A ceremony held at the Townsite mill site on October 1, attended by Tla’amin Nation representatives, mill staff and community leaders, was an important exercise in relationship building. “The ceremony that took place was very emotional, leading up to the burning ceremony,” said Tla’amin hegus John Hackett. “I did some research. What I found made my heart drop. Tis’kwat [pronounced Tees-kwat], in translation, is big river. Tis’kwat is the original village site of Tla’amin. It is very clear why Tla’amin picked Tis’kwat.” Hackett said the river holds rich spawning ground for pacific salmon that feeds healthy, diverse wildlife. …Krista Cuddy, general manager of the local mill …said the burning ceremony was definitely in the spirit of reconciliation. “It was a great honour that we were actually able to facilitate access for the Tla’amin Nation and give the ability to honour their ancestors,” said Cuddy. “It was very special.”