"The Way I Heard It"

"The Way I Heard It" features native stores recalled and researched by Arnie Marchand. The stories of the Okanogan/Okanagan peoples and history of the area covers territory in North Central Washington State and British Columbia. Traveling with the stories, one journeys from Wenatchee, in Washington State to Enderby in lower central British Columbia. The adventures range through time, places and events both native and European in Indian Country. The stories included in this book are all part of the history of the area. The seven bands of the Okanagan Indians of British Columbia include the Okanagan Indian Band, Upper Nicola Indian Band, Westbank Indian Band, Penticton Indian Band, Osoyoos Indian Band, Upper Similkameen Indian Band and the Lower Similkameen Indian band; the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation consists of 10 original bands which all spoke Nsyilxcn the Okanogan language. The Palus and the Nez Perce bands were added to Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. Arnie Marchand is a native Okanogan with family on both sides of the international border. He is a a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. Marchands Indian name is ML KNOOPS, which means eagle. "The Way I Heard It" is an interesting, educational and colorful historical read that will appeal to readers of all ages.
About the Author: Born in the country of his ancestors, Arnie Marchand tells stories about the area from Wenatchee, WA to Vernon, B.C. His father was born in Vernon and his mother in Penticton and his relatives live in every town of this region. From a young age he remembers the stories of his people being told by his mother. Marchand worked in the orchards as a young person as the opportunities for employment for Indians was limited. In 1964 he began a military stint which included the Far East.. Returning to the valley he worked in construction before working in civil rights with the National Forest Service. It wasn't long before Marchand was approached by a member of the Colville Confederated Tribes who said, "I have heard about your work in civil rights with the National Forest Service and would like you to come and help the tribes with Indian rights, employment, that kind of thing. I can promise you that you could get fired anytime from the day I hire you, to the day you leave, that you'll probably get no vacation pay, no raise in pay and probably no future because we're just starting out." He was elected to chair the National Tribal employment Rights board organization in the early 1980's. Despite the odds Marchand worked with the Colville Confederated Tribes from 1977 to 2005. Marchand currently serves on EDD, Economic Alliance Board, is President of VIA 97 International Alliance, is a member of Wenatchee Valley College Omak Foundation Board, a member of the Colville Confederated Tribes and serves as the cultural and networking coordinator for the Okanogan Borderlands Historical Society. He also has served on the board of the Oroville Chamber of Commerce, and the local American Legion Post.