I was invited to attend the Lower Nicola Indian Band's salmon festival this weekend, and was thrilled to make the quick trip up to Merritt from Vancouver and meet some new friends.
This was their second-annual Hé Sqyéytn Festival, honouring the Nlaka’pamux people and their traditional foods.
It was an opportunity for people to sample smoked and wind-dried salmon (and watch the process of both being made), participate in workshops, see demonstrations, enjoy food trucks, vendor booths, traditional dancing and song, and more.
It took place in their arbor which is pictured above, and it was co-emceed by a guy named Dario Douglas who you should follow on Instagram if you want to learn stories from the nearby Secwépemc Nation, just over the hill. I had been following him for a while and was pleasantly surprised to meet him in real life here.
You missed the festival this year but keep an eye out for the next one.
And if you're ever in the area you're going to want to head to a store called Johnny's on the Rez which is run by - you guessed it - a friendly dude named Johnny.
They make the best meat lovers pizza around, and from what I'm told their breakfast pizza is even more legendary.
I'll see you next year at the third-annual Hé Sqyéytn Festival!
