Volume 10 . Issue 4
May 2014
DE A K OC iefs L B K r ch C e DU oth O 9 G E ro m s 8 R f HE ort age T p O p AN Sup
urbansystems.ca
WELCOME
IT’S TIME TO HARVEST OUR RESOURCES This is punhwemun, May, the month for planting.
www.salishseasentinel.ca Publisher: Naut’sa mawt Tribal Council Gary Reith, Chief Administrative Officer (604) 943-6712 1-888-382-7711 Salish Sea Publishing Editorial Inquiries: editor@salishseasentinel.ca (250) 246-3438 Advertising inquires: ads@salishseasentinel.ca (250) 510-9853 The Salish Sea Sentinel is published monthly, eleven times a year by the Naut’sa mawt Tribal Council. NmTC was incorporated as a nonprofit society in 1983 and is governed by a board of directors from each of our eleven member First Nations. Our nations are located around the Salish Sea (see map on inside back cover). There are about 6,500 people who hold membership in our nations. The word Naut’sa mawt means working together as one. The NmTC mission is to support and strengthen the capabilities of our Coast Salish member communities by developing skilled leadership, strong governance, resiliency and self-sufficiency. NmTC is charged with providing advisory services in five delivery areas: • Economic Development • Financial Management • Community Planning • Technical Services and • Governance Cover photo: Children on the beach at Kulleet Bay cheered as a blockade brought an end to a commercial geoduck harvest in Stz’uminus territory.
Many are gathering the first shoots of spring and watching the first vegetables come up in the garden. Meanwhile, out on our waters, teams of paddlers are preparing for the canoe race season while gear is readied for the fishing season. The harvest from the waters of the Salish Sea is our focus this issue. The intransigence of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) is under scrutiny again by Stz’uminus and other nations. The valuable commercial geoduck harvest is closed to our nations. To add insult to injury, a group that many say is a monopoly, sanctioned by DFO, is doing the only harvesting allowed. You can read about this on pages 8-9. Then, on the following pages, you can read an article from our archives about the long history of shellfish harvesting by the Sliammon people. The use of clam gardens, weirs and other
‘appropriate technology’ served our ancestors well and may be good indicators for current planners. That article is on pages 10-11. Our Apologies: In the April issue of The Sentinel, we printed an article about Carleen Thomas from Tsleil-Waututh Nation being named one of the Vancouver area’s Remarkable Women. We mistakenly included Deanna George’s photo instead of Carleen. Both women kindly contacted The Sentinel to point out our error. Interestingly, Deanna George was named a Remarkable Woman in 2010. Carleen Thomas as pictured in the Remarkable Woman poster.
Photo by Kari Chambers
CONTACTS AT NmTC NATIONS 1. HALALT (250) 246-4736 chief@halalt.org www.halalt.org 2. HOMALCO (250) 923-4979 richard@aboriginalaquaculture.com 3. KLAHOOSE Qathen Xwegus Management Corp (250) 935-6536 www.klahoose.com 4. MALAHAT (250) 743-3231 lawrencelewis@malahatnation.com www.malahatnation.com 5. SLIAMMON (604) 483-9646 clint.williams@sliammon.bc.ca www.sliammonfirstnation.com www.sliammontreaty.com 6. SNAW-NAW-AS (Nanoose) (250) 390-3661 administrator@nanoose.org nfnbandmanager@nanoose.org www.nanoose.org 7. SNUNEYMUXW (Nanaimo) (250) 740-2300 johngwesley@shaw.ca www.snuneymuxw.ca 8. STZ’UMINUS (Chemainus) (250) 245-7155 Ray.Gouthier@coastsalishdevcorp.com www.stzuminus.com 9. TSAWWASSEN (604) 948-5219 chartman@tfnedc.com www.tsawwassenfirstnation.com 10. TSEIL-WAU-TUTH (Burrard) (604) 929-3454 bbaptiste@twnation.ca www.twnation.com
11. T’SOU-KE (Souke) (250) 642-3957 administrator@tsoukenation.com www.tsoukenation.com
SALISH SEA SENTINEL • 1
NEWS FROM AROUND OUR NATIONS
Above: Erik Blaney with his parents Gail and Darin; Top right: How the new store will look; Bottom right: The old store in early April.
NEW TLA’AMIN STORE TO OPEN The old Tla’amin store is getting a new lease on life, thanks to the efforts of Erik Blaney and his mother Gail. They have signed a long-term lease agreement with Sliammon First Nation and plan to re-open Tla’amin General Store later this month. The shop is located on the main highway from Powell River to Lund and should prove to be a convenience not only for the Sliammon community, but also for the thousands of travellers headed to Desolation Sound. “We’re both Capricorns and we’re both always itchy to be doing things,” Erik said of his latest venture. He also operates the successful iHos Tours and other companies while working for the next year as his nation’s taxation and lands manager. Gail said she and husband Darin have watched Erik’s entrepreneurial skills since he was a young boy. “When he was 12, he would pick pahahjah (salmon berry shoots) to sell. Earlier than that he sold polished rocks to other kids. Then he was doing lawn mowing and in Grade 2 • SALISH SEA SENTINEL
9 he started lending people money.” If Erik likes to keep busy, he must have inherited that trait from his mother. Gail is a teacher at James Thomson elementary school and is working on her master’s degree in education from the University of Victoria. She hopes to have her thesis on revitalizing indigenous languages and family-based language immersion
Father thanks community I would like to thank the community of Sliammon and beyond for all of the words of encouragement and help. Over the past two weeks we have had numerous people stop by and lend a hand cleaning, picking up garbage and packing and moving heavy items. We are very excited to open up our doors to the public in the next month or so and encourage you to stay tuned to what we have been up to on this page. Feel free to shoot us a message on what you would like to see in your local convenience store and what foods you would like to enjoy from our kitchen. My hands are raised to all of you! Ee mote.
Darin Kespaul Blaney, on Facebook
completed later this year. “Before I became a teacher, I ran my own daycare and preschool,” she said. When Erik was two years old, Gailstarted researching language and culture. “I began working with the elders’ group and the whole family went to gatherings including pow-wows,” she said. “It was a cultural search for identity.” But, for now, mother and son (with help from Darin and the rest of the family) will concentrate on getting the new store open. In mid-April, the task looked daunting. The fuel tank had passed its environmental tests and installation of another tank was planned. A gazebo and other outside amenities were being designed. Inside the store, coolers, freezers and restaurant equipment was being installed after a difficult general clean up. In the meantime, staffing had to be tackled and retail systems put in place. But already Erik was planning ahead for other ventures. At the top of his list was the arrival of a new child.
NEWS FROM AROUND OUR NATIONS
Sliammon nation leaders celebrated in Ottawa
NOW THE HARD WORK BEGINS FOR TLA’AMIN The long-awaited Tla’amin final treaty agreement took another step closer to reality in early April when the document was signed in Ottawa. Parliament was due to have the treaty put before it on April 11, but the formalities were cancelled due to the death of former finance minister Jim Flaherty. But, said chief negotiator Roy Francis, “The final agreement is now signed. It will be introduced in Parliament about the 28th of the month. I’m expecting it will take a week or two
from there for the Tla’amin settlement legislation to be passed by the House.” There is plenty of work ahead before treaty-effective date in April of 2016, said Roy. “That will give us about 24 months to complete the development of our laws… to build our administration building; to survey our land base; to establish our trust accounts… to build new job descriptions for staff… to carry out professional development plans… to develop fishing plans… “It is going to be even busier here, but that’s good stuff,” Roy said.
Stz’uminus plans go ahead after vote
Chief John Elliot
The huge economic development plans for Stz’uminus First Nation look like they’ll being going ahead after Chief John Elliott was re-elected along with most of the previous council. Votes handed the three-term chief a healthy majority in early April despite a strong challenge for the top job from Marlene Rice. Re-elected to council seats were Roxanne Harris, Terry Sampson, Herb Seymour, Harvey Seymour, Tim Harris, Ann Jack and Kevin Frenchy. Also elected were new councillors Peter Seymour and Shawna Seymour.
