Nesika: The Voice of B.C. Indians -- Vol. 3 No. 8 (August 1974)

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Page Two

NIB GENKRAL ASSEMBLY

Kwawkewlth share program costs

By GERALD PETERS

- CAMPBELL RIVER (Staff) —
nine-member delegation
- representing the Kwawkewlth
District Council met with Indian
Affairs officials in’ Ottawa and
came away with an agreement
whereby each would share the cost
- of administering the district’s
various programs.

Under this  ‘‘share-cost’’
agreement the district will con-
tribute $18,662.34 from a-surplus of
last year’s funds while Indian

Affairs will add $41,337.66 for. the
required $60,000.00.

The issue of administrative
funding came to a head when the
Kwawkewlth District, which
represents 15 northern Vancouver
Island bands, withdrew all local
and district services in protest
over lack of adequent funding.

This shut-down beginning August
1involved band office staffs as well
as staff from the district office.

Some 60 workers closed their
offices and picketed the -Indian

KWAWKEWLTH DISTRICT COUNCIL chairman Bob Joseph heads picket line
outside Indian Affairs offices in Campbell River. Most emplayees failed to honor

Vice-president retires
receives honorary title

By GERARD PETERS |

VANCOUVER (Staff) — In a
moving ceremony retiring vice-
president Omer Peters was in-
Stalled as the first honorary
lifetime chief of the National In-
dian Brotherhood and given the
name Chief White Beaver.

Albert Lightning, in presenting
the retiring vice-president with a
white beaver pelt noted that it was
a very rare species and the
national emblem of Canada. ‘Mr.
Omer Peters is just as industrious

and ever busy and just as rare a.

type of man as a white beaver,’’ he
said.

He was described by Dave
Ahenekew as ‘“‘the fatherly type,
humble and sincere.’”’ He added

‘that Omer was a dedicated man’

who brought many moments of
happiness in times of serious
concern.

. “Omer,” he said; ‘‘made the

organization grow.” “The

Federation of Saskatchewan In-

dians thanks you for all your
. work.” .

Mrs. Peters was also honoured.
She. was described as ‘“‘a special
kind of woman.”’ A Saskatchewan

delegate’s wife said, “Thank you’

for loaning us your husband for so
many years.”
husband’s retirement she was told,

On the eve of her.

“At last you’re Bering your
husband back.”

Inachoked and halting voice Mr.
Peters responded, “In my whole
life. I don’t know. how to say,
it... 1 guess I want to say thank
you ‘but . . ah, L always was a big
baby.” :

He said he was grateful to his
wife of more than forty years. “I’m
glad she’s a part of this tonight.”

In recognition of his many. years
of service he was presented with a
cheque for $4,500 from the National
‘Indian Brotherhood, $500 from the
Federation of Saskatchewan In-
dians and a further $500 from the
Manitoba Indian Brotherhood.

The national assembly by ex-
traordinary resolution created a
Council of Indian Elders to ‘‘assist

in such matters as are referred to’

it” by the general assembly.

Omer Peters was named as its
first appointment, to ‘‘serve as the
representative of the NIB as the
coordinator and chairman of the

Council of Elders.”’

Omer was glad he wasn’t asked
to run again because it ‘would
have broken my record.”’ This time
he didn’t want to run again noting

that there were “a lot of young to a

people.”

NES IKA

Affairs’ district office here.

About a year ago the council took
over some services. previously
provided by the. Indian Affairs
department including job
placement, local government, and
social services. This operation was
funded by Indian Affairs for three
months.

However, after setting up an
administration office and hiring
the necessary staff the funds were

“cut back.

Bob Joseph, district council

chairman, said that the new
national formula for core funding
established by the government was

_not .adequate for the northern

Vancouver Island area.
The district council had been set

up originally to administer and_

coordinate programs affecting all
the member bands while the bands
would continue to handle their

‘individual affairs from band of-

fices.
It was apparently the view y from

pickets, several entering the offices through rear entrance. (Photo by Gerard

Peters).

‘Ottawa that district council offices

Talks start after guns

KENORA, Ont. — The month-
long armed occupation of
Anicinabe Park ended August 18 as
the 150-Indians laid down their
arms as a prelude to possible
settlement over park ownership.

American Indian Movement co-

chairman Dennis Banks was. in-

strumental in opening channels for
negotiations following a weekend
meeting with federal and
provincial representatives.

Twelve official representatives
were named by the park occupants
to. back their position that the
Indians own the park by historical
right as well as to secure amnesty
for themselves.

“Louis, Cameron, | Ojibway

Warrior Society leader, em-
phasized that Sunday’s agreement
is not to be construed as a
surrender and that if bargaining
with authorities is not done in good
faith, there would be many Indians
across Canada who would help
again.

