By Marvin Louie
Osoyoos Indian Band
Hello everyone, it’s that time again to find out what’s happening on the Rez (Osoyoos Indian Band) and let that groundhog know his weather reporting days are over until next year.
The first day of spring was officially March 20 and it’s always interesting to watch people when that first hint of “spring sunshine” comes out (it is still 5 degrees outside) and they’re wearing shorts and a T-shirt while the dogs they are walking still have their sweater on. It only goes to show that not only are dogs “man’s best friend” but they may be the wiser as well (at times). Enough of ‘who let the dogs out’, let’s see what’s going on in the Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB) community.
The OIB operates two provincial parks, sx̌ʷəx̌ʷnitkʷ Park (previously Okanagan Falls Provincial Park) and sw̓iw̓s Park (previously Haynes Point). This month the parks will open to campers; Sx̌ʷəx̌ʷnitkʷ Park will open April 9 and sw̓iw̓s Park will open April 3. Both parks will be available to campers on a first come, first served basis until May 18 when the reservation period begins. Lots of people may describe themselves as “fair weather campers” and shun the idea of spring camping but sometimes you just got to do what you got to do. Life is an adventure, “have stories to tell not stuff to show.” What could be a better story than going camping in a horrendous rain storm, surviving the wildlife and avoiding getting hit by lightning while at the same time catching a five-pound trout (of course you will say it’s 15 pounds). As one recently non fair weather camper said, “I am not afraid of storms for I am learning to sail my ship.” For more information on the two provincial parks you can go to the following links: www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/swiws/ and www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/okana_fl/.
With springtime comes the inevitable game of golf, the one sport (which is still debatable; where are the cheerleaders?) where you don’t have to be an athlete to play (just kidding, I think). A lot of our OIB members are avid golfers while others are in the ‘hacker’ category, which I am proudly in. I mean, what a better way to take out your frustrations of the day than hitting a small, white defenceless ball with a sturdy metal iron rod with a ‘club’ at the end of it. I don’t know about you but golf has certainly saved me a lot of money that could have gone otherwise to therapeutic sessions. I do have to say, though, there are some advantages to being a golfer; for instance, I’d rather be a golfer than a fisherman because when a golfer lies he doesn’t have to bring anything home to prove it.
The Nk’mip Canyon Desert Golf Course is owned and operated by the OIB and is now a full length championship course that has grown into a world class golf facility. Also, coming back to the Canyon golf course this summer will be the “Surf the Turf!” (golfboards, golfboarding) which I hear is the greatest golf invention since miniature golf. So now I guess you don’t have to travel all the way to the California beaches if you want to “Hang 10”; what a country! For more information regarding the daily schedule at Nk’Mip Canyon golf course and the Rattlesnake Bar & Grill visit: www.nkmipcanyon.ca
Well, until next time, have a great start to the spring season, and as one great Indian chief once said, “We don’t want riches; we just want good fry bread.”
