The Aboriginal Newspaper of British Columbia & Yukon Published June 10, 2000 Dancer Dennis Nyce wears a transformation mask at the May 12 celebration held in Gitwinksihlkw (formerly Canyon City) in the Nass Valley commemorating the Nisga'a Final Agreement . See story and photos. Photo Credit: Jennifer Lang B.C. nations unite by Troy Hunter They will dance again by David Wiwchar Goodbye, Indian Act by Jennifer Lang Register now for gathering by Cheryl Petten Protest greets Prime Minister at Clayoquot celebration by Denise Ambrose This is only a partial listing of the stories featured in the June, 2000 issue of Raven's Eye. If you are not receiving your own copy of Raven's Eye, then you have missed out on a lot. Click here for Raven's Eye subscription information. B.C. nations unite By Troy Hunter Raven's Eye Writer VICTORIA May 25 was an historic day for First Nations in British Columbia when three provincial Aboriginal political groups came together in unity. The Carrier-Sekani Tribal Council organized a rally that included a march to the steps of the legislative buildings in the capital city. The Union of BC Indian Chiefs, the First Nations Summit and the Alliance of Interior Chiefs were represented with much support from its members, including Elders. Hundreds of First Nations people from across the province traveled to relay their concerns about treaty and land claim negotiations to the government. "Some of the people here who came the furthest distance are from Takla," said Chief Rob Charlie of Burns Lake Band. "The Takla Band is way up in the North and is really remote; it's a four- or five-hour drive up a logging road just to get to the nearest town." The marchers walked past Victoria's inner harbor, which boasts a statue of European explorer Captain Cook, the first to the Island. They marched through the main intersection by the Royal British Columbia Museum, singing and drumming as they went. They marched past the large statue of Queen Victoria as they streamed onto the legislature grounds. Chief Robert Sam of the Songhees (Lekwammen Nation) welcomed chiefs, Elders and supporter of the rally onto the territory of their people. "You are welcome here; you are welcome to our land," he said. "This land, we did not forfeit to anyone. A treaty was signed for 147 Hudson's Bay blankets for borrowing this land. The blankets that were shared with the Lekwammen Nation have long since disintegrated. We have never sold our land." Chief Mavis Erickson of the Carrier-Sekani said unity of all First Nations political groups was necessary to respond to the government extinquishment policy in treaty talks. "We are here today to ask the government to stop the extinguishment policy that they are practicing on our people, since the inception of Canada and since the inception of British Columbia. We have always worked in our country to co-operate and be part of this country that we call our own. This is our country and we don't have a say in what is going to happen to it in the 21st century. We are tired of the assimilation and removal policies that have gone on quietly in Canada," Erickson said. Hereditary Grand Chief Edward John is a Tl'azt'en Band member and an executive member of the First Nations Summit, which is made of bands involved in the BC treaty process. John said the rally would send a clear message to the people of British Columbia that everything is not going well in negotiations. "We want to see results," said John. "We don't need any promises. We don't need more protocols. We want to see action in our territories and we want to see results in our communities. That is what the message is here today." John said the rally wasn't a way to complain to governments, but to express the vision First Nations people have for the province. "We ask the people of British Columbia and Canada to hear us, to listen to us, not to simply trot us out when the tourists are around to sing and dance for them. We have genuine and real deep connections to our history, our lands, our ways of life and we are proud of those. We share those in a respectful way, but don't exploit us," John said. The chief also called out to the business community for help, saying it was "too damn silent." Union of BC Indian Chiefs President Stewart Phillip said his group rejects the comprehensive claims policy of the federal government. "Clearly it's designed to extinguish our Aboriginal title and rights," he said. "It's the federal government's final solution to forcefully assimilate us into mainstream Canadian society. We reject that notion. We have a right to be who we are meant to be and we shall continue on with this struggle as long as it takes because we have an obligation, we have a duty to protect the birthright of our children and grandchildren and those unborn," Phillip said. Former British Columbia premier, Glen Clark, said he was impressed with the rally. "This is a big step in coming forward to send the government a message and that message is heard loud and clear." They will dance again By David Wiwchar Raven's Eye Writer ALERT BAY On Aug. 29, 1997, Gukwdzi, the 'Namgis bighouse in Alert Bay, was burned to the ground by the estranged common-law husband of a 'Namgis woman. Although the arsonist had only recently arrived on Cormorant Island from his home in El Salvador, he knew exactly how to strike at the heart of a community he felt had spurned him. On June 5, 1998, Justice Allan Thackray sentenced the man