The People of the White Earth Society were formally recognized for their iBook “Our Fishing Journey” this past week. This inaugural award was presented by the Secwepemc Fisheries Commission in recognition of contributions towards the promotion and sharing of the importance of salmon fishing to Secwepemc people. The Secwepemc Fisheries Commission presented the award to the People of the White Earth Society Board of Elders on Dec. 3 at the Shuswap Nation Tribal Council offices in Kamloops.
“Our Fishing Journey” shares stories and information on the historical and contemporary fishing journeys of the People of the White Earth in their territory near Clinton, BC. Professional photographer Candice Camille journeyed with the People in late summer 2014 recording their story through pictures. The iBook was lead by Project Coordinator Sunny LeBourdais who worked to bring the project together knowing it was one step towards building her family’s inherent legacy.
The iBook will be available for public download on iTunes by mid-December 2014 just in time for the holidays.
The People of the White Earth (Pelltíq’t te Secwepemc) are Yucwminmen te Secwepemcúlecw and are responsible for care-taking and stewardship of their traditional territory. The People of the White Earth are a group of families with ancestral connections to the Clinton area/band, which is a part of the lower St’emculecwemc (Fraser River) Division. People of the White Earth elders and knowledge keepers are the people who have the knowledge and history of their ancestors in the Clinton area.
The People of the White Earth Society was created as a registered society under the BC Society Act in order to create a provincially recognized organization for the purposes of proposal writing, administration and ease of identification for non-Secwepemc individuals and organizations. This registration gives the group greater administrative ease and ability to pursue funding for projects supporting their initiatives, however the group states that this society is merely an administrative body not the holder of any Aboriginal Title or Rights, nor is it a substitute or representation of historic governance.