KAMLOOPS — Several schools in Kamloops recognized the First Nations communities in the area Thursday with a day of Sucwentwecw.
“Sucwentwecw means to honor each other,” said Garry Gottfriedson, member of the Secwepemc First Nation.
This year marked the third annual day of acknowledgment in the Kamloops Thompson School District, an initiative to recognize the Secwepemc and NIaka’ Pamux Nations and their traditional territories.
Students at South Kamloops Secondary participated in story telling and interpretive dance to paint a picture of respect and honour for each other and the land we live on. Teachers say this is just one day of the year, but they hope it turns into much more.
“Pausing a moment to really make that acknowledgment, a moment is really not that much to ask, but I think sometimes moments turn into a change in consciousness and I think that as educators we’re focusing on opening minds,” said Don Williams, South Kamloops Secondary Teacher.
Students hoped that their performance was able to display the importance of respecting nature and the history of the land they live on to their fellow classmates.
“The land and everything that’s in the territory, it means everything to us,” said Brody Israel, South Kamloops Secondary student.
Gottfriedson says, unlike generations before them, students today are learning about the First Nations communities in the area.
“They’re learning about the history, the culture, the importance of the presence of First Nations in Canada, and I think it’s changing in a really good way,” he said.
With more celebrations like this in schools, he hopes that change will continue for generations to come.
“In the future that there would be a healthy honourable relationship between both cultures,” Gottfriedson said.
