Health Assembly
Ktunaxa Nation Health Assembly
Sept. 29, 2025
Register online by Sept. 26, 2025
Registration link: https://forms.office.com/r/yHWchbN6z3
Let’s get together to address challenges, strengthen collaboration and guide the Ktunaxa Nation Healing Strategy.
Who is this for?
– Ktunaxa First Nations health team members
– Ktunaxa First Nations citizens
– Nation representatives who advocate at various tables (such as FHA, Interior Health LOU, PALT and IRNE)
As well as…
– Health partners (allied organizations and service providers)
– Health providers working in ɁamakɁis Ktunaxa
– Leaders &organizers contributing to the Ktunaxa Healing Strategy
Register online, and please email any questions to:
SocialEA@ktunaxa.org
Expression of Interest: Ktunaxa Language Learning Opportunity
Ktunaxanin̓tik!
The Ktunaxa Nation Council is inviting expressions of interest for the Ktunaxa Transcription Program, a community-led initiative designed to support language learning and cultural preservation.
This program will train and mentor 6–8 Ktunaxa participants through a leveled transcription framework grounded in Ktunaxa knowledge systems and the Person-Centered Services Framework.
Training will include:
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Developing culturally relevant resources based on Ktunaxa oral teachings
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Using Elan transcription software
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Applying a (Social Sector) person-centered framework
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Transcription processes
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Facilitator training
This is a valuable opportunity to strengthen language skills, contribute to community knowledge, and support the revitalization of Ktunaxa language and culture.
To express your interest or learn more, contact Clifford Dorion at clifford.dorion@ktunaxa.org or call (250) 489-2464 Ext. 4351.
TKL Quarterly Elders Meeting
Wednesday, September 3, 2025
10 am to 3 pm
Yaqan Nuʔkiy Round House
Email Elora at TKLEA@ktunaxa.org or call 250-489-2464 Ext 3074.
Ktunaxa Nation statement demands a halt to unauthorized harvesting of sacred plant
August 13, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Cranbrook, B.C. — The Ktunaxa Nation Council (KNC) is giving notice on behalf of Ktunaxa
First Nations’ elected leaders, Elders, knowledge holders, and citizens, that harvesting ʔayut
by non-Ktunaxanin̓tik is not permitted for the rest of the 2025 calendar year in
ɁamakɁis Ktunaxa (Ktunaxa homelands).
ʔayut patches in have been damaged this season by overharvesting and destructive harvesting.
Several groups from outside ɁamakɁis Ktunaxa—including businesses who harvest without Ktunaxa consent,
then sell the plant online—have extracted trailer loads of ʔayut to haul back
to other territories.
“ʔayut is a sacred cultural medicine,” said Kathryn Teneese, Ktunaxa Nation Council Chair.
“It’s crucial for the health and well-being of Ktunaxa communities. Our obligation is to steward
our unceded territory. Any resource extraction without the consent of our Nation is culturally
insensitive and disrespectful. Commercial harvesting of cultural medicine plants is forbidden.”
Teneese noted that up to 50 people from outside the homelands were found harvesting in certain
areas on any given day, and that harvesting has been both constant this season, and more intensive than in past years.
Ktunaxa Nation ʔa·knusti (land guardians) have encountered groups tearing up the ground to get the plant.
ʔa·knusti have also found broken shovels and other implements dumped next to large areas of disturbed soil.
These practices threaten the health of the plant community, introduce invasive species, and go against harvesting protocol in Ktunaxa territory.
“ʔayut takes many years to regenerate to a ‘ready-to-harvest’ state,” Teneese said. “Overharvesting could put this plant at risk in ɁamakɁis Ktunaxa.”
ʔayut is also known as Canby’s Lovage, Lingusticum canbyi. It is often incorrectly referred to as “bear root,” “bear’s root,” or “osha root.”
ʔayut has a limited range in ɁamakɁis Ktunaxa and is absent from many other territories in Canada.
STATEMENT TO HALT UNAUTHORIZED HARVESTING OF ʔAYUT
Out of respect for the ʔayut, and in alignment with our responsibilities as Ktunaxa people,
the Ktunaxa Nation opposes and does NOT CONSENT to any further harvesting of
ʔayut in 2025.We exercise our Ktunaxa stewardship rights and responsibilities to maintain and protect
ʔayut, which is a Ktunaxa sacred resource integral to our culture and ceremonies.These inherent rights are recognized by ʔa·knumuȼtiⱡiⱡ, (Ktunaxa law—the Ktunaxa
sacred covenant with the Creator, including the Ktunaxa Land Declaration) and by the
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Article 11-1.The health of the Ktunaxa Nation relies on the health of the ʔamak ¢ wuʔu
(land and water), and ʔayut is a vital part of spiritual connection, culture, and healing.We are taking time to ensure that all ʔayut harvesting practices within ɁamakɁis Ktunaxa reflect care,
balance, and long-term sustainability, and we are guided by ʔa·knumuȼtiⱡiⱡ, including the Ktunaxa
sacred covenant with the Creator (Yakaⱡ hankatiⱡiⱡki na ʔamak—Our people care for the land; the land cares for our people).We appreciate your understanding in this matter and request any groups harvesting this resource to stop immediately.
