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Sno’uyutth Day returns, this year celebrated at The Oaks

Songhees’ Florence Dick to speak about reconciliation
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A community reception to celebrate the second anniversary of raising the Sno’uyutth welcome pole at Oak Bay High is happening on Nov. 22. (Photo: Gordon Lee)

It’s been four years since the community raised the Sno’uyutth welcome pole at Oak Bay High and the annual celebration around this commemoration continues.

This year’s Sno’uyutth Day celebration will be at The Oaks restaurant on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 7 p.m.

Cultural liaison Florence Dick of the Songhees Nation will speak about the ongoing efforts for reconciliation.

READ MORE: Sno’uyutth Day a time to celebrate in Oak Bay

The Sno’uyutth group that helped raise funds to have artist Butch Dick create the artwork also created a Sno’uyutth scholarship. The event offers a traditional welcome for the event and a chance to speak about the history and culture of the Lekwungen people who lived in Oak Bay for thousands of years before the settlers arrived in the late 19th century.

The Oaks will bake bannock for the event and might have a couple of other items added to the regular menu.

Some of the group members, including Joe Blake, have also been working on the Blues for Eric scholarship fund in honour of the late Eric LeBlanc, a UVic radio disc jockey.

Last week the Blues For Eric concert series raised another $3,500 and have now hit the project’s goal of $25,000.

In the meantime, the spreading of good energy continues as the Rotary Club of Oak Bay Foundation now maintains and issues a Sno’uyutth Legacy Scholarship. It was handed out this year to Ariel Schellenberger of Oak Bay High, who is now at the University of Victoria.

“This scholarship is so beyond helpful,” said Schellenberger, when she received it this summer. “For me, every single penny counts to put towards school and every organization that puts money aside for students like me is highly appreciated. I can’t thank Oak Bay Rotary enough for selecting me as a recipient.”