BOO MAGA (PUMÉKE7) – Spring 2023

SPRING 2023

Bringing Fire Back to the Land

Elder Feature: Sally Wynja

Message from Chief: Willie Sellars

CONTENTS

Photo: Nuxalk Totem Repatriation Ceremony in Sugar Cane, BC, Feb. 15, 2023; photo by Julie Elizabeth Photography

Cover photos: Kiera Elise Photography

Message from the Chief Willie Sellars

Weytk-p,

Spring is in full swing in the territory. Sitting here looking out at the valley has me thankful for the warmer weather, slow melt, and the opening of our waterways. Springtime always has a special place in my heart. Creek fishing, riding bikes, outdoor sports like basketball, hiking and baseball are a big part of our balance as a family. We always have to think about our balance as a people, and I’d encourage you to make sure you’re working towards yours, every single day.

2023 marks the one year anniversary of the SJM investigation announcement and the 93 anomalies that were found in phase one. The investigation has continued into phase two and

we announced an additional 66 anomalies on January 25th, 2023. We understand this may be triggering to members and for Indigenous people throughout Turtle Island, but we have to continue to seek the truth if we’re going to heal. The sacred fire, drumming and ceremony that followed the announcement continues to help us strengthen our connection to our culture and our ancestors, while providing supports and outlets for those struggling during these trying times. The feedback from the four-day Sacred Fire was great and with the multiple nations represented, the amount of non-Indigenous supporters we had in attendance, it fills our heart as a Council that there’s hope in this reconciliation journey we’re currently on as a country. Our team is continuing this work into consecutive phases and we plan

Chief Sellars tending goal for the Williams Lake Stampeders, photo by Laureen Carruthers

to keep the community and public informed as we work through the grounds at the SJM site and surrounding area.

The specific claim monies have arrived and our trust is up and running! One of my proudest moments while in leadership at WLFN was having the opportunity to be a part of the ongoing battle for this specific claim. Previous Chiefs and Councils continued to make this a priority and we’ve finally came to a resolution, after almost 30 years of fighting. Fast forward to present day and we now have those monies in our community trust. We’re in a position to realize those benefits for generations. I’d like to hope our Elders and ancestors would be proud of this work and how we structured the trust.

I wanted to close by again stressing the importance of our balance as individuals and as communities. Finding what makes you happy, what feeds your soul should be one of our top priorities. As a part of that balance I also encourage you to pick up that drum, use your voice, learn those songs and remember your culture. Make it a priority this year to participate in ceremony and learn your language. Our

community and our nation is getting stronger because of the healing that is happening and I am so thankful to be a part of it.

Please, if you have any questions or concerns, or are curious about something that I have failed to mention, feel free to email me at willie.sellars@ wlfn.ca, or phone me at 250.302.1883.

Kukstsetemc, Me7 Wiksten, Chief Willie Sellars

Make it a priority this year to participate in ceremony and learn your language. Our community and our nation is getting stronger because of the healing that is happening and I am so thankful to be a part of it.

Julie Elizabeth Photography

Elder Highlight Sally

Wynja

As an artist, pow wow dancer, and in the kitchen, Sally Wynja knows how to keep herself busy. At age 82, she still regularly forages medicinal plants, crafting materials, and edible plants and mushrooms (even if, these days, family members are often there to help). When visiting with her daughter in Merritt, Sally goes out on the land for Ponderosa pine needles. Closer to home, her son in T’exelc joins her on treks for birchbark and spruce roots for making baskets. It’s clear that her family and her Secwépemc traditions are dearest to her heart.

Sally was born and raised in T’exelc. She ventured out to start a life for herself at age-15, growing tired of her often troubled family life at home. Sally worked various jobs around the

region before she started cooking at St. Joseph’s Mission. It was while working there, at age 21, that she met the man she would marry. Sally’s Cousin introduced her to Casey Wynja, a heavyduty mechanic from Holland. As was the style in the day, they married quickly.

Casey travelled a lot for work and Sally would go along with him. They were together for 32 years and had four children before he passed away. Speaking lovingly of her late husband, she recalls “we had lots of laughs.”

Following Casey’s passing, Sally came back to T’exelc in 2007. She moved back to her dad’s

place, just down the road from downtown Sugar Cane. From her front porch, she has a beautiful view stretching across the southern end of Williams Lake.

She got into creating arts and crafts to keep herself occupied while in recovery from alcohol. There was nobody in her life to teach her how to make traditional Secwépemc art, so she took to the internet to learn on her own. Sally dove in head-first, learning beading, buckskin, and pine needlework all at about the same time. It was around the same time that she got into pow wow dancing as well.

Sally spent the following years traveling around the province teaching art workshops. For a while, she taught cultural classes of Native arts in Sugar Cane as well. Eventually she decided to stop teaching formally, and keep her focus on creating art for her own enjoyment. These days, Sally spends the summer on the pow wow circuit, selling her artwork to earn “travel money.”

Over the years she’s experimented with different media. Currently, her pine needle work uses sinew to keep it all together. It adds a splash of colour and is easily accessible. A lot of the imagery Sally uses comes from her spirituality. “The Eagle means a lot to me, the animals mean a lot to me. I love the trees, I love the forest. I get my medicine from the forest, and I get my materials from the forest.”

