Transcript Siska Traditions Society – Advancing Indigenous

Co-Presenters:
Chief Fred Sampson, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer
&
Terry Raymond, Chief Administrative Officer
Siska Traditions Society
December 4th, 2009 Agroforestry Workshop
Prince George, British Columbia
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Presentation Overview
 Overview of Siska Traditions Society
 Guiding Principles & Values – Indigenous Sustainable
Harvesting & Economic Diversification
 Key Products & Initiatives
 Siska Traditions Society Work Environment
 Questions & Answers (Q&A’s)
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Overview of Siska Traditions
Society
 Location of Siska First Nation – part of the
Nlaka’pamux Territory
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Overview of Siska Traditions
Society – cont’d
 Living off the land – An Indigenous Perspective
 Non-Timber Forest Resources (NTFRs) &
Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)
 Watershed Blockage and Court Case
 Siska Traditions Society formally
established in 2002
 Produce various non-timber forest resources
such as jams/jellies (i.e., Saskatoon berries,
huckleberries), syrups, herbal teas, soaps and
healing salves
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Overview of Siska Traditions
Society – cont’d
Mission Statement:
Community strategies based on
health, honourability, cultural and spiritual
values for economic diversity and success
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Guiding Principles & Cultural
Values
 Cultural Values/
Guiding Principles
 Honesty
 Reliability
 Conscientiousness
 Friendliness
 Respectfulness
 Trustworthiness
 Loyalty
• How we deliver on our
values/ principles…
 Action/participatory-based
research
 Sustainable & certified
harvesting practices –
S.T.E.P.P
 Co-existence on the land
base with wildlife
 Recipe evolution and
evaluation – continuous
improvement
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Sustainable Harvesting In Action
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Sustainable Harvesting In Action
cont’d: Learning from Our
Indigenous Knowledge Keepers
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Drying Racks - Process
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Key Products: Jams, Jellies &
Syrups
Small 55ml $3.50 each or 4/$12.00
Large 110ml $5.75 each or 4/$21.00
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Key Products (cont’d):
Siska Soaps
Soaps - $3.50 each or 4 for $12.00
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Key Products (cont’d)
Siska Herbal Teas
Teas - 50 grams: $5.50 or 2 for $10.00
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Key Products cont’d:
Arnica Oil & Healing Salves
 Arnica Oil (25 ml -- $5.00)
 Used for soothing aches, bruises and sprains
 Major ingredient is Arnica cordifolia flower which is
then infused with pure virgin olive oil for six weeks
 Healing Salves (Small: $5.00, Large: $9.00)
 Used traditionally for muscle pain, bruising and aches
 Include balsam root and oregon grape
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Key Initiatives Underway
 Developing the Heskw’en’scutze Traditional
Food Guide
 Partnering on traditional knowledge research projects with
academia
 Traditional Knowledge for Health Community Research
Project (partnership with University of British Columbia)
 Measuring Success in managing for saskatoon berries and
other traditionally important plants (partnership with Royal
Roads University)
 Engaging our First Nations Youth
 Youth Video Project
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Siska Traditions Work Environment
 Employment: Nine First Nations/Nlaka’pamux Territory
harvesters (as of October/08)
 Value-Driven & Green Workplace: Respect for Mother Earth and all her
creatures – commitment to natural co-existence on the land base
 Culturally-Responsive: Integrative Approach to Indigenous and Western
Science Approaches
 Capacity “Growing”’: Staff training and development
 Meaningful Work: Challenging duties and responsibilities
 Employee Engagement: Opportunities to participate in decision-making
process – collectivist approach
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Next Steps
 Developing a business plan and marketing plan for Siska
Traditions Society
 Engaging in strategic partnership discussions with Esh-Kn-
Am Investments Joint Venture
 Exploring new markets for our local products
 Initiating product development for various types of
vinaigrettes
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Siska Traditions Society
Box 519 Lytton, BC V0K-1Z0
Phone: 1.250.455.0072
“The Little Band That Could”
Fax: 1.250.455.2539
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.siskatraditions.org
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