Chief Maureen Thomas
Big land deals for three nations Tsleil-Waututh is partnering with its First Nation neighbours in a pair of big land deals in Burnaby and Vancouver. The nation and Musqueam Indian, with joint partners Aquilini Investment Group to buy and develop the 16-acre Willingdon Lands site at the corner of Willingdon Avenue and Canada Way in Burnaby. News of that deal followed another in which the two nations along with Squamish bought the liquor distribution branch warehouse from the BC government. Tsleil-Waututh Chief Maureen Thomas said the partnerships make sense on many levels. “We are all family, our ancestors used to live on these lands together with no city lines or boundaries. We will continue to work together to share our traditional territories and to ensure all our partners see the benefit of working together as one.” The three nations recently signed a protocol agreement that highlights how they will share the benefits of the land equally within their territories.
SALISH SEA SENTINEL • 3
NEWS FROM AROUND OUR NATIONS
No more August in August Sliammon entrepreneur Jade August is getting married in August when her last name will be shared with fiancé Kip Hobenshield. So, she will no longer be an August in August. That is just some of the news Jade passed on to The Sentinel while visiting her Marine Avenue women’s fashion store in downtown Powell River with her proud father Roland (Rollie) August. Jade started her clothing business, Mumi2b, from the basement of her home in 2012. She specialized in maternity and other women’s clothing as well as Isagenix cleanse products. But after moving to her store last November, Jade discovered that most of her business was from online customers. A week after our visit, Jade announced via Facebook: “Hey ladies, I’ve come to realize the majority of my customers are through my online post and seems I do just as well, if not better, when I was in the basement. So, I will be relocating to a home business and will continue to post the clothes as they come in.”
Jade and Roland August
4 • SALISH SEA SENTINEL
The announcement in Nanaimo.
TRAIN SERVICE OR BLOWING STEAM The five-year saga of passenger rail on Vancouver Island looked like it was back on track in early April when the Island Corridor Foundation, whose members include five First Nations, announced service would soon return. Even though the much-heralded April 2 announcement was billed as ‘Passenger rail back on track’, it was followed by new that a deal was only tentative with Via Rail and that the
$20.9 million need for maintenance would not be spent quite so soon. But a few days later, the Regional District of Nanaimo committee voted by a 12-4 margin that it “lost confidence” in the ICF. An ICF director from a First Nation told The Sentinel that many thought the premature announcement was mishandled while others felt passenger rail was an uneconomic proposition.
SNUNEYMUXW CARVERS WORK ON VIU TOTEMS Two Coast Salish carvers from Snuneymuxw First Nation are working poles that will be erected at Shq’apthut, the gathering place for Aboriginal students at the Nanaimo campus of Vancouver Island University. Noel Brown and Thomas Jones will join George Hunt Jr. (Kwakwaka’wakw) and Qwaya Sam (Nuu-chah-nulth) to work on the totems that will be raised by the end of 2014.
Carver Noel Brown
NEWS FROM AROUND OUR NATIONS
THE WAY OF THE GREAT BLUE HERON Tsawwassen elder Ruth Adams has a dream, now nearing reality, for the Great Blue Heron Way. But she says the multi‐use pathway is more than just a safe route for pedestrians and cyclists through her nation. Ruth sees the Great Blue Heron Way as a link between First Nations and a way of announcing our presence throughout the Lower Mainland. “People don’t understand how many of us there are,” she says. “Throughout Canada, we are all a big puzzle and we each are a big important piece. I want to make this pathway nation to nation, to show everyone how we get to each other and how important our traditional territory is to everyone here. “I want people to know and understand this beautiful land we sit on.” Ruth says the Great Blue Heron
Ruth Adams has a plan to connect us.
Way will not only be a link between First Nations, but will strengthen her nation’s connections to neighbouring communities and locations such as
Delta, the USA border, Boundary Bay, the BC ferry terminal and the mouth of Fraser River. Over the several years that Ruth has been working on the project, she has helped build solid relationships between her nation and neighbouring communities while also teaching those neighbours about Tsawwassen First Nation’s way of doing things. “Our ways and ceremonies may take a long time, but they never leave anybody hurt,” she says. It is so important to get back to good ways of doing things.” While talking to The Sentinel about the pathway, Ruth also took time to compliment the new publication. “The magazine is so important,” she said. “It is all about we who are, everyone doing the work. It makes me feel proud.”