to three years less the 18 months he had already served. The sentence was scorned by Northern Vancouver Island First Nations people; it was the term prescribed for burning a car or a shed, not the core of a nation. Film-maker Barb Cranmer premiered I'TUSTO - To Rise Again at the new bighouse in Alert Bay. Built in 1965 after the repeal of the 1920 federal anti-potlatch laws, Gukwdzi was built with one old farm tractor and the hearts, memories, and muscles of the entire 'Namgis community. It was the cultural and spiritual centre - the soul of the 'Namgis and Kwakwaka'wakw people. After its original opening, magnificent Kwakwaka'wakw masks that had been hidden in attics for a generation and coppers that had kept out of the hands of Indian agents by being nailed to the undersides of kitchen tables all came back out for what many now identify as a cultural reawakening after a century of a European-imposed dark age. Over the next 22 years, Gukwdzi would host hundreds of important ceremonies. Names were given there, Elders remembered, and an entire culture was reborn as the blanket of oppression was slowly lifted. Then, disaster. "Roaring flames consumed the two-headed serpents, sisiutls, that formed crossbeams, licked around the rafters carved to represent kelp, and charred the hand-carved houseposts of eagles and grizzly bears," reported Stephen Hume in the Vancouver Sun. "Inside the inferno, the last dance on the floor where great chiefs and families performed was reserved for swirling dervishes of heat and smoke." "In all my 96 years I never experienced anything so horrible," said 'Namgis Elder Lily Speck. "I watched it from my kitchen window and I just stood there and wept." The entire community of Alert Bay, and indeed all 14 Kwakwaka'wakw nations, were devastated by the fire described by many as "the loss of a member of the family." But even before the embers of the lost bighouse had cooled, plans were already underway for the reconstruction as fundraising began in Alert Bay, and soon spread to neighboring towns of Port McNeill and Sointula and across Vancouver Island. More than $1.4 million was raised for the reconstruction project, and more than 200 contractors, foresters and volunteers came together to rebuild I'TUSTO on the same ground where Gukwdzi once stood. A construction firm was hired to make ensure I'TUSTO was equipped with the latest kitchen, bathroom, fire protection and security features. Loggers from Canfor volunteered their time to scour Northern Vancouver Island for the precise trees needed by master-carver Doug Cranmer for the elaborately carved support poles, crossbeams and roof supports. Every piece of Douglas Fir and Western Red Cedar was lovingly milled, planed, and fit into place by both Native and non-Native volunteers and workers. Measuring 27 metres (88.6 feet) wide by 36 metres (118.1 feet) long, the new 'Namgis bighouse is one of the largest and most ornate structures of its type on the entire West Coast. Less than two years after their cultural centre was burned to the ground, the 'Namgis people hosted one of the largest gatherings ever seen in the tiny fishing community of Alert Bay. More than 3,000 people were welcomed to the shores of Cormorant Island on May 28, 1999 for the official opening of I'TUSTO, which means "to rise again." Now, a year later, film-maker Barb Cranmer has released her video-account of the rebuilding of a community with her film I'TUSTO -To Rise Again, which premiered at its namesake bighouse before being shown at film festivals and on television networks across Canada. "So many of our Elders who have passed on, we have a picture in our minds of those people as they were in the bighouse," said 'Namgis Chief Bill Cranmer. "The man who burned our bighouse down was trying to destroy that picture. With the rebuilding of our bighouse, we've shown the world that we have a strength and culture that can never be destroyed." Goodbye, Indian Act By Jennifer Lang Raven's Eye Writer GITWINKSIHLKW Thundering applause momentarily drowned out Nisga'a President Joe Gosnell as he told hundreds of celebrants gathered in Gitwinksihlkw that their hard-won final agreement had taken effect, ending more than a century under the Indian Act. "We are no longer wards of the state. We are no longer wards of the government," Gosnell said, pausing to be heard over the crowd's approval. "We are no longer beggars in our own land. We are free to make our own mistakes, savor our own victories, and stand on our own feet." Gosnell said the Nisga'a Final Agreement restores powers of self government to the Nisga'a, who have sought a formal agreement for 113 years. "I want to say to you, welcome to the Canadian family," federal Indian Affairs Minister Robert Nault said at the May 12 ceremony, where Nisga'a citizens, dignitaries, and well-wishers gathered to mark the historic occasion. "Today we celebrate the coming into effect of B.C.'s first modern-day treaty, and hopefully many more to come." British Columbia's Premier Ujjal Dosanjh welcomed the Nisga'a as equals into the province. "Let me say this loudly, for all British Columbians to hear: This treaty is about justice," Dosanjh said. "The suffocating weight and shackles of the Indian Act are gone, and gone forever." In its place is the Nisga'a Lisims Government, a democratically-elected body that will have legislative and administrative powers allowing the Nisga'a to govern themselves and the land included