The Awaking the Spirit 2013 Pulling Together Canoe Journey planning is in full swing! It was great to see the PTCJ 2013 planners coming together, sitting at the local fire hall conference room in the Little Shuswap Indian Band, May 17th for the planning meeting, attended by several elders and representatives from the 5 bands that are hosting.
The 2013 planning committee chair Tina Donald is doing an amazing job bringing together the team that has taken on this challenging task. Logistical planning and organizing for a PT canoe journey requires not only locating and booking sites but also finding support for the water and meal planning. Tina continues to refer to our PT mandate throughout the planning meeting to remind everyone our purpose; to enhance understanding and better future relations.
Pulling Together Canoe Journey 2013 “Awakening the Spirit”, will be in 3 locations, hosted by 5 bands representing the Shuswap Nation. Four of the 5 communities have now acquired canoes and are utilizing the opportunity to engage youth and families in their canoe traditions. As they learn and participate in this year’s journey, a reminder to our canoe families to be mindful of the territory we will be visiting and the traditional laws and protocols that our hosts ask us to follow.
There will be moments before getting on the water each day and while on the water where symbolic and sacred sites will be visited by our fleet of canoes. We will ensure to communicate to our canoe families the proper protocols and respectful behavior expected to honor our hosts and their territories.
As we continue to manage the final details, several items still require participation or volunteer assistance including:
- Sponsorship of a meal or youth’s attendance (with a canoe family support and
- Enter the logo contest taking place that is open to anyone attending the journey. – Donate or contribute to the see the annual Pulling Together Blanket adorned with logos, crests or flags that show agency involvement, or canoe family participation. To have your logo on the blanket it is $500 (details on submission will be updated soon on website). Blankets are gifted to the hosts and persons who show outstanding contributions to journey planning.
- Please inform the planners of any special needs that need attention for the journey; elders needs, medical conditions etc. (through the Registration contact person – found on Registration papers).
- as always, have canoe families be prepared to volunteer for daily cooking, and clean up.
Elders are more than welcome and will be accommodated, connecting with the planning committee is important to arrange for billeting options. There will be a house boat available only for elders to be invited to be on the water.
Please stay tuned and ensure that you have pre-registered your canoe by June 20th, 2013 to support the expenses that need attention before the journey starts.