Sally is a mother to four, a grandmother to eight, and a great-grandmother to five (plus one more on the way). Keep an eye out for Sally and her beautiful artwork on the pow wow circuit and at local fairs.

[F]ire has its place on the land, and interfering with that is interfering with nature.

Bringing Fire Back to the Land

Once all but snuffed out, T’exelcemc Fire Stewardship practices are coming back into practice, bringing new life back to the landscape.

The last time pillars of smoke hung over T’exelc and Williams Lake was the summer of 2017, when sudden lightening strikes sparked numerous wildfires throughout the Central Cariboo, leading to evacuations, property damage, and the loss of at least 60 homes. But when a similar plume rose from the horizon in the fall of 2022, it was met with welcome eyes.

Word had gotten around about the source of the smoke. The Williams Lake Tribune told readers that it wasn’t from a wildfire, but from (as the newspaper called it) a “controlled burn” being performed near Bond Lake by Williams Lake First Nation. Rather than doom and gloom, the smoke signified a historic shift; a shift away from a time when Indigenous fire stewardship could land you in jail, and towards a future when our forests are once again rich with diverse species of medicinal plants, protected from drought and wildfire, and are nurturing spaces for endangered animal habitats that once thrived in the area.

Then and Now

Tree-ring data from the Ne Sextsine (Flat Rock) area has been analyzed to assess the frequency and intensity of cultural burning throughout history. There is clear evidence that regular burning was carried out by the Secwépemc from before contact until the practice was outlawed in 1874. A given area would be burned as a form of routine land management every four to 18 years, with burning happening in the safety of spring or fall, timed carefully around seasonal animal migrations.

The intensity of each burn was assessed by researchers as “low,” “moderate,” or “high.” Most of the burns were low-intensity, with hunting areas being identified as more “moderate” due to a decreased burn-frequency in those zones. Trails that saw regular use, as well as community areas were burned more frequently, and at a lower intensity.

When the Bush Fire Act of 1874 was rolled out in British Columbia, it was prefaced as a safeguard against wildfires started by locomotives and industry. The real, racist rationale behind the law was not so well hidden. The law stated that anybody lighting a fire in the woods (be it on private, reserve, or crown land) or allowing a fire to burn in the woods could be fined up to $100 (about $2600 today) or jailed for up to three months; this at a time when Indigenous fire stewardship was commonplace. The law aimed to assimilate Indigenous peoples into colonial society while pacifying the fears of settler ranchers and property owners. It passed not long after smallpox hit the T’exelcemc, knocking the population back by two-thirds. Between these two factors, fire stewardship came to a halt in Ne Sextsine.

Prior to contact, forests were more vast and open, with fewer, larger trees, and much more space between them. Elders have reported that one could easily ride a horse or pull a wagon between two given points without a trail. With wildfire suppression, forest understories become a thicket of dense brush. The bottom limbs of large trees become stressed from the pressure of the undergrowth, and the abundance of material allows fire to “ladder” to the crowns of trees. Fire-starved forests are more

Smoke from the Sept. 2022 burn at Bond Lake. Photo by Ruth Lloyd, WL Tribune

susceptible to insects and diseases, which further intensifies the risk. Laddering can quickly cause a wildfire to escalate uncontrollably. These are the types of fires that led to Williams Lake’s 2017 evacuation, and the utter irradiation of the Village of Lytton in 2021.

For as many as 15 years after a burn, deer will favour burned areas in the summer months due to the wealth of young foliage for food. This is true even of land that has been completely ravaged by high-intensity wildfires. In the winter months however, deer will avoid areas that are too open, as it leaves them vulnerable to predation. Their small hooves sink into deeper snow, making them an easy target in open areas. In a forest that is comprised of widely-spaced, larger trees, the crowns of the trees intercept the snow as it falls, making the land easy to navigate by mule-deer. This makes a forest that has been regularly burned the perfect middle-ground for deer habitat; easy to get around, and rich with green growth for food.

The effects of fire suppression are also felt in the grasslands. Grasslands make up less than 1% of the province geographically. Such areas are hot and dry in the summer months, which limits the natural growth of tree seedlings. Grasses however, flourish in such regions, as they are adept at capturing moisture in areas where it’s scarce. From birds, mammals, reptiles, mosses, lichens and algaes, the ecosystems that develop around these grasslands are rich, but fragile.

Before contact, Indigenous burning played no small role in maintaining Cariboo grasslands as distinct ecological networks. Fires from lightning strikes and cultural burning regimes would traditionally pass through Cariboo grasslands every 10-20 years. Tree seedlings that might have taken root would be largely eradicated, allowing the grassland species to regenerate and reign supreme. When regular fires were halted, there was nothing to stop trees and brush from encroaching on the grasslands, putting the whole ecosystem in jeopardy. Since 1962, some Cariboo grasslands have receded by more than 30% due to this “forest invasion.” Grasslands support around 33% of endangered species in the province; more than any other type of habitat. Badgers are now so rare in the Cariboo that they’re practically the stuff of myth. Burrowing owls, which rely on abandoned badger holes, are now extinct in the region.

