Reflecting back on my last few months with Xyólheméylh gives me a great sense of pride. Reporting to a Board of Directors is new for me and I have a great sense of appreciation for each of them and their focus on governance for our organization and support they provide.

As I met staff, I have seen and felt the passion and the heart they have for their work. Every staff member has a key role that contributes to the overall strategic direction of our organization and their voices matter. Our Executive Leadership team made up of Kyla Darby, Rod Spitzig and I, are so proud of our staff. It was our staff members who came up with ideas of the Social Distancing contest, and the Children in care art contest that went viral across the province! Articles were featured in newspapers and Minister of Children and Family Development, the Honorable Katrine Conroy chose Lucas’s artwork and sent it to every youth in care graduating across the province.

Our Elders Advisory members continue to meet every two weeks remotely with computers, and we are actively working on videos for staff, caregiver support parents, and adding more elders to our roster. Everything we do is vetted through our Elders Advisory committee; our knowledge keepers. We are actively recruiting Elders who live in Stó:lõ territory between Yale and Langley to join our organization.

Our caregiver support parents are key members of our team and we’d like to truly thank them for the amazing role they have in supporting our children and families. We thank you for all you do!

Our Vision and Voices Youth asked for a writing contest that was launched province wide. The theme was What Does Being Indigenous Mean to You? A news release was distributed just prior to National Indigenous Peoples Day that included samples of the submissions in each category, as well as a video featuring a singing and drumming by our staff Justin Williams and listening to the voices of our Elders Violet George and Arlene Heese. The video and submissions are featured in this newsletter.

As National indigenous Peoples Day coincides with the first day of summer, I spent the day reflecting on all I am thankful for as part of the Xyólheméylh work family and the positive momentum we are experiencing. I reflected on the importance of culture embedded into all we do.

I also took the time to reflect on my own life being a birth adoptee, learning later in life that I am an Indigenous Métis Woman, and what that journey means to me. I gave thanks to the love and support of Chiefs and Matriarchs from Stó:lõ and Nlaka’pamux territories who supported my journey three years ago this summer. That was when I visited my family roots in Cumberland House Cree Nation (an island in Northern Saskatchewan) and where I met the Cook family I am part of, and walked the land. It’s a surreal feeling that is hard to put into words. What I do know, is it reinforces my belief that it is every child’s inherent right to know who they are and what they belong to. I also thought of my dad who I had lost 31 years ago as a young teen, all he meant to me, and how losing him and the trauma my family experienced made me want to go into the field of helping others.

When I spent quiet time on National Indigenous Peoples Day, relaxing, getting refocused and recharged in nature I heard the words, “You have a responsibility to become all the Creator intended you to be.” Being by water or in the solitude of nature is when I find myself most creative and most reflective about my life. With summer here, now is the perfect time to sit with the vision of a lake, be still with who we are and reflect on what is yet to come. I see and feel great things ahead … with all of us walking together in partnership to better the lives of the children, youth and families we are blessed to serve.

Létsé mót té sqwálewel - “With a good mind, a good heart, and good feelings”

In honour of National Indigenous Peoples Day, Sunday June 21, 2020, Xyólheméylh asked all British Columbia Indigenous children and youth what being Indigenous means to them. They were asked to express their thoughts in writing in four categories – ages 3 to 6; ages 7 to 10; ages 11 to 14 and ages 15 to 24. The winning entries were chosen by a panel consisting of Xyólheméylh’s Board of Directors and Elders Advisory Committee.

Children and youth expressed their hopes and dreams, their pride in being Indigenous and the importance of culture and community. They also addressed the history of colonization and the intergenerational pain caused by residential schools. Here are a few samples of the winning entries:

“Being Indigenous means love to me.”
- Chloe, 5

Our Youth Advisory Committee is called Visions & Voices and consists of 19 youth in care or previously in care who are 14 years of age and older. The group ensures that youth have a voice within the Agency on policy and practice and within the larger system of care. The committee also organizes events for children and youth in care, and act as mentors to other Indigenous youth.

