Weyt-k (Greetings in Secwepemctsin),

Way̓ (Greetings in Nsyilxen),

Kiʔsuʔk kyukyit (Greetings in Ktunaxa),

So much has happened since our Fall newsletter. We are excited to share some of the highlights with you in this Winter newsletter.

District cultural programming

November – Sinixt Homeland Click here to see more

January – Storytelling in the Lodge Click here to learn more

February – Métis Dot Art – Click here to learn more

The Family Winter Gathering

We were so excited by the turn out to the 2nd annual Family Winter Gathering in December.  We pushed the limits at the venue this year, but had enough food to serve Bison sloppy Joe’s and Bannock and jam to everyone. The luncheon opened with Knowledge Keeper Randy Williams and Dylan Murray drumming and singing a welcome song.  Lisa Moore shared a Bison story, Marlene taught parents and students Indigenous language, and Dylan led a very large round dance. A huge thank you to the Indigenous Student Support staff, Lisa, Marlene, and Dylan, and District Indigenous lead teacher Erin England, for preparing the lunch and working with students to share some of what they have been learning with you.

 

 

Primary Winter Gathering in Kelowna

 

On January 23, 2025, Indigenous grade 3 students travelled to Kelowna to participate in the Primary Winter Gathering, hosted by the Syilx Okanagan Nation. This is the second year grade 3 students from Revelstoke were invited to attend.  Students had a wonderful time dancing, drumming, hearing stories, and learning about the Okanagan Indigenous culture. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New mural at AHE by Delreé DuMont

Staff and students at Arrow Heights Elementary school were thrilled to watch Delreé DuMont, an artist from the Onion Lake Cree Nation, create a beautiful 8×10 mural on the gym doors.  Enjoy the picture and the letter Delreé sent the to the school when she was done.

Tansi (Hello) Arrow Heights Elementary School!

My name is Delree Dumont, and my traditional name is Wâpiski Kihew Esquao – White Eagle Woman. My family is from Onion Lake Cree Nation, and I currently live in Galena Bay which is where I spend my time painting at my home. We are on the traditional territories of the Sinixt, the Syilx, the Ktunaxa and the Secwepemc. It was my great pleasure to create a pointillism painting for your school and I thoroughly enjoyed my time here! Thank you to the Revelstoke School District 19 for inviting me and to the many students who stopped by to ask questions or quietly just watched me painting. That was the best part.

This painting represents so many elements of nature that means everything to First Nations peoples across Turtle Island. We are all connected, and we all belong. Everything has a spirit. The water, the trees, the rocks, plants and the animals. All this was brought here by the Creator. Some people call him God, Budda, Allah and other names. Over 95% of our body is water, and water is sacred. Water gives life and is medicine. And we are born in water. Clean air is sacred. The day we are born, the Creator breathed one breath into you, and that breath gives you life for the rest of your life. Some of our DNA is the same DNA as the tree. When the tree exhales, we need what the tree exhales. We call North America Turtle Island, and we call the earth Mother Earth. She gives us food, wood for fire, air to breathe and water. Earth, wind, fire and water are the four sacred elements in our Medicine Wheel teachings. Honouring Mother Earth requires us to experience our connection to her and consider that everything we have or do, is because of a gift she has given us. It is an excellent day to be thankful for these gifts. So go near the water, or sift the dirt in your hands, go out and enjoy the fresh air, or sit by a campfire, plant a tree. Allow that energy to fill you up with all that goodness and give thanks. Hiy hiy….(thank you).

Name of Painting: Askiy (land (or earth), Nipîy (Water) Waciy (hill or Mountain), Pisiskiw (An animal) 

Student Leadership Summit at TRU – May 1 & 2

A group of RSS Students have been invited to the TRU Indigenous Student Leadership Summit in Kamloops again this year.  See Lisa Moore if you are interested in attending.

Link to the Summit video from last year.

Shout Outs

Congratulations to Tucker McAstocker who just received a full scholarship to a month long summer program with SHAD Canada where they focus on university level STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) and entrepreneurship content. You can read more about SHAD here – https://www.shad.ca/

Congratulations to Kim Poirier. In December Kim went to the BCYP event at the 96th session of the British Columbia Youth Parliament in Victoria. Each year, between December 27th and 31st, 97 representatives of youth organizations ages 16-21 from across British Columbia gather at the Provincial Legislature in Victoria to learn about service, parliamentary education, and debate. In February she went to the 38th session of the Vancouver Youth Parliament  at the Liu Institute for Global Issues (UBC) to learn about Democracy as a system, how parliament runs and how government works. This will be followed by regional sessions. 
Kim encourages youth to join these programs as a way to explore careers and learn more about service for your community. 

Save the Date – June 11th for the Indigenous Family Luncheon