Using the Past to Guide a New Way Forward

A commonly held idea in forestry is that whether you’re logging, burning, replanting, or whatever else, it’s best to do so in ways that mimic nature. Imitating the patterns of nature tends to decrease unforeseen ripple-effects. It seems that globally, we’re at a moment of reckoning. With uncontrollable wildfires lighting up the headlines every summer, the world is finally coming around to an understanding of forest stewardship that’s been held by Indigenous peoples for millennia: fire has its place on the land and interfering with that is interfering with nature.

WLFN recently completed treatments near Bond Lake and Thunder Mountain, and a similar treatment is in progress near Brunson Lake. The total area of these three treatments is about 505.3 hectares (180.3 ha for Bond Lake, 124.4 ha for Thunder Mountain, and 200.6 ha for Brunson). The three land treatments have a common goal: they impart a holistic view of land-management by rolling forestry, environmental stewardship, biomass production, and wildlife preservation into one. Stemming from these treatments, WLFN has already been asked by the Ministry of Forests to conduct a similar treat-

ment in an area affected by spruce budworm near Pablo Creek.

The process starts with a question: what did forests look like 150 years ago? WLFN’s recent treatments seek to provide an answer to this question.

Driving around the Thunder Mountain lands, WLFN Stewardship Forester John Walker points out a dense patch of non-treated forest. These small islands of thick brush are left every 125 meters or so, as a visual break for animals. They give wildlife protection by obstructing sightlines from predators. These untreated patches are so dense, even walking through one would be difficult.

In a traditional clearcut, larger trees are the cashcow. But in the style of treatment WLFN has been conducting recently, the larger trees are left exactly where they are. Most trees under 25cm in diameter are taken out. A few trees (less than 10%) that are 35cm are taken out as well. The goal is to nurture the older, larger trees, while opening the landscape for other species. The smaller trees are the ones that would have previously been knocked back due to wildfires and cultural burning.

A varied thrush, puffing up to stay warm in the Brunson Lake area. Photo by Brandon Hoffman

Moss doesn’t require much sunlight and is incredibly hearty. Starving an interior forest of fire results in a forest floor that’s almost entirely moss. Once the area has been cleared by burning, interior forests welcome new growth of arnica, rose, raspberry, sxúsem, varieties of grass, numerous species of mushroom, and myriad other species. Mycelium networks underground becomes stronger, having a greater variety of proteins and nutrients to exchange between plants and fungi.

The trees that are left behind are also rewarded. An overabundance of trees means there isn’t enough moisture to go around. With their longer, deeper roots, big trees do a better job of collecting and storing moisture, safeguarding the landscape against drought. Once their dripline has been cleared of competition, larger trees have an easier time gathering and retaining moisture. Similarly, large trees grab more carbon from the atmosphere and store it in the ground more effectively than smaller trees. Once the small trees are cleared, large trees can perform this task better as well.

A combination of feller buncher and hand-treatment with chainsaw and brush-saw is used for the initial clearing process. Walker notes that it takes a great deal of skill with a feller buncher to carry out this type of work; the operator must regularly navigate tight spaces barely larger than the machine itself.

After the initial clearing is done, a processor sorts the wood by size and quality for market. Timber that isn’t up to par for the sawmill is later ground or shredded. The pulp can be sold off to Atlantic Power as hog-fuel for the biomass-fired generating facility in Williams Lake, or to Pinnacle Pellet to be turned into wood pellets. Adding this step means a huge amount of wood waste is removed from the land and converted into energy in a sustainable way, greatly reducing the carbon footprint of the whole operation.

While beneficial from the environmental angle, it comes at a cost: even with income generated from pulp-sales, the added expense of grinding or shredding the culled timber pushes a treatment like this into the red, making it unfeasible without external funding. WLFN has received extensive funding from government agencies like the Forest Enhancement Society of British Columbia (FESBC) for projects like Brunson, Bond Lake, and Thunder Mountain. For the Brunson fuel break project alone, FESBC contributed $1.5 Million, making projects like these financially viable for WLFN. Which brings us to burning.

(Below) WLFN Stewardship Forester John Walker by an old-growth Interior Douglas Fir tree, near Brunson Lake. Photos by Brandon Hoffman

Bringing Fire Back to the Land

From September 22-26, 2022, WLFN conducted the final phase of the Bond Lake treatment. A team of around 35 kept the low-intensity fire moving through the lands, clearing the last of the understory. Although the burn had its share of difficulties to plan around (residential areas, watersheds, and endangered species to name a few), Walker says it went “fairly smoothly.” The plume of smoke was quite a spectacle, towered over the communities of Williams Lake and Sugar Cane.

As we drive through the Thunder Mountain lands, we come upon a slash pile that’s still smoldering from under a thick blanket of snow. It strikes me that the despite being freshly logged, the whole area still looks like a forest. Unlike the stark nakedness of a clearcut, it’s almost serene; vast and open, with large, sprawling trees poking out from the rolling landscape, and the occasional patch of smaller trees filling things out around the edges.

