At the end of May this year, the College of the Rockies in Creston will host the first Kootenay History Symposium, on Friday, May 29, and Saturday, May 30.

Titled, Living History: Our Place, Our Stories, symposium subjects will range across a broad variety of topics. Speakers were invited because they are actively working on some aspect of Kootenay history, and all the speakers are from the Kootenays.

This event is sponsored by the Creston Community Arts Council and is being convened by a committee of Kootenay historians.

The symposium will open Friday evening with a welcome from Chief Chris Luke, of Yaqan Nukiy, plus a Greek dinner and then a talk by Greg Nesteroff, of Nelson, who has written a book the first mayor of Sandon and the secret past of John Morgan Harris. His new book will be available to purchase.

Throughout the symposium, coffee and tea will be provided by our favourite local coffee roaster, Lark Coffee, with Ilana Cameron and snacks will be provided by Golden Flour Bakery.

Saturday morning will begin with an address by Dr. Joyce Green, of Cranbrook, Professor Emerita from the University of Regina, discussing the phenomenon of colonialism and its grounding in white supremacy and Eurocentrism.

Following this will be a discussion of the Ktunaxa Creation story, by Joe Pierre of Cranbrook. Joe is the former chief of the Aqam, Joe is a member of the Ktunaxa Nation and has worked in education, theatre, and television.

Sean Macpherson will speak about the role of Colonel Sam Steele in his contact with the Ktunaxa. Sean has worked on Kootenay history for many years, working collaboratively with Ktunaxa Nation. He received an MA in history at the University of Victoria in 2020. He is currently finishing a PHD in History at UBC and has a book about Sam Steele in the Kootenays coming out soon

After lunch, (available from food trucks at the college) History Professor Emeritus from the University of Calgary, now living in Creston, Dr. Louis Knafla will discuss the legal culture of the peoples of the Kootenays from 1865 to 1915.

In the same time slot, Eileen Delehantty Pearkes will provide, via video link, her take on the outcome of the negotiations of the Columbia River Treaty. Eileen has written three highly acclaimed books about the Columbia River.

After the break, Michael Cone will discuss steam navigation on Kootenay Lake, Michael Cone has written a detailed and highly researched book about travel in the Kootenays, called Connecting the Kootenays, including the history of sternwheelers, trains, highways, and ferries. His book will be available for sale along with many others.

Dr. Marcel Dirk will discuss the long controversy in the building of Duck Lake in his talk, titled Not A Flat Debate But a Debate About the Flats Duck Lake.

Rounding out the afternoon, Dr. Luanne Armstrong will trace the fate of William Bailiie Grohman. Dr. Armstrong has written a number of books about her lifelong long love of the Kootenays, and her new book, an anthology of Kootenay women’s stories, titled Dancing On Mountains, has just been published.

Kevin Nichol will present a slide show and talk about retracing David Thompson’s trip on the Columbia River.

The last two speakers of the day will be the renowned archeologist, Wayne Choquette, talking about the Kootenays as “a land of edges,” and Dr. Duff Sutherland, who has taught for many years at Selkirk College, will outline the Kootenay Logger Strikes of 1923 and 1924.

The symposium will be videotaped and the film made available to educational institutions. This symposium will offer a wealth of in-depth and rarely heard information on the truly incredible and powerful history of the Kootenay-Columbia region.

Seating is limited so please book early. Registration will be through the College of the Rockies in Creston.

The cost of the symposium is $65 and the dinner Friday night will be $30.

The price for both is $90 This symposium will offer a first of its kind opportunity for interested people to learn amazing stories, ask questions, and buy books by Kootenay authors on Kootenay subjects. We look forward to seeing you all there.

Lead image: Chief Isadore and Sam Steele.

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