Any future harvesting (2026 and beyond) may be considered on a case-by-case basis,
as long as those seeking access obtain written permission of the Ktunaxa Nation Council
well in advance.To learn more, please email aknusti@ktunaxa.org
Ktunaxa name bestowed on the Canadian Commission for UNESCO’s Working Group for the Decade of Indigenous languages
LISTEN: Interview with Vickie Thomas on CBC Daybreak
Ottawa, August 5, 2025 – Members of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages Working Group of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO (CCUNESCO) are gathering in Ottawa next week to receive an invaluable and deeply significant gift—a group name in the Ktunaxa language. Representatives from various Ktunaxa communities in British Columbia are travelling to Ottawa to bestow the gift.
The name, Hakiⱡkini k̓iⱡkiⱡwiy ka·kⱡukaqwaⱡaʔis, which means “holding the spirit of our languages,” reflects the shared goal of working group members: to contribute to maintaining, revitalizing and supporting Indigenous languages in Canada.
Voice of Aiyana Twigg (Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi’it delegate)
Voice of Mary Mahseelah (Former Chief of Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡiʔit, Ktunaxa Elder’s Advisory Member, Mentor, and Fluent Ktunaxa Speaker)
Voice of Dr. Violet Birdstone (Ktunaxa Language Speaker, Mentor, Researcher and UBC Doctor of Letters)
The initiative stems from the involvement of Aiyana Twigg in the working group, which was formed in 2022 to advance efforts in Canada in alignment with the Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022–2032) declared by the United Nations. When Aiyana Twigg, who is Ktunaxa on her mother’s side and Blackfoot registered blood tribe (Treaty 7 territory) on her father’s side, joined the group, her Indigenous language, Ktunaxa, had only 20 fluent speakers. With support from Barbara Filion (Programme Officer, Culture at CCUNESCO), Aiyana has undertaken several activities to raise awareness about the endangered status of her language across Canada and internationally, including participating at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, presenting at UNESCO headquarters in Paris and developing a toolkit on Indigenous language documentation published by CCUNESCO.
In discussing with the other Indigenous language advocates, learners and leaders of CCUNESCO’s International Decade of Indigenous Languages Working Group, the idea was born for the group’s identity to mirror its mission and for the name to spotlight the Ktunaxa language. Aiyana and Barbara reached out to the Traditional Knowledge and Language Sector of the Ktunaxa Nation Council to explore the idea of a working group name in the Ktunaxa language. Protocol and process discussions followed, and it was agreed that Elders from six Ktunaxa communities would be engaged in discussions about possible names.
The inclusion of our elders and language speakers in this conversation honors the significance of including Indigenous voices to achieve the shared goal of the Indigenous Languages Working Group, to preserve and perpetuate not only our Ktunaxa language, but all Indigenous languages across Canada. During this process, we sought out representation from each Ktunaxa First Nation and our sister Tribes in the United States to participate. Gifting of the name Hakiⱡkini k̓iⱡkiⱡwiy ka·kⱡukaqwaⱡaʔis is a meaningful way to share that the Ktunaxa language is a language isolate that is critically endangered. This also serves as a gesture to show how deep and meaningful the relationship is between the Ktunaxa and CCUNESCO.
– Dr. Violet Birdstone – Ktunaxa Language Speaker, Mentor, Researcher and UBC Doctor of Letters
It is a profound honour for our working group to receive the name Hakiⱡkini k̓iⱡkiⱡwiy ka·kⱡukaqwaⱡaʔis from the Ktunaxa Nation. This name beautifully captures the heart of our working group’s mission and emphasizes that Indigenous languages are not only systems of communication—they are living expressions of worldviews, cultures and ancestral knowledges. They carry spiritual meaning, connecting people to their territories, to each other and to generations past and future. We are deeply grateful to the Ktunaxa Elders and communities for their generosity and trust. This gift strengthens our collective commitment to supporting Indigenous languages across Turtle Island and beyond, and we carry it forward with great respect and responsibility.
– Barbara Filion, Programme Officer for Culture, Canadian Commission for UNESCO
The announcement is being made to coincide with WAVES 2025, an Indigenous languages summit held in Ottawa (August 11–14) organized by the Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages, with which the Canadian Commission for UNESCO is a partner. A celebration of the naming will take place on August 12, at the Rogers Centre, in the space dedicated to CCUNESCO programming at WAVES 2025.
