Periodical
Nesika: The Voice of B.C. Indians -- Vol. 1 No. 2 (October 1972)
- Title
- Nesika: The Voice of B.C. Indians -- Vol. 1 No. 2 (October 1972)
- Is Part Of
- 1.06-01.02 Nesika: The Voice of BC Indians
- 1.06.-01 Newsletters and bulletins sub-series
- Date
- October 1972
- volume
- 1
- issue
- 2
- Language
- english
- Identifier
- 1.06-01.02-01.02
- pages
- 12
- Contributor
- Allan Fedorak
- Roger Adolph
- Angus Dickie
- Nicholas Prince
- Brendan Kennedy
- Dave Stevenson
- Type
- periodical
- Transcription (Hover to view)
-
Continued from Page |
setting and placed into one that’s
foreign to them.
He said that his department will
“steer the direction of the welfare
thrust . . . to the prevention area.”
Mr. Levi said there will be no
increase in welfare rates because
“we want to look at.a number of
other options ...We’re very in-
terested, for instance, with social
welfare recipients. We'd like to see
people getting into food co-
ops ...and we are prepared to
provide the manpower and the
hody to help develop these kinds of
cooperation.”
IF DIA DOESN'T
On the question of availability of
provincial funds for setting up a
receiving or group home on a
reserve, he answered: ‘“‘We’re not
going to stand around waiting for
the Indian Affairs department to
do anything ... If there’s a need,
and that’s all 1 am interested in —
seeing the need — then we’ll
provide it if you’re having trouble
getting the funds from elsewhere.
“Tf Indians approach us, well,
we'll talk with them. We’ll get hold
of the Indian Affairs department
and find out what they’re doing and
if it looks. like it’s going to take six
months to do something, then
we're going to move right in there
_and make available whatever need
is there.”
Mr. Levi added it’s a question of
whether Indians can show what
they need.
Appointment hit by chiefs
Continued from Page 1
Their third objection dealt with
Calder himself as they both felt
that he lacked both the province-
wide knowledge of Indian
problems, and the support of the
Indian people to effectively
represent them in the provincial
government.
CALDER IS ALIENATED
Paul cited three ways how
Calder had alienated himself from
the majority of Indian people:
(1) His support of the federal
government’s 1969 white paper
which, in very general. terms,
called for the phasing out of the
special status.for Indian people in
Canada.
(2) His opposition to the B.C.
Land Claims presentation in Ot-
tawa this year, and ‘
(3) His criticism of labour
unions, which according to Paul,
contain a fair number of Indian
workers.
_NOT PERSONAL
“Adolph was careful to point out
that he and Paul did not object to
Calder specifically, just to” his
appointment to look into Indian
people’s problems. ‘“‘In all. sin-
cerity,” Adolph said, ‘‘we do ap-
preciate the fact that he has been
elevated to a ministership.”’
Senator Guy Williams, who had
earlier blasted the provincial for
“lack of confidence” in Calder’s
abilities when Calder was not given
a cabinet portfolio, was not
available for comment on Calder’s
assignment.
Calder, when interviewed, said
that he was not going to make a
regular survey of Indian problems,
“as many such surveys had
already been done, but rather, he
planned to look into areas where
“the province can be bold in
moving in to offer aid.” In this.
context, he referred specifically to
provincial public servants.
Calder aiso said that he hopes to
make a press release outlining his
aims. by the'time he meets with the
Chiefs’ Council of the. Union later
this month in Victoria,
rotest interrupts
Continued from Page 1
the fish population and had: no’
intentions of cutting their own
throats. by overfishing.
Williams first decided to. take
action on the issue on Monday,
October 9, when he hurriedly
called for support from neigh-
bouring bands to stage a-march to
the federal building in Tofino. On
the very short notice close to 200
Indians.turned out in support in the
late afternoon.
MARCH AND MEETING
They marched through the
strangely deserted streets of town
and then finally to the federal
building where they held a meeting
among themselves that lasted into
the evening.
The idea for Wednesday’s march
was arrived at during this meeting
when they found out from one of
the members about the pending
arrival of Jack Davis in Port
Alberni.
They also had a chance there to
discuss and iron out the demands
they would present to Davis.
On. Wednesday afternoon about
125 people gathered and marched
through downtown Port Alberni to
the Liberal campaign head-
quarters. They then discovered
that Davis was at that time taking
a cruise of the harbour.
AGREE TO. MEET DAVIS
They marched to the main wharf
but after fifteen minutes decided
that the best course of action would
be to return te the Liberal
headquarters. At the headquarters
they finally obtained an agreement
for a meeting with Davis later that
afternoon at the Friendship
Centre.
At the meeting, which lasted
over an hour, other issues: were
raised besides fishing privilege.
Nelson Keitlah spoke in protest
over the increasing complexity of
federal commercial fishing
policies. Increasing numbers of ~
new regulations have caused.
confusion and some hardship
especially among the older
fishermen he said.
An instance of this is the freeze
on salmon licences. Some of the
fishermen had not renewed their
licences or sold them and then
discovered that it was no longer
possible to get new ones.
ASK LICENSING REVIEW
Keitlah asked for a review by the
department of all Indian fisherman
who have given up their licences.
Davis said he would look into the
matter.
Dan David Sr, of the Clayoquot
Band in Tofino spoke in his native
language, translated by his son,
Chief Ernest David, in which he
pleaded with Davis to understand
the plight of the Indian people.
You aré the people’ he said,
“who have set. up these policies
that have taken away our. rights.
Please, please eorrect these
mistakes!”
In an interview with NESIKA,
Chief Simon Lucas of
Hesquiaht Band said he felt that
the fisheries department still did
not really understand the feeling of
matters.
the Indians on the
DEPARTMENT IS SUSPICIOUS
The officials, he said, continually :
suspect political motives for Indian
actions when the Indian is only
interested in establishing what he
considers. to be his right.
“Although we made a
breakthrough at the meeting,’’ he
said, ‘ ‘They still have no idea what
we have in our minds.’
UNION STAFF MEMBERS GORDON ANTOINE, DAVID STEVENSON
. took part in panel discussion at welfare conference
Summer vacation for 21 Mount
Currie elementary students hasn’t
ended yet — and might not end for
some time — as meetings between
School District 48, the Mt: Currie
School Committee and repre-
sentatives from Indian Affairs
continue to try and arrive at some
solution.
Parents. of the’ students have
refused to send their children to
grades six and seven in the
provincial school in nearby
Pemberton. They claim: that their
children:, are. not. benefitting
scholastically and are suffering
socially by attending elementary
school in Pemberton.
Mrs. John Williams, principal of
the Indian Day School at Mount
Currie, and whose two oldest
children .are among the 21 not
attending school, has said that she
is not in agreement with the type of
educational system used in the
provincial school and that she is
AT MT. CURRIE
prepared to quit her job and teach
her children herself if necessary.
She said that most of the students
suffer. from reading problems and
can not cope with the curriculum
offered. in the provincial schools
which she described as ‘“‘extremely
dull’.
STUDENTS NOT ANXIOUS
Mrs. Adeline Williams, welfare
aide for the Mount Currie Indian
reserve, said that there: is
definitely a problem with students
going to school. in. Pemberton.
“Students are not anxious to go to
school. at Pemberton,’’ she said,
and then added that they had. been
having problems for the last three
or four years. :
' According to the principal of the
Indian Day School, the provincial
school system robs Indian students
of their self-confidence and many
students begin to have trouble in
adjusting to life on the reserve as
well as adjusting to outside society.
it of
Mrs. John Williams stated that
what the school committee wishes
to do is hire a teacher to teach the
grades six and seven on the
reserve. ‘This way we could have |
more control over how our children
are taught and see that they are
taught in ways that benefit them.”
Her own ideas on how their
schooling should be conducted
include more emphasis on over-
coming reading disabilities, more
emphasis on Indian culture to help
Indian students regain a sense of -
dignity in their ‘‘Indianness’’
increased. attention to “human
relations” plus more attention to
developing the children’ s athletic
abilities.
SOME DISAGREE
Although the move to keep the
students on the. reserve is sup-
ported by a. Band Council
resolution, not all band members
agree with it, according to Ronald
Dan, band manager.
the -
_ their behalf...
Indians are a
iy
s
2
There is much about Indian Ife ti
We have been held back but we are o
iN OCT. 30th VOTE FOR THE LIBERAL
IN KAMLOOPS. CARIBOO RETURN LEN MARCHAND YO OTTAWA
(Published by the Len Marchand Campaign Committee}
“Among our problems are those which concern the Indian people. I am the first Indian to sit as a
member in this House and Iam conscious of my responsibilities, I recognize that the people of
Kamloops-Cariboo did not send me here to represent only a segment of that population, I know I
must strive on behalf of ali my constituents, However, I have an obligation which I could not
escape if I wished to, and that is my obligation to my fellow Indians.,J am an Indian who is a
Meraber of Parliament. | am not just the Indian peoples’ member; but I.must speak as well as
We all know that in respect of income, standards of living and health conditions many Indian
people are below that standard of acceptability in this country, They are isolated from their
fellow Canadians and they are shut off from many aspects of Canadian life .
The cost of neglecting this social problem left unsolved for too long, is — great. This cost in
terms of unproductive lives and misery is more than Canada can afford ...
proud race. We have much in our past of which we can be proud, Our culture can
make an even greater contribution to Canada than the very considerable one it has already made.
it it good and there is much for Canadians to learn about it.
the move today.”
—From @ speech in the House of Commons, Ottawa.
CANDIDATE IN YOUR
BREA...
PAGE SIX
NESIKA
OCTOBER, 1972
TOFINO —- History was made
here in this tiny provincial court
room on October 13 when Charles
Carl Ehlers became the first
person to be convicted under the
B.C. Archeological and Historical
Sites Protection Act of 1960. .
Ehlers ‘was fined $300 for the
removal of the mummified’
remains of an Indian woman from
her burial cave.
