During intermission of its Concert, the PGSO gave its respectful acknowledgement pledge to the Lheidli T'enneh First Nation

By Tommy Osborne

PGSO Indigenous

PGSO gives Respectful Acknowledgement pledge to Lheidli T’enneh First Nation

Feb 10, 2024 | 10:24 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – During the intermission of its Discovery Concert featuring Dvorak’s ‘New World’ Symphony, the Prince George Symphony Orchestra (PGSO) gave a Respectful Acknowledgement pledge to the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation, which acknowledges the traditional and unceded ancestral lands of the First Nation.

“So much of our history is about our language Dakelh (Carrier), our connection to our unceded ancestral lands which have sustained us for over 9000 years and sharing our stories through songs and drumming. The PGSO serves a similar role in our community by introducing music from around the world and helping all of us feel connected in the process,” said Lheidli T’enneh Chief Dolleen Logan.

“We thank the PGSO Board and Ken Hall for your contributions to making Prince George the special place it is for all of us to call home,” she continued.

Lheidli T’enneh Communications Advisor Kevin Brown says this is one of many ways the PGSO has demonstrated its commitment towards what he called “reconcili-action,” as the PGSO not only verbally affirms its commitment towards reconciliation, but takes action to see it through.

“The PGSO and Lheidli T’enneh have beem working very cooperatively for a couple of years now after the Symphony asked a simple question: ‘what can we do with our First Nation to recognize and acknowledge that we live, work, and play on the traditional unceded territory of the Lheidli T’enneh?’ That has included such things as working with our own Lheidli T’enneh award winning singer songwriter Kym Gouchie, and also doing some work with our Lheidli T’enneh drum group, the Khast’an Drummers,” Brown said.

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“We’re learning more about the truth. Not all of it is very positive, a lot of is a dark chapter in Canada’s history. But there are things you can do, even as a symphony orchestra, to help move further down the road towards reconciliation,” he continued.

Brown says the First Nation is looking forward to continuing to move forward with the PGSO, and hopes future collaboration involves getting younger Indigenous people more involved in our community’s music scene.

The Lheidli T’enneh First Nation has also received Respectful Acknowledgement pledges from the City of Prince George, Prince George Public Library, The University of Northern BC, the College of New Caledonia, and many more.

PGSO Executive Director Ken Hall (left) and Conductor Michael Hall (right) with the Plaque that will displayed in the PGSO office

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