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Teresa Jules told me the story of the balancing rock. Teresa was our Elder from Skitsestn.
The balancing rock is near the Kamloops Lake. If you stand beside it, you can see Kamloops.
The balancing rock has been there for a long time.
Long ago the Secwepemc and Okanagan people were fighting over the land. They fought to see who would get the land. They fought and fought. No one knows how long they fought.
The Secwepemc shot arrows at the Okanagan. The Secwepemc women were there. They gave the men food.
The people fought for a long time and they were not able to beat each other. So they said, “Let’s stop fighting”.
The Secwepemc and the Okanagan each picked the best, strongest man for a contest. The men were to try and left the big rock and balance in on top of a standing rock. Whoever could do it, would be the winner.
The Okanagan man tried and tried to lift the rock but could not. The Secwepemc man tried to lift the rock and was able to place it on top of the standing rock.
So the Secwepemc won and the Okanagans left. Now today the land is Secwepemc territory.
Hear Ron Ignace tell the story of the Balancing Rock
The story has been broken into two parts to make it easier to download and listen to; part one is 88.5 kb and part two is 133 kb. It is a Great Story!
Balancing Rock Part One Audio File, MP3, 88.5 kb
Balancing Rock Part Two Audio File, MP3, 133 kb
Giant Rats House and Coyotes Marker
Coyote and Son
Residential School
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