Ehlers was arrested on July 29 in
Tofino after the discovery of the
body by Mr. John Stertz who had
recently bought Ehler’s property
in Surrey. Mr. Stertz and a friend
discovered .the plywood box con-
taining the mummy under a table
in a. storeroom off the kitchen.
They immediately. called the
Surrey R.C.M.P.
TOOK INDIAN MUMMY FROM CAVE NEAR TOFINO
It was not until Surrey R.C.M.P.
arrived in Tofino on Jyly 30 that
Ehlers was formally charged..He
then claimed that he had thought
that the body was lost.
n passing sentence Judge
owen-Colthurst noted that
Ehlers, who immigrated from
Germany to Canada in 1956, had no
previous criminal record but alse
added: “. . . although he seemed to
have good intentions in removing
the mummy he had full knowledge
that his actions were illegal.”
The maximum penalty was a
$500 fine or six months in jail or
both. :
In fining Ehlers Bowen-Colthurst
said, “I must fix the fine suf-
ficiently high so as to deter. any
others from. crimes of this.sort but
- f
By NICHOLAS PRINCE
CDW, Lakes District ~
PRINCE . GEORGE
programs to encourage more
_Indian people, young and old, to
come to the centre were set at
general meetings of the Indian
Friendship Centre and the DOH-
DAY-DE-CLAA in Sept. 27 and Oct.
11.
‘The club has moved to a new
location and the new address is
1990 Renwick Crescent. The
building is only across the street
from the old centre so there is not
much danger of a person getting
lost.
This has been a very good move
in-that in the new centre we have
better facilities and there is more
room for activities that. will be
beneficial to all age groups.
Robert Sebastian, a young
Carrier Indian from Hazelton, is
the new director of the centre. lam
sure that he is well known by the
Indian people in this area. He is a
very energetic. person with a
dynamic personality which we feel
will stand him in good stead. He
may be young in years but old in
the.ways of Indian wisdom. (There
were other candidates for: this job
and we feel that the enthusiasm
shown proves that there is con-
siderable interest in the centre.)
The director’s work is a real .
challenge in that there are Indians
from all over Canada, students
from as far west as Prince Rupert,
north to Fort Nelson, south to
New
Williams Lake who came to the
centre. It is a known fact that te
help the Indian people and to en-
courage students from so vast an
area, one has to be adaptable not-
only to the culture of the areas.
More and more = Indian
youngsters are taking advantage
of the education that is given to
them. This is where the work is: to -
introduce students and young
people to the urban way of life, to
help them make friends in a
strange city. Thus are the students
encouraged, to continue their-
education.
Here I should mention that In-
_ dians; young or old, have always
had strong family ties. The change
of surroundings is not unlike the
days when my dad used to: make
me go into what we used to know as
a sweathouse and then have a roll
in the snow; the transition is that
great.
We also have a new secretary;
she is Marian Michell, a Carrier
Indian from the Lake Babine band.
She was hired on the basis of her
experience, enthusiasm and
personality. We take pride in that
she was the president of this club
and a secretary for PACIFIC. She
has done a considerable amount of
travelling around the country
which we think is valuable ex-
perience for her position.
Our board of directors include
young and old members. Many. of
them have been very active in the
past. We give a vote of thanks to
these people.
Coqualeetza to close?
— board has one month -
The interim planning committee
has less than a month left to con-
vince the Department of National
Health and Welfare not to close
down the Coqualeetza project.
The department informed the
Coqualeetza Advisory Board —
made up of representatives from
the Union of Chiefs, National
‘Health and Welfare, Indian Affairs
and the township of Chilliwhack —
in late August that the project was
costing $22,000 per month to keep
the buildings open and that the
project would be closed down for a
period of four months starting
November 1, 1972.
In order to prevent the closure,
the board set up a interim planning
committee to study and suggest
programs for the project over the
four winter months.
At a meeting in early October,
several proposals were discussed
by the interim planning committee
but members expressed doubts as
to whether or not the department of
health and welfare will even act on
their proposals. ‘“‘We have no
guarantee that these projects will
be adopted, or even that the
department will take any action on
the recommendations at all,”’ said
Bob Hall, of the Skulkayn Indian
Band.
Coqualeetza project, according
to the planning committee, has
been used in the past mainly as a
hotel or convention centre. Current
plans for the facilities will include
training for community health
workers, educational, vocational
and cultural programs.
The committee hopes to gain
financial support of the project
from other government depart-
ments, on both the federal and
provincial level.
Committee. members are not
certain that they can present
enough programs to cover the
$22,000 per month operating and
maintenance costs. for the four
month period. ‘But at least,”
Alderman Rochester of
Chilliwack township said,.“‘we may
be able to cover some of the cost of
the operation.”
- R.C.M-P. office each time.
the .
at the same time be fair to Mr.
Ehlers’ particular case.”
Ehlers had apparently been
visiting the.cave since 1968 and had
noticed that fewer and fewer ar-
tifacts remained each year due to
animals and humans and had
consequently tried to get it sealed.
He wrote a letter to the Cen-
tennial Museum in Vancouver
asking them if they would be in-
terested in acquiring the mummy.
They wrote back saying that they
were interested in the site but
warned that it was illegal to
knowingly dig for or remove ar-
tifacts. Ehlers again wrote to the
museum and presumably got the
same reply. He was living in
Prince Rupert at this time.
It was not until April of this year
that Ehlers decided. to take the
matter into his own hands: and
remove the mummy.
After his arrest. Ehlers volun-
tarily gave the R.C.M.P. these
letters but the bottom half of one,
which contained the warning, was
cut off. This was verified by a file
of the same letter at the Centennial
museum. :
Ehlers pleaded not guilty on
August 16.and a date for the trial
was set for early September. But
the case suffered postponements
when it rained the day before the
hearings began. The water rushed
down the mountains with such-
force that a great chunk of the
highway by Kennedy Lake fell off;
no one could get in or out for the
next two days. This included the .
presiding judge from Nanaimo and
Clayoquot Band Councillor Joseph
Frank. The trial was finally reset
for October 13. ,
Ehlers dutifully reported. to the
He
claimed that he had nothing to
hide. What he had done, he said,
was done in good faith.
After the mummy’s discovery by
Stertz in Surrey it was first taken
to the morgue at the Royal
Columbian Hospital where
pathologist, Dr. C. J. Coady
identified it as female and
probably 50 to 60 years old.
He said that it was nota mummy
in the Egyptian sense as Indians
have never practised that but
simply very dried out. This drying
process had preserved it very well
as the skin still covered the
skeletal remains although there
was no trace of hair.
He attributed the fact of its
drying out to the location and at-
mosphere of the cave. The cave,
about 15 feet wide, 12 feet deep and
7 feet high at the entrance is
located about 35 miles by road
from Tofino at Kennedy Cove on
Tofino Inlet.
More exact information was
given by Daniel David, 68, a
Clayoquot Indian from the Opisat
reserve across the inlet from
Tofino. Although only 19 at the time
he remembers the burial of the
woman in 1923. He led the police to
the cave where the burial took
_place though he had not been there
for 49 years.
The mummy was taken from the
Royal Columbian Hospital to the
Provincial Museum in Victoria
where it is under the care of
provincial archeologist, Mr, Bjorn
Simonsen. . ‘
Mr. Simonsen did not permit any
photographers from the major’
newspapers to take pictures of the
mummy but said that it was up to
the Indian people at Tofino -
to decide whether or not they
wanted it to be photographed.
NESIKA photographers were
allowed to take pictures after he
had secured our promise that we
would also get the permission of
the band leaders at Tofino. Per-
mission was given by Councillors
Dan David Jr., and Joseph Frank.
Mr. Frank said that the body
would be evenutally- reburied. He
also said that there were many
more artifacts already on display
at the provincial museum that
have been acquired by the same
means’ as the mummy. That is, -
people either innocently or
knowingly have dug artifacts and
given them to the museum.
Since most of these can be
identified as belonging to certain
bands they should be given back,
he said. Any enquiries about
certain artifacts at the museum or
information regarding the Ar-
cheological and Historical Sites
Protection Act should be directed
to the provincial archeologist, Mr.
Bjorn Simonsen.
Dorothy Jeff, a member of the
Anahim Band, was_ recently
awarded the Bill and Elsie More -
Many bands lists
are stilll needed
A staff member reports that
many bands have yet-to send in
complete mailing lists: for their
bands.
In order to. make NESIKA’S
operation more efficient and to see
that the paper reaches as many
Indian people as. possible, we urge
each chief to send us a mailing list
for his or her band.
The mailing list should include
the names and addresses of all
heads of households living on
reserve.
This will save time for everyone
concerned as we will be able to
distribute NESIKA directly by
mail.
For others wishing to get on our
mailing list, there is a subscription
form on page.3 of this issue.
Sask. artist
had big show
Within an hour of opening, Allan
Sapp had sold nearly $10,000 worth
of his paintings. when. a private
Vancouver art gallery recently
held a showing of his latest pain-
tings. rs
Allan Sapp is a 43-year-old Cree
Indian born on the Red Pheasant
Reserve in northern Saskatchewan
who have overcome such_ han-
dicaps as total lack of education. to
become one of Canada’s best
known artists.
His paintings centre around life
on the rural Saskatchewan Indian
reserves that Allan Sapp knows
well and are noted for their sim-
plicity and directness rather than
technical perfection.
Words most often used when
describing his paintings are
“warm” and ‘‘personal’’.
TORONTO — A new cradle
board for Indian babies has been
designed to allow the child to curl
up and thus prevent hip
‘dislocations.
Cradle boards used by northern
tribes have been found to cause hip
dislocations because they were
designed to keep the baby’s legs
straight.
Bursary which will be awarded
annually to status or non-status
Indian students who want to
continue their education after high
school.
Dorothy is presently taking a
course in recreation leadership at
Cariboo College. .
