Kamloops-Thompson Students and Staff Honour Day of Sucwentwécw 2025

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Story provided by Chelsea Isenor, Director of Communications and Board Administration

Day of Sucwentwécw is an annual day of recognition in the Kamloops-Thompson School District (SD73) that acknowledges the Secwépemc Nation, their territories, and history. This year, schools, staff, and students honoured the day by gathering and learning together on April 7, 2025.

Sucwentwécw means acknowledging one another. The Day of Sucwentwécw is unique to SD73, and takes place in order to recognize and celebrate Indigenous people, worldviews, and perspectives, especially the history of the Secwépemc people and other Indigenous people residing within the territory of the Shuswap Nation, Secwepemcúl’ecw.

Initially, the idea for this day came from a former student at South Kamloops Secondary School. The Social Justice Committee, part of the Kamloops-Thompson Teachers’ Association, brought the idea forward – it was supported by the Indigenous Education Council and the Board of Education and became an annual day of learning and celebration throughout the District.

“The Day of Sucwentwécw, acknowledging one another, reminds us that learning rooted in respect, relationship, and reciprocity is foundational to who we are as a district,” shared Mike Bowden, District Principal of Indigenous Education. “It’s an honour to see students, staff, and communities come together to ‘bridge’ and celebrate our relationships and learning by uplifting Secwépemc voices and other Indigenous ways of knowing.”

This year’s Day of Sucwentwécw theme, “The Bonds of Respect that Bridge Us Together”, is based on the First Peoples Principles of Learning and Aboriginal Worldviews and Perspectives. Maddy Arial, a Grade 7 student from Bert Edwards Science and Technology School, designed this year’s poster (pictured). The 2025 Day of Sucwentwécw story is Nexléwsten skmews (The Bonds of Respect that Bridge Us Together), was written by Mike Bowden and illustrated by Jordan Froste, a local Simpcw woman.

Schools across the District host various Day of Sucwentwécw gatherings in collaboration with their respective First Nations communities. Many school celebrations included singing the Welcome Song, visits from Elders, school-wide assemblies, drumming, dancing, storytelling, and lessons about the Seven Grandfather Teachings.

David Thompson Elementary partnered with the Aboriginal Friendship Centre for their Day of Sucwentwécw gathering. Students and staff started the day outside with an opening gathering that included an opening prayer from Elder Rose Wilson followed by drumming and dancing. Students then rotated through learning stations that included drumming, dancing, storytelling, and dream-catcher, bracelet, and key-chain making.

South Sa-Hali Elementary students started their morning classes by reading the Day of Súcwentwecw book and doing related activities. The school hosted their third annual École South Sahali Pow Wow in the afternoon with Bernice Jensen and her drum group.

Chase Secondary invited Elders from the community to a Welcome Ceremony and classroom visits to share knowledge and stories about Secwepemcúl’ecw. The school also served a lunch of stew and bannock and students participated in a game of Secwépemc Bingo.

Rayleigh and Heffley Creek Elementary schools spent the week before learning about the Secwépemc Calendar based around the moon cycles. Each class chose a different phase of the moon to learn about and on Day of Sucwentwécw staff and students set up displays about their learnings and shared knowledge with each other.

Kamloops School of the Arts hosted a school-wide assembly with Elder Morgan Christopher and storyteller Kenton Thomas. Students participated through drumming circles, Jingle dances, and traditional pow wow dances in their regalia.

The Kamloops-Thompson Board of Education and the Indigenous Education Council with representatives of seven Secwépemc First Nations and Métis Nations communities are committed to supporting events, activities, and learning connected to the District’s Cultural Identity Priority from the 2022-2027 District Strategic Plan.