Shuswap War Veterans Memorial Site
Municipality/Province: Kamloops, BC
Memorial Number: 59007-004
Type: Cairns, plaques
Address: 200 Chilcotin Road
Location: Tk'emlúps Pen Pen Cemetery
GPS Coordinates: Lat: 50.6905665 Long: -120.3361661
Submitted By: Miranda McKenzie
Photo Credit: Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc
Indigenous Veterans were not given the respect by the government as they deserved, so the Kamloops Indian Band erected the Shuswap War Veterans Memorial Site to show Indigenous Veterans that they are truly respected. This memorial is for the Veterans and also for those of the past, present and future that struggle for freedom and justice.
There are two cairns. One includes the eternal flame directly in front and has an epitaph engraved plaque. The coyote rock on top is symbolic of the creator and the spiritual presence within the Shuswap Nation. The rock is supported by stones of various sizes and shapes, each individually unique as the Shuswap who have risen to battle for freedom. In the foreground, reclining rocks represent the soldiers who have fallen in battle. The eternal flame is symbolic of the Shuswap spirit, which will never die. The bronze plaque contains several symbols - the round form represents the wheel of life that we all travel and the four eagle feathers on the face represent the four directions that we travel in life's journey. At the top of the plaque is the staff and pipe which were presented to the Shuswap Chiefs by Queen Victoria. They depict the union of our nations and are bound by a leather thong, which is the bond we have taken to fight together for freedom of all people.
Another cairn has a plaque listing the names of the honoured and the theatre in which they fought. A duplicate of this plaque is at the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc Administration Building.
The unveiling on November 11, 1990, was attended by Wilfred Matthews, the highest ranking Indigenous Veteran. The opening speech was spoken in Shuswap by Ricardo. The drum group performed the Veteran song that was composed by a fellow from the United States. The song talks about the Veterans that have gone to war and came back and the ones that didn't come back, that their spirits be blessed. The eternal flame was lit by the Kamloops Veterans.
Add or Update Memorial Information
Inscription found on memorial
[plaque]
- IN MEMORIAM
- TO THE HONOUR OF THOSE BRAVE
- MEMBERS OF THE KAMLOOPS INDIAN
- BAND WHO SACRIFICED THEMSELVES
- SO THAT WE MAY ENJOY PEACE AND
- FREEDOM.
- "SO LONG AS WHAT WE CONSIDER
- JUSTICE IS WITHHELD FROM US,
- SO LONG WILL DISSATISFACTION
- AND UNREST EXIST AMONG US,
- AND WE WILL CONTINUE
- TO STRUGGLE TO BETTER
- OURSELVES."
- ME7 TSELXEMSTÉM!
- ME7 XYUMSTÉM-KT YE7ÉNE ZEZÉ7 TE
- KWELLQELMÚCW0KT NE TKEMLÚPS, ME7
- KECMENTSÚU ES LE7S ES W7É-KT.
- WEL ME7 PENHÉ7N RE TÁ7EWS KS
- LÉ7STLSES, WEL ME7 PENHÉ7N RE
- TÁ7EWS KS LE7S RE PÚSMEN-KT
- ME7 YEGWMENTSÚT-KT ES
- LE7S KS W7ÉC-KT.
[plaque]
For Love For Country
WWI/Boer War
ALEXANDER GEORGE - CMR Pte
WILFRED BENNETT - FC Pte
PETER HARRY - BW/WWI
ELI LAURE - 242nd Pte
ALLAN LAVIER - 172nd
JOE A. S. LEONARD - BCLH
ALEC THOMAS - BCLH
ISSAC WILLARD - BCLH
WWII
EDDIE BENNETT - RCE Pte
GEORGE BOB - BCLH
FLEIX CAMILLE - BCLH
WWII
WILLIE JULES - TR FUSILIERS
ALCE LARUE - BCLH
WILLIAM LARUE - IN FUSILIERS
*ALLAN J. LEONARD Jr. - BCLH
ALLAN A. MANUEL - WESTMINISTER RGT
LOUIS MANUEL - BCLH
GERRY SEYMOUR - FC Pte
*ERNEST THOMAS - RCID/CR
JOSEPH FRASER - RCA/E/MC
VICTOR FRASER - BCLH
*ROBERT L. LARUE - PR PATRICIA
FRANCIS JULES - Gnr 1ST CL
MANUEL DAN - RCASC
Home Guard
GUS GOTTFRIEDSON Sr. - BCLH HG
LESLIE JULES - ENL HG
GABRIEL LARUE - C-IN-c Pte HG
JIM LEONARD - BCLH HG
JOSEPH A.S. LEONARD - LER/RCIC HG
ANDY MANUEL - BCLH HG
Iraq Conflict (USA)
ISHA JULES - Sgt
*KILLED IN ACTION
*ALLAN J. LEONARD Jr.
ITALY
*ROBERT L. LARUE
ITALY
*ERNEST THOMAS
FRANCE
Protecting Our Home and Native Land
Street View
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