THE LITTLEST BIGHOUSE There is a new longhouse at Snuneymuxw First Nation. But many do not know it is there. It is located in the back yard of the main offices for Kwumut Lelum Child and Family Services. Executive director William Yoachim says it will be used for a variety of purposes as the organization works for the well being of children in its nine member nations. He was so pleased with the cedar structure that he tweeted: “Very proud of KL’s new mini longhouse, a place for cultural programming and education”. Shortly after, he gave The Sentinel a preview of the great little gathering place. Photo: The little bighouse at Kwumut Lelum
SALISH SEA SENTINEL • 5
NEWS FROM AROUND OUR NATIONS
HOMALCO PREPARES FOR BEARS, SALMON & PEOPLE The bears are coming… the bears are coming. And even though tourists, along with salmon and the bears, won’t be arriving until later this summer, Homalco First Nation is readying the viewing towers and the nearby Orford Bay fish hatchery for the hordes of all species. The Orford estuary and further up Bute Inlet along the river is the nation’s traditional home. It has been in resurgence over the past two decades. The hatchery operation and, more recently, creating ecotourism opportunities, has offset some of the damage done through resource extraction. Salmon are back, so are the bears and jobs in the bargain. Along the way, Homalco people have renewed their connection to their heritage and culture at Orford Bay, Church House and other areas in Bute. In a few months, the partnerships that Homalco has built with tour operators, lodges, resorts and other businesses will begin to bear fruit.
Above: Bear with chum salmon Left: Orford Bay in Bute Inlet
WATCHING A TOTEM TAKE SHAPE
Nurse practitioner David Marceniuk
BETTER HEALTH FOR SLIAMMON
Facebook followers of Darren Blaney First Nation Carvings & Jewelry have been able to watch, and read about, the Homalco artist’s latest creation… an eight-foot totem. “Beginning to rough out an 8 foot Totem Pole with an Eagle on top for Vision n Wisdom and welcoming Human figure on the bottom,” Darren wrote in his first post about the carving. That was soon followed by: “The Eagle starting to take shape. Too Much Fun.” But by mid-April, he realized he was facing a deadline: “Got to get it done by May 15th n that will force me to be more efficient. It’s good wood, so details will be easier.”
6 • SALISH SEA SENTINEL
Community members visiting Tla’amin Community Health are getting used to seeing a new, friendly face. David Marcenuik started work as a nurse practitioner in early April. He moved with his young family to Powell River after spending the early part of his career in Vancouver. As a nurse practitioner, David has a nursing degree as well as completing his education at a Masters’ level. He will provide primary care, including prescribing medications, to people of all ages in the community.
NEWS FROM AROUND OUR NATIONS guage the eagle is called yuxwule and raven is called spa:i.” ABOUT is a re-connect/stay in school program with a goal of increasing Aboriginal students’ success by offering flexible study environments.
Julian’s winning poster.
A RAVEN AND AN EAGLE
The trickster raven and the wise eagle were the images used in the winning logo by grade 11 student Julian Moreno from Snuneymuxw. The logo was for the Nanaimo school district’s ABOUT (Aboriginal Outreach program). Julian said, “I chose this design because I feel it represents our class. The Raven is known as the trickster in many Coast Salish stories, and the Eagle was said to be very wise. Our classroom community is the home to both of these animals when looking at the personalities and characteristics of our staff and students. “I learned these teachings through my Coast Salish family. My father, some of my uncles, and some of aunties always taught me the teachings that I know and I am able to share with my classmates and teacher in the classroom. In my Hul’qumi’num lan-
THREE NATIONS RADIO
Three of our tribal council nations will be featured in a new radio show that starts in early May. The one-hour show, “First Nation’s Radio”, broadcasts three times a week with each segment dedicated to one of the First Nations whose traditional territory is within CHLY 101.7 broadcast range. Interviews have been collected from elders and there will be pre-recorded addresses from leaders. The Hul’qumi’num’ language will be the focus of the programs, which are also an avenue for the three nations’ artists.
