Photo courtesy Mark Hume, June 2006 

Kika7Tsuntsuli

Shirley Laurene Wallace [Peters]

Mother, Leader, Historian, Friend

How do you in few words sum up the impact of her loss to the native communities on the Lillooet River.

These are just a few of the titles that Shirley held with grace, inspiration, and goodwill.

Shirley: the Mother. To Shirley's children she has been described by them as a loving mother. She was the original soccer mom, when a community project needed to happen she mothered the project to success. She also mothered the children that she met as a social worker, even after she retired, she was often requested at all times of the day and night to sit with children and young adults as they reported abusive and violent incidents in their lives. Just by sitting with her made these young people strong, because she dropped what ever she was doing and made time for them, she made them feel like they mattered.

Marion Robinson, Manager of the Fraser Valley Fraser Basin Council stated that Shirley helped her to get emergency help to the Mt. Currie and Skatin region few years ago when it was flooded. From Marion's phone in Mission to Shirley she was able to secure clothing, firewood and other necessities but it was Shirley that helped her to connect to the right people for things to happen.

Marion further stated that, Shirley provided awareness and understanding to First Nation education issues.  Before 1995, dollars earmarked for First Nations (FN) Education funding went into general revenue at school districts and did not benefit FN students. Shirley helped Marion understand FN students needs, because they did not feel welcomed nor was school relevant for them. These seedling stay-in-school projects led to better things. Now Mission Secondary has FNs teachers, FNs curriculum, and even Restorative Justice.

Shirley: the Leader. She supported several societies and community groups through direct participation or through fundraising. She was president of the Ama Liisaos Heritage Trust Society, an organization dedicated to the preservation and conservation of the Church of the Holy Cross in Skatin. This church was built during the turn of the late 19th and early 20th century, when natives all around BC were building their own churches. This church was built in the gothic style but done in cedar. Since 1981 was designated a national historic monument. Due to several floods and damage over time it requires conservation. MARK Hume of the Toronto Globe and Mail brought our story to North America on July 2, 2006.  Within six weeks his story and picture of Shirley and her pride in her ancestors helped raise over $20,000 - in total, over $135,000 has been raised through private donations. A documentary film, by PTV Productions, featuring Shirley will be aired on History TV in the fall.

Shirley: the Historian. Shirley was raised in the time of transition, when native children had two parents. She was a blessing that arrived a month early and to her mother's regret she left too early. She was raised where her parents' language, Ucwalmicwts, not English was the main language spoken in the home. She also attended St. Mary's Mission Residential School for eleven years then Pemberton High School for grade twelve.

Shirley was a valuable resource to her sisters Geraldine and Yvonne. Both have worked on the Peters and Williams family tree since the early 1970s. Due to her mother's stroke, mom could only provide Ucwalmicwts names to individuals in the family tree and Shirley since she met them was able to provide their English names.

Shirley was definitely her father's daughter. Outspoken, forthright, she could in a few words get to heart of the problem. She was honoured when the fish and game warden, said, "You must be Henry Peters' daughter." Shirley also took after her mother. Like her mother, she didn't write lines on the ground, didn't matter if you belonged somewhere else, she helped you, aided you, provided direction. The arbitrary separation of band lands, etc., did not make sense to her, when in the olden days she remembered her parents and grandparents having more than one place in what are now separate band reserve lands.

Shirley's had two favourite expressions, was "Wah Ash" which literally translates to "doesn't matter". By just that expression she capsulated a problem to nothing. Yes, she acknowledges you have been hurt in the incident, and by letting it affect you further won't help you. So move on. Dust off your hands, and use the situation as a learning experience.  Her second favourite expression, “What is family for” or “What are sisters for” to help you when your down, in crisis, and to share your joy. 

Shirley will always be remembered and treasured by all, as “My Friend”.  She fulfilled the title to it fullest, to her family, to the people she was close too, and to the many people she knew through her band and volunteer projects.

In the end, the best legacy anyone can hope for, is that they had made a difference by just being there. Shirley did, she made a difference for her family, the Lil'Wat community she married into, and the three communities she was raised in, Samahquam, Skatin and Douglas.