Tim Collins / News staff
On Saturday, Sept. 23, the Aboriginal Friendship Society of Revelstoke invites the public to an event intended to honour the land, the forests, and the traditional four First Nations that call the Revelstoke area home.
The Forestry Museum has, for the month of September, hosted a Canada 150 event in which they invited the people of Revelstoke to plant trees (and other plants) in a series of six garden beds representing the six continents from which people have come to make Revelstoke a great place.
Anna Minten, who is a board member of both the Forestry Museum and the Aboriginal Friendship Center noticed that, while the five garden beds were actively planted by residents hailing from all over the globe, the North American garden plot remained vacant.
“People were respecting the fact that, even if you were born in Canada, your ancestry was linked to another continent. The only truly North American peoples were those of the First Nations. That’s why we’ve made certain that those First Nations are recognized and respected as well,” said Minten.
“The truth is that their story just hasn’t been told as well as it should be and this will help to remedy that situation.”
At 12:00 p.m. the Friendship Society will honour the Sinixt, the Ktunaxa, the Secwepmec and the Sylix people and all the First Nations of Canada in a traditional ceremony to be held at the B.C. Interior Forestry Museum and Forest Discovery Center.
The event will include a short tree planting ceremony, drumming, and free bannock for all visitors and participants.
Friendship Society representatives invite everyone out to the ceremony and encourage families to attend to learn more about the original occupants of the region and what they can teach us all about how to respect and live with the forests and wildlife of the Revelstoke area.
For more information, contact the Revelstoke Friendship Society of Revelstoke at 250 814 4597 .
There is no cost for this event.