In the short term, the payout from this “thin-frombelow” style of logging doesn’t compete with clearcutting. More specialized labour and machinery is involved, and the quantity of market-grade timber extracted is much lower. That said, once an area has been clearcut and replanted, it takes a long time for those little seedlings to become a harvestable forest again. Meanwhile, an area that was “thinned-frombelow” could be continuously harvested from year to year, bringing in more income over time than if it were clearcut. Also, no expensive re-planting is required.

In 2020, an informal meeting was held with representatives from Xatśūll First Nation, Williams Lake First Nation, Canoe Creek Dog Creek, Canim Lake Band and Esk’etemc. The meeting was to seek guidance from Secwépemc Youth, Elders and Knowledge Keepers about how the land was managed in the past, and how it ought to be managed moving forward. All in attendance wanted the forests to be more like they used to: abundant with berries, mushrooms, and medicinal plants, open and easy to navigate, and safeguarded from drought, landslides, and uncontrollable wildfires. Less than three years later, and we’re already seeing significant progress towards this vision.

WLFN’s model demonstrates an economically sustainable framework that could be replicated across the country, using both new and old technologies to rejuvenate and safeguard our forests.

... Fire Keepers are being looked to for the expertise they’ve held for millennia, and their time-honoured traditions are once again being put to use.

Does this mean a new era of Indigenous fire stewardship is upon us? One can hope. These three land treatments only took two and a half years from concept to execution. But, while the CRD and Ministry of Forests didn’t skip a beat issuing the permits, there are no guarantees that conventional cutting permits won’t be issued to other companies for neighbouring blocks, allowing yesterday’s land-management models to continue as the norm. It’s unfortunate that it took several years of record-breaking wildfires to get cultural burning back into newspaper headlines. The good news is that for the first time since colonization, Indigenous Fire Keepers are being lookedto for the expertise they’ve held for millennia, and their time-honoured traditions are once again being put to use. The word is getting around that it’s time to bring fire back to the land. ⸙

He Calls Me Kye7e

By Frances L. Supernault January

10, 2023

He calls me Kye7e

He reaches for my hand n says “Kye7e, Hand”

I smile when I think of him

He calls me Kye7e

La Yen Te Pusmen

He calls me Kye7e

He sits on my lap, curls up n falls to sleep

I smile when I think of him

La Yen te Pusmen

He calls me Kye7e

He smiles, he has so much energy

I smile when I think of him

La Yen te Pusmen

He calls me Kye7e

He runs down the Hallway to my bedroom

He laughs, his little voice is so warming to my heart

I smile when I think of him

La Yen te Pusmen

He calls me Kye7e

I am Blessed, He loves me

When he looks at me, I see his Dad

His smile, his little voice, the Pitter-Pat of their tiny Feet

I smile when I think of Them

La Yen te Pusmen

WILDLAND FIREFIGHTER BOOTCAMP

Apply for this seven day bootcamp in Puntzi, and learn wildland firefighter skills that will enable you to be successful on BCWS or contract crews. A select number of individuals will be hired to work for BCWS in Alexis Creek or Williams Lake. Open to WLFN, Xat’sull, Tsilhqot’in Nation, Xgat’tem, Esk’etemc and Ulkatcho members aged 19-29, who have completed grade 12 (or have GED). Prefer class 5 or 7 drivers license. Deadline to apply is April 11, 2023.

The course checklist includes:

■ Occupational First Aid Level 1

■ Transportation Endorsement

■ S-100 - Basic Fire Suppression and Safety

■ Communications

■ S-170 - Helicopter Use and Safety

■ S-185 - Fire Entrapment Avoidance

■ Pumps and Water Delivery

■ Fire Weather

■ Navigation

For more information, or to apply, please contact:

John Walker

Office: 250 305 5324

Email: john.walker@wlfn.ca

Traditional Sugar Cane Funeral Protocols

Helen Sandy, proofread by Jean William

Family Meetings; formal announcement of death is drawn up and released to the public, meet with WLFN representative to discuss the band’s contribution towards the funeral costs, assigning person to deal with issues that may arise and to coordinate action of each: head cook, pall bearers, cross bearer, bell ringer, pamphlet, person to sit with the coffin 24 hours, flower arrangement for casket — family, location of wake, location of food house (separate from wake), grave diggers, hearse driver.

Coordinator

Head Cook: Coordinates who will cook for each meal throughout the four-day wake, assign cooks for arrival of casket, and who will cook for the final feast.

One to arrange all to do with the casket: puts out request for pall bearers, assigns left and right arm carriers, works with assigned hearse driver / truck, bell ringer and cross bearer.

Family decides: who will take charge of funeral costs and arrangements with funeral home, will have final on hearse driver, pall bearer, honorary pall bearers, and cross bearer, family flower arrangement, location of wake, location of food house (separate from wake house), someone to build the rough box and cross.

Upon death, the wake house is completely cleaned using a mixture containing juniper (the kind that is flat, not the prickly kind). Mirrors

and photographs are covered with black cloth. No TV or radio in wake house.

