By LeRae Haynes
C
ommunities come together this summer to celebrate First Nations history and traditions at events that span National Aboriginal Day (NAD) weekend and continue with the 33rd annual Secwepemc Gathering in July. From babies to elders and teens to toddlers, there is inspiration and fun for everyone with the opportunity to celebrate some of the richest history in Canada. National Aboriginal Day is celebrated in Canada on Sunday, June 21, the result of a royal proclamation in 1996 by Governor General Roméo LeBlanc. National Aboriginal Day celebrates the unique heritage, diverse cultures, and outstanding achievements of the nation‘s Aboriginal communities: the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. In Williams Lake, National Aboriginal Day is celebrated with a parade and events in Boitanio Park. Festivities are organized and hosted by the Northern Shuswap Tribal Council, which is made up of 17 bands representing the biggest land area in BC, according to Secwepemc gathering coordinator Mike Retasket, who is an entrepreneur and former Bonaparte Indian Band chief who helps with both events. ―Recognizing the importance of our heritage and traditions is very significant for Canada—we haven‘t always been very high on the scale,‖ said Retasket, adding that as a full-blooded Indian he has duties and responsibilities to pass on these traditions to future generations. ―Our youth are learning why it‘s important to pass on the heritage and traditions,‖ he explained. ―That‘s what I want to see in the numbers of young people partaking in things like National Aboriginal Day and the Secwepemc Gathering. I want to see them seize the moment and get involved.‖ Besides co-ordinating the Secwepemc gathering, Retasket has participated in the National Aboriginal Day parade and has been the Master of Ceremonies for the park
By Danielea Castell
I
t turned out to be my last campaign as an activist. The world was preparing for Y2K and I was living on Salt Spring Island when Texada Corporation became the new owners of 40,000 hectares of pristine forest which they promptly announced they were going to clear cut. Every cell in my body screamed ―NO!‖ and I leapt into action along with a few others to organize the Direct Action group. A committed fundraising group formed soon after, and raised enough money to buy the remaining unlogged land from Texada Corporation. My learning moment came one morning as I was standing in front of my closet looking for something to wear. I caught myself sighing deeply, and realized I had been working for sustainable forest practices fulltime for the past four months but I‘d let my own life become unsustainable. I hadn‘t had paid work in four months, I was exhausted and depleted, and here I was organizing yet another rally. With this new realization, I said to myself, ―So what feeds and sustains me?‖ And I heard myself say, ―Creativity and play.‖ Uttering those words was like the wave of a magic wand in a Harry Potter book. Suddenly I was filled with energy and imagining myself going to the rally dressed as a French professor carrying a piece of wood that talked to humans about North American forestry practices in a thick French accent. I
Northern Secwepemc te Qelmucw leaders celebrate at last year's Aboriginal Day: Harold Harry, David Archie, Bev Sellars, Hank Adam, Dean Tenale, Allan Adams, Mike Archie, and Ann Louie. Photo: Submitted by Marg Casey, Northern Shuswap Tribal Council
events. He plans events for children at both NAD and the annual gathering, and said that it‘s very positive for kids to take part in the drumming, dancing, and singing. ―I have been dancing for 28 years,‖ he said. ―A lot of dancing is about prayers for healing—we all have need of healing. There is a balance between forgiving and being forgiven: that‘s why dancing is done in a circle. It‘s perfectly balanced. ―I want everyone to know they‘re welcome to these events, and I want them to take away a ‗wow‘ when they go. The Creator made sure there is enough room for everyone to come together and this is a good time for that to happen.‖ He said another opportunity for the community to come together to celebrate First Nations history is the Secwepemc Gathering on July 24-26, hosted by the Xatsull Indian Band, which is made up of Soda Creek and
Deep Creek tribes. The event will take place at Whispering Willows camp site and at the Xatsull Heritage Village. ―All bands are welcome and it‘s open to the public,‖ he explained. ―There will be a powwow, a puppet show, a talent show, and stick games. The Unity Riders will arrive from Canoe Creek and the Iron Horse Unity Riders on motorcycles from Adams Lake. There will be many children's events, including puppet making and carved wooden mask displays and a DJ dance event run by the kids.‖ Northern Shuswap Tribal Council community services co-ordinator Marg Casey said National Aboriginal Day events have become a real Williams Lake highlight. ―The parade has grown every year, and now people really look forward to it, and go out early to set up chairs along the route,‖ she said. ―It includes things like the Little Chiefs
have a background in improv theatre so this wasn‘t a big stretch for me. I found the perfect clothes and props and hitchhiked to town. I had so much fun that day. Every conversation I had with adults and children was creative and meaningful; each exchange generated more energy, possibility, and enthusiasm for me and others. This in my books is sustainability. Even just thinking about that adventure right now I am grinning and I have a big burst of energy. So why am I telling you this? In 2012, I realized my full-time job was to help restore a conscious relationship between people and Water. It seemed logical to begin by saying Thank You to Water during each interaction. For three years I‘ve been talking to Water 30-40 times a day as it flows out of taps and down rivers. And over that time I‘ve watched my use of Water get less and less. I now use less than a ¼ cup of Water to brush my teeth, wash my hair once a week and shower only two times week to name just a few of the many changes I‘ve made. Based on my experience, Water Gratitude practices lead to better Water stewardship, but how to bring that message to the general public? I thought I had to start a non -profit society but after two years I still had very little flow happening in the Water Gratitude Project. Once again I found myself advocating for sustainability and my own life is not sustainable. Arghhhhh. Back to the fundamental question, ―What feeds and sustains me?
―Creativity and play,‖ I hear myself say. And then, ―Sing to Water and beautify its sites and sources, share the songs and stories about my meetings with Fraser River.‖ And suddenly I am filled with energy and grinning again. Within days my phone starts to ring with offers for work. I begin collaborating with other eco-artists and musicians, create a concert series, and most fun of all, begin working with children again. And here is the best thing: people are experiencing a shift in their relationship with Water simply from me sharing the truth of who I am and my unorthodox relationship with Water. An elder wrote me after my Prince George concert to say, ―I so enjoyed the concert last night. It touched my soul. I will never see Water and rivers the same again. Thank you.‖ A school counsellor emailed, ―What an impact your concert had on me last night! I have always felt such a strong connection to bodies of water and the energy that comes from them, but I never thought to talk to them! Thank you so much for opening up my world. I am finding that since your concert, everything is so sacred.‖ And a teacher emailed me after Earth Day and my interactive performance with the children to say that her grade 3-4 students are spontaneously reminding each other to remember to say ―Thank You, Water.‖ Oh, and she‘s hiring me to come to her classroom in June to share more of my Water Gratitude tools and songs. So the reason I‘m sharing this story? I invested a lot of time and energy trying to be
from Sugarcane, horseback riders, sports teams, the First Nations fiddlers, and many more. ―There will be fun events for children, including face painting and giveaways. There is dancing, drumming, singing, and food vendors, and last year there was a Lahal tournament.‖ She said the event in the park is a great opportunity for First Nations fundraising groups, who can set up a booth at no charge simply by phoning her to pre-register. The parade leaves the Elks parking lot just before 11 a.m. with a welcome by the Williams Lake Indian Band, winds its way up to Oliver Street, and then continues to Boitanio Park where events go on until about 2:30 p.m. National Aboriginal Day on June 21 also coincides with the annual Father‘s Day Powwow weekend at Sugarcane by the Williams Lake Indian Band. ―What I want most for people at these events is a sense of pride and unity between the nations,‖ said Retasket. ―People talk about unity, but often each nation is off doing its own thing and sometimes those things make people disagree with each other. Songs bring everyone together. Once we show we can come together for a song, we can come together for other things, too.‖ For more information about the Secwepemc gathering July 24-26, phone Mike Retasket at (250) 989-2323 ext. 114 or visit www.xatsull.com. For more information about National Aboriginal Day events, including booking a free vendor table, contact Marg at the Northern Shuswap Tribal Council at (250) 392-7361 ext. 208 or visit www.northernshuswaptribalcouncil.com. For more information about the Williams Lake Indian Band Father‘s Day powwow visit www.williamslakeband.ca. LeRae Haynes is a freelance writer, song writer, community co-ordinator for Success by 6, member of Perfect Match dance band, and instigator of lots of music with kids.
Danielea singing to Fraser River and participants of the BC Rivershed Society leadership program as they begin their journey down river. Photo: Helen Styles
a non-profit administrator when I‘m really an artist. All we need to do is be ourselves, share our gifts, and follow love. Trust that we are exactly what our world needs, exactly as we are now. I am. Join me in celebrating our Fraser watershed at Fraser FEST on Sept. 4, 6, 7, 8 and on Rivers Day September 27 at a Bank of Gratitude event near you. Danielea Castell is a singer, sound healer, and artist living in Quesnel, BC. She is the founder of the Water Gratitude Project and creator of the Bank of Gratitude annual Rivers Day event hosted in nine communities in 2014. Visit www.thebankofgratitude.net