For those not yet Born – Tellqelumc
We are Secwépemc 20,000 strong – we follow the footsteps of our ancestors since time immemorial we have been here for over 10,000 years we are guided with our language – culture and laws for those yet unborn. We are the ones we have been waiting for!
We welcome you as a child, young man and woman into the Secwépemc Nation. In your blood runs the blood of your ancestors who are loving, compassionate and strong people.
We have established our Secwépemc Law for Stsmémelt & Kw’seltkten to ensure that future generations are not lost to the Provincial system alienated from their families communities and Nation. Stand tall and be proud of who you are as you are our leaders now leading the way forward for those yet unborn.
Be thankful for those caregivers that have extended their hands to lift you up and guided you on your life’s journey.
Be yourself and create a vision where your dignity survival and well-being as a Secwépemc will be carried by future generations.
There is a river flowing now very fast. It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid. They will try to hold on to the shore. They willl feel they are being torn apart, and they will suffer greatly.
Know the river has its destination. The Elders say we must let go of the shore, push off into the middle of the river. Keep our eyes open and our heads above water. See who is in there with you. And celebrate.
At this time in our history we are to take nothing personally. Least of all, ourselves. For the moment that we do, our spiritual growth and journey comes to a halt.
The time of the lone wolf is over. Gather yourselves! Banish the word “struggle” from your attitude and your vocabulary. All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.
We are the Ones we’ve been Waiting For! Wellenwí7-kt lu7 le tsek’elmínstem – We are the ones we have been waiting for”
A Voice for Our Children, from Our Tqwlutmens re S7elkst (Chairman),
Wayne Christian
For thousands of years, Secwépemc people have called this territory home. We have always governed ourselves through our own customs, traditions, and laws. Without a written language, our laws lived in something more powerful: story, action, and the land itself.
Our people followed the seasonal rounds, moving across the territory with purpose: harvesting roots and berries, hunting, fishing, tanning hides.
Each season had its time, and the stories told during those times carried out the teachings. They showed us our roles, our responsibilities, our obligations to one another, and the consequences of straying from them. They also made us laugh. They made us feel. That is how Secwépemc passed down our oral teachings from generation after generation, voice to voice, heart to heart. The Secwèpemc Law of Stsmémelt and Kw’selkten was developed utilizing the teachings in our historical stories as retold by our ancestors for multiple generations. Yecwmínte re Xqwllint, Take Care of the Baby Basket Society was created to carry that law forward.
The Nation chose our name with intention. A baby basket is a traditional cradle board, used by Secwépemc families for generations. When a baby is placed inside, they are swaddled tightly and securely held the way a mother’s womb holds new life. The baby basket traveled with families across the territory, keeping children safe through every season and every movement. It is a symbol of warmth, protection, and belonging.
That is what we are here to do.
In Secwépemc tradition, leadership is not taken. It is given by the people, and it is carried with responsibility.
The Sku7pecan of the Baby Basket Society were chosen by their communities because of who they are and what they carry. They are people who have shown up for children, for families, and for the nation. They understand that this work is sacred, that every decision made at this table has the power to shape a child’s life, a family’s future, and our nation’s strength.
They did not step forward for recognition. They stepped forward because they were called, and because they answered with their whole hearts.
We are grateful for their leadership, their courage, and their commitment to carrying this work forward in a good way, grounded in who we are as Secwépemc people.
While we are not yet operational and are not providing programs or services at this time, we want you to know that you are not forgotten. We ask that you connect directly with your community for the support you need. Our people have always looked after one another and that does not stop while we build.
We are coming. And when we are ready, we will walk alongside you.
In Secwépemc tradition, leadership is not taken. It is given by the people, and it is carried with responsibility.
The Sku7pecan of the Baby Basket Society were chosen by their communities because of who they are and what they carry. They are people who have shown up for children, for families, and for the nation. They understand that this work is sacred, that every decision made at this table has the power to shape a child’s life, a family’s future, and our nation’s strength.
They did not step forward for recognition. They stepped forward because they were called, and because they answered with their whole hearts.
We are grateful for their leadership, their courage, and their commitment to carrying this work forward in a good way, grounded in who we are as Secwépemc people.
While we are not yet operational and are not providing programs or services at this time, we want you to know that you are not forgotten. We ask that you connect directly with your community for the support you need. Our people have always looked after one another and that does not stop while we build.
We are coming. And when we are ready, we will walk alongside you.