The men would go out to make wood for the wake fire; those who went out in the bush and the ones who stayed behind to chop the wood and make the fire pit, they would also clean up the yard for people to park and sit. A can is placed nearby to collect cigarette butts, location of church service.

A place in the wake house was chosen to place the casket. A white sheet or special blanket is placed on the floor beneath the coffin, an altar is placed at the head of the coffin; covered with a white clothe for the candles, flowers and holy water, a white sheet is placed on the wall behind the casket; decorated with small juniper branches, plastic flowers around the edge.

Hearse driver picks up the body from funeral home and drives a certain route to wake house. They must not exceed 60 Km/h throughout the drive home.

Sugar Cane Petroleum usually donates cigarettes for beside casket for people to take, decks of cards and tobacco to hand out to helpers.

The men and boys in the community dug the grave, the cooks fed them, young women and girls were sent out to collect the juniper, (flat kind, not prickly), to use for cleaning, disinfecting and smudging.

Julie Elizabeth Photography (opposite) →

Council Meeting

Highlights

▪ The WLFN Council recognizes the importance of supporting the Spi7uy Squqluts Language & Culture Society in their efforts to protect and promote the Northern Dialect of the Secwepemc Language & Culture and will support them as they pursue funding opportunities.

▪ The Council Strategy Session, which took place over the course of two and a half days, was attended by all of Council. In the course of this meeting, they talked about the goals for WLFN and how to make them a reality.

▪ Chief and Council signed an agreement to partner with Western Indigenous Pipeline Group (WIPG), along with <insert number> other First Nation Governments, to collectively bid on the purchase of the Trans Mountain Pipeline and Trans Mountain Expansion Project from the Canadian Federal Government

▪ WLFN Council is pleased to announce that Kourtney Cook will be taking over the role of Chief Administrative Officer, and everyone at the organization is thrilled to have Kourtney on board.

▪ The Council said their goodbye’s Aaron Mannella, the CAO, as he embarks on his next adventure. They wished him all the best on the next part of his journey, thanking him for everything he had done to help WLFN reach this point in its development.

▪ The WLFN held a hugely successful ceremony to honour the Nuxalk nation as they returned home with their totem pole. A large crowd gathered to enjoy the music, dancing, and drumming. Everyone enjoyed a delicious roast beef dinner with chili and bannock.

COMMUNITY TRAINING & EMPLOYMENT OPENINGS

Williams Lake First Nation works in close collaboration with the Cariboo Chilcotin Aboriginal Training Employment Centre (CCATEC; pronounced ‘Kay-Teck’) to connect our citizens with a wealth of training and employment opportunities in the region. Whether you’re looking for a new job, planning to ‘up’ your training or certification for your job, or curious about becoming educated in a brand new field, there are wellsprings of opportunities available to you.

Come say Hi to Shawna

For all your training, education, and employment needs, WLFN’s Employment Coordinator, Shawna, has your back. She is available Monday to Friday, from 8:30am until 4:30pm at the WLFN Administration building on Quigli. Call or email to set up an appointment: shawna.philbrick@wlfn.ca or 250.296.3507 ext.135

Make the Move: Where to Start Looking for Training, Education, and Employment Opportunities:

• WLFN’s Website: www.wlfn.ca/employment-training

• CCATEC’s website: www.ccatec.com

• WLFN’s Employment and Training Facebook Group: www.fb.com/groups/wlfn.employment.training

• Contact WLFN’s Employment Coordinator Shawna Philbrick: shawna.philbrick@wlfn.ca or 250.296.3507 ext.135

WLFN Youth attend Gathering Our Voices Conference

by Councillor Shae Chelsea

On March 22, 2023 some of WLFN’s youth attended the annual Gathering Our Voices conference in Vancouver. On the first night of the conference the youth went to the movie theater near their hotel. After the show, two of our youth spotted Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes buying popcorn. As they raced down the escalator to see him, he had already stepped into the elevator for the parking garage. They tried to

convince the chaperones to let them chase him on the stairs, when the elevator doors opened again and he stepped out to greet them. The youth were able to snap a couple pictures and thanked him for coming back to meet them.

The next day, the youth started their workshops. One, called Keepers of Indigenous Knowledge discussed a young social media influencer and how he got started. Another, Unceded and Unde-

feated was about an undefeated Metis female MMA (mixed martial arts) fighter. The last, Indigenous Faces of Music focused on a young First Nations female artist and how she became the person she is today. After a long day of workshops, the youth were able to go to Metrotown Mall until closing.

On Friday, the youth attended more workshops until the end of the day. The first was Not Just Naloxone. They learned about using a Narcan kit safely and why people use substances. The next workshop was Lahal Games, where the kids learned a bit more about the rules and how to play. The last workshop of the day was a question-and-answer session with musicians

Snotty Nose Rez Kids (SNRK). This gave any youth a chance to ask them whatever they wanted to know. WLFN’s Haze Grinder got up to ask both artists what they thought about the TV series Reservation Dogs. SNRK responded, “It’s about time ‒ it’s about time we get representation like that. On all platforms, not just in music but the film industry too. It’s about time! Shout out to Reservation Dogs and they are paving a way for future generations.”