ORAL HISTORY UNLOCKED Mamamateos, Melvin Good
HE TELLS GOOD STORIES If you want to hear a good traditional story or two, give Mamamateos a ride. The Sentinel gave Melvin Good a ride from the main Snuneymuxw reserve to his home on #4 recently, and along the way we heard stories including the one about how white bears came to be and why they now live in the Arctic. Give him a ride and you can learn polar bears once lived around the Nanaimo River, but did a bad thing to the salmon one day…
Tsleil-Waututh Nation’s oral history will be unlocked thanks to an audio digitization project. UBC library’s Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, in partnership with the Museum of Anthropology, recently awarded funding for five projects under its Aboriginal audio digitization and preservation program. It provides matching funds for Aboriginal organizations to digitize audiocassette tapes for preservation and access. Tsawwassen First Nation was one of the first two awarded funding in 2013. The other was the Upper St’át’imc language, culture and education society. More info at www.indigitization.ca
Canoe racing season starts Another season of canoe racing starts this month with paddlers competing in almost 20 races through the summer around the Salish Sea. Here is the schedule: May 10 Coupeville, WA 10-11 Nooksack at Stommish 17-18 Chilliwack Landing (Skwah) 24-25 Seabird Island
31-1 June 7-8 14-15 13-15 20-22 28-29 July 5-6
Cultus Lake Sasquatch Days (Harrison Hot Springs) Scowlitz Cowichan Tribes Lummi at Stommish Ambleside Park, West Vancouver Tsleil-Waututh (Whey-a-Wichen)
11-13 Tsawout 19-20 Kulleet Bay, Stz’uminus 26-27 Tsartlip August 9-10 Swinomish, LaConner, WA 15-17 Songhees 16-17 Chief Seattle Days 23-24 Makah Days, Neah Bay
SALISH SEA SENTINEL • 7
NEWS FROM AROUND OUR NATIONS
The community turned out to support the boats in the blockade.
CHIEFS UNITE BEHIND STZ’UMINUS “We are prepared to again blockade the commercial geoduck fishery from access to Kulleet Bay.” Another confrontation between coastal nations and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) may be looming on the waters of the Salish Sea. “We are prepared to again blockade the commercial geoduck fishery from access to Kulleet Bay,” Stz’uminus told DFO in an April 17 letter. Chiefs from Halalt, Snuneymuxw, Stz’uminus and Penelakut met on April 15 with the main agenda item being the five years of fruitless efforts by Stz’uminus to get a geoduck aquaculture licence in the waters directly adjacent to its reserve lands. In 2010, boats blockaded a commercial harvest of the high-priced shellfish that was taking place just metres from the shoreline near Kulleet Bay. In the days after that meeting, Stz’uminus Chief John Elliott sent letters to the federal fisheries minister and DFO and cc’d the letters to First Nation leaders around coastal BC. Stz’uminus sent a blistering letter to DFO about the negative impact of its integrated geoduck management framework on the nation. It followed with a stern, but more diplomatic, letter to fisheries minister Gail Shea that spelled out 8 • SALISH SEA SENTINEL
RCMP observed as Chief Elliott talked with commercial geoduck harvesters
the nation’s concerns. The letter to Shea began with a Twitter message from Prime Minister Stephen Harper that Shea re-tweeted in February: “Aboriginal People’s full participation in Canada’s economy is critical to the future prosperity of the country.” “Geoduck is of extreme importance to the Stz’uminus First Nation in maintaining our cultural and historical connection to our traditional territory,” Chief Elliott wrote. “As in the commercial geoduck fishery blockades of 2010, the DFO’s ongoing treatment of geoduck management continues to be a highly sensitive topic. We fear this… has incited our community members and they are demanding we take action.”
The letter continued by saying: “The issue is not limited to the geoduck fishery. The Stz’uminus have a frustrating history with the Pacific Region DFO office pertaining to rights within our core territory. The duty to consult is a constitutional one and the strength of our claim within our traditional core territory is well established.” Accusing DFO of “blatant protectionism,” the Stz’uminus letter to Andrew Thomson, DFO’s area director for the South Coast, said: “The DFO’s track record of maintaining the status quo continues to cut off opportunities for the Stz’uminus and other coastal First Nations who seek to sustainably manage and benefit from resources within their own territories.” It added: “Our community members view DFO’s ongoing treatment of this issue as an affront and demand that we protect Stz’uminus rights to access and manage resources in our territory.” Chief James Thomas of Halalt was one of those attending the meeting on Penelakut Island. The host was Chief Earl Jack. Also attending were and Chief John Wesley of Snuneymuxw and Chief Elliott.