The basis of this award as well as
the basis of the First Citizens’ fund
awards are educational potential,
leadership potential and financial
need. The Bill and Elsie More
Bursary also requires an active
involvement of the student in
promoting the cause of Indian
people. The awards from the First
Citizens’ Fund also require
community involvement.
All are straight bursaries to be
given for a year and will not
require repayment by recipients.
The Bill and Elsie More Bursary is
approximately $400, while the First
Citizen’s Awards are up to $500.
At press time, no awards from
the First Citizens’ Fund had been
granted.
A BCNITA committee headed by
George Wilson as chairman. is
handling screening and selection
for this year’s awards.
These awards are an attempt to
encourage Indian students to
continue post secondary education,
said Alvin McKay, executive
director of the Indian Education
Resources Centre.at UBC. The Bill
and Elsie More Bursary and the
First Citizen’s Awards are both for
continuing beyond high school into
an academic or vocational course,
but the latter. will encourage
students who want to go to
university or junior college.
McKay also emphasized that the
BCNITA screening committee can
recommend more than one for the
First Citizen’s Awards depending
on the number of qualified can-
didates.
The Bill and Elsie More Bursary
was established by the family and
friends of the late Reverend Bill
More and his wife Elsie as a tribute
to their memory. Rev. More is
noted for his work with the Indian
people. The fund is handled by the
Vancouver Foundation.
Besides these awards there are
at least nine scholarships for which
Indian students may apply to the
Department of Indian Affairs,
according to Bob Sterling,
assistant executive director of the
IERC.
in Okanagan-Boundary
Bruce Howard Works For YOU
@
ON Oct. 30, Re-elect...
BRUCE HOWARD-LIBERAL
{Inserted by the Bruce Howard Liberal Campaign Committee)
OCTOBER, 1972
NESIKA
ke ok o&
(EDITOR'S NOTE: While Brendan Kennedy’s assignment as a Community Development
Worker in the Nazko area for the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs may appear to be the most ex-
citing of all C_D.W. postings — what with having to travel on horseback, spend days and nights
alone in the wilds and generally live very close to nature — there is no doubt that his job as’
“advisor’’ to our native people in area is also the toughest and most demanding. And, although
this paper is not going to get into the habit of printing C_.D.W. reports on a regular basis, we
hope that by reading a recent report filed by Mr. Kennedy to the Union office you will get some
idea of and thus appreciate the nature of his work, and perhaps understand. how it is with just
one segment of our people. It is interesting to note that while the report, in letter form, was sent
to Tim Spinks, Tim is no longer co-ordinator of the C.D.W. program, having taken a field
position himself. Mr. Kennedy had been unaware that Gordon Antoine is now co-ordinator,
since he had been away making his rounds in Kluskus when the change took place, and news of
the switch had not. reached him. His reference to the training course further bears out the
communication problems experienced by everyone in the area — he had no way of knowing that
the course had to be set back. In fact, because mail takes so long getting in and out of the area
and there are no telephones, it is necessary for the Union office to have the radio station in
Quesnel broadcast a message telling him to call Vancouver. A poor signal, or a weak set of
batteries and he simply does not get the message. For what it is worth, here then is his report.) |
Dear Tim, .
This is the first opportunity that I
have had since returning from my
field trip to Kluskus to attempt a
report. Please excuse the delay but
T have been going twelve hours a
day in Nazko fora solid week since
‘returning.
I felt that. the amount and
complexity of my findings in
Kluskus warranted something
more than the regular C.D. Report.
I hope to find time in the near
future to compile an initial
analysis of the. Kluskus area, the
people and their needs, but here is
a summary of my last month’s
work:
‘There is no one Kluskus com-
munity. The ninety people
belonging or attached. to the
Kluskus Band live in four separate
areas, each a good day’s horsback
ride from the next. All travel in the
area is done on horseback except in
emergencies when a plane can be*
brought to the nearest lake.
The first “group” of people, 27,
live in three log houses 55 miles
west of Nazko. Each house is a one-
room log cabin. All of them need
repairs. Last winter Department of
Indian Affairs officials from
Williams Lake. toured the area, and
material from the. agency was
promised for repairs, but has not
yet been forthcoming.
I have approached the
Superintendent with the needs for
roofing paper to at least. stop
leakage during the wet weather. I
also brought up the idea of ap-
plying for a new housing program
to.the people here. :
During my last visit, the people
in this area were busy putting up
hay. Collectively they have. 17
horses used solely for tran-
sportation and hunting. One of
their primary interests is in getting
kk
a tractor, both to help with the
haying and to aid in bringing in
supplies from Nazko (a return trip
for supplies taking four days travel
time), and for plowing snow and
general farm use.
Cattle. ranchers?
Their major ambition at present
is to acquire cattle to build up a
herd for the future and we have
requested that the agency
agriculturalist make a field trip to
the area to discuss the develop-
ment of a cattle ranch with them.
I took several trips with. the
people when we were not haying to
look at their land and to find areas
where land might be leased. All of
the reserve lands in this area are
good meadow and grazing lands.
I was also shown several tracts
that have traditionally been used
but now reside with the crown. We
will attempt to lease these before
next summer. ‘
The only. major problem we can
foresee is the reluctance of. the
provincial government to lease
land unless it is put to. immediate
use. We hope that with the aid of
the Department of Indian Affairs
special concessions will be made in
this case.
Want own school
I also discussed with this group
the possibility of starting a school
in the area; presently all of their
children leave home for grade
school. - —
Various people of the area have
asked about starting a local
boarding school and I know from
my discussions with the ad-
ministrator at the residence in
Williams Lake that somé such
arrangement may be necessary in
‘the future. :
As yet, though, it is too early to
tell what the people would favour
for their children, but it was ob-
vious from their discussions. that
they are deeply concerned. with
having their children receive a
good basic education.
_ The next group of people live
about twenty miles further west.
Here there are eight people ina
large two-room log house. The
house is also badly in need of
_ repairs and the promised material
for the roof was never heard of
since the last trip made by agency
staff.
The people in these families
move to Nazko during most of the
school months where they rent
“shacks” from a merchant ran-
cher there.
Read to guide?
The only adult male in this group
owns a guiding area east of the
Itcha Mountains. He does not have
a guide license and since the guide:
course has. become mandatory: for
obtaining one his chance of losing
his area is-marked.
Unfortunately the man_ is
illiterate and would therefore
stand little chance of passing a
course of instruction designed for
and by non-native game guides.
It is interesting to note that the
man has guided for over fifteen
years, yet may lose his area
because of “‘illiteracy’’. We are
trying to renew his license and to
establish a system whereby the
guide area will be available to
natives should it have to change
hands. :
Haying time
We spent two days blowing
beaver dams on the meadows here
to drain them for haying. The
reserves here are mostly jackpine
and rock-soil but the meadows
PERCY PAULL poses with Linda Douglas (left) and Brenda
Baker (right) on the opening night of the “Friendship
through. Arts” crafts exhibition which was held at the
Longhouse on Capilano Reserve from October 12 to 15. The
event was jointly sponsored by the Squamish Indian Band
FRIENDSHIP IN ART
and the North Vancouver Community Arts Council and
featured the work of forty artists: twenty non-indian artists
from the north shore and twenty native 6.C,. indian
craftspeople from all corners of the province. The sponsors
hope to make the exhibition an annual affair. —(Staff Photo)
PAGE SEVEN
BRENDAN KENNEDY
... Union CDW in Nazko
provide enough feed and grazing
for the few horses the people keep.
I found the people here, although
extremely limited in formal
schooling, to be very: aware and
interested in band business, and I
spent several nights here just
familiarizing myself with
background information which
these people readily supplied.
We also discussed the school,
road improvements, cooperative
buying and freighting of groceries,
and housing.
Twenty miles further west is the
next group of people whom I had
visited earlier in the summer for
two weeks. Since a man came from
the Tatelkus Lake area to ask me
to spend time with him I went with
him. 30 miles north to the. final
-group. of people.
Of major concern to them was
the apparent trespass. of a non-
native rancher on reserve land. We
spent two days trying to.find the
old survey line but were only able
to find the south-east and east
lines. The west and southwest
lines, which are in dispute, were
apparently destroyed by a forest
fire. :
It would seem, by extrapolating
from the existing lines, that the
rancher is using a portion of
reserve land. 2
I have advised the agent of this
and suggested a resurvey should
be done to save hard feeling on
beth sides.
Presently the two families that
live here reside on a quarter
section of leased land five miles
north of the reserve. The lease is
held by the Nazko Band but payed -
for by the users. While there, they
showed me a great deal of land that
they want to lease in the near
future. BY on
These people are also keenly
‘interested in starting themselves
in cattle and I have advised the
agency office of this in hopes that
the agriculturlist will advise them
in turn on how to get started.
Stendards low
The housing here. is, to say the
least, inadequate.
The twe families presently oc-
cupy a one-room leg cabin over
thirty years old. It has no in-
sulation and poor roofing so that it .
leaks.
They are locking for new housing
bul we may have problems since
they are technically off-re
status.
On the whole the area has three
major preblems which call for
attention: communication,
resources and basic comforts.
Communications is perhaps the
easiest to solve, which does not say
that it will be done. Both audial and
physicai communication is
hampered by the freat distances
involved relative to horse and
wagon speed.
The closest people are a day and
a half from any services normally
available even to rural people.
There is no store, hospital, or
school within 50 miles.
The more distant people are
anywhere from two and a half to
four days ride from any extra
community contact and services.
I have made the concept of
R.A.V.E.N. known and will be in
contact with them to discuss: the
possibility of at least establishing
radio-phone contact | among
themselves and. to the “outside”
world
Hardly jet travel
On transportation, most of the
people feel that the use of a tractor
will aid them both to-haul in sup-
plies and provide a relatively quick
form of transportation in
emergencies.
We will discuss this point further
with them, since there are a lot of
implications that have not,
perhaps, been fully realized such
as maintenance, operation, initial
capital expenditure, up-keep, etc.