After the Q&A session with SNRK, the youth went back to the hotel to get ready for the dance/concert with SNRK that night. Some of the youth decided to stay behind but a couple of the youth attended the dance/concert and had the opportunity to watch SNRK’s live performance.

Saturday the youth were up early to attend the closing ceremonies, where they were able to listen to others like them who have succeeded while they were young. One of the speakers that morning was Waneek Horn-Miller, a gold med-

alist from the 1999 Pan American games for Water Polo with a unique story of her own. She also went on to become a co-captain of Canada’s first Olympic women’s water polo team.

After closing ceremonies there was a great giveaway for every youth in attendance, where they could pick from different sports equipment (basketballs, footballs, hockey sticks, lacrosse sticks, etc), books, bags, and other fun outdoor gear (disc golf, badminton, volleyball sets, bocce, and more). The youth definitely left with their hands full for the long journey home. They were so amazing on this trip, and I was so grateful for the opportunity to attend as a chaperone.

In the past I have attended Gathering Our Voices with other youth from WLFN and Xatsull. It is such a unique experience every time I have attended; it shows the youth that there is so much more out there in the world that can be achieved. If they work hard and never let go of their dreams, anything is possible. I am a big believer that you can do anything as long as you work hard and don’t give up. This is just the beginning for our youth. I hope that in the future they are able to attend more and create more memories with one another. The next steps will be helping them create a youth council, so they can figure out where they want to go next.

No dream is too big, and we are here to help guide them. Thank you to everyone who helped make this trip a reality for these youth.

Yeri7 Skukwstsetsemc!

Photo: Nuxalk Totem Repatriation Ceremony in Sugar Cane, BC, Feb. 15, 2023; photo by Julie Elizabeth Photography

Welcome to WLFN, Self-Government Transition Coordinator Carolyn Belleau

Carolyn is originally from Esk’et and was raised in Edmonton. Her parents are Dave and Marilyn Belleau, and she has six brothers.

Prior to taking this job at WLFN, she was living in Williams Lake while articling remotely for the charitable organization Access Pro Bono (‘articling’ is like an apprenticeship; working with seasoned lawyers in different specialties to gain experience). This is Carolyn’s final step on her path to becoming a qualified, practicing lawyer. She will complete her articling requirement in May, 2023.

Carolyn talks about upcoming Supreme Court cases with the excitement of a hockey

fan when their team heads to the playoffs. “Segregation, the Sixties Scoop, all the laws that devastated our way of life, that trickled down and shaped our whole entire lives as a Secwépemc – The legal educational path I worked toward was based on wanting to be on the side where I can shape the laws to make a difference, to make sure those colonial laws never happen again.”

Carolyn is the first Secwépemc to graduate from UVic’s new JD/JID program — the world’s first Indigenous law program.

Before a passion for law took over her life, Carolyn loved to Pow Wow dance (mostly Jingle, but also Fancy and Traditional). She loves to sew and bead. She’s presently beading a pair of moccasins for her brother.

Welcome to WLFN, Chief Administrative Officer

Kourtney Cook

Hailing from the McLeod Lake First Nation, Kourtney is Tse’Khene but has called the Cariboo home since 2009.

She transitions to WLFN after holding the position of Senior Coordinator of Indigenous and Community Relations at Gibraltar Mines Ltd. She has a Bachelor of Arts from UNBC majoring in Public Administration and Community Development and minoring in Planning, is currently working towards her Master of Business Administration at SFU specializing in Indigenous Business Leadership, and has a rooster named Pancake. This is due, I’m told, to an unfortunate frostbite incident which left his comb a little on the flat side.

In addition to the rooster, she has two dogs,

four barn cats, twelve hens, and four pigs. Kourtney loves taking care of the animals — a duty she shares with her husband and threeyear-old daughter, Ramona Rebel, on their property in 150 Mile House.

On the weekends, Kourtney mostly spends time with her family, lovingly referring to her daughter as her “main purpose and guiding light.” She loves hiking, and “can’t pass up a good all-Native hockey tourney.” One of her family’s favorite pseudo-vacation moves is spending the night at the cabin on their active trap line.

Kourtney is passionate about uniting culture and progressive businesses. She is excited to work and grow alongside the WLFN team.

Welcome to WLFN, Health Station Coordinator

Shemica Harry

Shemica Harry is excited to be in her new position of Health Station Coordinator at the Cwelcwélt Health Station in Sugar Cane. Working with the public all day, she is enjoying getting to know the people in her community better, and spending more time with Elders. She says she can’t wait until the summer heat comes, so she has an excuse to start doling out freezies to the kids.

Shemica was born in Williams Lake, and raised in Stswecem’c Xget’tem First Nation (Canoe Creek / Dog Creek; SXFN). She is the granddaughter of Louise Harry and Earl Boston. She stayed in SXFN until completing grade 10, then came to Williams Lake for grades 11 and 12.

Straight out of highschool, Shemica started

working at Three Corners Health Services Society, where she cut her teeth in office administration and reception. She worked at Three Corners for six years before eyeing the position at the Health Station, and jumping on the oportunity to work in the community of Sugar Cane where she lives with her spouse and four-year-old son.

