The community of Esk’et welcomed children and their families for a two-day gathering centered on celebrating children, strengthening families, and bringing together all Esk’etemc members to learn about their culture, their land, and their community.
“Everything we do is for our children so they grow up strong and connected to their families, their land, and their future,” shared Esk’etemc Kukpi7 Fred Robbins.
Stsmémelt re Esk’et is a program that reflects a shared commitment to ensure children grow up grounded in who they are, supported by their families, their community, and their culture and represents more than a single gathering.
It is part of a broader journey within Esk’etemc to bring children home, back to family, community, and culture while creating space for healing and building strength across generations. Over the weekend, more than 300 people, including children, youth, adults, and elders, participated in a range of cultural and community-based experiences.
The event started with a pipe ceremony and prayers followed with a Grand Entry, gifting ceremony, and two full days of land-based learning, traditional games, drumming, and songs. The gathering created meaningful opportunities for children and their caregivers who live both in community and in urban centres to meet each other and engage with Esk’etemc ceremony and traditions.
“Ceremony is what keeps our people strong,” said Spiritual Headwoman and elected Esk’etemc Councillor Irene Johnson. “It brings us together, it grounds us, and it reminds our families and our children of who they are.”
The experiences created through Stsmémelt re Esk’et reflect the importance of cultural continuity and the role of community in supporting families. By centering the focus on children, the program reinforces a path forward built on connection, identity, and ongoing support and care, highlighting the broader work underway within Esk’etemc to strengthen child and family well-being through community-led approaches rooted in culture, language, and land.
“Stsmémelt re Esk’et is about how we take care of our children as a community,” noted Doreen M. Johnson, Stsmémelt re Esk’et Planner. “This event was just a small reflection of the work we’re doing to bring families back together and build something stronger for the future for all Esk’etemc.” For many families, the gathering created meaningful opportunities for coming back together again, and for some, for the first time.
It reflected Esk’etemc’s vision of children growing up supported, families connected, and community moving forward together.
To see a video of the two-day event, watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LGG5PLjbug
No comments:
Post a Comment