The booklet, ?akxamis qapi qapsin – All Living Things, came off the press on February 15, 1999. As the reader will notice, the book contains Ktunaxa names for all the plants, full colour photographs along with some of the many traditional uses of the plants. ?akxamis qapi qapsin – All Living Things was primarily designed as a teaching tool, it was sent out to all Ktunaxa/Kinbasket households. free of charge. During the first printing 1500 copies were produced, the extra copies have been sold by Treaty Council retail and wholesale, as most copies are now sold, a second printing is coming soon.  The preparation of this book provided many new challenges, thus new skills were learned which will facilitate the publishing of a far more exhaustive text with all the ethnobotanical information collected.  During the next year work will begin on a more exhaustive ethnobotanical text which will be the culmination of the project.

The plant collection was succesful during the field season of 1999, with over 50 new species added to the herbarium. There is a need for more collecting in the West Kootenay and south of the border, as many of the plants that grow there are not found in the East Kootenay, yet are important to the Ktunaxa. The plant collection is a valuable tool when the project staff are working with Elders; in combination with photographs it comes close to being as valuable as fresh plant specimens for the purpose of identifying plants.

The oral history research is continuing to proceed well, all interviews in 1999 yielded at least one new ethnobotanical morsel to our knowledge. Other than working with a large group of Elders the most productive interviews are in the field. For example in June/July 1998 we worked with Elders Wilfred and Agatha Jacobs on procuring and making a Ktunaxa Sturgeon nosed canoe, this involved two days collecting materials in the field, providing a great opportunity for discussing plant uses. Once the materials were collected Wilfred, Agatha and helpers assembled the traditional canoe at the 1998 Ktunaxa Kinbasket Tribal Council Annual General Meeting for all to see. This was the first sturgeon nosed canoe that many of the younger people had ever seen.

For the last two years running the Ktunaxa Kinbasket Treaty Council has put on a Traditional Territory Trek during the month of August.  The first Trek took the “Trekers” over Earl Grey pass and into the Wigwam Valley.  Last August the Trek was a Tipi Camp on the shores of Kinbasket Reservoir with hikes and fishing in the surrounding area and traditional crafts.  During these Treks the Ethnobotany staff Michael Keefer and Pete McCoy acted as interpreters of the wilderness, teaching the fellow trekers about all the plants that they came across.  The year 2000 Treks planning is in its infancy, but it is anticipated that it will be exciting and informative to the citizens