The 29 hand-woven baskets on display at the Sts害羞草研究所檃iles Lhawathet Lalem (Healing House), were empty. Yet, the memories and wisdom they contained filled the hearts of the people who welcomed them home.
The joyous repatriation ceremony on Friday, March 3, was an 害羞草研究所渁nswer to prayers害羞草研究所� as the Sts害羞草研究所檃iles community celebrated the return of the 29 baskets that were once on display at the Kilby Historic Site in Harrison Mills. Some of the baskets dated back at least 100 years.
Chief Ralph Leon said the return of these baskets has been in the works since about 2017.
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害羞草研究所淭he history that害羞草研究所檚 here with us belongs to the Sts害羞草研究所檃iles people,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淲hatever害羞草研究所檚 embedded into the ground, surrounding our territory, belongs to the Sts害羞草研究所檃iles people. I really want to thank those who are really involved in this beautiful work.害羞草研究所�
St害羞草研究所檚ailes Elder Sel Ya:al (Nancy Patricia Charlie) said she was 害羞草研究所渢ouched害羞草研究所� by the return of the ancestral baskets.. Even without seeing the display first, she was certain some of the baskets belonged her and her husband害羞草研究所檚 ancestors.
害羞草研究所�(My husband) used to make these baskets; he used to work with his mother,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淲e remember those old people. They told us, because we were young when we got married, they told us 害羞草研究所榶ou害羞草研究所檙e going to carry it on. You害羞草研究所檙e a part of helping us, to guide us to where we are today.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟
Sts害羞草研究所檃iles Coun. Boyd Peters, Friday害羞草研究所檚 master of ceremonies, said the return of these baskets were vitally important to the people, particularly the youth.
害羞草研究所淭heir great grandparents, their, great, great, great, great grandparents, they害羞草研究所檙e the ones that did this work, and they害羞草研究所檙e in museums right now,害羞草研究所� Peters said.
He recalled his own grandmother, blind from diabetes, weaving the baskets, fueled by her passion for the work.
The joy at Lhawathet Lalem was palpable. Boyd hearkened the celebration to a repatriation ceremony when a s谩sq害羞草研究所檈ts (Sasquatch) mask was returned to Sts害羞草研究所檃iles years ago.
害羞草研究所淲hen the family was bringing in that mask, that mask was just dancing,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭hat spirit was just so alive. That mask was alive; everything we have is alive. So when that happened, it was a real healing for our family.害羞草研究所�
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MLA Kelli Paddon expressed her gratitude and joy to be able to witness the repatriation.
害羞草研究所淚 get to share Sts害羞草研究所檃iles because you share so generously with me, about the stories and the strength,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淎nd I get I get to talk about the baskets and what they mean and what they carry. The baskets are being held, and there害羞草研究所檚 nothing in them, but there害羞草研究所檚 everything in them.害羞草研究所�
Members of staff from the Kilby Historic Site and Fraser Valley Regional District Area C director Mel Waardenburg also witnessed the repatriation. Ceremonies concluded with celebratory dances from the Sasquatch Dancers.
Peters said some of his grandmother害羞草研究所檚 baskets are on display at a museum in Vancouver, urging the province to continue the works of repatriation and reconciliation.
害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 a lot more work that we need to do,害羞草研究所� he added. 害羞草研究所淲e want to turn back things to our communities. We害羞草研究所檙e getting back a little bit of our land right now, but it害羞草研究所檚 so critical for the next generations that we do this 害羞草研究所� that we always have a place in our heart, we have a place to put these sort of things.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淭he closer we work, the work becomes strong,害羞草研究所� Leon said. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 my message to my friends that are here.害羞草研究所�
adam.louis@ ahobserver.com
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