Welcome back to the Gold Rush Trail storyteller series! In this episode, we have the pleasure of meeting Sunrise When the Salmon Come (Cheryl Chapman), who is an interpreter at Barkerville Historic Town & Park. Cheryl represents and shares the story of her Great Grandmother, Lucy Charlie, who came to Barkerville from the T’it’q’et (tilth-kit), also known as the Lillooet Indian Band. Spending her time sharing with visitors an Indigenous perspective, Cheryl loves to teach about the impact that Indigenous peoples had on the gold rush and vice versa. When gold-seeking settlers flocked to the region in the mid-1800s, many of them were unequipped for the climate and unique landscape. Indigenous peoples from the Carrier Chilcotin (carry-er chill-ko-tin) and Shuswap (shoo-shwahp) Nations aided them tremendously, providing provisions and teaching them their ways. Today, Cheryl shares the hunting, gathering, and fishing histories of these various Indigenous Nations. For more information about Barkerville, visit their website at Barkerville Historic Town & Park or head to the Gold Rush Trail History page to learn more about Indigenous peoples’ roles in BC’s gold rush history.
Video