NEWS FROM AROUND OUR NATIONS “Halalt and the other nations support Stz’uminus 100 per cent,” Chief Thomas said. “Aboriginal rights trump everything and we cannot sit back any longer and watch others take our resources. It’s time.” Not mentioned by name, but an organization on everyone’s mind, is the Underwater Harvesters Association. The UHA has been accused of having a monopoly on the commercial geoduck harvest for decades. Many leaders also point to the cozy relationship between the UHA and DFO at the expense of First Nations. “Nothing has changed for us for 20 years that we’ve been talking to them,” said Chief Thomas. “The UHA got to look at the framework agreements long before we did. They’ve been offered a $30 million, 20-year plan while First Nations get just five hectares to harvest. “Now the UHA can say, ‘thanks’ and no one else is allowed in to the fishery… The lack of consultation is amazing. But they forget that Aboriginal rights trump everything.” ‘Just an old boys’ club’ When Klahowya (the predecessor to The Sentinel) reported on the Stz’uminus blockade in 2010, it talked to leaders from other nations. Here is a summary of their words: Sliammon Chief Clint Williams – “The UHA is just an old boys’ club. Why would they want to give up something they have total control over? They are basically trying to wipe the fishery out here before they hand it over. I don’t think there is any sustainable intent with this purge fishery. They are going to totally devastate it before the Aboriginal licenses come in.” Former Klahoose chief Ken Brown – “It really is unbelievable what DFO has allowed the UHA to do. They’ve gone around and gobbled up these vast areas… DFO says it is protecting the public’s interest. But only 30 people in BC own rights to harvest. If First Nations and others had a chance to obtain tenures, huge local economies would develop around BC’s coast. It would benefit thousands of people rather than just a few.”
DFO policy under scrutiny by AAA Chief Richard Harry of Homalco called a meeting of the organization he heads – the Aboriginal Aquaculture Association – in late March to discuss what DFO calls its ‘integrated geoduck management framework’. First Nations representatives from around Vancouver Island and from as far away as Haida Gwaii travelled to the Nanaimo gathering. Out of that meeting, the AAA’s response document was sent to DFO before its April 19 comment deadline. AAA’s five-page letter supported many of the charges leveled by Stz’uminus nation (see adjoining article). Although there was no agenda for the meeting, the wide-ranging discussion often focused on the word ‘consultation’ or the lack of it by DFO. “For some of us, it’s the most important issue in the resource sector,” Chief Harry said. “But this is not a full consultation as required, only a response to legislation. Sliammon representatives said current agreements with treaty nations were not reflected in framework document while a fisherman for the Haida said that nation “is not even recognizing” the framework. Delegates heard that recent events were in support of First Nations’ stance. The fisheries minister decisions on the herring catch were overturned at Haida Gwaii and Bella Bella. And a court decision on Nuu-chah-nulth fisheries
Chief Richard Harry
was “starting to level the playing field”. But some at the ad hoc gathering had stronger language to describe the geoduck policy. “Why are we even talking about a document that is racist,” one said. “Title and rights are rarely discussed at DFO meetings,” said another. The biggest disconnect is that BC is granting us tenures, but DFO needs to grant the license. The province is willing and supportive, but no the federal government.” Others complained that the Underwater Harvesters Association was the only stakeholder involved in formulating framework document before it was released last December. “The power of the UHA is huge... It has a $7 million war chest for any legal fights over this.” A delegate said: “Our people invented this industry and if we didn’t do it, we’d starve to death.”
The English word for geoduck (pronounced gooey-duck) came from our Coast Salish relations in south Puget Sound at Nisqually. Their Lushootseed language word for the giant, and expensive, shellfish is g’iÅLd’q that means ‘dig deep’.
