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JUSTICE TOWARDS OUR PEOPLE AND OUR LAND IS CENTRAL

Justice is central to effectively tackling the process of decolonization and rebuilding a healthy community, and this forms the foundations of the Kootenay Yoga Festival's approach. 

 

For us, wellness in all its forms, through movement, art, music, knowledge, etc., is the first step toward decolonization and unity. 

We acknowledge that this festival operates on traditional and unceded Sinixt tmxwúlaʔxw (homeland), and we are committed to being supportive allies to Sinixt Peoples who are asserting their culture, traditions, and stewardship of their tmxwúlaʔxw. We work towards reconciliation and decolonization by acknowledging & protecting the land, asking questions & taking actionable steps towards decolonization, educating ourselves & our communities on the history & protocols of the Sinixt people & building relationships with our surrounding communities to create a bridge of sharing & support for all people. It is a privilege to be here, live and work on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of Sinixt Peoples, and we want to co-create together through this decolonization.

 

Kootenay Yoga Festival operates from the understanding that a healthy community is only viable if they lift everyone up. The rights of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour), youth, women, queer folk, disabled folk, recent immigrants, and refugees must be centred within our community. Lifting the voices of those who have been repressed is the only way to meet the challenge of healing our community effectively. 

 

Kootenay Yoga Festival is honoured to collaborate with the Sinixt Peoples. KYF will also offer 50% of the profit gained from the Pre-Festival Workshop: Truth, Reconciliation and Accountability held July 15th & August 19th, 2023.

 

Furthermore, KYF will offer 8% of the profit gained from the event held September 15th-17th, 2023, back to the ‘Blood of Life Collective.


*The Blood of Life Collective is a group of Sinixt and settler activists collaborating to support Sinixt resurgence. Its mission is to: Promote positive relationships between Sinixt and settler communities based on Sinixt autonomy in their təmxʷulaʔxʷ (homeland); Create multi-disciplinary projects that facilitate Sinixt resurgence; Encourage the development of informed and culturally aware youth; Support environmental initiatives relevant to the Autonomous Sinixt, and deliver unrestricted funds to the Autonomous Sinixt Smum iem."

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