Change of season ceremony at NVIT

MERRITT – As it turns into spring, the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (NVIT) held its changing of the seasons ceremony.

“It is a ceremony acknowledging that we are thanking winter and now we are moving into spring,” said Amanda Joe, Communications Planner for NVIT. “This is the time of season where everything is starting to grow, our bears are coming out of hibernation, and everything is starting to bloom.”

The changing of the seasons is a very ceremonial and important celebration for the Indigenous culture.

“We actually have 13 months in the calendar year so we have 13 moons, the change of the season is a really good reflector to get out of winter and get into spring. It’s kind of like a beginning of life for the year,” explained Joe.

There was a ceremonial fire to start of the day, followed by teachings, story sharing, drumming, and prayers.