SALISH SEA SENTINEL • 9
FROM OUR ARCHIVES
Photo by Ceorgia Combes www.gorgiacombesphotography.ca
HUNTERS AND GATHERERS… NOT A CHANCE! Centuries old use of appropriate technology documented in Sliammon territory. “A very complex system steeped in protocol.” That was how Michelle Washington described traditional Coast Salish technology in this article that first appeared in the June 2010 edition of The Sentinel’s predecessor Klahowya. A recent archaeology project in Tla’amin (Sliammon) territory in Desolation Sound is just the latest confirmation of what our Elders always told us. Whether it was using fish weirs, traps, nets and spears, building clam gardens or ‘grooming’ camas beds, our ancestors knew what they were doing and they did it well, using sophisticated, complicated and appropriate technologies that sustained them for millennia. “We can now prove what our old people have always said – our territory supported thousands of people, more than live here now, that owned and managed vast tracts of lands and resources including waterways, mountains, islands in a sustainable manner. “They found ways to do this without destroying the landscape and depleting the resources around them by seasonal family sharing and trading what they had with neighbouring nations. This was a very complex system steeped in protocol.” 10 • SALISH SEA SENTINEL
That is Michelle Washington talking about a project that partners Tla’amin and Simon Fraser University (SFU) in an archaeology and stewardship program. It is a community-based, participant-driven exploration of what archaeology is and what it does. Now in its third year, the program brings together the Tla’amin oral traditions with information gained from archaeological investigation. One of the stated aims of the program is: “To advance Tla’amin goals of self-governance, self-determination, and self-representation”. All around the Salish Sea, we are discovering old ways of doing things through the oral teachings of our Elders and research by academic people. The look into the past also reveals ways that could help all Coastal people sustain themselves in the future. Using the rhythm of nature to feed our people Work started in 2008 at Kleh Kwa Num (Scuttle Bay), a place where Elders knew was used to gather and process foods such as herring and Saskatoon berries. Excavations showed stone and bone artifacts, the remains of plant and animal foods, indications of numerous longhouses and a petroglyph.
This year work is continuing in Desolation Sound where mapping has shown that Tla’amin ancestors were changing beaches to trap fish, to increase shellfish habitat and make smooth places for canoes. “We now have several sites at the 8,000year mark,” said Washington. “These inter-tidal sites still work today after hundreds to thousands of years. Some of them were actually outlawed when the canneries came in. “We have lost a lot over the years to industry and development but there is still so much that we can learn from,” she said. “There are so many catch phrases now about the 100-mile diet, the growing of native plants… people are starting to wake up to the damage we have done to our surroundings by ‘manicuring’ everything and being so wasteful. “Many of the beaches they are on are no longer viable due to industry contamination or the destruction of habitat. These sites were natural ways of gathering that used the natural currents, seasons, and several year-round species and they did not have to destroy everything in order to work. “We can bring them back and use the
FROM OUR ARCHIVES rhythm of nature to feed our people and balance with nature again. “The funniest part is that our old people always said this in all of our teachings and our stories, songs, but nobody wanted to listen because they didn’t have an academic background.” Respect and awe Dr. Dana Lepofsky, one of the SFU project directors, said that the work so far “gives us a huge amount of respect and awe for the technologies and people of the past. Sliammon rightfully has a huge amount of pride for the complexity of the systems we are learning about. “There was clearly a large population living off the land and sea in a sustained way,” Lepofsky said. “Sometimes resources were hit, but it was clearly a sustainable economy. “People were harvesting with local observations and had a vested interest. They knew that if you over-harvest, then there is not going to be food for next year. “We see things like people choosing among different resources. If they got a lot of a resource early in the season, they might take less of another one. They would do this ‘dance to the season’. She said that there was no such word in the Tla’amin language as ‘by-catch’, adding that when such words exist in any language “it shows how disconnected to the resource we actually are”. But the Tla’amin ancestors not
only managed the quantity of their resources, they also created sophisticated harvesting technologies. “These management features (such as fish traps) modified the landscape to both capture efficiently, but also to manage in other ways. Capturing is one kind of management: what you’re going to capture; how much you’re going to capture; and to enhance them when needed.” The technologies varied as to use and place. Clam gardens, for instance, were suited to circumstance, but, said Lepofsky, they were “clearly meant to enhance productivity so that people could harvest abundantly and sustainably. “The fish traps were beautifully designed to capture fish. They could have easily wiped out local stocks if they wanted to, but they did not, so that showed that they were managing the resource.” But the stone alignments that exist in the inter-tidal zones along the coast were not necessarily used for just one resource or purpose. Lepofsky said phrases like “fish traps” and “clam gardens” are something of a misnomer. They could have been holding ponds for fish stock, traps for harvesting or places to cultivate and manage shellfish. They often were used for many purposes. “It’s a pretty powerful story about long-term use that by definition was sustainable.”