Town council issued a 10-day
permit to occupy the 14-acre park
while ‘settlements are sought in
return for the removed weapons.

Earlier in the month, Native
leaders across Canada gave their
views on Kenora.

Philip Paul, UBCIC land claims
research director, said if Kenora
Indians have tried all other means
of settlement without results, then

Linklater was formerly the Executive Director of the Brotherhood. (Nesika photo).

LATIVELY TENSE MOMENT for the three men 7 tee on the bisekboard was the election of a new NIB vice S presi
the office left vacant by the retirement of Omer Peters. The winner was Clive Linklater of Fort Francis, Ontario.

August 1974

should be funded from member
bands’ core administrative funds.
In essence the decision to take over
extra programs was okay but no
extra funding could be had except
where it might be made available
from member bands.

It was the council’s view that the |
members bands’ core funds were
already stretched thin and if
sufficient funds could not be had to
run programs they would have to
turn programs back to the Indian
Affairs department.

The new “share-cost’’
agreément is favorable to the
council ‘‘to a point’’ according to
district manager Jacqueline Leo
and will carry the council’s ad-.
ministration for the remainder of
this fiscal year.

Under the new agreement the
council must draft a formula in-
dicating when and how they will
take over the remainder of the
Indian Affairs operated programs.

The council must make a
commitment to take over
programs within the next 3 to 5
years”and if they do not go in this
direction Indian Affairs have in-
dicated they are unWilling to fund
such a scheme.

Jacqueline Leo says that “this
seems to be. the direction we’re
headed’’. She also sees this as a
precedent-setting move and hopes
it will benefit other bands faced
with a similar situation. .

Meanwhile the band and district

staff returned to work August 12 —
at least until August 28th when a
meeting is scheduled between
Indian Affairs officials and District
Council. This meeting will be held
in the district office to discuss
individual bands’ .administrative
funding. :
- The..district’. manager. has. in-
dicated that if the bands’
requirements are not met, further
action would be imminent but that
“we're hopeful in that regard.”

She further stated that “Ottawa
didn’t seem to know what happens
at the district and band level’ and
were surprised at the conditions
there. She concluded that ‘‘the test
of it will be on the 28th.”

the occupation had his support.

The lack of government response
to Indian land claims and the
frustration thereby created could
lead to similar actions in B.C.,
Paul added.

Harold Cardinal, | Indian
Association of Alberta president,
was hesitant to point a finger at
those who chose this course of
action in Kenora, although he
personally did not agree with this
type of politics.

Omer Peters, past-president of
the National Indian Brotherhood,
was concerned about the Indians
from outside the Kenora area who
came to the park and how this
might effect settlement.

nt.

ee are

eat Tx

Page Four

NESIKA

August 1974

Published monthly by the
Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs

2140 12th Avenue W., Vancouver, B.C. V6K 2N2
Telephone — 736-6751

Nesika is for the use and pleasure of all native |
people in British Columbia. While the Union
encourages all contributions, we reserve the
right to edit all contributions. Contributions,
including letters to the editor, must bear the
signature and name of the writer. Views ex-
pressed in contributions are not necessarily .\J
those of the Union. /

' Contributions must be typewritten, or hand- |
written legibly, in double space. s

FREE TO ALL REGISTERED B.C,
NATIVE INDIANS

OTHERS $5.00 PER YEAR

‘STAFF: KEN IWAMURA -— Acting Editor
"Gg. McKEVITT, GERARD PETERS — Reporters
‘ LEONA FOLSTER — Art & Circulation

TERRI WILLIAMS — Research & Library
Correspondents: Margaret Woods, Terrace;
' Edgar Charlie, Ahousat; Phyllis Hanna, Port
' Alberni; N. C. Derriksan, Westbank.

EDITORIAL REPRINT

ped
et
ay

Williams Lake Tribune
July 25, 1974

Educators not effective:
90-percent drop-out rate

The meeting between Cariboo-Chilcotin school trustees and local In-
dian officials and educators is a positive step — but one that is long
overdue.

The 90-percent drop-out rate among Indian children attending school in

the district can in no way be associated with any program that has been
labelled successful. - 1 : :

Only a handful of Indian students complete their education — the
overwhelming majority leave the system by grade eight, not having
mastered even the rudiments of modern education. /

The task of coming up with ideas for restructuring the system has been
left in the hands of a committee of Indian people and it is in those hands it
belongs. : :

In viewing the problem this committee faces one cannot help but notice
the conspicuous absence of Indian representation on the school board.
Would it have made a difference if the concerns of the Indian people had
been more proportionately represented over the years? Will it make a
oe in the future if a Native Indian is elected and serves on the
board? .

The finger cannot be pointed at any single group. The system has
simply failed and must undergo change.

