The idea of the Commitment Sticks started with Alkali Lake (Esk'etemc) Elder Fred Johnson Sr., with the support of Chief Charlene Belleau. The Commitment Sticks represent working together on issues involving violence against Indigenous women and girls.

Commitment sticks are concerned with this issue, an issue that we can—and must—address. They flow from the idea that we must be involved in our own healing; it's not a matter of bringing in "experts" who can fix the community, but instead it's us, our culture, our leaders—guided by tradition and ceremony— that can help us.

Esk'etemc frontline workers and leadership work together and all agree that the cycle of intergenerational trauma, including violence, has to stop with us. Regardless of whether we were abused at residential school, we must not pass it on to our children. Each man has signed a pledge to live violence free, stop violence against women and hold other men accountable. They keep their pledges on little cards in their wallets.

Elder Fred Johnson and his family prepare each commitment stick with prayer.

The Fraser Salish Region is offering a grant for amounts up to $1000 per Community to promote continued support of the Commitment Stick promise. Please complete the application form and submit to: corinne.dixon@fnha.ca

Application deadline is September 1, 2017.

We would like to encourage communities to hold their event in September to raise awareness for the Provincial and Community Search set for September 20, 2017 as announced by Chief Charlene Belleau at the Fraser Salish Regional Caucus. This initiative is meant to increase awareness about who is missing or murdered (including men), allowing for members to speak about what they know. Events do not have to take place on the 20th to qualify for the grant; however, projects must support ending violence.

Projects must support ending violence against Indigenous Women and Girls and can include but are not limited to: