The Aboriginal Newspaper of British
Columbia & Yukon
Top News - February -2002
Published February 18, 2002
 |
|||
|
Irene Benallie bundles up during a trip to the upper reaches of the Columbia River's headwaters at a remote lake called Blue Lake. She was providing a workshop on drying buffalo meat to Grade 12 students from Mount Baker Secondary School located in Ktunaxa territory. Photo: Troy Hunter |
Conference focuses on urban settings
Replicas of historic totem poles to be raisedThis is only a partial listing of the stories featured in the February 2002 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.
Hunting privileges revoked
Troy Hunter, Raven's Eye Writer, CranbrookOn Feb. 3, the St. Mary's Band council met with a large gathering of their members to discuss the recent posting that all hunting privileges on the reserve had been revoked, effective immediately.
The council's decision was in response to allegations of over-hunting and abuse of rights. Although the council could not legally revoke the hunting rights, they certainly stirred up an hornet's nest.
Everyone who attended the meeting had his or her chance to speak about the decision. Some were in favor of closing hunting on the reserve, while others vehemently opposed it.
"Many of you did mention that we shouldn't fight each other and that we do have an agreement that we won't hunt in each others backyards," said Chief Sophie Pierre.
Several years ago at a band meeting, the members voted in favor of permanently closing the lower St. Mary Valley to hunting because it is where everyone's homes are. The effect of that has been that the elk, deer, moose, bobcats, etc. are protected in a permanent sanctuary.
"I watch the elk 20 feet from my house, but I respect the "law" that there is no shooting on the flats even though I go up on top to hunt and I don't see a thing," said band member James McCoy. "Meanwhile, right outside my door are fifty elk."
The St. Mary's Indian Reserve is one of the largest reserves in British Columbia. It is also home to a migrant herd of elk in the winter months.
Some of the accusations made were that some people were slaughtering the elk. One of the ladies present commented, "slaughter is what happened to the buffalo. The majority of people use the food and hides and we have to protect that."
It was made clear that many of the band members consume the elk meat as their main dietary staple. The suggestion was made to the council that if they were going to stop them from hunting that the council would have to purchase meat for them.
"All of us band members were raised to hunt, trap, pick berries and roots," said Maureen Alexander. "We should be working with each other not against one-another, because that's our source of food, clothing and moccasins."
A committee was established and their mandate is to draft a band by-law to regulate the human impact on the wildlife.
"If you are going to revoke the hunting rights here, it's also going to happen on the other four Bands of the Ktunaxa Nation," said William Warbrick of the Shuswap Band. The Ktunaxa are in the BC Treaty Process and such a by-law could be considered an act of self-government and conceivably be transferred to cover the entire Ktunaxa Traditional Territory from Revelstoke southward to Sparwood northward and all places in between.
The by-law will be a document based upon Ktunaxa traditional knowledge regarding wildlife management.
Conference focuses on urban settings
Lonnie McRee, Raven's Eye Writer, Vancouver
The second annual Aboriginal Governance In Urban Settings conference will be held March 7 to 9 in Vancouver.
As many as 350 people are expected to attend the three-day conference that will spotlight the success of Aboriginal organizations and groups in regards to Aboriginal governance in urban settings.
Over the first two days of workshops and meetings, participants will discuss issues pertinent to Aboriginal urban governance, including urban reserves and business development, housing, family and children, health, justice, employment and training and education. In addition, the three days will each have a certain issue for discussion.
On the first day visioning will be discussed, on the second day current issues dealing directly with Aboriginal governance in urban settings will be debated and on the third day future and action planning will be looked at. Keynote speaker for the conference will be Phil Fontaine, the former national chief of the Assembly of First Nations.
The conference is co-sponsored by the United Native Nations Society, a provincial non-profit organization incorporated in 1969 in the province to ensure just resolutions of land claims and Aboriginal rights and to act as a lobbying force for Aboriginal peoples with all levels of government, the Institute On Governance (IOG), a non-profit organization with charitable status founded in 1990 to promote effective governance, and the Aboriginal Council of Winnipeg, established in 1990 to represent the interests of the urban community.
During the workshops, guest speakers will be on hand to give advice and offer up discussion with those in attendance. Included among the guest speakers will be Ovide Mercredi, author and former national chief of the Assembly of First Nations; Eric Robinson, minister of Aboriginal and Northern Affairs in Manitoba; Wayne Helgason, president of the National Association of Friendship Centres; Lucie McClung, commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada; Mary Richard, president of the Aboriginal Council of Winnipeg, and Stephen Owen, Secretary of State for Indian Affairs, whose recent comments regarding Aboriginal youth in Canada made headlines.
The first Aboriginal Governance In Urban Settings conference occurred in 1998 in Winnipeg.
Replicas of historic totem poles to be raisedLonnie McRee, Raven's Eye Writer, Courtney
A totem pole raising ceremony will be held in Vancouver Island's Courtenay on April 27.
The poles are replicas of two long-standing totem poles that are more than 50 years old and symbols of the Comox First Nations. The original totem poles were called the Lewis Park Poles because of the park in which they once stood. The original poles are being replaced because their appearance has declined.
Randy Wiwchar, director of community services for the city of Courtenay, said the poor state of the original poles became a concern to the community, so the city decided to look into having the poles replaced with replicas. According to Wiwchar, the town wanted to replace the original poles to maintain their close relationship with the Comox Band and to continue to to show the history of the Comox First Nations.
Planning towards replacing the original poles began a year-and-a-half ago. Island carver Calvin Hunt was commissioned by the city to make the replicas.
Hunt, who owns and operates a carving studio and workshop in Port Hardy, has more than 30 years of carving experience. He said it was important to raise the replica totem poles to keep the history of the Comox First Nations alive in the city. He added that the original poles should be saved and a new home should be found for them.
Hunt expects a large turnout for the ceremony, noting that in 1994 he carved a ceremonial canoe for the Comox Band and the city of Courtenay and there were more than 2,000 people there for the blessing and the giving-of-the-name ceremony.
Dr. Phil Nuytten is the sponsor of the event. Dr. Nuytten, who loves to carve as a pastime, is founder and president of Nuytco Research Ltd., a worldwide leader in the operation and development of underwater technology. His contributions have allowed the city of Courtenay to keep the totem poles at Lewis Park and to maintain the culture and history that the totem poles represent on display. Currently, the city of Courtenay is undecided as to where the original totem poles are to be placed: either in the Alert Bay museum or the city of Courtenay museum.
Top