The “rich and vibrant history” of the Northern Secwepemc people will be shared and celebrated in the South Cariboo, as multi-million-dollar funding for the construction of a cultural centre was announced Thursday.
Proponents of the long-awaited Indigenous-focused facility, to be built on a two-acre parcel near the 108 Mile Ranch Heritage Site, celebrated the announcement of a $4 million federal grant to the Northern Secwepemc Cultural Society (NSCS).
“Our footprint has been here all this time,” said Canim Lake Band Kukip7 (Chief) Helen Henderson, standing just in front of the parcel that will house the cultural centre.
“Now everyone gets to see who we are, where we’ve walked and how we’ve subsisted all these years.”
Marc Millar, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, was on hand to announce a $4-million grant awarded to the NSCS.
The grant, funded through the Cultural Spaces in Indigenous Communities Program, will go toward the construction of a public facility aimed at preserving and exhibiting materials of educational, historical and cultural value.
“It’s yours, you earned it, you fought for it and this is your day,” Millar said of the funds. “I just want to be here to celebrate with you.”
Plans for the centre have been in the works for close to 20 years and the lease of a two-acre parcel of land adjacent to the 108 Heritage Site was signed by the NSCS in 2014, following an invitation several years earlier by the 100 Mile House & District Historical Society.
Alkali Lake Kukpi7 (Chief) Fred Robbins spoke Thursday of the need for such a facility to help mend relations between First Nations communities and settlers in the region.
“When we create relationships like this, they stand the test of time and they close the gap that has always been there,” Robbins said. “The racism and discrimination, it comes from not knowing the rich history of the First Nations people. With this project, you’re going to learn a lot more about our history and our knowledge.”
Irene Gilbert, president of the NSCS and a member of the Canim Lake Band, said the estimated cost of the facility is $6.5 million, and the next steps will be to update the project’s business plan and to prepare and service the site.
Also announced Thursday was a $300,000 grant from the Northern Development Initiative Trust to go towards the project.
melissa.smalley@100milefreepress.net
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