REZ13 - ideas into action
The REZ13 team for concept development
New Zealand Maraes (community meeting grounds) helped enrich Alanea’s understanding of indigenous practices and perspectives.
Alanea Holmstrom
TAXATION ADMINISTRATOR OIB/ AMBASSADOR FOR THE TULO CENTER
Alanea Holmstrom is a dedicated Tax Administrator for the Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB) Property Tax Department. She is also a passionate Student Ambassador for the First Nations Economics program at the Tulo Center of Indigenous Economics. Committed to fostering growth and creating secure revenue for her community, Alanea was nationally recognized for her role in introducing the first Business Activity Tax on Reserve, on short term accommodation. This implementation now serves as a model for other First Nations communities across Canada.
Recently, Alanea embarked on a transformative journey to New Zealand, where TULO collaborated with the University of Canterbury on innovative indigenous-led programming and research.
In addition to her professional endeavours, Alanea is a dedicated advocate for health and wellness, holding a 300-hour registered yoga teacher certification obtained in Costa Rica with a specialization in restorative yoga acquired in Portugal. She has also received training in Nidra yoga in Chicago and serves as a Healthy Living Leader and Fit Nation Coordinator with the Indigenous Sports and Recreation Council ISPARC, organizing events for community members of all ages.
Alanea's love for youth is evident with her involvement in community events and programs catering to the younger generation, to foster growth and development. Through her worldwide travels she has also broadened her perspective by embracing diverse cultures and experiences.
Believing in the importance of autonomy within the OIB, Alanea actively promotes self-employment opportunities, particularly in the tourism sector, as a pathway to individual independence. With her multifaceted skill set and unwavering dedication to community empowerment, Alanea is an asset to her organization and a driving force for positive change within Indigenous communities.
REZ13 is honoured to collaborate with Alanea on concept development and looks forward to the impactful work ahead.
Alanea’s specialties: Business. Taxation. Tourism Development.
iniipoka (Sterling) Peterson
ACTIVIST, HORSE TRAINER, LANGUAGE STUDENT, FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE ANCESTORS
Sterling lives on the Chopaka reserve, a Southern Okanagan region known for its incredible beauty. iniipoka honours the spiritual, ancestral and physical aspects of the land while integrating ways of knowing, learning and being into his daily existence.
Sterling was chosen to represent First Nations Canadian youth as a Ring of Fire Cohort at the 2023 COP28 conference in Dubai. “The fate of humanity is at stake” says Peterson. “Climate change is affecting our river and salmon which is our lifeline. Our water temperatures in the summer are so high that it depletes the water of oxygen and fish die off in masses."
Peterson’s other passions range from writing to learning and preserving his native language. He is also immersed in programs designed to improve the natural grasslands of the Southern BC desert region by eradicating invasive species and promoting the growth of native plants.
With Sterling’s interest in the land, and his passion for learning about his colonially-suppressed culture, he is a ‘Beacon of Light’ for other First Nations youth. Sterling and his partner ‘Mem’ are keen foragers and they also fish and hunt in the appropriate seasons.
Sterling’s specialities: Activism. Writing. Hide Tanning. Horse training. Basketball.
Whitney Cardenas
HORSE ‘WRANGLER’/FIREFIGHTER
Whitney is a Penticton Indian Band member. Self described as an “Indigenous creature, with a lil bit of spice” - her heritage includes Mexican DNA.
She is a horse wrangler who as she says, rather than whispering to horses, she listens. This dynamic gal is an integral part of the Penticton Indian Band firefighting team who boldly goes where many men would fear to.
When it comes to horses Whitney has integrated much of what she has learned from her uncles all of whom are well-known Penticton Indian band horsemen.
Whitney is keenly aware of the importance of diversity in the natural environment on the 46,000 acres of PIB land. This is one of the reasons the feral horses need to be kept in check.
Whitney will be appearing in the upcoming film ‘If Wishes Were Horses” produced out of L.A. by Eva Cohen.
More to come on the equine business that Whitney is looking to put together on the PIB lands…
Whitney’s specialties: Fire. Training Horses.
Filming begins September 2024…
Sept 6, 2024
In the fall of 2024 we will be filming for our Horse Culture as Medicine documentary.
The goal behind the documentary is to show the inherent value that horses can have in healing for people who have either directly experienced trauma in their lives or those who have inherited it through intergenerational trauma.
According to the Washington Post, “Intergenerational trauma can stem from biology, learned behaviors and even the collective experiences of a group. Some research suggests that trauma can affect a person's DNA and potentially influence the health of future generations far removed from the traumatic event.”
Horse Culture as Medicine will have several main characters each of whom are experienced in dealing with horses, teaching others how to ride or train horses, and who also deal with horses as a means to helping youth achieve confidence, discipline, and self-esteem.
Part of the documentary will focus on a value-added approach of training feral horses at risk of being sold “by the pound.”
Stay tuned for more details, clips and photos as we progress in filming.
