Thursday, May 20, 2021
The Secwépemc Landmarks project partners are pleased to announce the approval of $296,000 in grant funding for Phase II of the Secwépemc Landmarks project.
The Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) committed $170,000 in funding, and the Unique Heritage Infrastructure stream of the Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program awarded $123,000 for Phase II of the project.
The purpose of the project is to highlight Secwépemc stories, voices, and relationships with the landscape from past, present, and future generations.
Phase I of the project focused on bringing together Secwépemc Elders from the four local communities (Neskonlith Band, Splatsín, Adams Lake Band, and Little Shuswap Lake Band) to guide an arts project engaging youth in School District Number 83, Chief Atahm School, and Shihiya, and employing seven Secwépemc and settler artists.
A series of eight sculptures and interpretive panels were designed and will be installed around Shuswap Lake in the Pespeséllkwe caretaker area of Secwepemcúl̓ecw. In addition, 100 trailhead posts were carved by youth from five classes: three in School District Number 83, and two from Shihiya and Chief Atahm schools.
Phase II of the Secwépemc Landmarks Project will work with the Secwépemc Lakes Elders Advisory Committee to install six additional sculptures in and around, Enderby and Chase.
The Secwépemc Landmarks team is grateful for the guidance of the Elders Advisory Committee and the many stories and advice they shared for this project, and for the financial support of Neskonlith, Adams Lake, and Splatsín, the City of Salmon Arm, the Province of British Columbia, the Shuswap Trail Alliance, and Shuswap Tourism.
Photo: Shelley Witzky, an Adams Lake Indian Band Councillor, and Sutra Brett, with the Shuswap Trail Alliance, examine some of the preliminary models for the Secwépemc Landmarks and Trail Sign project. (Tracy Hughes/CSRD photo)
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