IndigiNews is an online, independent, “Indigenous-run newsroom” that focuses on Indigenous communities “in the Okanagan Valley, Vancouver Island, and the surrounding areas.” The outlet shares on their website that they are “committed to decolonizing journalism and strengthening Indigenous media ecosystems.”
On August 31, IndigiNews shared they lost regular funding for Aaron Hemens, who covers their syilx Okanagan beat. A beat reporter is someone who has deep knowledge on a topic and/or geographical region. In the article, Eden Fineday, publisher of IndigiNews and CEO of its parent charity, tâpwêwin media, advocated to raise $35,000 to help fund Hemens’ reporting for another year.
The Peak reached out to Fineday to learn more about IndigiNews and Hemens’ impact. Fineday shared that Hemens’ work had previously been funded by News Media Canada’s Local Journalism Initiative; however, this year, the initiative had made changes to some of their grants. Fineday applied to renew Hemens’ beat through a new stream, and the application was denied. Since 2022, Hemens has covered 167 stories in syilx Okanagan Nation. The Peak also spoke to Hemens, who shared that the syilx beat was “one of the flagship beats of IndigiNews since [the publication] started in 2020.”
Fineday highlighted the importance of quality Indigenous journalism. She shared that when she came to IndigiNews in 2021, one of the then three staff writers covering news in the Okanagan, Kelsie Kilawna educated her on what journalism meant to her community. Fineday recalled that Kilawna saw Indigenous-focused reporting as “an act of suicide prevention,” as the way Indigenous Peoples were represented in the media was “so bad for our young people. It would make them feel bad about themselves.” Fineday highlighted that other local news outlets in the Okanagan tended to “publish short stories” about Indigenous communities. These stories didn’t express “a lot of in-depth understandings of communities or issues. And so the community, from my understanding, basically did not feel represented at all,” she continued.
“When Aaron came on, he had some big shoes to fill. He’s not Indigenous, but I think he’s such a wonderful, sensitive human,” Fineday explained. “As a man of colour, [he knows] what it’s like to be in Canada and not be white. You are othered.” She said, “He’s brought that lens to this coverage, and he does his best to be respectful. I mean he’s also a classically trained journalist, so he’s got all the chops.” Fineday highlighted that his coverage includes “cultural awareness” and the importance of “being accountable to the community.”
Hemens explained that the media landscape before IndigiNews’ coverage “was pretty subpar, pretty racist, and that still persists today.” He elaborated that local media outlets as a whole have the tendency of “exploiting people’s trauma and not really respecting cultural sensitivities and protocols,” and neglect to honour the community and their values.
He emphasized that the communities he has gotten to know have “rich knowledge, not just about how to treat each other better, but how to treat the land better too.” He highlighted that the semi-arid desert landscape of the Okanagan makes it “prone to wildfires and droughts and even flooding, and there’s a lot we can learn from the syilx people here.”
When asked about impactful stories he had written, Hemens recalled that he attended the Okanagan Nation Alliance’s annual general assembly to cover an honouring ceremony for community members. He noted that he tried “to capture the community’s essence,” took photos he was proud of, and as a result experienced community leaders reaching out to him in appreciation. He also noted a prayer event that was held in response to the many wildfires this summer. Those who had evacuated and lost their homes in Bald Range were placed in an inner circle along the beach of kɬúsx̌nítkʷ (Okanagan Lake), and the community sang and prayed for strength and healing for the people and land. His story focused on “the great intentions of the community” to help everybody, and the strength the community holds as a collective. He reflected that those types of stories he particularly enjoyed as “they seem pretty simple on the surface, but they have such a profound ripple across the community.”
Hemens said, “People have expressed concern and disappointment” around the loss of funding. He added, “It encourages me to keep doing this kind of work because it shows the community does care.”
He also emphasized the difference in approaching coverage for Indigenous communities. He shared how “journalism has played a huge role in colonialism” and expressed that it’s the job of a journalist to build true connections within the community. “You have to be really transparent and you have to go against the grain of what journalism has told you to do, when you’re reporting with Indigenous Peoples. You have to really be part of the community.” He shared that his storytelling success is built on the time he spent building connections before reporting.
“Being an accomplice, you’re working hand in hand with Indigenous people to decolonize and you’re not afraid to get your hands dirty, and stand on the front lines with them shoulder to shoulder.”
— Aaron Hemens, storyteller at IndigiNews, syilx Okanagan region
He explained that it’s important to strive to be more than “just an ally” but “an accomplice, because allyship can be very performative.” He continued, “Whereas being an accomplice, you’re working hand in hand with Indigenous people to decolonize and you’re not afraid to get your hands dirty, and stand on the front lines with them shoulder to shoulder.”
To support IndigiNews in their effort to fund Hemens’ coverage of syilx Okanagan, you can donate at indiginews.com/keep-aaron-covering-syilx-okanagan-communities