However, this may be the most °
logical step up from the horse and
wagon, until the prospective road
improvement comes through.
Resources include the
acquisition of land, strategically
located, and of commercial value
either for some form of ranching or
tourism — the two major forms of
business in the area.
We have started discussion the
possibility of tapping the tourist
trade but as this is a new concept it
will take time to see opinions
formed.
We have also discussed starting
a co-operative store for the area,
the only major drawback being the
freighting of merchandise from
Nazko to the site. We have also
discussed other possibilities such
as horse ranching, fishing and a
tourist lodge and should be able to
develop these on my next visit.
Basic comforts — a term I just
drummed up — is a far more
perplexing problem. Seen from my
perspective, semi-rural and
Caucasian, the people in the area
are living far below even a
minimum standard of living
ring the three weeks 7 spent
| found severe hardships with
@ diet. Every family was out of
at y %
the families were
ies but could not affo
t Cone week) during haying
season to go to Nazko. There is a
definite scarcity of moose and
_ deer, probably from the extremely
harsh winter last year.
‘Two camps. were drinking water
(Continued on Page 8)
PAGE EIGHT
PHILLIP OPPENHEIM works on banners for the up-coming Chiefs’ Conference,
The fourth annual conference will be held in Prince Rupert's Civic Centre on
November 7, 8 and 9. The theme of this year's conference is education and
economic development; Eiisan Dailly, 8.C. Minister of Education, Frank Caider,
HARD AT WO
NESIKA
RK
Minister without gortfclio, George Wilson, B.C. Native Indian Teachers
Association, University of B.C, Native Indian Teachers Association, Bill Stanbury,
University of B.C. economist, are among those invited to participate along with
delegates from the 188 Indian bands and other B.C, Inclian leaders, —(Staif Photo}
(Continued from Page 7)
from which I caught a disease that
may well have been dysenteric.
Presumably they have built up an
immunity but it can put a stranger
in agony and even people from the
next closest reserve know the
effect of that particular water.
Housing in ail cases, except one,
is both inadequate and sub-
standard. (And here you may note
that my “standard” is rural log
cabin and not. a reflection on
suburban standards . . .) :
Six new houses would have to be
built immediately to properly
accommodate the population now.
_And, with the heavy age dif-
ferentiation favoring youth, that
figure will have to treble in the
next ten years. :
I hope to complete a fuller and
more detailed report in the near
future, but thought that I should
get a few ideas about the Kluskus
situation down on paper for you.
Grant held up
The situation is Nazko, although
a little more cheerful, has a few
rough spots. The second quarterly
installment of. the administration
grantis being held up until the 1971
audit is complete.
There is.a complicated set of
reasons for the lack of a final audit
report which the administrator is
not to be blamed, but I fear it might
cause the administration program
to stop, which the band can not
afford right now. I will give you a
background on that when I see you.
Also, the chief is talking of
resigning. Cathy Patrick has done
more in her year and half in office:
than was accomplished in ten
years previous, and there is no
likely successor at the moment.
Obviously I will have to work
harder to motivate more people in
the band to share responsibilities
and try to help the council work out
the present mini-crisis.
However, more importantly, we
will have to work to find a cohesive
force for. the community since
there are signs of sitting back on its
laurels or slipping back to apathy,
I don’t yet know which.
Signs are good:
However, the general trends are
good, with an increased concern
for the schooling of the children,
good attendance and participation
at the last council meeting by ‘in-
terested members, and on the
whole an improvement in living
beth from a physical health and
mental health viewpoint. :
There are no outbreaks of skin
disease like. last summer, and
nearly ail children got to school
and all were well dressed.
There is a marked decline in
drinking on reserve and there has
been a long period without violence
and juvenile delinquency —
problems which were epidemic a
few years back, if half the stories
are believed.
life
wa : SB 8 «&
Most. aduits have found tem-
porary employment and some are
looking forward to try to get funds
for another project this winter.
So, although it is far from ideal,
the general picture is improving.
Perhaps a few personal remarks
are not out of order so... . first, it
is becoming very obvious that
work in Kluskus, at least, and
hopefully for: Nazke also, I should
be speaking Carrier.
Although I do not have any ap-
parent inter-personal problems
with any of the people, certainly
communication would be
facilitated by my use of the proper
language. I will try to find time to
work on this aspect this winter.
So far I have done all of my
travel in Kluskus on. horseback.
This is good in as much as it
establishes a definite link with the
peopie there; they are easily able
to identify with a rider camping
out.
Winter’s coming’
However, although I intend to
keep using my horse in summer,
the problem of winter and spring is
approaching. Realizing that winter
travel becomes impossible on
horse-back, and yet constant work
in the field is the ultimate priority,
I have discussed with the people
there about maintaining contact
regularly during the winter.
Originally we had discussed
using a plane to drop in. However,
we are now talking of either a
snowmobile or an all-terrain
vehicle.
It would seem that it would be ~
best to have something which’
would bring in supplies which may
be needed or could move someone
if they were ill. .
Of course, a snowmobile would
be ideal for the snow months and
would also serve to pack down the
snow for their sleighs, but I think.
that the six-wheel A.T.V., which
also goes on snow, may be more
practical for all-round use.
Anyway, I thought I would throw
this out for your reaction. Do you
think we can find it in the budget,
enough for dependable winter
transportation?
And if so, what is your feeling on
an all-terrain vehicle or
snowmobile? Would it be more
economical to lease one for the
winter months?
Will be looking forward to seeing
you next week at the training
course. I expect I may be a day or
so late arriving due to the amount
of work I have here.
After the course I hope to take a
week off since I have only had five
official days off since May, then a
week in Nazko and maybe two
weeks in Kluskus before the snow
flies.
Hope ali is well with you. And
thanks for bearing through this
lengthy letter.
Yours,
Brendan Kennedy.
a
INUVIK, N.W.T.— The board of
the University of Canada Nerth
project met here last winter but,
after submitting a plan of action to
the Donner Foundation and the
secretary of state, it is still waiting
for funds to get started.
According to its spokesman,
George Erasmus, the project aims
to a learning system -‘‘that will .
provide year round learning
facilities to as much of the
population in the north as
possible.”’
Erasmus envisions a campus
with as little physical structures as
possible, with the University
having ‘‘the flexibility and ver-
satility needed to get involved in as
many different learning situations
as possible.
He also thinks that courses and
ew university of north
still waiting
for funds
classes will be open and = ex-
perimental: “Courses should be
structured to encourage as much
practical experience in the form of
theory for. example, the Liard
River Valley project; an alternate
life style experiment.”
Erasmus foresees one project to
be started is a Medical and
Psychological Department -based
on a serious look at the physical
and mental practices used in the
north by the original people.
He said that the University could
be an “instrument for immediate .
development in the north by
northerners.”’ i ;
A mobile college is another
project that Erasmus sees for the
University. He said a ship or
something else can be converted
into a ‘floating institution” that
will tour the world by water.
Native youth
for national
OTTAWA—Arthur Manuel was
elected president of the Native
Youth Association by delegates to
the national conference of Indian
youth held recently at the Red
Pheasant reserve in Saskat-
- chewan.
Other officers elected are Ben
Wuttunee, vice-president, and
Joyce Petawanikwat, secretary-
treasurer.
The conference was the first of
its kind in Canada and it was called
upon the request of representatives
from the provinces and territories.
The association will help native
youths to organize in the provinces
and territories as well as serve as a
communications and information
centre.
From an interview the newly
elected president said that the
association “‘is beginning to ex-°
plore the possibility of a national
travel and exchange program.”
elect officers
” CJ s
associations
Manuel described the program
as a means ‘‘to allow young people
to travel the country, live on
various reserves with various
tribal groups and thereby gaining a
greater. insight and understanding
about the problems that face the
native people.”
He also mentioned that the
association is planning an _ in-
ternational travel and exchange
program to “expose young people
to other developing countries,
other developing people.”
Sechelt member
2nd Dan George?
- Pat John, a native Indian youth
from Sechelt will be seen in a new
CBC television series this fall.
Pat will be seen in the part of
Jesse Jim, one of the regulars in
the new adventure series called
“The Beachcombers” which was
filmed on location at Gibsons, B.C.
OCTOBER, 1972
How about
consulting
Indians?
MONT GABRIEL, Que. —
UBCIC Executive Director Bill
Mussell urged. scientists doing
research in the North to com-
municate with the native people.
Speaking at the federal govern-
_ment workshop on science activity
in the North, Mussei noted that the
conference illustrated the ap-
-parent.low opinion the organizers
had. of native people.
He was the only representative
of the native population invited. ©
Referring to the northern affairs |
department listing of native
peoples as a first priority in its
policy statement, “I’m pleased to
hear this and to hear Northern
Affairs Minister Jean. Chretien
repeat it this morning,” the UBCIC
official said.
“But when the native people are
not included in the meeting, this
indicates they have little power
and not much involvement,” he
{ researchers in the
ser spent about $12
‘e was. no in-
ve groups. :
that scientists study
skimes but they do not
any information.
called scientists
stingy with their result-
. Why keep the information to
yourselves?” Mussel asked the 100
scientists in the audience.
He said scientisis. could learn
some lessons themselves.
“The native people could teach
you about people,” he explained.
“Vd like to see this happen.”
During later discussion several
of the audience said scientists are
having problems communicating
even among themselves, let. alone
with the general public or mem-
volyveme
are
‘bers of special northern groups.
a 2 get
Student given
ald to continue
VANCOUVER — In a recent
meeting, the Native Indian
Committee donated $485 toward
the B.C. Association of Non-Status
indians’ program to assist ten Non-
Status Indian high school students
from the Queen Charlotte Islands
in continuing their schooling in
Prince Rupert. .
At the same meeting, the
committee members also ap-
proved expenditures of up to $400 to
assist Indian students in lower-
mainland boarding homes in
taking part in recreational and
cultural activities.
