Learning from the Splatsín community

     

The last couple of weeks the kids and I have been fortunate to learn from Splatsin members about the Secwepemc culture. There is a fabulous exhibition on at the Enderby and District Arts council (5-30th Sep) showcasing everything from ribbon skirts to birchbark baskets and woven thule mats. There have also been 4 different workshops where you can learn about traditional fishing methods, hear storytelling, try your hand at drawing pictographs and learn the language through playful bingo. The community has been so generous with their time and sharing their skills and knowledge. It has been our favourite thing all week, coming to the arts centre, learning and getting to know the people.

After we heard Laureen Felix speak about salmon and how important salmon is to her people, we wanted to learn more, and we spent a day researching about this life-giving fish and its importance to the ecosystem. Salmon is having trouble, many of its waterways are drying up due to heat, habitat destruction and logging. It is so incredibly important that we do everything in our power to allow the salmon to come back and thrive here again.

 

 

Drawing Willow did after learning about fishing from Laureen.

 

    We heard stories by Elder Randy L William, and it was riveting. He spoke of bear (skwalaqs) and his personal encounters with this spirit. He shared some old stories passed down through generations and how the Splatsin way is to share and care for one another. When Gloria Morgan shared some animated stories the kids giggled, and we were delighted when she brought medicinal tea from local plants to try.

Gloria in front of mat woven from cattail (Typha latifolia) 

On the weekend there was a special opportunity to learn about the various pictographs and the kids had a chance to draw copies of the illustrations. I find it fascinating to think that these rock paintings are so ancient. Their age is yet undetermined, but some have been suspected to be at least 6000 years old. Elizabeth Jean Brown made my imagination soar when she spoke about how the area where we now stand was completely under water at one point. What a different landscape it must have been!

pix of pictograph explanation plus pix of drawings by kids

The final workshop was a secwepemctsín language bingo and learning about ribbon skirts. The bingo was so much fun and Elder Jean Brown guided us patiently through how to pronounce words such as snawtes (wind), leka'pi (coffee), spyu7(chicken) and the ones that really tripped me up: ra7 xalacw (tooth) and tsallt (cold). It was a great time, and we had many laughs. Such a fun way to learn a language! 

language bingo plates 

Jean showing some ribbon skirts

The ribbon skirts were beautiful and imaginative. I loved the tassels on them (to symbolize the salmon fins) and the colour combinations. Gloria Morgan showed the skirt she had made to honour the missing and murdered Indigenous Women and Girls +. Gloria said that wearing the ribbon skirt and showing your pride in your ancestry is powerful and a great way to show the world how marvellous the Secwepemc culture is. 

Our family can't wait to learn more about the culture, and we feel so grateful for the generosity and openness by the community. It has been an honour to partake. 

Kukstsamc!