ÍY, SȻÁĆEL NE SĆÁLEĆE (SENĆOŦEN)/nu schala’cha (lək̓ʷiŋíʔnəŋ) – Good day my friends!
With this post coming in a little bit before the new moon finds us on these territories, there isn’t yet a W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council post from this year about the importance of this moon, PENÁW̱EṈ, the moon of the ḰȽO,EL/kwetlal/camas harvest. Here’s a link to last year’s post about this moon from the WLC, but stay tuned to their instagram to learn more, and to stay in touch with what the Leadership Council is up to.
PENÁW̱EṈ is also a time of year where we are coming into ĆENQÁLES (hot earth) and the beginning of summer on 20 June, and it seems like with the coming summer, the restoration season is nearly in full swing. Here are some events going down under Indigenous-leadership this moon!
Start this moon off in a good way and come on down to the Lekwungen Community Toolshed day of restoration at Maple Bank on Songhees res lands. This event is taking place Sunday 9 June from 10am-1pm, and with HAT’s support there will be gloves, tools, and snacks, but bring your water, sun protection, and a lunch and anything else you feel you might need. Everyone will sign a cultural protocols waiver, and we’ll be doing some good work in a sacred place. For more information and to register click here.
PEPÁKEṈ HÁUTW̱ is hosting a restoration day at SṈIDȻEȽ onTuesday 11 June from 10am-2pm (check out the poster on Instagram). This is part of “Make a Difference Week” a Global Restoration Experience. As always, bring a lunch and some water, and whatever sun protection you need, and come on down! Remember: The parking is about a 15 min walk from the restoration site, so please arrive with enough time to be down by the water for 10am’s opening circle. Email klclarke20@gmail.com to register.
Our friend Sarah and the W̱SÍ,ḴEM Ivy Project are hosting a HAT-supported restoration say on the Tseycum res on Friday 14 June from 10am-2pm. HAT will be supplying gloves and some snacks, so bring a lunch and some water (it’s in the ŚIŚEJ or forest so sun protection is a different issue here), and circle up 😀 To register and for more information follow this link and register on the HAT site.
PEPÁKṈ HÁUTW̱ is again teaming up with HAT to continue the work at SṈIDȻEȽ on Wednesday 19 June from 10am-2pm. There will be snacks, good vibes, gloves, and some tools, so bring a lunch and weather appropriate cloths/solar protection, and try to make it down to the water for 10am. To register for this one click this link.
The 29th Annual Sampson Family Intertribal Honouring Wətanmy (formerly the Yellow Wolf Powwow) is also coming up (19-21 July), and as more information becomes available more will be posted here. There have been some changes to how W̱ENITEM (settler) volunteers are being coordinated, so either email me (Kikila, kikilaperrin@uvic.ca), stay tuned here, or bookmark the official site: https://www.sampsonpowwow.com/.
UPDATE (13 June)
The South Island Powwow that’s organized and hosted by the Songhees Nation is now accepting volunteer application. The Powwow will be taking place on Monday 30 September, Orange Shirt Day or the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. If you have the time, and are keen to support our hosts in a good (and safe) way, click the link below and scroll down to the applications (there are a set of 4 buttons, look for the one that says “2024 Volunteer Applications.”
https://songheesnation.ca/south-island-powwow
QENSET SW̱ HÁLE (SENĆOŦEN for take care everyone)! See you on the land 🙂