The 29 hand-woven baskets on display at the Sts香蕉视频直播檃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 香蕉视频直播渁nswer to prayers香蕉视频直播� as the Sts香蕉视频直播檃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.
RELATED:
香蕉视频直播淭he history that香蕉视频直播檚 here with us belongs to the Sts香蕉视频直播檃iles people,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淲hatever香蕉视频直播檚 embedded into the ground, surrounding our territory, belongs to the Sts香蕉视频直播檃iles people. I really want to thank those who are really involved in this beautiful work.香蕉视频直播�
St香蕉视频直播檚ailes Elder Sel Ya:al (Nancy Patricia Charlie) said she was 香蕉视频直播渢ouched香蕉视频直播� 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香蕉视频直播檚 ancestors.
香蕉视频直播�(My husband) used to make these baskets; he used to work with his mother,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淲e remember those old people. They told us, because we were young when we got married, they told us 香蕉视频直播榶ou香蕉视频直播檙e going to carry it on. You香蕉视频直播檙e a part of helping us, to guide us to where we are today.香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈
Sts香蕉视频直播檃iles Coun. Boyd Peters, Friday香蕉视频直播檚 master of ceremonies, said the return of these baskets were vitally important to the people, particularly the youth.
香蕉视频直播淭heir great grandparents, their, great, great, great, great grandparents, they香蕉视频直播檙e the ones that did this work, and they香蕉视频直播檙e in museums right now,香蕉视频直播� 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香蕉视频直播檈ts (Sasquatch) mask was returned to Sts香蕉视频直播檃iles years ago.
香蕉视频直播淲hen the family was bringing in that mask, that mask was just dancing,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淭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.香蕉视频直播�
RELATED:
MLA Kelli Paddon expressed her gratitude and joy to be able to witness the repatriation.
香蕉视频直播淚 get to share Sts香蕉视频直播檃iles because you share so generously with me, about the stories and the strength,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淎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香蕉视频直播檚 nothing in them, but there香蕉视频直播檚 everything in them.香蕉视频直播�
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香蕉视频直播檚 baskets are on display at a museum in Vancouver, urging the province to continue the works of repatriation and reconciliation.
香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 a lot more work that we need to do,香蕉视频直播� he added. 香蕉视频直播淲e want to turn back things to our communities. We香蕉视频直播檙e getting back a little bit of our land right now, but it香蕉视频直播檚 so critical for the next generations that we do this 香蕉视频直播� that we always have a place in our heart, we have a place to put these sort of things.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淭he closer we work, the work becomes strong,香蕉视频直播� Leon said. 香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 my message to my friends that are here.香蕉视频直播�
adam.louis@ ahobserver.com
Like us on and follow us on .