Every fall the youth organize the Visions and Voices Forum where they invite Indigenous youth from across the Fraser Valley to listen to speakers, share their experiences of being in care and take part in cultural activities and learnings.

The committee gets together at least once a month to share a meal, participate in workshops, and to organize events for other children and youth in care. Through their engagement in the committee, the youth learn leadership skills, build relationships and gain a sense of pride in their culture.

If you are a youth in care or previously in care, and have a suggestion, a question, or would like to be involved in the committee please contact: [email protected]. We provide dinner, transportation and a small honoraria.

Marina is from Chilliwack. Her late grandmother was from the Soowhalie First Nation.

She joined Visions and Voices because she wanted to educate herself about youth rights and programs that are available to youth in care. She also wanted to connect with other youth in care that share a similar situation.

“The group is important to me because it makes me feel 100 per cent included and heard! It’s also important because no one really talks about being in care so having a safe environment to do so is important,” says Marina.  

She would like the annual Visions and Voices forum the youth organize to be longer. “I don’t feel like two days is enough for teachings, conversation and connection. I would love for us to be meeting all year for outings such as movies & bowling,” says Marina.

The Chawathil First Nation is one of the 18 member bands that Xyólheméylh serves in Stó:lō% territory. Their traditional territory once occupied much of what is now Hope and surrounding areas. Now their reserve, created in 1858, is located by Katz and occupies 1600 acres. They count 637 people on their band registry, with about half on reserve, and half off reserve.

Neighbouring communities include: Skw’atets (Peters), Sq’ewqel (Seabird Island), Shxw’owhamel, Sq’ewq:lxw, Iwowes (Union Bar), Popkw’em (Popkum) and Xwoxwelá:lhp (Yale). There are many family ties between the communities, collaboration on governance, social development, health and recreation, as well as shared seasonal ceremonies and spirituality that is the result of centuries of common history and ancestors. The seven first nations share TaTeLalemtset, a community gathering place with a full-size gym.

Since time immemorial, the First Nations along the Stó:lō River (now known as the Fraser River after Simon Fraser named it after himself) used the river as a freeway, and the mode of transportation was the canoe. Communities were identified and named because of their unique geographic markings. Chawathil means “where the land meets the water.”

Natural resources in the territory have sustained the people and way of life for centuries. The people moved throughout the territory using the resources and land which provided for fishing, hunting and gathering, to maintain their livelihood. In the mid 1800s, Chawathil’s ancestors transitioned from a seasonal lifestyle to a more agarian lifestyle. This coincided with the Reserve system, followed by the second smallpox epidemic which claimed an estimated 50 per cent of the population. That was followed several decades later with the introduction of residential schools.

Today, the Chawathil people own and operate the Telte-yet Campground which is on the banks of the Fraser in downtown Hope, as well as own a forestry company. “Self-sufficiency remains our number one goal,” says Patricia John, band historian.

Led by Ronald G. John or his traditional name, Oyeysek, Grand Chief, and Chief Rhoda Peters, as well as six councillors, Chawathil First Nation ‘s Working as One plan (Lexw Siyo:es) is their road map to making their collective vision for future development and prosperity a reality. It was developed through broad community participation and input based on clearly articulated visions by the Nation members that embrace Chawathil culture and tradition. Their priorities are self-sufficiency as mentioned above and protecting culture, spiritual heritage and traditional sites of significance.

For centuries Stó:lō cultural knowledge had been passed down from elders to the future generations, but colonialism had interrupted that ancient chain of succession. Our Sto:lo communities have gained prestige along with indigenous peoples across Canada with the current recognition of Free and Prior Informed Consent, the Truth & Recognition Commission, Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This includes knowing the traditional place names and sacred sites that were un-recorded,  the oral history and re- learning our language Halq'meylem. A much validated strength begins in knowing who you are and where you're from. This history has made will make our young leaders stronger. In closing, Chawathil stands united for Sto:lo traditional unity.

S'olh temexw te ikw'elo. Xolhmet te mekw' stam it kwelat:
This is our land. We have to take care of everything that belongs to us

Sto:lo Declaration

Translated and written by late Matilda Gutierrez