On the weekends, Shemica loves going on walks and spending time outside with her family. If the weather isn’t cooperating, she enjoys watching a movie with a bowl of popcorn, or reading with her son (she notes that “Hockey with Dad” is one of his favourites).

Stop by the Health Station and say “hi” to Shemica, weekdays from 8:30am-4:30pm.

Welcome to WLFN, Referrals Coordinator

Kala Ivens

Kala joins the team following an 11 year tenure at Mount Polley Mining Corporation, where she held a variety of positions. For the past three and half years, she served as an Environmental Technician, largely doing field sampling and monitoring around the mine.

As the Referrals Coordinator, Kala spends her time working with and streamlining WLFN’s Referrals Management system, working closely with the Natural Resource department.

Kala is quickly becoming WLFN’s resident expert of an online database system called the NStQ Portal. Any time a development or natural resource project is undertaken in Northern Secwepemc territory, the project must be submitted to the NStQ Portal. WLFN closely examines each referral, assessing

each listing for potential impacts on WLFN’s Stewardship lands. From April 2021 until March 2022, there were nearly 1000 referrals submitted through the portal which could potentially impact WLFN’s Stewardship lands.

Kala is also on board to help out with bigger WLFN environmental assessment projects, such as Osisko Development’s Cariboo Gold Project, or ongoing projects with Spanish Mountain Gold.

Kala loves snowshoeing and quading with her husband, six-year-old daughter, and two dogs, Lurch and Moose. She loves the summer months around their 150 Mile homestead as well, spending lots of time enjoying the nearby lakes.

Welcome to WLFN, Community Social Worker

Leah Martin

Leah Martin may be new to WLFN, but she’s no stranger to the field of Human Service Work in the Central Cariboo and British Columbia. She got her start working at Insite: Supervised Injection Site, and providing harm-reduction services at music festivals and events. While working in the Downtown East Side might seem intimidating for many, in Leah’s words, she found it to be “... a wonderful challenge.”

In 2011 she made her way to the Cariboo, first settling into Wells, BC, while working at the Seasons House Shelter in Quesnel. Before joining the team at WLFN, Leah worked in Williams Lake for the Canadian Mental Health Association as the Community Bridge to Housing First Coordinator. This program assists people living homeless to re-enter the

rental housing market by providing housing subsidies and wrap-around support services.

Through her diverse experience in the field, Leah knows that learning an effective selfcare routine is a journey. Leah suggests finding things that ground you, and making time for those things. For Leah, this includes “... getting outside, walking, skiing, snowboarding, kayaking — I like going to the rec centre for the hot tub.”

Leah is passionate about, and focuses her work on harm reduction services. She loves spending time with her two kids and playing music with friends. You can find her at the WLFN Administration building on Quigli, or out-and-about in the community.

Celebrating 10 Years at WLFN, Gailene William

“Gailene’s exceptional work ethic and expertise has assisted the finance department in moving forward. WLFN is grateful for all her hard work and dedication that she brings forward each and every day.”

- Lori Billyboy, WLFN Chief Financial Officer

Gailene William is originally from Nemiah Valley, BC. She lives in Williams Lake with her husband and twin sons, while her daughter is off studying sciences at TRU in Kamloops. January 2023 marks Gailene’s 10-year anniversary of working at Williams Lake First Nation. Over the years, she’s seen the organization grow and change, but notes that leadership as well as the vision has stayed relatively steady and true.

When she started, the whole finance team consisted of Lori Billyboy (Finance Manager at the time) and Gailene, working in the basement of the old log band office in Sugar Cane. Gailene looks back at the old office fondly, jokingly referring to the basement as their “dungeon.”

She was initially hired for a term position as Financial Assistant while another employee was on leave, but soon took a full-time role as Payroll & Benefits Clerk. It was during this era that Gailene began taking courses at Tulo Centre of Indigenous Economics in Kamloops to bump up her certification. It was difficult

to break away from home each month for her studies, having her little ones at home, but gaining meaningful skills that she could bring back to her community made the hard work worthwhile.

Since then, Gailene has never stopped learning, earning further certification in Payroll Compliance, and presently working on her Certified Payroll Manager’s certification. Gailene has held the position of Finance Manager since January of 2019.

From a bright and sunny smile, she quips “Everyone loves you when you work in finance — they’re all smiling as they come to pick up their paycheques.”

Gailene loves the support that she feels working for WLFN. She first started when her twin boys were very young, and having the daycare available was a huge asset.

Events

EASTER CELEBRATION

SUN. APRIL 2 | CHIEF WILL YUM CAMPSITE

Please join us for the 2023 WLFN Easter Celebration! Everybody welcome. Admission is by donation. Egg hunt! Games (like sack races and toss-the-egg)! Petting Zoo! Hotdog Roast! Donations go towards future WLFN programming.

