The Aboriginal Newspaper of British
Columbia & Yukon
Top News - July -2002
Published July 8, 2002
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Cheering on the Gilford Island Breakers, Tim Willie Jr. travelled to the 'Namgis First Nation for the final of the men's soccer tournament at the 'Namgis annual June Sports Festival. The Breakers lost 3-2 to the home village's Cormorants. Photo by Matt Ross |
Hupacasath hosts ballot-burning barbecue
Nuu-chah-nulth exhibit items return homeCelebrations focus on past and future
This is only a partial listing of the stories featured in the July 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.
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Nisga'a dissidents winRaven's Eye Staff
The B.C. Court of Appeal has backed allegations from dissident Nisga'a Natives that a third order of government is unconstitutional.
Led by ancestral Chief Mountain, also known as Sga'nisim Sim'augit or James Robinson, the Natives opposed to the historic Nisga'a land claims settlement feel that the agreement should be decided at trial because it violates Canada's primary law.
Re-opening the legal argument for the opposing Natives is lawyer John Weston. The argument was first heard when Liberal leader Gordon Campbell advanced the issue while still in the Opposition. It was defeated and then dropped when he became premier.
"The Liberals proceeded with at least one hand tied behind their back because they were not inclined to proceed for political and other reasons to a full trial," said Weston. "The [Nisga'a] action is a broader challenge, although the main principles are the same. Ultimately, what's really different about it is, firstly, instead of a non-Aboriginal partisan political leader bringing the action, you have an ancestral chief of the Nisga'a people supported by other Nisga'a people, bringing the action."
Court of Appeal Justice Ian Donald said in a written decision June 7 that the constitutionality of a third order of government created by the Nisga'a treaty is a triable issue that the dissidents have a right to pursue.
Weston said a full trial could start in 18 months.
Hupacasath hosts ballot-burning barbecue
David Wiwchar, Raven's Eye Writer, Ahaswinis
"The smoke smells good today," said Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council Northern Region Co-chair Archie Little, as the sweet smell of barbecued salmon mixed with the stench of hundreds of referendum ballots being burned in front of Hupacasath Hall last week.
"This is a symbol of how the people of B.C. feel about this referendum on treaty principles," said Hupacasath Tyee Ha'wilth Hugh Watts.
"It's a way for the minorities and downtrodden of this province to speak out against this tyrannical, uncaring government," he said.
Hupacasath Chief Judy Sayers has been collecting referendum ballots for the past two months from people who are against the referendum questions, the process, and the provincial Liberals' agenda against First Nations.
"We told (B.C. Premier Gordon) Campbell that we didn't want this referendum and we would fight him every step of the way, and we have," said Sayers.
"We fought them in the courts, at the United Nations, and through this protest process we were able to collect a total of 12,932 ballots," she said, adding that they had been tabulated by the accounting firm of Degruchy, Norton and Company.
"Now the question is 'where do we go from here,'" said Sayers. "If the government chooses to use their referendum to destroy the treaty process, then how can we protect what is ours in the face of a government that doesn't care?" she said, pointing to three seats left empty on the stage for Premier Gordon Campbell, minister in charge of treaty negotiations Geoff Plant, and Alberni MLA Gillian Trumper.
"Where's Gillian Trumper?" asked Hugh Watts. "She's our MLA representing all of the Alberni Valley, so where is she?"
"It's a sad day because we have to go through this," said former Alberni MLA Gerard Janssen who attended the June 10 event. "This is a question of basic human rights and both the federal and provincial governments are ignoring First Nations," he said.
Throughout the afternoon children from HahoPayuk School performed songs and dances, and the event was capped off with a salmon barbecue.
"This event is about letting go," said Archie Little as he watched a crowd of people, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, burn protest ballots. "Hopefully people understand now how offensive it is when governments try to make decisions for you. We need to move ahead with treaty negotiations so we can take care of ourselves."
According to a British Columbia government press release, they received more than 750,000 returned ballots of the 2.1 million that were mailed out (36 per cent), and expected to release the official count by July 3.
Spoiled ballot collection results
Raven's Eye StaffNumerous First Nation and non-Aboriginal community organizations joined together in the past few months in a common battle against the provincial referendum on treaty principles.
From First Nations to churches to grassroots political organizations, people all around the province voiced their objections to the B.C. Liberals' plebiscite by sending their ballots to various collection sites.
