A different perspective of the history of the Shuswap than that recorded by British and European settlers will be presented at Okanagan College this fall.
Craig Duckchief of the Adams Lake Indian Band, part of the Secwepemc Nation, will be presenting the unique course.
He says when people are looking at ways to build relationships, learning how those relationships have developed is important – what caused their present-day form.
The course, Understanding of History and Relationships with Canada’s First People, will aim to provide a broad understanding of the events that have shaped Secwepemc relationships with non-Secwepemc people in the Shuswap.
The Secwepemc are the indigenous people who inhabit the south-central Interior of B.C.
The course will include stories and world views, the archeological record and a timeline sequence beginning at 1722. And the stories will feature prominently.
Duckchief notes the history is not well understood and policies that governed the relationship are generally unreported.
“It’s all about the stories, the human aspect of the stories and how it impacted the people locally…,” he says. “Enter the story with coyote and creation. Enter the story with Queen Elizabeth sending out explorers. Look at those stories as a premise. There was a human factor in there. Look at what remains today – it’s a continuing story.”
Duckchief says everyone is welcome.
“We want to focus on as broad a spectrum as we can. It could be native and non-native, even our own indigenous people, Secwepemc people, it’s open to anyone.”
The course runs Wednesdays from 6:30 to 9 p.m., starting Sept. 23 and finishing Dec. 16.
Contact the Salmon Arm campus to register at 250-804-8888 or online at www.okanagan.bc.ca/csreg.