The Sardis Native Women’s
HIDES WANTED
Club is looking for hides to use
in their fall crafts classes.
If. you have any to sell, -con-.
tact: a |
Sardis Native Women’s Club
c/o. Chilliwack Area Council
Box 253
Veddar Crossing, B.C.
native peopie.
qualifications.
THE NATIVE YOUTH ASSOCIATION OF CANADA
is tookingfor... AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The successful applicant will — .
—be of native origin and will have considerable experience in working with
'
—be responsible for financial administration of the national office; for the
direction of the office staff; for the preparation of plans and budgets, and
for the development of programs.
SALARY will be between $7,500 to $8,500 annually depending on
TO APPLY, write Mr. Arthur Manuel, Native Youth Association, 1610
Varette Bldg., 130 Albert St., Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 5G4. .
DEADLINE for application is October 31, 1972.
December, 1972
N ES IK A
Page Nine
New $180,000
store completely
burned
By DAVE STEVENSON
CDW, Bella Coola
October 30 will be remembered
by most Canadians as election day,
but for the people of Bella Bella it
will be remembered as the sad day
when our Band Store burned down.
The fire, which started early in
the morning, took only three hours
to demolish the recently built
$180,000 self-service grocery store
owned and operated by the band.
Despite the valiant efforts of the
Bella Bella Volunteer Fire
Brigade, the fire soon got out of
control and fanned by a strong
wind razed the building. One
firefighter, William Gladstone,
overcome by smoke, broke both
ankles when he fell off a ladder.
A 19-year-old suspect was held
and questioned by RCMP. He
confessed to breaking into the store
and setting three separate fires. He
was tried and convicted in Ocean
Falls and received a sentence of
three years. in jail.
Once the shock of losing our
store, which took four years of
planning, wore off the Band
Council and the Store Commission
quickly undertook to establish
grocery service by setting up a
temporary store in the basement of
the Community Hall. It started
operating November 15.
Due to a strong need for it —
people cried over the burning of the
store — a new store is being
planned. Hopefully it will be
completed by next spring.
'Ksan dancers
get ovations
OTTAWA — Following their
performances at the National Arts
Centre here, the ’Ksan Dancers of
the ’Ksan Historic Indian Village
at Hazelton may be on their way to
national and _— international
recognition,
The talented group. received
standing ovations after each of
their three performances at the
centre, requests for performances
at York and Pennsylvania
universities, three other offers of
engagements in the east and were
asked.to stay on in Ottawa for
another week.
Their presentation included
ceremonies, songs and dances that
have come. down to the Gitksan
people from ancient times.
The trip which included ex-
cursions to museums in New York
and Washington, D.C., was
financed by grants from the
federal government, the First
Citizens’ Fund and the Kitanmax
school in Hazelton.
NEW AIYANSH — A salute to
pioneers of the Nishga Nation was
the theme set for the Fifteenth
Annual Convention of the Nishga
Tribal Council held on the 16th,
17th and 18th of November.
The convention wished to pay
tribute, in the words of Council
President and Minister-without-
Portfolio Frank Calder, to ‘‘the
work and energy of the pioneers
which has. culminated in the en-
deavors of the Nishga people now.”
The convention was held sixty
miles deep into the magnificent
Nass Valley north of Terrace at the
village community hall of New
Aiyansh.
The Nishga Tribal Council is
made up of representatives from
the four villages of the Nass
Valley: Canyon City, Greenville, -
Kincolith, and New Aiyansh.
PROPOSE PETITION
Education was stressed highly at
the meeting highlighted by a
proposal to petition the Provincial
Government for the creation of a
new school district solely in the
Nass Valley and a breakaway from
the existing one presently con-
trolled by the Terrace School
Board.
Also of concern was a proposed
new junior secondary school for
Aiyansh coinciding with a
bicultural bilingual program for all
schools in the year,
All the panel speakers agreed in
the need for the people of the
* community to take a very active
part in their children’s education if
they wanted the proposed new
school be a success.
WILSON SPEAKS
B.C, Native Indian Teachers
Association Chairman. George
Wilson, who recently became
Director of Indian Education for
the education department,
stressed that the most important
thing that could be taught in the
new school would be human
relationship.
He also suggested that when they
chose a principal for the school
they give him a full year paid leave
of absence to plan and develop the
educational program.
Indian Education Resource
Centre Director Alvin McKay said
he felt that education ‘‘is a life that
is changing all the time.”
He felt that it was important to
realize. that education was
everything in life and began right
in the home: “We, the Indian
people, are the only ones who can
make the changes we want...
NISHGA TRIBAL CONFERENCE
Tribute paid to pioneers
through strong
children.”
MORE CONCERN
Bert McKay, who is the principal
of the elementary school in
Aiyansh and also president of
producing
BCNITA, stated that although the.
school was having problems due to
inadequate financing the real
problem was lack of community
involvement. He asked the
delegates to be more concerned
about their children’s education.
Another matter dealt with at the
convention was the housing
situation. Delegates expressed
concern with the present system of
house allotment from the Federal
Government and the quality of
house that resulted.
It was suggested that the present
$8,500 grant per house should
‘somehow be upgraded to provide
better quality. DIA Superintendent
of (Regional) Community Affairs
Larry Hunter revealed that the
Canada-wide allotment of 15,000
houses arrived at in 1966 still stood.
HOUSING MONEY
Mr. Hunter admitted that it was
not adequate but he said nothing
could be done about it at present.
George Price from Indian
Economic Development suggested
the Council pass a resolution and
take over money allocated toward
Nishga people takes
control of
NEW AIYANSH — A possible
Canadian first and certainly a
large step towards more control of
their own education by the Nishga
people was begun in the Nass
Valley on the 17th of November.
In an amended resolution passed
by the Fifteenth Annual Con-
vention of the Nishga Tribal
Council it was recommended that
the four bands of the Council
petition the Provincial Dept. of
Education for the dreation of a new
school district: School District 89.
The proposed school district
would include not just the four
communities .of New Aiyansh,
Greenville, Canyon City and
Kincolith but all communities
along the Nass River.
.The communities presently
come under the jurisdiction of the
Cassiar School District 88. There
has been, however, a growing
frustration in dealing with the non- -
Indian school board at Terrace.
The culmination of _ this
frustration is centred around
negotiations for the building of a
new bi-cultural, bi-lingual junior
high school at Aiyansh and
establishment of a _ similar
program in the existing elemen-
tary schools.
FIRST PROPOSAL
The proposal was first made in
February 1972 at the last con-
vention by the Nishga School
Committee which consisted of
members from each of the four
communities. Despite the fact that
the Terrace School Board has
already received 50% of a 1.3
million dollar grant towards the
education
new school and despite intensive
negotiations throughout the year to
date no action has been taken
towards the project’s realization.
The original resolution at this
year’s conference was the result of
this frustration and called for the
establishment of a Nishga School
Board to take charge of Nishga
educational matters.
The resolution also called for the
handing over of monies from the
Terrace School Board that had
been allocated for Nishga
education.
CALDER COMMENTS
Commenting on the resolution,
however, Council President and
Minister Without Portfolio Frank
Calder suggested that in dealing
with the government they should
keep clear of the word “separate.”
Rather, he said, they should
stress ‘‘equality of education for all
citizens of the Province.” He
suggested then the idea:‘of a new
school district serving all the
people of the valley.
“Nowhere in Canada does an
Indian school board exist,”’ he said,
“it will be a model for the rest of
the country.”
He then invited representatives
from the four villages to come to
the opening of parliament to meet
with Minister of Education Eileen
Dailly and work out the feasibility
of the proposal.
Calder stressed, however, that
the proposed new school district
would serve all the people of the
Nass Valley and not just the
Nishga Nation.
IN A HISTORY-MAKING CEREMONY recently in Victoria, seven B.C.
native Indian policemen were sworn in for duty on their respective
reserves. The seven, who were sworn in by Gordon Cunningham,
Assistant RCMP Commissioner, were put through an extensive training
2 ToS UL ame CR
Se ATR ARE, STARR TED Rn AE eH
NEW INDIAN RCMP CONSTABLES
TRO RRM
Baker.
bait ae
sala allies cone a
program, which consisted of many facets of poliee work- Let us all hope
that people will co-operate with: Brian Thorne, Archie Robinson, Ted
Seward, William Newman, Frank MacDonald, Robert Louie and larry
—G. McKevitt Photo
James Gosnell,
housing and control it themselves.
Other business at the convention
included talks with officials from
the Fisheries, Manpower, Health
and Welfare, Forestry and Fish
and Wildlife Departments.
On the first day of the meeting
the council was presented with a
cheque from Columbia Cellulose
for $2,500 as a memorial fund for
Reginald Percival who died on the
job last year.
BRASS BAND ; .
The first bursary from the fund
will go to the New Aiyansh
Philharmonic Silver Band, the
local brass and reed band who ably
entertained the delegates on the
first two evenings of the con-
vention.
Election of Table Officers, which
would normally take place, was
waived and delegates voted to
retain the present members.
It was felt that it was not a good
idea to vote in new people while the
Nishga Land Claim was still in
progress.
The officers presently are Chief
New Aiyansh;
Chief Maurice Nyce, Canyon City;
Chief William McKay, Greenville;
Chief Harold Barton, Kincolith;
Hubert Haldane, Prince Rupert —
-Point Edward Local; Hubert
Doolan, Chairman; Henry McKay,
Secretary-Treasurer; and
Minister-without-Portfolio Frank
Calder as President.
Guests at the convention in-
cluded Senator Guy Williams,
Chief Victor Adolph, who was
representing the Union of B.C.
Indian Chiefs and Simon Baker,
Chairman of the Squamish Band.
It was a particularly nostalgic
trip for Mr. Baker as he had played
lacrosse with the Nishga team for a
short period back in the early
thirties. Many of his teammates he
met again for the first time since
then.
