Rosanne Casimir facts for kids

Rosanne Casimir OBC is the Kúkpi7 (pronounced 'kook-pee-uh') of the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Nation. The Kúkpi7 is the elected leader, or Chief, of the community. Rosanne Casimir is the third woman to hold this important position. During her time as Kúkpi7, special ground-penetrating radar was used at the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. This radar found areas of disturbed ground, which some people believe might be unmarked graves of children. However, no digging has been done yet to confirm this.

Rosanne Casimir's Journey as a Leader

Becoming Kúkpi7

Rosanne Casimir first ran for the Kúkpi7 position in 2018. She took over from Fred Seymour, who decided not to run again. Before becoming Kúkpi7, she served as a councillor for the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc for nine years. As a councillor, she helped manage important areas like land, taxes, and housing for her community. One of her family members, Louis Clexlixqen, was also a Tk’emlúps chief many years ago.

Speaking for Her Community

During her time as Kúkpi7, a significant discovery was made at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School site. In May 2021, ground-penetrating radar found signs of disturbed soil. This led to the idea that the remains of 215 children, some as young as three years old, might be buried there. Rosanne Casimir shared this news with the world. She stated, "We are not here for retaliation. We are here for truth telling." This meant her community wanted to find out the truth about what happened.

In October 2021, the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, apologized to Indigenous leaders, including Kúkpi7 Casimir. This apology came after he did not attend Canada's first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. He had been invited twice by the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Nation. Kúkpi7 Casimir said his absence felt like a "gut punch" to her community.

Re-election as Chief

In November 2021, Rosanne Casimir was re-elected for another three-year term as Kúkpi7. She received 245 votes out of 475 total votes cast. This showed that her community continued to support her leadership.

Awards and Recognition

In 2022, Rosanne Casimir was recognized for her important work. Castanet News chose her as their Person of the Year for 2021. She was also made a Member of the Order of British Columbia, which is a high honor in the province. She also serves on the board of directors for the British Columbia Assembly of First Nations.

Personal Life

Rosanne Casimir is married and has two children, along with one step-child.