ITEN

The Le7 te Melámen Society has operated through host agencies to deliver community-driven, Nation-based health and wellness initiatives for the Sewepeme Nation. As the organization continues to grow, it became a Nation priority by Sewepeme Health Caucus membership of leaders and health directors to transition the Sewepem Health
Caucus (SHC) to its own entity and become a Health Society.

The Le7 te Melámen Society translates to “Good Medicine Society”. “Melámen” was brought forward by Robert Simon, a member of Sketchestn Indian Band. The name was shared with Sewépemctsin knowledge keepers and elders to be translated for the new Secwepeme Nation Health Society. The name signifies how Seceperc medicine people would meet with their
neighbouring Interior Nations to share knowledge, further spiritual skills, and share medicine.

Le7 te Melámen Society was carefully selected by the Sewepeme Health Directors,
Secwepemc Chiefs, and Board of Directors. The new society logo was created by Greg Barker from St’uxwéws (Bonaparte First Nation) With the feathers and coyote paw prints representing reaching people, travel for health, meeting with the neighboring Interior Nations to share knowledge, spiritual skills, and sharing medicine. The 17 circles with arrows represent the individual bands in the Secwepemc Nation and the half circle encompassing them represents the bands being a part of something as a whole, all Our Relations Healing and Healthy Together.

The Le7 te Melámen Society is comprised of 16 Kupkúkwpi7 and 18 Health Directors/Health Leads from Sewepemculecw and has 6 Board members. The 6 Board members are two
representatives of each Secwepeme Sub-regions. The Secepeme Territory covers approximately 180,000 sq/km from north of Williams Lake to south of Enderby and East to the Alberta border. The Nation has 17 communities of a population of approximately 15,000 and the SHC established “Sub-regions” of Northern, Central
and Lakes communities.