Timing

Timing

The spirit of the canoe the water smooth
in the heat of the sun we paddle as one .

The sprinkle of the water as it brushes
Our faces the canoe lifts and takes us to
Those beautiful places

Poem Written By KwuSukna?quinxs very own Betty Jean Kruger Cardenas.
Photo taken by ALfred John Snow, a community member and our safety boat driver.

To the KwuSuknaquinx Canoe Family

**Forward**
(This letter was intended for the KwuSukna?quinx canoe family, and was written by a group member as an exercise that all three skippers in training had to do)

As you all know my task as a skipper was to awknowledge all the people who have made a difference in my life. So this is to the group for everything thing you guys you do for our people.First of all I would like to thank all yall for just being yourselves because thats what makes this group so great. Each and everyone of you has something or a few things to offer to this world and im just so honored to call you guys my friends. Seriously though we sing, we canoe,we help out everyone and we okanagan(well most of us) and were are a Proud People. Secondly, I would like to thank yall for your sense of humor cause you and I both know we wouldnt have lasted that long with out it(justkiddin). I bet if people walked into our group they would laugh at how much we make fun of each other, haha. I also apreciate the fact that we are a unit, and with everything our group has gone through we are still able to set things aside and work on whats important. Im am so proud of you all and I'm very very greatful that you guys are in my life...

WHO WOULD THOUGHT A BUNCH OF REZ KIDS WOULD BE GOING TO FRIGGEN SCOTLAND... SERIOUSLY WERE A PRETTY DEADLY GROUP OF INDIANS...
sorry if i missed anyone show them please or tell me and ill send it to them personally

With much Love
Jolene Michel

Drumming/Singing

Drumming/Singing at 5:00 pm on Sunday at the P.I.B youth center with the KwuSukna?quinx canoe family! Everyone is welcome to join us! Hope to see you there!

**bring your drums, rattles, ect**

Leadership Chronicles

Our original goal was to volunteer in the Gulf after Hurricane Katrina. However Habitat for Humanity turned us down because we were too young at the time. After that we as a group decided to apply to assist with Red Feather, which is a non-profit organization created to build homes for Native American Elders. We as youth were denied because of our age. Our third application was to join Pulling Together; a canoe journey that brought aboriginal youth and the police force together.
The first year we attended this journey hosted by Pulling Together was in 2007. We were the largest youth group without a canoe. As a result we were placed on a 25 foot canoe, called the Spirit Dancer. Later on that year Chris Cooper invited us to paint traditional images on the Spirit Dancer before it was shipped to the UK.
Furthermore we began to start fundraising to acquire our own canoe. The RCMP was so impressed with our pursuit in this endeavour that they surprised us with a donation, which we used to find a canoe of our own.
In return we are committed to speak with other youth about pursuing their goals, because we feel that many youth do not feel empowered to set their own goals and reach them. Our experience has demonstrated that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.
We speak at youth conferences on anything from canoeing, building a successful youth group, to the importance of personal health and nutrition. This past year we did a presentation at the Diversity in Policing workshop held in Burnaby, British Columbia about the value we received from being in this group and the support we receive from each other.
Currently we are planning two large journeys for 2009. One will be here in the Okanagan; we will assist the RCMP with the process of bringing Pulling Together to the Okanagan as well as hosting the journey while it is in our jurisdiction.
Our other main event is to reconnect with the Spirit Dancer and Chris Cooper on Orkney Islands, in Scotland. There, we will canoe the island on a two week journey, meet with other youth and have cross cultural exchanges.