The Aboriginal Newspaper of British
Columbia & Yukon
Top News - March - 2003
Published March 17, 2003
 |
|||
Fish farmers and First Nations work together now
Hereditary chief recognized for artistic achievement
Snuneymuxw eye partnership
This is only a partial listing of the stories featured in the March 2003 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.
Fish farmers and First Nations work together now
David Wiwchar, Raven's Eye Writer, NanaimoFish farm owners, operators and workers from across Vancouver Island gathered in Nanaimo Feb. 8 to protest against alleged "misinformation campaigns" from anti-fish farm activists.
Not wanting to be left out of the protest spotlight, the fish farmers were essentially protesting the anti-fish farm protests, and to make things even more confusing, there was a protester in Nanaimo protesting the fish farmer's protest organized to protest against anti-fish farm protesters.
Six Ahousaht members attended the rally, and Rod Sam spoke to the 400 protesters at Swy-a-lana Lagoon about the protocol agreement between Ahousaht and Pacific National Aquaculture (PNA).
"We were involved in protests, civil disobedience and court action against the fish farm companies in our territories," said Sam. It was clear that the fish farms weren't going anywhere, and we certainly weren't going anywhere, so we negotiated and developed a protocol agreement to work with fish farms and make things better," he said.
Displaying signs such as "Aquaculture Feeds My Family" the protest was relatively peaceful except for a couple of flare-ups between the pro-aquaculture mass and two lone anti-aquaculture protesters.
"The fish farms have had a positive effect on our Nation," said Sam. "The unemployment rate has dropped, and Ahousaht and PNA can walk down the road together as we work towards economic and environmental sustainability for the industry," he said.
Hereditary chief recognized for artistic achievement
Inna Dansereau, Raven's Eye Writer, OttawaWalter Harris, a hereditary Gitxsan chief, is one of seven who will receive this year's Governor General's Award in visual and media arts.
Harris, now 72, was born and raised in the Kispiox area. He worked as a miner, sawmill owner and operator, carpenter and commercial fisherman before he enrolled in the Gitanmaax School of Northwest Coast Indian Art in 1969. Later he worked there as a senior art instructor.
Harris is primarily known for his wood carvings. But he has also made stone carvings, gold and silver jewelry, totem poles, housefront paintings and masks.
The doors of the University of British Columbia's Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver are one of his major pieces. His carvings also enhance the area above the doors in the House of Commons in Ottawa. His totem poles are set in Baltimore, Md., San Francisco, Calif. and Rochester, N.Y.
The jury for the award said Harris' "commitment to the traditions and symbolism of an ancient art has ensured him a place of honor among future generations."
In 1987, Harris survived a stroke, and since that time he's asked his son Rodney to speak on his behalf. Rodney Harris said, "They just phoned us up out of the blue.
"It was almost hard to believe, but we are pretty happy and excited about it."
Gov. Gen. Adrienne Clarkson and Canada Council Chairman Jean-Louis Roux will present the award to Harris at a ceremony at Rideau Hall on March 17.
The annual awards, funded by the Canada Council for the Arts, were established in the summer of 1999 and were presented in March 2000 for the first time. They recognize the remarkable career achievements and outstanding contributions in the visual and media arts. Each laureate will receive $15,000 and an original art piece created by AA Bronson, who is last year's winner. The award winners are chosen by an independent peer jury of art professionals.
On March 18, the National Gallery of Canada will open an exhibition of this year's winners' work. Three pieces of Harris' will be displayed: the Killer Whale Headdress, the Sun Mask and the Eagle Woman Mask.
Snuneymuxw eye partnership
Goody Niosi, Raven's Eye Writer, Snuneymuxw First NationThe ink hasn't even hit the pages of the Snuneymuxw treaty yet, but already the Nanaimo area Snuneymuxw are proposing a public-private partnership with the city and private industry to build a $30 million-plus conference centre on the waterfront. The treaty, when it is signed, will be the first urban treaty in British Columbia. Some of the land that is on the treaty table is adjacent to the proposed site of the new conference centre and may be incorporated into the design.
Snuneymuxw First Nation's economic development advisor, Keith Wilson, said that even though with a closing date of April 11 the city must now look at other proposals, the Snuneymuxw bid has a 75 per cent chance of approval. The Snuneymuxw were first approached by the Mayer family, who are 100 per cent shareholders in the Nanaimo Waterfront Centre, incorporated in September 2002.
"We thought this would be a great opportunity for everyone-for the people of Nanaimo and for the Snuneymuxw First Nations," said Rita Mayer.
Initially the Snuneymuxw were not interested in becoming partners in the enterprise, Wilson said. But the potential for jobs and the possibility of creating a bridge between the Native and non-Native communities had appeal.
"And they (the Mayer family) saw an historic connection between the First Nations and the harbourfront," Wilson said.
The First Nations had also been investigating the possibility of revenue from tourism for the past six years. The Snuneymuxw manage Newcastle Island, a popular provincial park that is a 10-minute ferry ride from the downtown. The First Nation's chief and council saw the possibilities in providing that ferry service directly from the hotel and conference centre site.
"And if we could get visitors to come to Newcastle Island we could provide them with a cultural, festival-like tourism product," Wilson said.
"The challenge was to get them to the island. What could we set up on the Nanaimo side to get customers to Newcastle Island? So suddenly, with this conference centre we've got 11,000 square feet of retail space on this side of the water, plus the hotel, plus the conventions."
Through federal grants and bank loans, the Snuneymuxw hope to raise $3 million and obtain 51 per cent ownership in the project, which will provide about 150 jobs during construction.
City councillor and chair of the conference centre committee, Ron Cantelon, said the jobs will be a boon to everyone in the city.
"Our goals are the same. We both have high youth unemployment and this project gives us hope that we can work together."
He added that the conference centre is a chance for the Snuneymuxw and the city to build something truly unique together that would bode a promising future relationship.
Snuneymuxw Chief John Wesley echoed Cantelon's sentiments.
"I think this is good for Nanaimo and it's good for Snuneymuxw. It's not only going to be beneficial to Snuneymuxw but everyone that's down in this area. That's what we're looking at-the bigger picture-and I think everyone should be doing the same thing. This could kick Nanaimo off for other things to happen here."
The design for the waterfront centre was completed some time ago when the Mayer family was originally awarded the contract. Development had already begun when the corporation ran into financial difficulties. Although the design plan remains essentially the same, a ship-shaped structure jutting out over the water, the interior design has been adjusted to reflect the First Nation's heritage.
Wilson believes the conference centre could be the start of a new era for Native and non-Native relations. It and any other treaty settlements will contribute to the city's economy.
"In the big picture, Vancouver Island is a net importer of federal dollars," Wilson said.
"The money that this nation will receive in a treaty settlement is not going to come from Nanaimo, it's going to come from outside of Nanaimo, and when it gets here it's not going to be invested outside of Nanaimo, its going to be invested in Nanaimo."