in the final agreement, which came into effect just after 12 a.m. May 11. A provisional government was sworn in and introduced 18 pieces of legislation covering fish and wildlife management, financial administration, justice, and policing. Elections for northwestern British Columbia's newest government, which will have representation from all four Nass Valley communities and the Nisga'a nation locals in Terrace, Prince Rupert and Vancouver, will be held within six months. One of the first orders of business will be to pass a budget. The treaty gives the 5,500 Nisga'a ownership of 1,992 square kilometres of former reserve and Crown land in the Nass Valley and $200 million in cash. The Nisga'a will phase in some of the treaty provisions, like the introduction of sales and income taxes, over a number of years. Construction crews are busy completing the new legislature building, located in New Aiyansh, in anticipation of being open for business this July. Designed to resemble a longhouse, the curving, two-storey, 23,000 square foot building will be home to the new government, administration, and programs and services. "We wanted to emphasize tradition and incorporate ideas of an open and accountable government," said Edward Allen, chief executive officer of the Nisga'a Lisims Government. The treaty, federally ratified and given Royal Assent in Ottawa April 13, continues to stir up controversy among observers, including British Columbia's opposition Liberal Party, which mounted a court challenge May 15 on the constitutionality of the treaty. As well, the neighboring Gitanyow people say the treaty encroaches on their own land claim. Register now for gathering By Cheryl Petten Raven's Eye Writer CAMPBELL RIVER Everyone attending this year's BC Elders Gathering is sure to enjoy the four full days of entertainment and education planned, and they'll get in a healthy dose of sharing with friends old and new. The 24th annual gathering will be held in Campbell River in the Strathcona Gardens Arena from July 10 to 13 and is being hosted by the Campbell River and District Golden Age Elders Society and the Campbell River, Cape Mudge, Comox, and Homalco First Nations. Candy-Lea Chickite is fundraising co-ordinator for BC Elders Gathering 2000. She said activities will include workshops on traditional Native healing, genealogy and family history, cross-cultural awareness, personal banking, wills and estate planning, breast cancer awareness, keys to developing a successful Native organization, diabetes and the role Native youth can play as government employees. A number of information booths will also be set up during the gathering, including an eyeglass clinic, a hearing aid clinic, a booth on dental hygiene, and one on medical equipment and supplies. A local beauty parlor will also have a presence, offering mini-makeovers to those in attendance. On the entertainment front, Chickite said youth dance groups are scheduled to perform, and a number of cultural displays will be held at the bighouse. One night of the gathering will be set aside for playing the game Lahal, while another will feature a fashion show with clothing designed and sewn by local crafts people. Special guest speakers will include Judge Alfred Scow, the first Native person called to the bar in British Columbia, and Native artist Roy Henry Vickers, founder of Vision Quest, a non-profit organization dedicated to the development of a national recovery centre. Comedian Don Burnstick will attend as a performer and workshop presenter. Representatives from the Canadian Diabetes Association will also be on hand. Day trips to museums in Campbell River and at Cape Mudge village are planned, and also possibly to Rebecca Spit, a campsite owned by Cape Mudge village. A fishing derby may also be held. "On July 12. . . we're transforming a local field on the reserve into . . . I think that they're calling it family day, and it's open to everybody in the community of Campbell River, and anybody driving by, for that matter, and all the people from the gathering," Chickite said. "There will be craft booths, a stage for anybody to get up and entertain. There'll be Native face painting - instead of just having like clown faces, there will be Native scenes. There will be bannock and different concessions. It's just going to be a really neat day that everybody can mingle together." Right now, Chickite said organizers are busily planning the food that will be served to gathering participants. "Our food service co-ordinator is hard at work making up a menu to try to please everybody's diets. We know that we're faced with a lot of Native people with diabetes. Especially in our area, it's quite prevalent, so she's got a little bit of a challenge in front of her. But if it's anything like the last presentation she did - we had a huge fundraiser here on May 12, and it was an art auction gala event, and it was excellent - she did the meal for that and it was out of this world." Chickite said organizers are expecting a good turn-out for this year's gathering. "The registration is coming in every single day. We are still saying that we'll be having 3,000 people. That's what we're estimating, and at this point we're sticking with it," she said. There is no registration fee for the event, with all activities and meals free of charge for registered participants. Organizers had hoped most participants would have registered by June 7, but registrations will