The 11th annual Hiimoks Celebration is happening in the Village of Gitsegukla later this month and groups from BC and Alberta are attending.
Hiimoks is a Gitxsan word that means “sharing of foods or gathering of foods,” according to Darrell Milton, vice chair of the Gitsegukla Gidahmes Dance group and one of the organizers of the event.
It’s a celebration that was started 11-12 years ago by the late Millicent Hyzims who passed away and was celebrated at last year’s event. Hiimoks started by Hyzims inviting people into her home and sharing of soup. It grew from there when she wanted to invite other groups to share food after the harvest season had finished.
This year, they have groups from as far away as Edmonton coming to share in the event as well as other local and surrounding villages and communities. Miltion says that the organizers have planned on providing breakfast lunch and dinner but there will also be food vendors as well as other vendors selling other items. Traditional singing drumming and dancing will take the remaining time of the two-day event that runs Nov. 25-26.
