Roughly 100 people from Osoyoos Indian Band and the towns of Osoyoos and Oliver gathered in Oliver on May 26 to recognize the National Day of Healing and Reconciliation. Pictured is Coun. Ted Cronmiller clearing away Mayor Stu Wells’ dinner plate. Councillors from Osoyoos and Oliver served dinner at the gathering. Photo by Karen Knelsen
OSOYOOS TIMES-June 3, 2009-
By Paul Everest – Osoyoos Times
It was an evening dedicated to forging stronger connections between the communities of Osoyoos, Oliver and the Osoyoos Indian Band.
Roughly 100 people came together at the band’s community hall in Oliver on May 26 to celebrate the National Day of Healing and Reconciliation.
Council members from Osoyoos and Oliver served dinner to the attendees while the importance of the gathering was addressed by members of each community including band chief Clarence Louie.
The day of healing and reconciliation was established by the federal government last year as a way to foster positive relations between Canada’s native and non-native communities following an apology from Prime Minister Stephen Harper to the country’s First Nations peoples for abuses committed within Church-run, government-funded residential schools for native children in the early 20th century.
Two band elders also shared some of their experiences from their time at the schools with the gathering.
They were presented with gifts of flowers in recognition of their time at the school.
Organized by the newly formed South Okanagan Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the dinner served as a fundraiser for efforts to strengthen local relations between all three communities.
Osoyoos councillor Ted Cronmiller said roughly $400 was raised.
Commission founder Dave Evenson of Oliver said he hopes to rotate this annual gathering between Osoyoos, Oliver and the band each year.
Evenson said the commission was born out of a meeting between himself, Louie, former Osoyoos mayor John Slater and former Oliver mayor Ron Hovanes.
Cronmiller is one of two Osoyoos representatives on the seven-member committee and the other spot is still vacant.
If you’d like to apply to join the group call Evenson at 250-498-4686.
For Evanson, the most moving moment of the gathering was when band elder Anna Mae Tanner shared with the gathering about how her uncle had told her a day would come when non-native peoples would work with members of First Nations communities in respectful and understanding ways.
“Her uncle told her that he would not live to see this,” Evanson said. “But, she would see this.
“She said how happy she is to see this coming now and how much she appreciated this.”
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