By Breanne Massey
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

After serving the Columbia Valley as the Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for the past 10 months, I’ve had the opportunity to live and work on the traditional territories of the Ktunaxa and Sécwepemc people and their families.

It came as no surprise to neither my fournager nor myself that the deep cultural histories that encompass the lands of the Columbia Valley are vibrant — and full of so much life, love and laughter.

This was the first time we had formally returned to the community since my son, Logan, was born here with the support and care of local midwife Kyra Warren in the spring of 2016 — and we were both incredibly grateful to return to the valley from Calgary, Alta. in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic where we had the opportunity to stay safe, nestled up at home on these scenic lands that we both adore.

I was incredibly fortunate to learn from elders, traditional knowledge-keepers, educators, activists, archivists and artists from the communities of the Ktunaxa and Sécwepemc nations.

Maarsii. Hu suki‡“ukni. Su’kni. Kukstemc. Merci beaucoup. And thank you to everyone who gave me the gift of their time to learn more about the Indigenous people and their communities, the languages and cultures, as well as the current events and ongoing issues in the communities that the Columbia Valley Pioneer serves for the duration of this opportunity with Aberdeen Publishing and News Media Canada.

As a Métis citizen with Swampy Cree, Québecois and British paternal roots, the experiences we’ve shared with locals and visitors alike have been invaluable and I am grateful for the opportunity to work (even if only temporarily) as a journalist in the area.

The Local Journalism Initiative was created to address gaps in news coverage at newspapers, radio and television shows by providing coverage that citizens may not have been able to access easily in some parts of Canada in the past.

According to News Media Canada, in December 2019, the inaugural call for applications for journalism in underserved communities resulted in the approval of 105 journalists in 95 host newsrooms across Canada.

While this program is still in its infancy, and the need to serve diverse communities is still being understood by Canadian media organizations at large, it was an honour to be a part of the first-ever implementation in the Columbia Valley.

The funding, which allowed the Pioneer to create my role as the Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, is now coming to close, and we must look forward to the horizon for new beginnings. 

In parting, I would like to encourage the community to “dig a little deeper” into the local Indigenous culture and take action towards building meaningful relationships with your neighbours.

My last day in this role will be March 31, 2021. Please don’t hesitate to drop me a line to say, Farewell, until we meet again.