For more info, please contact: kyleen.toyne@wlfn.ca | 250 296 3507 ext 186

ELDERS DANCE

FRI. APRIL 14 | ELIZABETH GROUSE GYMNASIUM

WLFN Elders (and their families), please join us for the 2023 Elders Dance! Dust off the dancing boots for a night to remember, with dinner, dancing, and a silent auction. Open to WLFN Elders and their families. Friday, March 31, from 5-9pm, at the Elizabeth Grouse Gymnasium. Please RSVP so the coordinators know how many to expect. To RSVP, or for more information, please contact: carla.berkelaar@wlfn.ca | 250 296 3507 ext 119

BINGO

TUES. APRIL 18 | ELIZABETH GROUSE GYM

Bingo! Doors open at 4:30pm, starts at 6pm. $40.00 per package. All Cash Prizes 4 Walk ins, 8 regular games 12 cards, 4 Specials, Extra Specials and Books can be purchased. Payouts are based on sales! Booklets can be purchased at the door. First come first served. Proceeds go towards T’exelc Elders. Concession, Loonie auction and 50/50. This is a 19+ Event. License Number 139692

For more info, please contact: carla.berkelaar@wlfn.ca | 250 296 3507 ext 119

EMPOWERED FILMMAKER COURSE

MAY 1-5 | ELIZABETH GROUSE GYMNASIUM

Empowered Filmmaker is a free 5-day intensive, indigenous-focused filmmaking program. No prior experience is necessary and all film gear is provided. Participants will produce their own films using state-of-the-art gear, receive certifications, have their films distributed, access grants, and so much more. We also have awards and surprise giveaways to help support our new filmmakers. We believe in the power of storytelling.

For more info, or to sign up, please contact: 604 562 2119

HEALTH & WELLNESS FAIR

MAY 25 | TRU WILLIAMS LAKE

Please join us for the 2023 WLFN Health and Wellness Fair - a free event with booths from community organizations covering a wide variety of health and wellness topics. Free | BBQ | Door Prizes | Open to Everybody

Thursday, May 25, from 2-6pm at the Thompson Rivers University gymnasium.

For more information, or to book a booth, please contact: kyleen.toyne@wlfn.ca 250.296.3507 ext. 186

GRADUATES CELEBRATION

THURS. JUNE 15 | WLFN POW WOW ARBOR

The WLFN Education Department sincerely welcomes our honoured Graduates and their guests to the 2023 Education Celebration. Please join us for the traditional ceremony commencement. 1-5PM.

For more info, please contact: michelle.carrier@wlfn.ca | 250 296 3507 ext 172

RECURRING EVENTS TALKING CIRCLE

12:30PM, EVERY THURSDAY | WLFN ELDERS BUILDING

This is an opportunity to gather, learn, and experience how culture and tradition help hold us up through life’s challenging journey. This circle is not limited to WLFN members and includes all residential school survivors. Lunch provided.

For more info, please contact: judy.ventry@wlfn.ca | 250.296.3507 ext.191

ELDERS EXERCISE GROUP

10-11AM, EVERY OTHER THURSDAY | WLFN ELDERS BUILDING

Exercising is a great way to prevent disease, improve mood, boost energy, and reduce the risk of falls. Join us with instructor Noah Ryll. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes.

NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS

7-8PM EVERY MONDAY | WLFN ELDERS BUILDING

NA meetings are held weekly on Mondays from 7pm-8pm in community at the Elder’s building. Snacks and refreshments provided.

For more information, please contact Courtney:

778.961.0152

GOOD FOOD BOX ORDERS

WLFN Members, place your monthly order for a free food box containing fresh, nutritious fruits and vegetables. Order cutoff is 3pm, every second Thursday of the month, or whenever all the boxes are spoken for. Don’t hesitate!

For more info, or to order, contact: lisa.presley@wlfn.ca | 250.296.3532

PRENATAL & POSTNATAL LUNCH & LEARN GROUP

11AM-2PM, SECOND TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH | CWELCWÉLT HEALTH STATION

For pregnant and postnatal WLFN members with babies up to 6 months old. Visit, make a craft, and enjoy a

healthy lunch together while everyone chats about a topic related to Mommas and Babies. Limited seats. Please reserve your spot by contacting Lisa Presley: lisa.presley@wlfn.ca | 250.296.3532

DROP-IN SWIMMING

SEE THE CARIBOO MEMORIAL COMPLEX’S SCHEDULE FOR DROP-IN SWIM TIMES | CARIBOO MEMORIAL COMPLEX

WLFN Members, stop by the Cwelcwélt Health Station or the downtown WLFN office on Yorston for drop-in swimming passes. They can be used for aquafit classes, fitness classes, or public swimming at the Cariboo Memorial Complex.

For more info, contact: lisa.presley@wlfn.ca | 250.296.3532

ELDERS MEETINGS

EVERY OTHER MONDAY | WLFN ELDERS BUILDING

WLFN Elders Meetings start at 10am each day. Lunch is provided. Every two weeks.

For more info, please contact: carla.berkelaar@wlfn.ca | 250 296 3507 ext 119

STAY UP TO DATE ON ALL THINGS

HEALTH-AND-WELLNESS. Like or Follow the Cwelcwélt Health Station on Facebook to find out when practitioners are coming to community (physio, healing touch, counselling, reflexology, and more). You will also be the first to know about group meetings, workshops, and all kinds of other great programs to keep yourself feeling happy and healthy.