Prince George, B.C.- There are just a few weeks left of planning before the 37^th Annual BC Elders Gathering gets underway in Prince George.

 

Over the course of the three days of the gathering, some 2400 people, mostly First Nations Elders, will have taken part in the three day event.

 

With a theme of “Honour Your Journey”, the  July 9^th through 11^th gathering will see the first day a celebration of the Lheidli T’enneh. This year marks the 100^th anniversary of the Lheidli T’enneh being forced to move from their village (which is now downtown Prince George) to  the current reserve.

 

Day one of the Gathering will be held at the CN Centre. “We have planned a full day of song and dance” says Jason Morgan, Executive Director of the Lheidli T’enneh. The celebration will demonstrate the Lheidli history and   future.   The entertainment will not only feature Lheidli talent, but will see a collaboration between   a Lheidli drum group and the Prince George Symphony “It’s going to be a very unique blending of the two styles of music” says Morgan. 

 

The following two days of the gathering will be at University of Northern B.C..  

 

Hosting the Elders Gathering is a major undertaking and a huge honour says Morgan “For a community of 380 people it’s a big undertaking, but we have a really good team. We have a project manager, conference coordinators and a good team of people who are networking to raise money for the event”. An event such as this could cost more than half a million dollars, and funding has come through sponsorships and donations inkind. 

 

There are already nearly 2,000 people who have pre-registered for the Elders Gathering but day one  at the CN Centre will be open to the public as well.

 

“It’s going to be a good economic driver for the region” says Morgan who says  the three days will also profile Prince George and give Lheidli T’enneh a trial run for their role in the Canada Winter Games. As the host “First Nation” Lheidli T’enneh will be showcasing song and dance and profile the Lheidli community during the Winter Games in 2015.

 

Those who plan to attend the Elders Gathering have been asked to bring with them a small rock from their community. The rocks will be part of an art piece being created for the 2015 Winter Games. The rocks will be placed inside a hollow, translucent sculpture that when filled, will be a showcase piece of work to reflect the gathering of peoples and athletes from across the Nation.