The third and final day of the
convention was devoted to
ceremonies taking place in nearby
Canyon City. Delegates were in-
vited to help the village celebrate
the fiftieth anniversary of the local
Salvation Army.
Professionals
name “Woman
of the Year’
FORT ST. JOHN — Mrs. Mille
Poplar was honoured by the Fort
St. John Business and Professional
Women’s Club last month when she
was chosen as the club’s “woman
of the year’. The award is
presented annually to a woman in
the community who has con-
tributed to making Fort St. John a
better place.
Despite family committments to
her husband and three - small
children, Mrs. Poplar has made
outstanding contributions to the
community and especially to the
native community.
She has been instrumental in
organizing the Keeginaw Friend-
ship Centre in Fort St. John,
retains the position of home-school
co-ordinator for Indian students
covering the territory between
Chetwynd and Fort Nelson, serves
on the family court committee as
well as being active in her church.
Born in Old Crow, Yukon which
is several miles within the Arctic
Cirele, Mrs. Poplar was educated
in Whitehorse and later in Van-
couver.
Mrs. Poplar travelled around
western Canada quite a bit before
she settled down in Fort St. John
with her family.
At the same time she was
declared “Citizen of the Week” for
the Fort St. John District.
Page Ten
another chief on the first day of
Ts ~
ren
UNION STAFF MEMBER Marj Percival registers
~~)
the Chiefs Con-
ference. Watching in the background are staff
N E S I K A
members Susan Sparrow, Mrs. 8. Sparrow and Marie
‘Hans (standing).
(Staff photo)
December, 1972
— Students take study,
tutoring
A study hall program initiated on
the Saanich Peninsula on Van-
couver Island is proving itself a
needed and successful aid to Indian
Secondary students of the area.
The program, which began in
late October, provides for the
bussing of students from the East
Saanich, Coal Bay, and Pat Bay
reserves to Tsartlip School on the
West Saanich Reserve two nights a
week for a two hour session of
study and tutored help.
Home School Co-ordinator Mollie
Pelkey, who is in charge of the
program, said she felt the service
is meeting a real need of the
students. In fact, she said, the idea
for it was suggested to her by
students she talked to.
She said that many of the
students had difficulty studying in
the home and especially if they
were from large families.
An indication of the programs
popularity is that over half of the 75
eligible students in the area
(students enroled in grades eight to
twelve) take advantage of it.
AIDS AVAILABLE
Besides bussing the program
provides for two regular tutors,
sessions
two students from the University of
Victoria, to help the students with
individual problems.
Some typewriters are provided
too for commerce students, as well
as encyclopedias and other
reference materials.
Mrs. Pelkey said that she hopes
the program will continue right
through to May. This is only ten-
tative at present, however, as
finances have been and are still the
major problem.
She originally applied to the
Dept. of Indian Affairs, the Dept. of
Education, the First Citizens Fund,
and Welfare but ran into obstacles
in all these courses. The program
is presently funded up until
December by a private source but
what will after December is still
uncertain.
Mrs. Pelkey also said that ‘they
were considering a program of
adult education night school
although she stressed that this was
still only an idea at present. The
facilities at the school are:
available, however, and she said
she felt that courses for adults:
would be worthwhile if and when.
they could be organized.
Special projects proposed
PORT ALBERNI — Indian
community workshops and
educational travelling vans were
among projects proposed by the
consultant to the U.B.C. Indian
Education Resources Centre in his
report to the conference of native
_ Indian teachers here.
The report containing the
proposed projects was submitted
-by Dr. Art More to the BCNITA
conference and was formally
adopted by the delegates.
The community workshops ‘is to
help Indian communities provide
feedbacks to schools, while the
travelling vans would move
throughout B.C. to provide
methodological and cultural in-
formation to teachers and
students, the report explained.
OTHER PROJECTS
The report also proposed the
following special projects:
A three-year program aimed at
improving the language arts
achievement of Indian children,
both in English and their native
Indian languages; -
A training. program to improve
the opportunities for native Indians
to become certified teachers; and
An Indian culture and heritage
program with emphasis on the
present for use by both Indians and
non-Indians,
PORT ALBERNI — Dr. George
Clutesi, author and artist, told
delegates to the BCNITA con-
ference that to insure a strong
basis the association must make
sure the people who join are sin-
cere and dedicated so that changes
will be assured and real.
Dr. Clutesi spoke at a dinner
given by the BCNITA where he was
presented with the honor of a
permanent membership in the
Centre Council of the association.
“You must be content to start
. . Slowly and grow gradually, not
with a big bang,” he said.
The noted Indian writer stressed -:
the importance of rediscovering
Indian culture. In his generation,
PROBLEMS IN EDUCATION
IMPORTANT PROBLEMS
Dr.
what he thought are the most
pressing problems facing the
BCNITA.
The IERC consultant said that
the first problem is the great lack
of knowledge of non-Indian
teachers about Indian children’s
problems when trying to get into
the existing school system,
“Tf teachers could be made
aware of these problems, it is
likely that solutions would
automatically follow in most of the
other problem areas,” he said.
Dr. More then detailed the low
Indian-teacher-student ratio of the
province, saying that native
teachers make up only 0.1% of total
teacher population of the province
which has 5% of its total population
made up of native people, in-
cluding non-status Indians.
MORE INFLUENCE
He said that the proper ratio is
1,300 Indian teachers instead of the
present 24.
“This would not only lead to
more influence, but the process of
exposure would result in greater
understanding and more positive
attitudes by non-Indian teachers,”
the consultant said.
The More Report also examined
community attitudes. Because of
More. suggested these -
projects as ways of dealing with
the lack of understanding of
problems that projects are trying
to solve, often school boards turn
down those projects presented for
Indian children.
“This and more personal
prejudices can again be traced to
lack of knowledge and un-~
derstanding of the non-Indian
community,’ said Dr. More.
NO BENEFITS
According to his report some
Indian parents expect things from
the educational system which are
not possible or are better handled
in another way; many do not get
the benefits from the system.
Dr. More noted that, “It is easy
to understand their feelings when
you trace back the experiences
which they have had with the
school’ system in -this province.”
“Most material available now is
written by non-Indians and often
suffers from a lack of real un-
derstanding of Indian life and
cultures,’’ reported Dr. More.
He said that there is a tremen-
dous need for material at an in-
terest level which will catch the
imagination of both Indian and
non-Indian students.
Unfortunately, information
stores in libraries and museums
are written in technical language
and often difficult to get. :
NEW PRIORITIES
Reporting on funds, Dr. More
noted that in general money for
education has been decreasing due
to new priorities of the govern-
ment, and due to increasing por-
tions’ commited to programs of
which Indian people have little or
no control.
Dr. More then suggested that,
besides the usual government
sources, the association may apply
to outside private foundations such
as Carnegie and Ford.
FIRST IN BCNITA HISTORY
McKay elected president
PORT ALBERNI — Delegates to
the general conference of the B.C.
Native Indian Teachers
Association elected Bert McKay as
president, the first in the three-
year history of the association.
They also gave official
recognition ts the works of author
and artist George Clutesi by
moving to make him a permanent
member of the Centre Council.
Eighteen members of the Centre
SINCERE, DEDICATED MEMBERS
— Clutesi urges strong base
he said, the Indian was told to forge.
ahead and never look back. This
has resulted now in the almost total
loss of everything~that is Indian.’
NOW LOOKING BACK
The non-Indian society has.made
this same mistake and the chaos
and confusion they are ex-.
periencing now is the result of it, he
noted.
The new generation of Indians,
he said, is becoming aware of this
mistake — they are “looking back”
and realizing that the whole
makeup of the Indian is deeply
rooted in the past.
With this feeling for the past the
Indian must prepare for the future,
Dr. Clutesi said.
The most positive way of
assuring a bright future he: felt,
was the careful raising of children.
“One of the things that. has
carried through our culture even to
today is that we treat our children
as important people.”
Dr. Clutesi went on to say:
“Here’s an Indian thought. It is
said that to build a good fire you
must start with the best and dryest
wood and kindling. You must then
build the fire carefully and
properly and when you set a spark
to it you will have a fire that will
burn ina rainy night. So it is with
children. You must tend and build
them with the cleanest of
thoughts.”
Council were also elected during
the conference held here October
19, 20 and 21.
The conference also marked the
first occasion at the newly opened
cultural center of the Sheshaht
Band who acted as conference
hosts.
TOP OFFICE CREATED
Elections were held during the
last day of the conference. The
The best way to teach a child was
through example, he added.
“Tt is an easy thing to stand and
preach but to set an example is
difficult.”
He also urged those present to
‘encourage their children to come
to their elders if they wished to
know something or needed advice.
Touching on recognition, Dr.
Clutesi said that no one can work
for recognition since it only comes
to those who have accomplished
something worthwhile.
He stressed, however, that those
who have gained recognition have
a duty to their people to at least
meet them halfway.
motion to create the office of
president was carried by a
unanimous vote the day before.
Centre .Council Chairman
George Wilson expressed the need
for a person in a position to speak
with authority for the association.
In his acceptance speech McKay
voiced optimism in the growth and
progress of the association.
He said he hopes that he can
fulfill the confidence put in him by
the delegates.
The association was also
imanimous in its expression of
gratitude and admiration for the
efforts and wisdom Dr. Clutesi has
lent to the-organization. —
WALK, DON’T RUN
Ina speech at the banquet held in
his honor Dr. Clutesi urged that the
association be content with slow
and steady growth. (See report on
Clutesi speech in this issue.)
Delegates visited the
Wickaninnish Residence School
and the Christie Residence in a
field trip to Tofino and Ucluelet.
On the second day they discussed
a proposed Multi-Service Resource
Centre, finances and problems of
funding for BCNITA and the
U.B.C. Indian Education
Resources Centre.
Delegates also heard a report by
IERC consultant Dr. Art More on
long-range projects and funding.
(See story on this report in this
issue.)
