strand held up by two eager Cooks Ferry Band youth Jada Raphael and Cole Mckay and the cutting being done by Cooks Ferry Band elders Doreen Albert and Don Ursaki.
The next part of the program was the rededication of the Sir Wilfred Laurier Memorial originally developed at a meeting in Spences Bridge in may 1910 and presented to the Prime Minister on August 25, 1910 in Kamloops.
Dr Ron Ignace from Skeetchstn provided historical context on the Memorial and how it related to traditional stories. Noted academic expert Dr Wendy Wickwire from the University of Victoria, provided a short history of the work that the Interior Allied Tribes did in Spences Bridge and how James Teit was able to assist them in their work.
A highlight of the day was the performance of an original play by Kevin Loring (Lytton First Nation) a governor General Award recipient for Drama in 2009, commissioned to mark the occasion. The performance by Kevin Loring, Ron Harris, Kim Harvey, and Sam Bob was full of every emotion a and educational for all and utilized the actual words of the original 1910 Sir Wilfred Laurier Memorial and brought them to life.
Chiefs and representatives of the original three signatory tribes were then asked to come forward and sign the following: "We the undersigned Chiefs and designated Representatives of the following Secwepemc, Sylix, and Nlaka'pamux Indigenous Nations gather together 100 years later to honor our ancestors efforts to find a just and lasting resolution to the land question and to rededicate our efforts to uphold and carry on the spirit and intent of the original Memorial this 11th day of June, 2010?.
In addition 22 Chiefs and representatives of the Taltan, Tsihl'qotin, St'atl'imc, Carrier, and Gitanmaax Nations in attendance signed to show their solidarity. An additional 218 Inigenous and Canadian citizens signed in solidarity with the leadership, including two guests from Australia, and one from the USA. Those signing used an eagle feather pen with beading done by Tricia Spence from Nicomen that read "1910 - 2010.";
At the end of the ceremonies Chief Walkem with help from Chief Kowaintco Michel and Cooks Ferry youth presented each invited Nation with an eagle feather and a vest designed by Nlaka'pamux designer Shannon Kilroy with logo done by Nadine Spence (Nlaka'pamux). After the ceremonies a feast was held at the Chief Whistemnitsa Community Complex, named after another original signatory from the Cooks Ferry community. The open mike at the feast was a great place for stories and thanks for the day.
The Chief and council of the Cooks Ferry Band wishes to thank Nadine Spence for coordinating the event and all the volunteers who helped make the day a success.
The gathering will be an annual event with each year devoted to the tremendous amount of work done by our ancestors in striving for a just and lasting resolution of the land question in B.C.
Pride, inspiration, honor, and heartwarming are some of the words that can express the feeling of guests at the First Annual Moqw Moqwx? es peye? Wixt (Coming Together as One) Gathering held in Spences Bridge.
Hosted by the Cooks Ferry Indian Band (Nlaka'pamux Nation) the Gathering is designed to celebrate and honor the work done 100 years ago by the Shuswap, Okanagan, and Nlaka'pamux Tribes assisted by noted ethnographer James Teit in developing the Sir Wilfred Laurier Memorial document. Between the years 1920 and 1922 Spences Bridge was the centre of meetings of Indian Leaders concerned with how their rights to land were being ignored by the federal and provincial governments. The gathering was also the grand opening of the Chief Tetlenitsa Memorial Outdoor Theatre.
Chief David Walkem welcomed all in attendance to Nkemcin, the mouth of the Nicola River on behalf of the Cooks Ferry community. Chief Walkem wore a traditional Nlaka'pamux headdress and buckskin shirt designed by Councillor Pearl Hewitt who as well wore traditional dress of buckskin and woven silver willow cape and hat. Master of ceremonies Raymond Phillips welcomed all in Nlaka'pamuxcin and introduced the three traditional Stickmen Ira Tom (Okanagan), Dennis Saddleman (Nlaka'pamux) and John Jules (Secwepemc). The Stickmen carried a staff with an eagle feather and their role was to uphold protocol in a respectful manner while keeping the event going.
The Chief Tetlenitsa Memorial Outdoor Theatre structure, with its architectural beauty in the concept of a traditional pit house and open concept staging and seating leaves the mind open to creativity, which is fitting since it was named after Chief Tetlenitsa from the Cooks Ferry Band.
Chief Tetlenitsa, an original signatory, of the Sir Wilfred Memorial was passionate about seeking a just resolution to the land question and also was well respected as an orator, teacher and singer. The ribbon cutting was actually the cutting of a buckskin strand held up by two eager Cooks Ferry Band youth Jada Raphael and Cole Mckay and the cutting being done by Cooks Ferry Band elders Doreen Albert and Don Ursaki.
The next part of the program was the rededication of the Sir Wilfred Laurier Memorial originally developed at a meeting in Spences Bridge in may 1910 and presented to the Prime Minister on August 25, 1910 in Kamloops.
Dr Ron Ignace from Skeetchstn provided historical context on the Memorial and how it related to traditional stories. Noted academic expert Dr Wendy Wickwire from the University of Victoria, provided a short history of the work that the Interior Allied Tribes did in Spences Bridge and how James Teit was able to assist them in their work.
A highlight of the day was the performance of an original play by Kevin Loring (Lytton First Nation) a governor General Award recipient for Drama in 2009, commissioned to mark the occasion. The performance by Kevin Loring, Ron Harris, Kim Harvey, and Sam Bob was full of every emotion a and educational for all and utilized the actual words of the original 1910 Sir Wilfred Laurier Memorial and brought them to life.
Chiefs and representatives of the original three signatory tribes were then asked to come forward and sign the following: "We the undersigned Chiefs and designated Representatives of the following Secwepemc, Sylix, and Nlaka'pamux Indigenous Nations gather together 100 years later to honor our ancestors efforts to find a just and lasting resolution to the land question and to rededicate our efforts to uphold and carry on the spirit and intent of the original Memorial this 11th day of June, 2010?.
In addition 22 Chiefs and representatives of the Taltan, Tsihl'qotin, St'atl'imc, Carrier, and Gitanmaax Nations in attendance signed to show their solidarity. An additional 218 Inigenous and Canadian citizens signed in solidarity with the leadership, including two guests from Australia, and one from the USA. Those signing used an eagle feather pen with beading done by Tricia Spence from Nicomen that read "1910 - 2010.";
At the end of the ceremonies Chief Walkem with help from Chief Kowaintco Michel and Cooks Ferry youth presented each invited Nation with an eagle feather and a vest designed by Nlaka'pamux designer Shannon Kilroy with logo done by Nadine Spence (Nlaka'pamux). After the ceremonies a feast was held at the Chief Whistemnitsa Community Complex, named after another original signatory from the Cooks Ferry community. The open mike at the feast was a great place for stories and thanks for the day.
The Chief and council of the Cooks Ferry Band wishes to thank Nadine Spence for coordinating the event and all the volunteers who helped make the day a success.
The gathering will be an annual event with each year devoted to the tremendous amount of work done by our ancestors in striving for a just and lasting resolution of the land question in B.C.
Submitted on May 21, 2015 in By David.
