Bernie Fandrich
The Nlaka’pamux Rock Art Conference coming up in Lytton is a unique historic event bringing together the leading Indigenous rock art scholars from Spain, France, and New Zealand, along with B.C.’s rock art experts.
The one-day symposium on Saturday, May 28 is the first ever rock art conference hosted by an Indigenous people. It brings together 16 specialists on rock art studies to talk about their research.
With a host of impressive rock art sites in the Stein Valley Heritage Park river valley, Lytton is an ideal location for the conference.
Rock writings were the records of people who recorded the results of their spirit quests, dreams, and visions on the walls of the Stein Valley. Traditionally, they could be read and interpreted by those properly trained to “read” them.
Participants will learn about the latest international and local research on pictographs (rock paintings) and petroglyphs (rock carvings).
Registration includes food breaks throughout the day and an evening banquest and keynote speech by French rock art specialist Professor Jean Michelle Geneste, who will talk about his rock art research in B.C. and throughout the world. Evening cultural sharing is planned to follow the dinner, with many First Nations sharing their traditional ways.
The conference takes place at Lytton’s Stein Valley Nlaka’pamux School on Saturday, May 28, from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Tickets are only $40.00, and are available from the event organizers, the Nlaka’pamux Nation Tribal Council (250-455-2711).