(Continued on Page 12)
“Page Eleven
December, 1972 _
PORT ALBERNI — Mike Lewis
first appeared back in April in Port
Alberni walking across a softball
field to where Sheshaht Band
Manager George Watts was
marking out the lines. He ex-
plained that he had hopes for a
cross-culture project he was
working on and wanted to. involve
the Indians in it.
Said Watts: “If you want to help
the Indian you can take this peg
and walk sixty yards down the
baseline and mark it there.”
So began Mike Lewis’s in-
volvement with the Port. Alberni
Indian community. He continued to
follow Watts around for the next
month or so getting the same
treatment and making no visible
progress with his project.
“T wanted to test him out.”
George Watts said later. ‘““We get
so many guys coming here with
their grant money and their big
ideas about how they are going to
‘help’ the Indian. We’re getting a
little tired of it.”
CONFIDENCE GAINED
Lewis stuck it out however and in
time has gained the confidence of
both the Indian and the non-Indian
community.
Presently a University of
Calgary student Lewis, 20, was
first called out to the coast by a
local United Church minister. The
basic problem that he is con-
fronting is the lack of trust and
‘understanding between the Indian
and non-Indian communities.
This situation had been
bothering the Port Alberni
residents for some time. They were
aware of the problem but had no
idea of how to even start resolving x
it.
Working at first at what was —
called: a ‘Head Start program,
Lewis: -attempted - to..-bring:: both
cultures together ina concern of
mutual interest: the sreaenoolid
of their young. :
PROGRAM VOLUNTEERS
Operating out of the Port Alberni
Friendship Centre and free to all
involved, Lewis managed to bring
some 72 volunteers from both
cultures. into the program.
Basically the program consisted of
“HOW 70 HELP THE INDIAN PEOPLE PEOPLE
The trial of Mike Lewis
field trips and supervised play’ for.
the children.
The philosophy behind the
program was first of all to give a
chance for Indian and non-Indian
adults to -work together with a
common purpose. One of the main
blocks to this communication in the
past was the lack of chances to
come half way to meet together.
Another purpose to the program
was to give the Indian people in-
volved a chance to discover what
resources were available in the
non-Indian community that they
could use.
An example of this was the Park
and Recreation Dept. which very
often they were paying taxes to
support and yet had no idea what it
offered or how to go about taking
advantage of the facilities.
COMMUNITY MIX
Head Start tried to alleviate this
lack of information. Another thing
the program tried to do was give
the preschool children, who were
often isolated within the com-
munity, a chance to mix and play
with other children.-of their age
before the shock of first grade
primary school.
Finally Head Start gave the
children and parents the chance to
get out of the town every once in a
while.
If you do not own a car or have
access to one you are more or less
trapped:in Port Alberni as there is
. no-othér transportation available
for a trip to the coast say, or spend
a day at Pacific Rim Park. Head
Start had the facilities to provide
this sort of break.
Lewis's next project was a coffee :
house that also took place at the
Friendship Centre. The idea of the .
coffee house was to bring together
the two Communities. on a Social
“basis; (<= ucts
RELAXED, FRIENDLY
Entertainment of all sorts. was
presented
bands, plays and singing in the
hopes of providing a chance for
both cultures to experience each
other in a relaxed, friendly at-
mosphere.
The turnout for the weekly get-
togethers grew each time until
including dancing,’
there was standing room only in
the end. The coffee house also
made it possible for the volunteers"
to work together and get to know
each other.
Lewis said he felt that in this
respect the project was a bit weak
as there was not enough time over
- all for the volunteers to meet or to
orient themselves. Possibly if it
could have been continued for a
loger period of time this could have
been worked out.
Perhaps the next project Lewis
staged for the last week of August
went the necessary bit farther to
really bridge the gap between the
two cultures.
What was called a Culture Camp
was held then, free of charge, in
which about 70 people took part.
The camp was live-in affair with a
age limit of sixteen and above.
BASIC IDEA
Basically the idea here was to
bring the two peoples together into
a fulltime encounter where they
really would have time to relate
and gain an understanding of each
other.
The people worked in arts and
crafts of all types from both
cultures, sharing and teaching
their own particular skills and
philosophies. Lewis said that on the
whole the experience was in-
-eredibly enjoyable.
Very often, he said, people came
to the camp with pre-conceived -
ideas about what they wanted to
achieve there. They wished to
discuss and bring out political and
economic problems and So on; they
soon discovered however that the
real advantages of the camp was
more on an interpersonal and
festive level; a celebration of
humanity.
The makeup of the camp turned
out to be, unplanned, about half
Indian and half non-Indian. In the
two groups there was a good cross-
section of different ages and oc-
cupations.
MORE EXPERIMENTS
Lewis said that he thought that
only a small part of the great
_potential of this type of experiment
-was realized with the Culture
Camp and he hoped to see the same
sort thing happen again in the
future.
At present Mike Lewis is
working with a youth group at the
Friendship Centre and in general
trying to re-orient himself to
discover in what direction to move
next.
With Watts, who is now a firm
ally, they have been looking into
methods of developing more trust
and better personal relationships
within the band itself.
‘What we are striving towards in
all these projects more than
anything else is simply friend-
ship."’ Lewis said, ‘‘That is the key
to it all.’
NON-STATUS INDIANS MEET
Take up housing, land claims
PRINCE GEORGE — Two
topics dominated the 4th annual
meeting of the B-C, Association of
Non-Status Indians which was held
“here on November 18° and 19:
“housing and land claims.
Housing, according to BCANSI
President Fred House is one of the
top priorities.
“There is-a tremendous need for-
housing,”’ he said, “and. we can’t.
rest until it is met.”
During. the first’ day of the
- conference, delegates were givena
‘run. down on what: the association
had accomplished in the last year: .
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Built 20 homes under a Central
Mortgage and Housing Cor-
poration deal and began con-
struction of 67 others, some of
which will be ready by Christmas;
Employed 118 people to repair
182 homes under.a winter warmth
program, and,
' Set up various health, welfare
and educational programs to help
improve the lot of the non-status
Indian: people..
~ Not. content with this ad-
vancement, the association is
pushing for $200,000 in Local
Initiative Grant money to sup-
plement the $203,000 committed by
CMHC. for winter warmth; an
association. operated. building
supply organization to supply
construction materials at lower
the purchase of 70 war surplus
houses from: the old Boundary Bay
airport to be moved ata cost of’
about $2000 each to locations on the
coast, and, no-interest housing
loans. i
WRITE-OFFS
House said. that. the federal
government must be prepared to
write off the expense of organizing
and planning and higher con-
struction costs against the social
LEVI TAKES PART
A ‘
TAKING PART IN A PANEL DISCUSSION on social services at a ippdetal
night session of the conference, Norman Levi replies to a question from
one of the delegates. Pictured with him are, from left to right, Bob
Joseph, Conference chairman; Graham Lea,. MLA for Prince Rupert;
Tom D’Aquino, Special Welfare Consultant with DIA for North Island
*
District. Bill Mussell, who acted as moderator for the discussion, is on
Levi's right. Other members of the panel were Mildred Gottfriedson,
President, B.C. Native Women’s Society; Rose Charlie, President B.C.
Homemakers Association; and Glen Newman, Squamish Band social
worker.
(Staff Photo).
oals to be gained through more
complete. participation of non-
status Indian people in the design
-and construction of their homes.
"While the first day was almost
entirely taken up with the question
of housing, the second day dealt
with two topics; the relationship of
non-status Indian people to the
land claims made by the registered
Indian people of B.C., and the
elections of officers to the
association.
Bill Wilson presented -a
background paper..on. aboriginal
title and land claims to the
delegates which stated, ‘without
entering into a discussion on the
validity of the status versus non-
status distinction, it can be stated
that all Indian people who can
trace their roots back to the land
have a legitimate right to claim
their share of any benefits ac-
eruing.”’
The paper also mentioned that a
“settlement could well result not
only in a large financial payment
but also in the restoration of some
of the rights Indian people
originally enjoyed in this
province.”
COMMITTEE REPORTS
To ensure that the non-status
people are quite informed of
developments in the land claims
question, Fred House was_ in-
structed to set up a committee to
keep. a watching brief on the
matter and to report back to the
BCANSI directors and the next
annual assembly.
In the elections, despite some
strong opposition, from Butch
Smitheran who is the founding
president of BCANSI, Fred House
was re-elected as president.
Lawrence Gladue who ran un-
successfully as the Liberal can-
-- didate for Cariboo in the provincial
election faced four candidates for
his position of. vice-president but
managed to retain it in a vote of
confidence.
_ The main opposition centered
around complaints that association
officials had lost touch with the
grass roots of the organization.
Wayne Clark of Sechelt who ran
against Gladue accused the
association of over spending a
$440,000 budget and ‘‘not doing a
damn thing for us non-status In-
dians.”’ ‘
In reply, Gladue and House
pointed to the extensive housing
program undertaken in the last
year.
Lonnie Hindle replaces Camp-
bell MacDonald as secretary-
treasurer.
Page Twelve
KATHRYN TENE
Rupert. Mrs. Teneese,
ESE, only female on the 15-—
member Chiefs’ Council of the Union, checks her~
notes during the fourth annual conference in Prince
representative of the
: Okanagan- Kootenay District, is flanked by Cecil Reid _
WOMEN’S LIB ON Col NCIL
Eo es
of Bella Bella, left, Howard Wale of Hazelton, right,
and Heber Maitland of Kitimat, far right. Members of
council were on stage to answer questions from the
rest of weet: as to — ete.
December, 1972
es Time Than Ours
Which we have forgotten that we need.
We dare not hope to make it our own.
Once our white had it too -
And then the mechanized work took
it away from us.
_ And then we moved into the lockstep of
Clock work time. Time is an escapist dream.
Itself to one of our deepest distress.
And most forlorn yearning.
We bow to clock work time.
Our all body conduct and soul.
Strange vortex in the ocean of life
Created by the machine only yesterday
Necessary as a tool. Deadly as a master.
