10/08/2024
Thanks to all of those who joined us for the Closing Reception for Marking Time this past Thursday.
We observed a minute in memoriam to honour the late Edie Frederick and her mother Josie Paul-- two generous and important Elders whose knowledge will continue to enrich the Prince George community and the Lheidli T'enneh for decades to come.
Please find the UNBC President's message sent out this afternoon below.
We look forward to finding out more about how Edie and Josie's legacy will be further honoured at UNBC and beyond.
MESSAGE:
Good afternoon,
It is with great sadness that the University of Northern British Columbia acknowledges the passing of Lheidli T’enneh Elder Edie Frederick.
Edie had a long-standing and highly impactful relationship with UNBC. She provided invaluable wisdom, expertise and commitment to many projects at UNBC over the years. She devoted significant time towards helping UNBC gain a deeper understanding of the Lheidli T’enneh dialect of the Dakelh (Carrier) language. Alongside her mother Josie Paul, who the University recently paid tribute to, and many other Lheidli T’enneh Elders, Edie played a crucial role in translating many place names at the UNBC Prince George campus, such as the front entrance sign, Nizdeh Nekeyoh Hohudel'eh Baiyoh, which translates to “House of Learning.” We are blessed to have photos of multiple pages of Edie’s handwritten notes, illustrating the care and attention to detail she invested. They are a powerful educational resource that will ensure Edie’s knowledge is visible for generations to come and is a lasting testament of Lheidli T’enneh language revitalization.
Edie was the University’s first Elder in Residence. She visited the campus many times once she took on the role in 2015, teaching students, faculty and staff about her Nation, the land, language, and more. She worked with her husband Robert on a groundbreaking course that saw UNBC students carve and launch a traditional Cottonwood dugout canoe. She helped deliver an experiential learning course that saw students construct a traditional Dakelh style Pit House. And she worked closely with Dr. Robert Budde in UNBC’s English department on developing a book called Hanuyeh: Dakelh Plants that details local plants, traditional uses, and Dakelh names.
Edie also had a strong connection with UNBC’s Timberwolves. She gifted the name Nats’ilnik to the team, which means coming together. The Timberwolves hold a Nats’ilnik Day each year at a set of basketball and soccer home games at which they wear their Indigenous jerseys and celebrate Indigenous culture.
Edie consistently made herself available to UNBC, whether it was offering a welcome to Lheidli T’enneh territory at special events to attending meetings at the First Nations Centre and Lhuhuhwhezdel (the Gathering Place). She actively participated in important events, such as when UNBC signed the official MOU with Lheidli T’enneh and raised the Nation’s flag permanently at the Prince George campus in 2016.
The family requested that public acknowledgments be minimal, but invited the University community to attend a celebration of life at the Prince George Civic Centre today from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Nenachailya (we thank you) Edie. We are grateful for your enduring presence and legacy at UNBC.
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