Nte?kepmxkt: We Are The People

 

Nlaka’pamux History & Language:

It’s been said that the rocks hold witness to our stories, our footprints and our teachings. To our neighbours we were known as People of the River, and the painted telegraphs along the Thompson and Fraser Rivers share that story. These markings are our teachings, not only now but for time immemorial. The Nlaka’pamux people were semi-nomadic, mostly following their food sources. Stories of the people, animals, and environment were shared through paintings on rock faces and passed on through oral traditions. 

 

Nlaka’pamux Stories:

Like the majority of Indigenous cultures across Canada, the Nlaka’pamux peoples held the strong tradition of oral history and story. There are two types of stories, Spilahem or personal storytelling and Spetakl, the old stories. In Spilahem, the storyteller is speaking from experience. With Spetakl you are describing the natural world and sharing your knowledge of it and it’s interconnectedness. Often, the role of sharing that knowledge within the old stories was Shinyap, coyote. 

Indigenous cultures very often have a known trickster; coyote is the Nlaka’pamux peoples trickster. The trickster is a teacher. Through his own mistakes and shortcomings he teaches us respect, responsibility, reverence, reciprocity, wholism, inter-relatedness and synergy. Coyote teaches by showing us the consequences of mischief and wrongdoings. 

 

Nlaka’pamux Grandmother Teachings:

  • Takemshooknooqua: Knowing we are connected – land, animals, plants and people.
    • Literally translates to “all my relations” which I go into more detail about later. 
    • Seen and unseen relationships
    • Living in harmony 
    • We are part of an intrinsic whole – linked to the cosmos and to each other
  • ChaChawoowh: Celebrating people and the land
    • To be joyful in the knowledge that we are alive, that we belong, and that we can learn
    • Being present in the moment
    • Do not dwell on past issues; being thankful that each day is a new start
    • Create rejoiceful moments with family and community
  • Huckpestes: Develop lifelong learning and wisdom
    • The key word here is ‘wisdom’ or the development of wisdom, which is the accumulation of a lifetime of lived experiences where one reflects critically upon them
      • Learning from birth onward.
    • The oral practice of huckpestes develops wisdom through intergenerational learning and storytelling and reflection,
    • A new found awareness could also be referred to as huckpestena, which means discoveries
    • we recognize opportunity of choices to be made
  • Peteenuushem: Reflect on learning and learn again
    • Requires much reflection, repetition and introspection
    • Rushing this process may produce short-sighted goals and create conflict among people involved in the process. 
  • Huztowaahh: Giving lovingly to family and community
    • Practice of loving the extended family as well as the collective community to which one belongs
    • Children were regarded as precious gifts and were loved, unconditionally, by all members of the community.
    • To instill the value of sharing and demonstrating care for others, children were taught to give away the first object they made, be it a basket, a drum, a sketch, or a garment
    • Children, parents and grandparents living together within the village supported one another with all their daily needs
  • Choonwensh: Succeeding in endeavours
    • Synthesises all our practices for wholistic development (spiritual, emotional, physical and mental) and it is essential to the success of an individual/self, family and community
    • Elders form a critical part of our extended family network and they play a vital role in the transmission of Indigenous knowledge from one generation to another. They guide individuals through their life phases and are active family caregivers and teachers.

 

Intergenerational Intelligence:

Traditionally learning is intergenerational. As families lived and worked together, children learned from multiple sources within their home and community. It was the elders who were honoured as knowledge keepers. I feel that the Nlaka’pamux Grandmother Teachings reflect this. Elders have lived and learned through experience, they understand and celebrate the interconnectedness of people and the land, are wise because of lifelong learning and reflection, and give lovingly and limitlessly to family and the community to ensure they can become successful.

I feel that intergenerational learning embodies all of the Nlaka’pamux Grandmother Teachings. By creating the opportunity for our students and our community’s elders to connect we are creating the space for traditional ways of knowing, teaching and learning. Interconnected with the All My Relations ethic; this mindset guides the way in which we carry ourselves. It embodies honouring the sacrifices our elders have made and being considerate of how our actions impact future generations. This form of awareness can be seen in the world’s greatest leaders, who fight to create intergenerational change. 

 

Intergenerational Spirit Buddies:

To address the substantial amount of learning that can be facilitated through intergenerational interaction, I based my project on creating Intergenerational Spirit Buddies. Intergenerational Spirit Buddies is an after school program focused on bridging intergenerational gaps and facilitating intergenerational learning. Spirit Buddies are beneficial to the mind, body and spirit on both inter and intrapersonal levels; providing a sense of belonging, self-worth and impact. 

The Intergenerational Spirit Buddies Program (ISBP) is formed around traditional Nlaka’pamux values and teachings but is welcome to all, as we all have a story and knowledge to share. Through the ISBP, students would be given the opportunity to connect with elder’s from their community in ways they may not have had the chance to before. Not only does the ISBP benefit students, but elders as well. The ISBP encourages physical activity, and mental exercises. Students and elders will engage in various types of activities and if funding will allow, field trips.

I feel that the ISBP and the activities are adaptable. This is helpful in the case of a new initiative by providing the opportunity to be developed depending on needs and challenges that may arise. It also means we can start off small, and grow into something that becomes a part of the community. The flexibility of the ISBP means that it’s participants also have the freedom to design the program that they would like to partake in, reflecting their interests and hobbies, current community events or needs. 

 

Maintaining Respectful Relationships Within the Community:

The ISBP seeks to foster the Grandmother Teachings into our school community and extend that even further into our local community. The skills and mindset involved in embodying these teachings will be carried out in every relationship and encounter for the rest of the student’s lives, and hopefully the connections and memories made throughout the ISBP will too. 

An aspect of the ISBP’s goal is developing respectful relationships and a sense of community. With these goals in mind, Intergenerational Spirit Buddies will attend, lend a hand where they can at community gatherings and even host their own gatherings throughout the year; tying in with huztowaahh: giving lovingly to family and community, chachawoowh: celebrating people and the land and takemshooknooqua: knowing we are connected. 

 

Organizations in my Community:

As Boston Bar is a small community, I’ve decided to include all organizations that may be interested in getting involved with this project. 

  • Boston Bar First Nations
  • Boothroyd First Nations
  • BBESS PAC
  • BB/NB 55+
  • May Day Committee 
  • BB/NB Enhancement Society
  • Warrior/Fishing Camps
  • Women’s Camps

Resources: