EXPRESSIONS OF GRATITUDE

We would like to publicly acknowledge and express our deepest gratitude and appreciation for the communities of support that gave, so freely, countless hours of time, energy and a wealth of ideas for planning of programs and logistical coordination for the Wild Salmon Caravan 2017.

We are especially grateful for the ancestral guidance, teachings, and the generous hospitality that was extended as we traveled through 5 Coast and Interior Salish communities in the unceded ancestral territories from the Salish Seas Corridor on our way to the Adams River/Little Shuswap Lake.

We would like to make a special mention to our funders from the First Nations Health Authority, Heritage Canada 150+, Vancouver Parks Board, Vancity, BC Teachers Federation, Brewster Kneen and all the other individuals who donated to our crowdfunding campaign.

The journey was a beautiful expression of tribal values where peoples of all cultures came together to show the world how important and inspiring wild salmon are to our land and food system. We apologize in advance for any names we may have missed in our public acknowledgement, and would like to say a special thank you to the many volunteers who showed up so humbly in anonymity to be of service in this rapidly expanding social movement.

The huge response and success of the WSC could not have happened without the financial, technical, human, and in kind support provided by the many individuals and organizations listed below.

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MEDIA TEAM

Wilson Mendes  | Murray Bush | Sharon Kravitz | Lucie Ashley (Jaya)

Simon Wolf|Luke Barnesmoore | Ronnie Dean Harris | Julian Napoleon

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PLANNING TEAMS

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Vancouver

Brenda Racanelli, Vancouver Parks Board

Rebecca Til, Vancouver Parks Board

Carmen Rosen, Still Moon Arts Society

Bee Miller, Still Moon Arts Society

Ian Marcuse, Grandview Woodland Food Connection

Shannon Hecker, The Right to Food Zine

Melpetkwe Mattew

Gloria Pavez

Ronnie Dean Harris

Ingrid Figueroa Manelik

Daniel Mendoza

Bo Del Valle Garcia, Cedar Cottage Community Garden

Yolanda Weeks

Nadine Pluzak, Vancouver Storytelling Society

Victoria Morgan

Lori Snyder

Jay Peachy

Cease Wyss 

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Chilliwack

Eddie Gardner

Wild Salmon Defenders Alliance

Tracy Lyster

David Peter

Valerie O’Connell

Dan Guanzon

Robert Gladstone

Don Mair

Ethel Gardner

Garry Hagguist

Dan Coultier

Bonny Krulicki

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Merritt

Lani McKenzie (Xwustse)

Joanne Lafferty, Councilor, Lower Nicola Indian Band

Billie Pierre

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Kamloops

Bonnie Klohn, Kamloops Food Policy Council

Carole Hebden, Chair, Kamloops Food Policy Council

Jeff McNeil Seymour, T’Kemlups te Secwepemc, Instructor,Thompson Rivers University, Decolonizing Social Work Class

Sandra Frangiadakis, Gleaning Abundance Program

Londea Riffel, Secwepemc Health Caucus

Adrienne Decandole

Andrew Morrison

Cathy Wang

David Archie, Secwepemc Health Caucus

Shauna Pezzot

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Chase

Greg Witzky, Adams Lake Indian Fisheries Manager

Michelle Tsutsumi, Golden Ears Farm

David Lepsoe, Councilor

Patricia White, Matriarch

David Smith

Robyn Cyr

Ronn Boeur

Ali Maki

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HOST COMMUNITIES AND AGENCIES 

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 Musqueam, Tsleil watuuth, and Squamish territories (Vancouver) – Grandview Neighbourhood/Trout Lake

Stõ:ló (Chilliwack) – Skwah First Nation

Nlaka’pamux (Merritt) – Lower Nicola Indian Band (Shulus)

City of Vancouver

Vancouver Parks Board

Skwah First Nation

City of Chilliwack

Nicola Tribal Association

Lower Nicola Indian Band

City of Merritt

Secwepemc Health Caucus

Shuswap Food Action Coop

T’Kemlups Indian Band

City of Kamloops – Arts and Culture

Adams Lake Indian Band Fisheries Management Department

Village of Chase

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Secwepemc (Kamloops)

 Food Policy Council

Social Work 4540 Class – Aboriginal Decolonizing Social Work Practice

Skeetchsn Indian Band

Interior Community Services

GK Sound

Interior Friendship Centre

Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association

Kamloops Immigrant Services

Rarebird’s Collective

Riverfresh Salmon, Kamloops

Safeway, Kamloops

Silver Springs Organic, Savona

South Kamloops Senior Secondary Social Justice Class

SSOL Gardens, Kamloops

TRU Indigenous Law Student Association

TRU Social Work Class

White Buffalo Society

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Secwepemc (Chase)

Adams Lake Indian Band Fisheries Department

Adams River Salmon Society

Columbia Shuswap Regional District

Golden Ears Farm, Chase

Pete Saul and Lana Louie Catering, Chase

Safety Mart Grocery Store, Chase

Young Agrarians

Shuswap Food Action Co-op, Golden Ears Farm

Safety Mart Grocery Store

Village of Chase

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FUNDERS AND DONORS

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First Nations Health Authority

Heritage Canada 150+

Vancity

Brewster Kneen

Yoo Mi-Lee

Yolanda Weeks

Neil Laffra

Sharnelle Jenkins Thompson

Cheryl Klabona

Ana Simeon

Ian Marcuse

Carol Morrison

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SPONSORS | VOLUNTEERS – FOOD, FISH & FARMERS 

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Vancouver Food Policy Council

Kamloops Food Policy Council

Dave Speight, Executive Chef and Culinary Director

Dave Gunawan, Farmers Apprentice Restaurant

Nikoo Boroumand

Georgia Stanley, BC Association of Farmers Market

Will Jung, Bokoeco Partners

Brianne Miller, Nada Grocery

Bo Del Valle Garcia, Executive Director, Cedar Cottage Food Network

Zsuzsi Fodor, Greater Vancouver Food Bank

Marc Schutzbank, Director, Fresh Roots

Dale Robinson – Haisla/Heiltsuk Nation, Wild salmon

Discover Organics

Choices

West Point Naturals

Mike Sexsmith

Kamloops Gleaning Abundance Project

Copley Orchard

Cedar Cottage Food Security Network (preserves)

Urban Greens

Fresh Roots

Trout Lake Community Centre

Greater Vancouver Food Bank

Elysian

Adrienne Candole

Andrew Morrison

Anita Strong, Smorgasbord Deli

Anne Marie and Rob Hunter

Barb Lundstrom

Caitlinn Quist

Cara Gates

Cherie Churchmen

Dannette Hare

Dave Whiting

David Archie

Deandra Day

Dede Bone, Interior Community Health Services

Dominique Hazel

Don Ignace

Elizabeth Brown

Elizabeth Pattie

Emma’s Farm

Emily Hope

Emily Lomax

Garet Biglow

Gleaning Abundance Project

Greg Unger

Painted Pony Restaurant

Cafe Motivo

Gary’s Deli

Go forth Composting

Jaimee Garbut

Jared Doherty

Kamloops Farmers Market

Kayla Coutlee

Lisa Forth

Logan Dafoe

Lucy Heslip

Luydmilla Storsely

Margaret (last name unknown)

Marjorie Wall

Mel Baptiste

Mendel Rubinson

Miles Buis

Nicole Tourangeau

Olive Hews

Olive Klassen

Rachel Tonn

Robin Hines

Trudi Nielsen

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Arts and Culture

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Alejandro Ramirez and Sons, Traditional Maya Marimbe

Ayotzi 68

Cease Wyss, Traditional Wool Capes for Matriarchs, Coast Salish welcoming song

Just Performers – Sabina Dennis, Meeka Morgan, Geo Ignace and co.

Justin Bige – spoken word

Helen Spaxman, Costumes for The Carnival Band

Kristina Kris, The Wild Things Masks

Mitcholos Touchie – Spoken word

Nadine Pluzak

Pacific Association of First Nations Women – 13 Cedar Capes for Matriarchs

Priscilla Monet

Ronnie Dean Harris – Spoken Word

Charles Billy (drumming and singing lead)

Eddie Gardner (drumming and singing lead)

Still Moon Arts Society

Solidarity Notes

The Carnival Band

Valeen Jules – Spoken Word

Donna Clark and Ian Marcuse, Bike Float

Sharon Kallis, Salmon Leather

Diego Pacheco, Facepainting

Bonny Krulicki

Lani McKenzie (Xwustse)

Arbour Aboriginal Arts Collective

Big Little Science Centre

Chris Bose

City of Kamloops Arts and Culture

Kamloops Art Gallery

Kamloops Arts Council

Jared Doherty

Secwepemc Salmon Song – Shawn Billy and others

Tara Willard, Indigenous Education Worker, School District #83

TRU Visual Arts Department

Rebecca Kneen and Brain McIsaac

Rebecca Shephard

Michelle Tsutsumi

Kelsey Snelgrove, Bike Art

Tanya Lipscombe

Rebecca Kneen and Brian McIsaac

Safety Mart Float

Bernice Heather, Ribbon Skirts

St’at’imc Bear Dancers

Kennthen Thomas, Coyote Stories

Garry Gottfriendson, Secwepemc Poet

Chief Atahm School, Secwepemc drumming and singing

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Matriarchs

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Sharon Jinkerson Brass

Bernice Heather

Ethel Gardner

Yvette John

Faye Blaney

Glida Morgan

Sadie Kuehn

Elaine Bissonnette

Joanne Lafferty

Lani McKenzie (Xwustse)

Marian McKenzie

Diane Billy

Patricia White

Dawn Morrison

 

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First Aid attendants

Lucie Ashley (Jaya)

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Security

Brian Grandbois

Mike Bissonnette

Dale Robinson

Julian Napoleon

Charles Billy

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Parade Marshalls

Chitha Manjoranum

Henry Lau

 

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QUOTES

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“I just want to thank you for all the organizing you did to make today’s event happen. It was the most beautiful and love filled community event I have ever experienced! I felt invigorated from it, and would love to help with organizing next year”. Nikoo Borourmand

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“I came on the caravan, stunned by the level of warmth and hospitality we received from Aboriginal communities. I hadn’t ever thought of myself as a settler or colonist, but it’s clear that is what I am. The Wild Salmon helped me realize more fully how my ancestors fell on the shores and have thrived at the expense of Indigenous peoples. The experience was both shocking and wonderful experience. I feel opened up and I want more”. Martha from Solidarity Notes Choir.

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Testimonial video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmqN2-PX3Go&t=2s

 

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Our intention to grow the WSC as a social movement, in a similar spirit as Mardi Gras, makes it impossible to mention and acknowledge everybody who gave service in the months of planning leading up to the 6 day journey. I apologize in advance for any names we have missed, but please know that our hearts are overflowing with gratitude for all the gifts you brought in body, mind, and spirit, and the beautiful expressions of love and deep and meaningful truth and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, and our lands, territories and water.