Coming together over a shared meal is an age old concept, one which the communities of Yale, Yale First Nation and Spuzzum First Nation adopted Dec. 15.
“What we have here today, from my knowledge, is the first meeting of Yale First Nation, Spuzzum First Nation and Yale,” said Ken Hansen, chief of Yale First Nation, adding the event benefitted from funding his nation received from the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation.
“I’ve proposed a series of meetings and events to promote reconciliation between First Nations and also the town of Yale. We’ve used some of that funding today to have a good time and have a good meal together and looking forward to the next series of meetings.”
“When Chief Ken Hansen brought this forward to me, I was excited. It’s a first step towards collaboration and reconciliation,” said James Hobart, Chief of Spuzzum First Nation. “I raise my hands up to Ken for even thinking about it because sometimes funding is hard to get and when he got the funding the first idea he had was to include the other nations…he had such an open mind and open heart to bring us in.”
The Yale community centre was a full house and community members were serenaded by local band Spitfire as they dined.
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