A foursome of young members of the Okanagan Nation Alliance carried an eagle’s feather into Osoyoos on the afternoon of Aug. 13 as part of the Sylix Nation Youth Run. The goal of the run, which started in Westbank and ended in Oliver, was to bring attention to the problems of suicide and violence within local First Nations Communities. Roughly 90 people took part in the 160-kilometre relay. Photo by Paul Everest
OSOYOOS TIMES-August 19, 2009
By Paul Everest – Osoyoos Times
A sea of orange T-shirts greeted four runners carrying an eagle’s feather down Hwy. 3 from the Richter Pass on the afternoon of Aug. 13.
Cheers went up from the crowd of young members of the Okanagan Nation Alliance as they welcomed the runners into the Osoyoos Visitor Centre as the foursome completed yet another leg of a two-day long relay meant to bring attention to violence and suicide within local First Nations communities.
The 160-kilometre relay, dubbed the Sylix Nation Youth Run, began in Westbank on Aug. 12 and 90 young runners carried the feather through Penticton, into the Similkameen Valley, to Osoyoos and eventually to the Sen’Pok’Chin School in Oliver on the evening of Aug. 13.
Tara Montgomery, a coordinator for the relay, said it was young people from bands throughout the Okanagan and Similkameen regions who came up with the idea for the event and the ultimate goal was to prevent suicide and violence within First Nations communities.
According to an alliance media release, young people within First Nations communities are five times more likely to attempt and commit suicide than their peers.
The event was also meant to help foster unity and cultural identity among First Nations young people.
Montgomery said the relay’s youngest participant was four years old and the oldest was in her 50s.
Communities along the relay’s path came out to show their support, Montgomery added.
“We’ve gotten lots of honks.”
She also said the run was a combined effort between the alliance and its member bands, the First Nations Health Council, the RCMP Foundation and the Enowkin Sylix Restorative Justice Program.
Two programs developed by the alliance to assist member communities in an effort to eradicate suicide and violence are the Okanagan Nation Response Team and the R’Native Voice program.
Montgomery said both organizations work to promote healthy lifestyles, strong self esteem and cultural pride among First Nations peoples.
Those not running the Osoyoos leg of the relay carried signs reading “Running for Peace,” “Honouring our spirit of Sylix” and “Be, Do, Have” and they gathered around a group singing traditional First Nations songs and banging traditional drums.
Tony Pulito, a 15-year-old member of the Osoyoos Indian Band, said he agreed to get involved with the relay because the exercise component appealed to him.
He ran three 10-kilometre legs between Penticton and Keremeos.
But Tony soon began to realize that the goals attached to the event were something worth sacrificing his time for.
He said he used to drink and smoke but quit and he has seen the consequences of violence within his own community.
“Violence is not a good thing,” Tony said, adding he hopes people will take note of what the alliance’s young people are trying to say through the relay and change their lives.
“Maybe someone will take a look at this and say ‘Maybe I’m doing something wrong.’ Maybe look at all the good things in your life instead of the bad.”
Osoyoos councillors Margaret Chadsey and C.J. Rhodes joined Mayor Stu Wells to greet the relay participants at the visitor centre and Wells said he was proud of what the alliance’s young people were attempting to accomplish.
“I’m really excited when I see youth becoming part of the solution,” he said.
When the relay was ready to leave Osoyoos for Oliver, a new group of runners took up the eagle’s feather and headed north on Hwy. 97.
Eventually, Chief Clarence Louie of the Osoyoos Indian Band, driving his motorcycle while a young boy carried a First Nations flag on the seat behind him, led a group of runners on the last stretch of the run.
Tony Pulito said he was happy to be a part of the event and believes the positive attitudes of his fellow young people from local First Nations communities will bring about change.
“My uncle told me self-pity is not a good thing,” he said.
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