Summer Speaker Series
Qwelmínte Secwépemc has undertaken a summer speaker series showcasing a variety of guest speakers, facilitating intergenerational knowledge transfer to build up the next generation. Guests of the speaker series will include both Elders and Knowledge Carriers from Secwépemc communities and representatives from the Province, sharing their expertise, knowledge, and experiences. The knowledge and expertise provided by speakers allows the members of Team Skú7pecen to better understand and practice Walking on Two Legs, giving the ability to implement the concept into our lives and communities so that we may be great and good.
Summer Speaker & Secwépemc storyteller Kenthen Thomas with the 2020 Qwelmínte Secwépemc interns.
A key goal of the speaker series is to allow the Qwelmínte Secwépemc interns the opportunity to both build relationships and gain valuable knowledge in order to foster a vibrant and resilient network of practitioners, grounded in both Secwépemc and Western knowledge. While intern experience is one of the goals of the speaker series, it is not the singular outcome. Through the speaker series we also hope to provide educational content for our media platforms, as well as using the content from the series to support and develop a Guardians curriculum. The knowledge and expertise from the summer speaker series provide inspiration not only for our interns, but to the entirety of Team Skú7pecen.
Importance of Walking on Two Legs
The concept of walking on two legs refers to the usage of both Western and Indigenous Knowledge in harmony. Similar to the concept of seeing through two eyes, walking on two legs means being able to approach the world through both a Western and Indigenous lens. To move forward in a good way, we need to use both legs equally. If one leg is stronger or more dominant than the other, we will not be able to work together cohesively. The speaker series is one of the ways that Qwelmínte Secwépemc is working to create individuals that walk on two legs.
2020 Summer Speaker Series
2020 was the inaugural year of the Summer Speaker Series.
2021 Summer Speaker Series
2022 Summer Speaker Series
2023 Summer Speaker Series
2024 Summer Speaker Series
2025 Summer Speaker Series
Qwelmínte Secwépemc continued its Summer Speaker Series, featuring Elders, Knowledge Carriers from Secwépemc communities, and representatives from B.C. to promote intergenerational knowledge transfer. This series focused on the "Walking on Two Legs" philosophy, blending traditional Secwépemc wisdom with modern practices. The speakers shared valuable insights and facilitated hands-on experiences, empowering post-secondary interns and summer guardians to apply this balanced approach in their lives and communities, fostering the development of future leaders.