Learning from the past Lepofsky said the historical treasures being discovered in Tla’amin territory have much relevance today as Coastal people, of all cultures, deal with disappearing fish stocks, contaminated shellfish and the disappearance of habitat on both land and sea. “What can we learn from that?” she asked. “That it’s not just about harvesting less. It is about harvesting differently. “Elders tell me about transplanting eggs and about transplanting oolichan by the boatload and restocking them. There are all kinds of neat stories about local management that we need to pay attention to.” Lepofsky said that the Tla’aminSFU team is learning to appreciate the sophisticated and complicated technologies that were used. “They were so complicated that I don’t have a hope of understanding everything. It would take a lifetime. The inter-tidal zones were ‘whole systems’ with everything working together. She said in modern society, “We all have a sense of entitlement, that we should have access to everything. But we have to say that there are some things we cannot export.” Seafood resources such as sockeye or herring roe should be considered delicacies and if they are exported, premium prices should be paid for them.
Left: Murray Mitchell and Dana Lepofsky talk about the beach at Sliammon; Centre: A modern fishing weir on the Cowichan River; Right: Screening for artifacts at Scuttle Bay.
SALISH SEA SENTINEL • 11
NmTC
John Bolton (a.k.a. The Jokester) has resumed his role as the technical services advisor for Naut’sa mawt Tribal Council. Those services were curtailed in November 2012, but were recently reinstated with additional funding from AANDC. John is now talking with housing and capital departments in our communities to identify the specific services covered under the funding agreement and discuss priorities. With his years of experience as the tribal council’s engineer, John is a familiar face. But he is perhaps best known for laughter and jokes. Here is how John reacted to his ap p o i nt m e nt when asked for comments by The Sentinel: “I have been recalled, primarily, to talk about creativity. I said ‘No problem’. I find telling people about creativity is easy; it is only being that’s difficult. “I can state categorically that what I have to tell you, our member First Nations, about how to be more creative is a complete waste of time. I think it would be much better if I just told jokes instead. “You are creative, or in an open mode, when pondering a problem and switch to a closed mode to implement a solution. You should not mix these two together. For example, when you are attacking a machine gun post, you should not make an effort to see the funny side of what you are doing. “My final advice on creativity is to stamp it out. Disallow humour. Cut people down to size. Ban pondering (it’s really laziness). Otherwise, you will be surrounded by happy, enthusiastic and creative people. I rest my case.” 12 • SALISH SEA SENTINEL
WIDE RANGE OF PROGRAMS COMING TO OUR NATIONS “I hope to assist NmTC to reaffirm Several programs will be coming to its excellence in community planNaut’sa mawt Tribal Council nations ning by building connections between this year to assist them on matters communities to develop and share including: governance, community skills and best practices. We will be planning, economic development, providing training and skills developtechnical services, housing and adapment as well as sharing and commution to climate change. nicating the lessons we NmTC’s chief adlearn.” ministrative officer She said more than Gary Reith said that half of the 11 NmTC despite reduced fundnations have CCP in ing levels for tribal some form. CCP is a councils, a team of process that engages advisors “will be able community members to generate great valin planning and impleue-added services to menting a long-term member Nations”. Revision for their comith said NmTC finance Bronwen Geddes munity. and administration The first phase of the CCP program staff – Lisa Scott, Caitlin Parker and will be a needs and skills assessment. Kirstin Sware – would be assisting in Then a team of coordinators from all program delivery through to March nations will meet regularly to share 31, 2015. best practices. A nation-to-nation Leading the comprehensive commentorship initiative will also be put munity planning (CCP) program is in place and training will be offered Bronwen Geddes. She has 15 years to community members. The proexperience with Aboriginal Affairs gram will also communicate lessons and Northern Development Canada learned and best practices through and said that engagement, mentoryouth engagement, conferences and ship and training are goals of the workshops. program.
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Watch… and write for us The Salish Sea Sentinel is looking for reporters from our 11 nations. We would like to include your words and photos in this new monthly magazine. What we would really like to see are stories about people, events and achievements from your nation that you think should be shared with our readers around the Salish Sea. We will work with you on your ideas, and your writing, if needed. Our reporters will be paid; not a lot, but it could lead to regular work in doing what we do best… storytelling about the wonderful things happening in Coast Salish country. For more information, email SalishSeaSentinel@shaw.ca
SALISH SEA SENTINEL • 13
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