One of the hottest events of the summer opens next Friday at the foot of a sacred mountain.
Mt. Ida is one of the most important landforms in Secwepemc territory so it is fitting that one of her people perform the official welcome to the annual Roots and Blues Festival.
“Our festival takes place on native land and we like to honour that – and I think tourists get a glimpse into our history and culture,” says Lody Kieken, chair of the Salmon Arm Folk Music Society. “I think we should reflect our surroundings, and it kind of kicks the festival off with a spiritual blessing.”
Once again providing that warm welcome in the form of a song and a story will be Neskonlith Band member and accomplished storyteller Kenthen Thomas.
“We’re opening our arms and saying ‘welcome to Salmon Arm in the traditional territories of Secwepemc people.’”
Thomas had hoped to be joined on-stage by a number of Shuswap elders, but Roots and Blues is on the same weekend as the 32nd annual Secwepemc Gathering in Chase, a celebration of the Shuswap Nation that will be attended by 17 bands.
“I’m not sure yet what story we’re gonna do – probably something with coyote or the creator,” he said, noting coyote, the wily trickster is well- represented in Secwepemc (Shuswap) stories. “He teaches others by showing them how not to behave – ‘this is what you don’t do because this is what will happen to you.’ By him behaving the way he did, he is a teacher.”
Another frequent character in Secwepemc stories is Bear, who is everything that coyote isn’t,” says Thomas.
“It’s a big responsibility to do it in a proper way and to entertain and capture their focus,” says Thomas of the welcome and his audience.
“I go to a lot of events where the opening is overlooked and people don’t pay attention,” he says.”I thought if I do it, I want to capture the people, to really bring entertainment.”
Thomas says that people are coming to Roots and Blues for the music and somebody simply speaking is not likely to draw their attention. But, with a story and some humour, he’s hoping people will listen to what he has to say.
“I felt a bit of pressure because it’s important to do it in the right way – there are protocols, the right way and the wrong way,” he says of his first appearance on the Roots and Blues Festival stage following an invitation by former artistic director Hugo Rampen. “I knew my own chief and council, my own people, they were gonna wonder if I did it right.”
Thomas needn’t have worried, judging by the comments he received.
“People came up to me from another country and said it was pretty cool,” he says. “What was the most important to me was that they said they learned something about First nations people.”
Thomas has been telling tales on and off for more than 10 years, initially with Secwepemc Theatre that operated out of Chase for a couple of years and at Dream Weaver at Simon Fraser University’s satellite campus in Kamloops.
“Dream Weaver was where I found most of the stories – it was the only vehicle for performing. There were no other troupes around other than Spirit Song out of Vancouver and they hired people in the inner city,” Thomas says. “At the time, I really wanted to perform – all I wanted to do was get on stage act.”
As well as getting the chance to develop his passion for performance, Thomas began to become acquainted with traditional Secwepemc stories, legends he previously knew nothing about.
Now he has a team comprised of, “guys who want to get involved and take part sometimes,” but often takes his stories on solo outings, primarily during the school year.
And the stories travel beyond the Shuswap borders to other First Nations people – although coyotes may not figure in their legends, the message or moral is understood.
While he is proud of his culture, Thomas says his joy is in the performing.
“It is a sense of pride that I am doing something that others haven’t done, but I think I get more excited about just having the opportunity to share the stories,” he says. “I try to make myself laugh, not only entertain others, but myself too.”
Thomas says there was a point five years ago when he got sick of filling requests to tell stories.
“I was doing the same script over and over,” he says, noting he performed grudgingly, hating to turn down story requests from family and friends.
Thomas says he went to the event and, in one show, said something different that made him and the audience laugh – and caused him to reflect.
“I thought maybe I needed to find it joyful for others to find it joyful,” he says. “I think if you’re enjoying yourself, others will enjoy, but if you’re up there miserable and just wanting to get it over, the whole message is lost.”
As well as entertaining with his stories, Thomas will act as MC on the Boogie Barn Stage on Saturday evening where he will “move the night along, keep things in order” and maybe get everyone riled up a bit.