A total 28,809 ballots were sent to various parallel-process collection sites, and it is anticipated the number of spoiled ballots sent to Elections B.C. will be even greater. Elections B.C. will announce the referendum results before July 4.
This is the summary of Protest Referendum ballots collected by First Nations and other organizations:
Ballots sent to the First Nations Summit, Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, United Native Nations, Referendum Action Committee and various other organizations and individuals, and counted on behalf of the First Nations Summit by Deloitte and Touche came to 11,874.
Ballots counted by other organizations (according to letters received by the First Nations Summit): Hupacasath First Nation 12,934; United Church of Canada 3,137; Snuneymuxw First Nation 668; Namgis Nation 166; Adams Lake Band 30.
Grand total: 28,809.
Top
Celebrations focus on past and future
Matt Ross, Raven's Eye Writer, Nanaimo
Crouched around the open fire, the youth were excited watching the dough cook in Nanaimo's Maffeo Sutton Park.
The demonstration of baking bannock snakes was one of the presentations during the Harbour City's celebration of National Aboriginal Day on June 21 along the city's waterfront. Attending Honouring our Past, Celebrating our Future, more than 500 people were in the park at any time during the four-hour festivity. Thirty tables displayed food, cultural items and information relaying to First Nations as the area was abuzz with activity during an afternoon of brilliant sunshine.
Supplying the tasty roasted treats, complete with authentic Saskatoon berry jam from the prairies, was the Métis Society of the Mid-Island. Tucked towards the back of the park under the shade of a cedar tree that offered a campsite feel, there was a trapper's tent and caribou skin on exhibit.
One of the four assistants providing interpretations of the display was Nick Boudreau, who was busy rolling the dough onto tree branches, thus making the final product snake-like in appearance. He noted it was Europeans who imported the idea of turning wheat into flour in the northern First Nations' territories.
"The key is to hold it as still as possible," Boudreau remarked to the young people eager to try their cooking skills. "It's not like a marshmallow that you turn continuously."
This was the type of interaction encouraged by those who manned booths and the purpose of the festival. For six years Nanaimo has participated in National Aboriginal Day and according to organizers, each year the event has grown.
Tourism co-ordinator for the host Snuneymuxw First Nation is Scott Marshall. He believed one of the reasons for the success of the event is the city's centrality to a larger Aboriginal population.
With seven tribes combining for a population of 1,400 between Nanaimo and nearby Gabriola Island and another 5,000 off-reserve, Marshall pointed out this event has also incorporated a larger range of other bands.
Invitations to perform were accepted by those from throughout Vancouver Island and the Central Coast.
"We're sharing our heritage and culture with each other and with the non-Native community in order to enhance understanding and awareness," Marshall said. He added Maffeo Sutton is on the site of ancestral lands at the mouth of the Mill Street River, so besides an historical tie, there was public access.
Among the fun and excitement of cultural enrichment, there was some seriousness to the event. Some booths were promoting the health and well being of First Nations including the Tillicum Haus Friendship Centre.
Shadowed by a three-metre tall puppet used during a recent play to teach about sexually transmitted diseases, Stephen George of the Centre was frank about the lack of response during the day. However, if one person learned about disease prevention George said, then the day was worthwhile.
"It's understandable because it's a celebration and it's such a good day not to read about the bad stuff" he said. The Centre is planning to send six youth to Swaziland this fall to teach those in that African country about AIDS and Hepatitis C.
There was plenty of entertainment. Following the opening performance of contemporary singer Willie Thrasher, four groups of dancers, from the local Métis Red River Dancers, to those from Duncan (Khowutzun Tzinquaw), Port Alberni (Nuu-cha-nulth) and Kingcome Inlet (Musgamagw), took centre stage under the outdoor bandstand.
Making the 10-hour trek, half by boat, 30 members of Musgamagw showcased six dances, including the initiation dance, when five males circled and stomped their feet in rhythm to the beat of the drum. Chief Paul Willie said the purpose of this ritual is to take that next step in life.
"Part of the initiation is to look at your inner being towards how you're going to make a difference in the world," Willie said, addressing the audience. The Musgamagw were also in Nanaimo to raise awareness and funds towards construction of a new Big House on the Inlet to replace the existing 175-year-old structure.
Marshall believed Aboriginal Day was successful in Nanaimo because of the continuous number of people who entered the park from non-Native cultures.
"If they learn something in our culture today, that will make them better understand the next time they read something in the paper," Marshall said.