About the Canadian Commission for UNESCO
The Canadian Commission for UNESCO (CCUNESCO) serves as a bridge between Canadians and the vital work of UNESCO—the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Through its networks and partners, the Commission promotes UNESCO’s values, priorities and programs in Canada and brings the voices of Canadian experts to the international stage. Its activities are guided by the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and other UNESCO priorities. CCUNESCO operates under the authority of the Canada Council for the Arts.
About Ktunaxa Nation Council
Ktunaxa (pronounced ‘k-too-nah-ha’) people have occupied the lands adjacent to the Kootenay and Columbia Rivers and the Arrow Lakes of British Columbia, Canada, for more than 10,000 years. The Ktunaxa Nation Council (KNC) is directed by leadership from four Ktunaxa First Nations: ʔakisq̓nuk First Nation, ʔaq̓am,yaqannuʔkiy and Yaq̓itʔa·knuqⱡi‘it.
For more information, please contact:
Kate Declerck
Public Affairs Advisor
Canadian Commission for UNESCO
343-543-9205
kate.declerck@ccunesco.ca
Elora McCormack
Executive Assistant
Ktunaxa Nation Council
TKLEA@ktunaxa.org
Request for Proposals: Qat’muk Indigenous Protected & Conserved Area (IPCA) Communications Strategy
2025 Ktunaxa Census Now Underway
The Ktunaxa Nation Council is conducting the 2025 Ktunaxa Census, gathering vital information from Ktunaxa Citizens registered to, or affiliated with, one of the four Canadian-side Ktunaxa First Nations and their families.
This census provides crucial socio-economic data that reflects the true wellbeing of our Nation. Previous censuses in 2009, 2014, and 2019 have given us insight into important areas like income, health, and community needs — helping guide planning for our people.
Why Participate?
Your input ensures accurate, community-driven data that supports the growth and future of the Ktunaxa Nation. All responses are kept confidential, and only combined results will be shared.
How to Participate
Census takers will be reaching out over the next few months to invite your participation. You can complete the census:
- In-person (at home or a location of your choice)
- Virtually
- Over the phone
You can also confirm your willingness to participate or request more information by:
- Completing the brief online form here
- Emailing ktunaxacensus2025@ktunaxa.org
- Calling 250-421-8537
Prizes for Participation
Ktunaxa Citizens who complete the census will be entered to win one of 11 prizes:
- 3 Grand Prizes valued at $1,500 each
- 2 Prizes valued at $500 each
- 6 Prizes valued at $250 each
Help shape the future of our Nation — your voice matters!
Applications for 2025 Malyan Michel Bursary Now Open
Nominations are now open for the 2025 Malyan Michel Bursary.
This $500.00 bursary was established in 2000 by friends and family of Malyan Michel to recognize deserving post-secondary students from the Ktunaxa Nation. Malyan was a language and culture teacher and always encouraged people to return to school and further their education while still holding onto their Ktunaxa heritage.
To be eligible, candidates must:
- be of Ktunaxa ancestry
- be an existing post-secondary student returning to studies in September 2025
- be an adult 19 years of age or older beginning or returning to studies in September 2025
- show an active interest in their Ktunaxa language and culture
The deadline to apply is July 11, 2025. The application form (found here) can be sent to gregncindy88@gmail.com. The bursary will be awarded on July 16, 2025.
This bursary has been awarded to 40 Ktunaxa Nation students totaling $20,000. The funds for these bursaries are raised every year through 50/50 draws, as well as donations from our generous supporters. We would like to thank everyone for their continued support over the years.
2025 KNC AGA is coming up at ʔaq̓am
NEW: Agenda below.
(Agenda subject to slight changes)
Call for Caterer: 2025 AGA
Ktunaxa Nation Council will be having it Annual General Assembly (AGA) in ʔaq̓am on July 16 & 17, 2025.
We are asking for catering bids for this two-day event.
There is an expectation of approximately 250+ in attendance. FoodSafe certificate is required. AGA will be held at the ʔaq̓am Community at the Dan Joe Memorial Gymnasium.
The caterer will be responsible for providing:
• Snacks for morning & afternoon (Fruit, muffins & cookies) for two days
• Lunch (Wednesday & Thursday)
• Supper (Wednesday)
• Water, coffee, tea, sugar, cream & juices
• Please have options available for gluten free, dairy & other known allergies
Bid submissions must be received by 12:00 pm June 26, 2025.
Attn: Rachelle Sebastian
Fax: 250-489-2438
Email: RachelleF.Sebastian@ktunaxa.org
The successful bid will be notified.
Please make sure to include your complete contact information on your bid.
Also include a general description of the meals you will be providing.