Don’t forget the First Fish Ceremony coming up on Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 29, says Simpcw First Nation council member Tina Donald, one of the event’s main organizers.
The annual event will start at noon, when salmon and other foods will be put into a pit oven next to the Raft River viewing platform.
Hot rocks from a fire will be placed in a pit in the ground and salmon and vegetables will then be layered in the pit with fir boughs, Saskatoon branches, rose hips, and grasses.
Once the food is in the pit, there will be Lahal and other traditional games for the kids, knobbies, bannock ball, storytelling, and more to fill the afternoon.
After around five hours the meal will be ready to eat. Everyone will be welcome to share and there will be no charge.
However, donations will be accepted and will be used to help with the cost of the ceremony and to help the Raft River salmon interpretive school day program in September.
According to Donald, “The purpose of the ceremony is to thank the Creator for giving us the fish, for bringing them back to our area. In our tradition, when you are given something, you want to give something back.”
The Raft River was the site of a Simpcw village from before the Europeans arrived. Members of the band still harvest salmon from its waters.