But we think it is our master.
And here the maker will gainsay us
And clock work time.
- Which in marches to the best of the minutes.
The hours. The onrushing and vanishing years.
Linear time sweeps us faster and faster on.
Never and we abide so briefly.
Within that rush of linear time.
50 a kind of panic route.
And we are old so soon. And we are done.
And we hardly had time to live at all.
But under the frown of clock work time.
Which claims the world.
We place our experience out in an eternity.
Beyond the years. And beyond the stars.
Not out there did the other time.
Ben Abel
Lummi people |
farm the sea
VANCOUVER (Staff) — The
interest was so great that she
practically had to urge the
audience to go home, said Mrs.
Della Kew of the Musqueam Band
_ who was, the moderator of the
panel discussion on the Lummi-
Aquacultural Project. :
The discussion was part of a six-
week series at the Vancouver
Maritime Museum on ‘Farming
and Harvesting the Resources of
the Sea.” i
Since Samuel Cagey, ‘Tribal :
Chairman of the Lummi people,
was unable to attend, Wille Jones —
- was the main speaker, along. with
six other tribe members.
The project was started about
four years ago, without any
feasibility study, with 18 trainees
at the Western Washington College
m the study of basic aquacultural
“sciences.
TO EMPLOY 20 -
At full operation the $3.5 million
project will employ 200 people. The
Lummis built a 750-acre lagoon at
their reserve near Bellingham. So
far they raise salmon, trout,
oysters and harvest. sub-tidal
seaweeds. Now the Lummis are
said to have $1 million worth of
oysters to market fdr spring.
Within the next two years the
project will be operating at a profit
and the proceeds will go toward
bursaries, scholarships and
housing for tribal members. —
Mrs. Kew specially noted the he
- following: The project has proven
that there is no need to acquire a
BA or BSc to undertake the project
successfully: trainees are from 16
to 60 years old: and the tanks have
natural sea bottoms instead of.
cement, thus “supplementing
instead of substituting for nature.”
10 teams play
TOFINO (Staff) — At least 10
teams will compete in the Van-
couver Island Basketball Tour-
nament this year which was to
have been held November 25 and
26.
_ Participating are two teams
each from Ahousat, Port Alberni,
and a team each from Victoria,
Dunean, Ucluelet, and Tofino.
A trophy will be awarded to the
most sportsmanlike team,
‘most valuable player and to the
eS scoring player. :
Sponsored by the Clayoquot
Band, the tournament will be held
at the Wickaninnish gymnasium.
Last year’s winner of the tour-
_ namenti is the Hesquiaht Braves of
Tofino.
and —
other awards will be given to the
| Eneas tops |
elections
PENTICTON — Three members
of the Penticton Band Council were
returned to office in the November f
16 band elections.
Adam Eneas, Ernest Lezard and —
- Jacob Kruger retained their seats
on council. Clara Jack who was the
fourth member of the last council
lost out to former chief Archie
Jack.
Adam Eneas topped the polls
with 69 votes, Lezard was second
with 55, and Mr. Jack third with 44.
Clara_ Jack ‘and Kruger tied for
fourth spot with 41 votes each, but
_returning officer Vera Gabriel ‘cast _
the tie-breaking vote for Kruger.
The other two candidates running,
Emory Gabriel and Jack Kruger
received a total of 52 votes between!
them, ‘
It. was the first time in the »
Okanagan area that a band ap-
pointed its own returning officer
instead having Indian affairs staff
member ‘carry out the duties of
returning officer. -
EARLY MEETING. ;
Although the newly elected
council may have to wait until the
end of February. to officially take
office due to the band’s decision to
adopt Sections 74 to 80, the Indian —
Act which cover band election
procedures, a council meeting is
_planned for early December.
At this meeting, the councillors
shall end who the next chief will
(Staff Photo)
TOFINO. (Staff) — The
Hesquiaht Band elected new
members of their council recently
for a two-year term with L. -
“Rocky” Amos as chief.
Other councillors elected are
Felix Charleson, Charles Lucas,
Cecil Sabbas and Tim Paul.
Chief Amos said he hopes to
cae
es
involve many of his band
responsible roles in band affairs.
“Too many times the chief or
band manager ends up doing all
_ the work. If we let more people get
involved in the band work, we'll
have more and» more trained
people running for. election.’’
CULTURAL CENTRE
_ The new chief was a former band
councillor and the chairman of the
band’s cultural committee.
Plans to build a cultural-
educational centre next spring
have been initiated by the band
with the hiring of a linguist to make
a simple written’ alphabet for
everyday use.
The centre, an idea worked out
by the band cultural committee
which the new chief headed, will
house the band school of summer
studies, a museum, library, ar-
chives, films and tapes.
Chief Amos is 24 years old and is
a journeyman carpenter after
completing four years of ap-
prenticeship.
‘He also trains two of his own
‘registered Appaloosa horses.
YOUNG COUNCILLORS
Like as Amos, Councillors
~ Son takes over as chief
Keeping it all in the family,
Charles Gravelle replaced his
father, Nicklas Gravelle, as chief
of the Tobacco Plains Indian Band.
__ In the band elections held on
November 17, the only other
candidate running for chief was
Charles’ uncle, Alex Gravelle. :
There are no hard feelings
though, Charles said, as his uncle
only ran against him to make it 2
race.
_The 21 year-old chief elurned os
from Vancouver to find that he had
been nominated to run-for the post
which became vacant ees bis
"father retired.
FOR TOGETHERNESS —
He now finds himself as head of
the 63 member tribe which he
wants to keep together at
‘Grasmere. :
A few of them have jobs outside
the area,” he said, “but I think
- most of: them would like to stay in.
one band together.”
In order to accomplish this, the
new chief hopes to set up a post
treating business, which, if it is in
operation by the spring, will find a
ready market in Alberta.
Financing of the project is the
number one problem and Gravelle,
Jr., is looking for government
‘Support, but he’s not counting on it.
The new chief received 19 votes
to his uncle’s six in the polls. _
s elect new band chief
Charleson and Lucas have been
very active in band affairs.
Charleson is a fisherman while -
Lucas is a logger who is also well
known for his dancing prowess.
Councillors Sabbas and Paul are
on their very first term and are in
their early 20's.
Paul is a staff member of the
Victoria Friendship Centre;
Sabbas had studied at the Van-
couver City College.
Moses re-elected, first
woman candidate loses
MERRITT (Staff) — The Lower
Nicola Band re-elected Chief Don
Moses and councillor Johnny
Jackson and elected three new
councillors, Maynard Joe,
Clarence Basil and Fred Sterling.
The. elections marked the first
candidacy of a woman for the
chief's seat. The re-elected chief
said of his opponent, Diana
Sterling, that “she would have
made a good chief.”’
Moses said he felt that his
election by a large majority,
however, is a strong support for his
policies. He also expressed
satisfaction over the growing
maturity of band members.
“People voted across family
lines; they voted for issues, not
individuals,” Moses said.
The band has been negotiating
with the province about 500 acres
of reserve land taken without
compensation. Chief Moses said he
wants a good price or exchange for
reserve land.
FARMING CONSIDERED -
The chief and his council plan to
concentrate on more specialized.
and modernized farming and the
setting up of ranch or farm co-ops.
Chief Moses said he foresees that
- the two most important problems
the band will face are defining the
boundaries between band and
private lands, and unemployment.
He said that the old council
opposed him about defining Jand
boundaries, but he welcomed the
. :
Francis Amos
TOFINO (Staff) — The sports.
and recreation committee chose
‘Hesquiaht Band Manager Francis
Amos as acting district
representative to the B.C. Native
Amateur Sports and Recreation
‘Federation in a meeting held
November 22.
Roger Adolph, co-ordinator of
the Federation, was present at the
Meeting to detail the purposes of
_ the organization and the activities
‘that can be seer at the band
: level. :
chosen rep
Others who attended the meeting
were basketball coaches, band
counsellors, band managers, and
other interested sportsmen.
Amos is also the coach of the
Hesquiaht Braves basketball
team. He will sit on the board of
directors of the BCNASRF and act
as chairman of district meetings.
_ Mrs. Phyllis Hanna, secretary-
treasurer of the Hesquiaht Band,
was present to-record the minutes
of the meeting.
‘proposed
opposition because this led to
much-needed discussion of the
problem by members.
Citing cases of feuds arising
from Jack of record of private
individual sales of land, Moses said
that the boundary question
“breeds hate within reserves.”
He said he would like to have a
referendum so the people can
decide for themselves about what
‘policy to adopt regarding land
boundaries.
On unemployment he said that
the band needs to determine what
members can do best — hunting,
fishing, outdoor work, tree plan-
ting, others — and start work
training from these.
BCNITA Meet
(Continued from Page 10)
Later in the day conference
delegates split into a group of home
school co-ordinators and coun-
sellors for a session, and a group of
teachers for a visit and meet
teachers in local school.
THANKS TO BAND j
- Delegates devoted the last day to
thank the Sheshaht Band and to
discuss the plan for the next
conference.
The members of the new Centre
Council,with Dr. Clutesi and
McKay, are Percy Roberts, Sar-*
dis; George Watts, Roy Haiyupis,
Bradley Hunt, Port Alberni; Marg
Vickers, Flora Baker, Victoria;
Gordon Robinson, Shirley Adams,
Terrace; George Wilson, Sidney;
Joe Michel, Kamloops; Joan Ryan,
Prince Rupert; Shirley Joseph,
Smithers; Alvin Dixon, White
Rock; Jim White, Joe Alex,
Brenda Taylor, Burnaby.
The B.C. Native Teachers
Association was organized in
September, 1970, when Indian
teachers met in UBC to discuss the
Indian Education
Resources Centre.
The association was formed in
the belief that it would be a big step
toward placing control of Indian
education in native people’s hands.
Part of Nesika: The Voice of B.C. Indians -- Vol. 1 No. 2 (October 1972)