Land Acknowledgement
We respectfully acknowledge that the land we are gathered upon is the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the Sylix and Nlaka’pamux peoples. These lands of so-called British Columbia have been the home of these First Nations since time immemorial.
The river that runs through this beautiful site is called Ntstlatko, which means “cold water.” The river runs through two Nlaka’pamux reservations belonging to the people of nc’tetkwu (the Coldwater Indian Band), before flowing past the town of Merritt and connecting with the Nicola River. The Nlaka’pamux and the Coldwater Indian Band have always had a special connection to the Ntstlatko. As we celebrate together on these lands and along this beautiful river, take a moment to cherish that this place has been intimately connected to Indigenous communities that have lived here for millennia. And then consider what direct actions you can take within your own communities to dismantle colonial oppression and contribute to the empowerment of Indigenous peoples throughout Turtle Island and beyond.