TḰEMLÚPS TE SECWÉPEMC / CITY OF KAMLOOPS (July 24, 2024) — On September 2, 2023, a member of the public reported human remains eroding from the bank of the South Thompson River. Tḱemlúps te Secwépemc and the City of Kamloops collaborated to implement the appropriate cultural policy associated with the discovery, and analysis has confirmed that the human remains were of Indigenous descent with an estimated burial date of 1670 Before Present (BP). The site is designated as a sacred site by Tḱemlúps and is now registered as an archaeological site protected under the BC Heritage Conservation Act.
Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir states, “Here at Tḱemlúps te Secwépemc we will always uphold our inherent jurisdiction, TteS heritage, cultural laws, and Secwépemc values. We take our responsibility in the highest regard and appreciate the collaborative efforts by all.”
Deputy Mayor Nancy Bepple states, “The City of Kamloops upholds the Letter of Understanding signed between us that respects the formalization of a cultural heritage protocol that we follow. We appreciate the work of our technical teams and Council values the process.”
Tḱemlúps would like to thank the residents of Kamloops and the RCMP for their support, as well as the City of Kamloops leadership and staff who continue to work with us to uphold our mutual commitment to respectful cultural heritage management.
We encourage the public to always report potential remains to the nearest RCMP detachment and Tḱemlúps. For more information, to report artifacts other than remains, or to seek further guidance concerning archaeological sites you can consult the City of Kamloops Archaeological Sites Bulletin or contact the B.C. Archaeology Branch.
Media Contact:
Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir (Chief)
Tḱemlúps te Secwépemc
Email: kukpi7.rosanne@ttes.ca
Phone: (250) 819-2255