still be accepted after that date. The biggest challenge for anyone wanting to attend the gathering will likely be finding accommodation. "Rooms are basically all sold out in Campbell River, and that's why we know that a lot of people are coming that haven't registered. We've got people already booking in Courtenay, which is 30 miles away, and any place in between basically. So it's getting a little more challenging to try and put people in places, especially larger groups," Chickite said. "We've asked for billeting, and we haven't had a great response . . . and the Native community isn't actually responding because they've already committed themselves to taking in their own relatives. So we're kind of at a bit of an impasse there, but we're sure that if it got really out of hand. . . I'm sure that we'll be able to get some help from outside." As the gathering draws nearer, the excitement and enthusiasm among organizers is growing. "I can hardly wait," Chickite said. "I've seen some of the registrations come in. There's a fellow from Fort St. James coming, I believe. I think he's 92 years old. I mean somebody, to me, if they want to make the journey this far, and they're 92 years old, they better have something good to come to, and that's what they're going to come to. . . It's all for the Elders, and we are so excited." For more information about BC Elders Gathering 2000, call 250-287-9726. Protest greets Prime Minister at Clayoquot celebration By Denise Ambrose Raven's Eye Writer ESOWISTA On a chilly, grey morning more than 100 Tla-o-qui-aht members and their supporters gathered at the entrance of Esowista reserve lands to begin their march of protest over the transfer of the Tofino Airport lands to the city's municipal district. Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation leaders chose May 5 for the protest because that was the day Prime Minister Jean Chretien arrived in Tofino to join in the UNESCO designation celebrations of the Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Reserve, an area of 350,000 hectares set aside for the study of sustainable development, protection and research of human and environmental interaction. Days earlier Tla-o-qui-aht served notice it was withdrawing its support of the biosphere designation because of the way the Tofino Airport land transfer was handled. Tla-o-qui-aht had expressed interest in the airport lands early in their land selection negotiations with the federal government, land the Tla-o-qui-aht say was loaned to the federal government more than 50 years ago for the war effort. "With the interest of all Canadians at heart, Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations lent ancestral lands to the Canadian government for war purposes. It was agreed the lands would be returned to us after the war 59 years later we are still asking for those lands back,' reads an information flyer distributed at the protest. Rather than return the land to the Tla-o-qui-aht, Transport Canada chose to sign the lands over to the regional district of Tofino/Ucluelet, despite ongoing treaty negotiations with the Tla-o-qui-aht people. Tla-o-qui-aht has two reserves: Esowista, located on Long Beach, and Opitsaht on Meares Island. According to chief councillor Moses Martin, both reserves are filled to capacity and there are in excess of 100 families waiting for homes. Further, Esowista is hemmed in by Pacific Rim National Park and by new development in Tofino. Leaders say they have no assurances from the other governments that more of their traditional territories will not be in danger by biosphere designation. It is because of this uncertainty that Tla-o-qui-aht withdrew its support and its traditional territories from the UNESCO Clayoquot Sound Biosphere designation. Hesquiaht chief negotiator, Richard Lucas, announced his nation will also withdraw its support and traditional territories from the biosphere designation. At 8 a.m., protesters marched down one lane of the highway carrying their placards and singing traditional songs. The march ended at the entrance to the Tofino Airport where traffic was blocked in both directions until shortly after noon. Protesters moved to one side of the road shortly after 10:30 a.m. to allow the Prime Minister's motorcade through without incident. A short time later a small delegation of Ahousaht hereditary and elected leaders approached Tla-o-qui-aht leadership to request permission to pass through the blockade with their elementary school students. The students were scheduled to perform traditional songs and dances at the biosphere celebration. Ahousaht chief councillor, Anne Atleo, explained that while Ahousaht supports Tla-o-qui-aht in their position on land issues, it wished to remain a party to the biosphere designation and take part in the celebration. Permission was granted. It was at this point that the long lines of vehicles were allowed to slowly pass through the blockade. Information flyers were handed to each of the passing cars, explaining why there was a blockade and giving history about the Tofino Airport lands. On the cover of each flyer was a plea for support: "Please help us stop bad faith negotiations. Demand the Canadian federal government represent you with honor in land negotiations at treaty tables in British Columbia!" When asked what Tla-o-qui-aht intends to do next, Chief Moses Martin said "We'll do whatever we have to do in order to meet the needs of our people."