B6 Local Traditional Plants and Medicinal UsesBernice Jensen is a local knowledge keeper who has been taught by the Okanagan, Secwepemc elders and other knowledge keepers while attending workshops in British Columbia and Washington State for the past 40 years. Some of the workshops she has attended have been on: Traditional Plants, Medicinal Medicines, Basket Weaving, Rattle Making, Drum Making, Traditional Hemp, Story Telling, Hunting Camps- butchering and smoking meat and more. Currently Bernice has about 67 (First Nations, Inuit and Metis) presentations and art projects that she presents from Kindergarten to Grade 12 in SD #73 for the past four years. Bernice Jensen is thankful of the many knowledge keepers and mentors past and present that have taught her about Traditional Plants and Medicinal Medicines. Her teachings began with her grandmother the late Mary Abel and late great grandfather Joe Abel who were featured in numerous books. One called “Ethnobotany of the Okanagan-Colville Indians of British Columbia and Washington”. A local knowledge keeper and friend that has been mentoring Bernice is Rhona Bowe from Chase who travels locally and abroad sharing her knowledge on Ethnobotany and Traditional Medicines. Bernice has learned the protocol of harvesting and gathering and to always give thanks to Mother Earth.
Bernice Jensen is the Cultural Educational Coordinator for the Kamloops Aboriginal Friendship Society and works in partnership with SD #73. She has worked in Education for 28 years within SD #73 and SD #83. Bernice has dedicated her career to working with youth in education and promoting cultural pride through ceremonies, traditional teachings and protocol. She offers many Indigenous cultural and traditional art presentations through powerpoint, visual aids and hands-on activities such as: traditional food & medicine gathering, tools & technology, dance, weaving, drumming, education regarding residential school and much more. Her contact info is
bernice.jensen@kafs.ca. Kukwstse’tselp