Trustees were receptive to the concerns of the Indian people at Fish

Lanke in July’ Many had been unaware that the problem was of such ~

magnitude. The meeting has hopefully opened a doorway. Hopefully this
doorway will remain open and become well-travelled.

But no one should fool themselves. The task is monumental. Answers
won’t be found overnight and solutions won’t be worked out in a few
weeks. The problem is one that will require the knowledge and ex-
perience of both Indian and non-Indian people. The original input: must
come from the Indian people themselves, from the educators who teach
the children and from the education committees set up on reserves.

The Indians’ obvious skepticism about whiteman’s forked tongue about
the bureaucracy that inevitably infests every government agency is

understandable. Yet participation of government agencies and members .
_ of the non-Indian community is essential and should not be regarded as |

interference. ©
‘ Patience and tolerance will be necessary if the education of Indian
children is going to move in some new direction. :

It took years to develop a system that didn’t work. It could conceivably

take an even greater length of time to develop a system that will work.
But it will be worth the effort. :

CHANGE OF ADDRESS FORM

Nesika

Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs,
2140 W. 12th Avenue,
Vancouver,B.C. V6J1E1

PLEASE CHANGE MY ADDRESS TO:

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Solution: pedestrian overpass

LEDITOR’S NOTE: This letter
was addressed to The Honorable
Graham Lea, Minister of High-
ways, Parliament Buildings in
Victoria. The incident and its
ramifications concerns a needed

pedestrian overpass. ]

Kitsegukla Indian Reserve #1

Highway #16 é

On Sunday afternoon of July 14,
1974, alittle three-year-old girl was
struck by a passing vehicle on the
above mentioned highway and
Indian reserve.

The RCMP officer that in-

vestigated the incident informed
me that the little girl suffered
facial lacerations plus a_ broken
nose. The officer also felt that the
accident could have been avoided
if a pedestrian overpass had
existed.

Mr. Minister, I need not remind

you how fortunate for your
department and all concerned that
this little girl was not killed. But
what about the next victim? Would
he or she be: so lucky?

Your department. claims that
there is not enough traffic volume

through our reserve to justify a
pedestrian overpass. I am inclined
to believe that your government is
basing policies on statistics and the
‘hell’ with people!

What may I ask, happened to
‘People Matter More?’

Mr. Minister, why don’t you and
your department deal with the
needs of the little people especially
the Northern people. You can start
right now with our needed

1 !
pedestrian OVETpARS! Yours wily,
Ray Jones,
Band Administrator

Hesquiat study own culture

Fifty youthful Hesquiat Indians
are. back at school getting a
grounding in the history . and
culture of their own people.

The 50 students, along with six
teachers from the Alberni School
District selected by the Alberni
local of the British Columbia
Teachers Federation, are par-
ticipating in a program originated
by the Hesquiat cultural and
education committee with the
encouragement of the Alberni
School District. :

The project is being funded by a
department of education research
grant.

The Hesquiat cultural and

said.

Sit in silence my friend

education committee has con-
ducted programs of historical
significance to the Hesquiat people
for three years, but this is the first
time a summer: school has. been
arranged, a department statement

The instruction is being carried
out by eight elders of the Hesquiat
Band using the Hesquiat language
as much as possible.

The Hesquiats will report to the
school board and to the department
of education’s research and
development section by Oct. 30 on“
the conduct of the program. ~

By Jan. 30 they will report on its

TOMORROW AS ALWAYS

Time has known his beat diminished
His soul is old, darkness blanks his mind
Alas! Our ancestral pulsations unify
Notes of a chromatic scale disperse
Visions of truth become clear
Stories carved into wood cry

Eyes painted over black open

The past is alive and living

In Canada many minds are present
The celebration of life to witness
Mighty eagles proudly soar

High in the sky, deep in the sea

The blackfish silently sings

The past is alive and living

The deadmans question resounds.

‘THERE WAS A TIME...”

There was a time...

Woodlands and meadows

Abundant miles of never ending prairie dreams
Where they rode into eternity

Silent mountains ringing in the breeze

They were in a respect of nature

Never a mirage of food

Never.a waste of animal life

The sun in solitude projects

The soul of the Native

Free to ride
To hunt

A birth right to exist
Burned forever into a memory of glass.
Eternity has died oo
By a heavy hand
They are condemned and dying
'. A race of beauty
Endless faith shattered in violence
There was a time. . .
The right of the Native
Our responsibility to capture within their hands

Freedom

a To dream...

An opportunity to exist as a race

As a people

_ Aright we accept for personal gain
But not for these .
Whom we have betrayed
Misty mornings in nature
Mountain souls in prayer
Beauty of the hunt
There was a time. . .

Forgotten now

Even by those who knew it best’
Who lived in a time

When god breathed life

Into their now Faded Footprints.

retro ra

effects. on the quality of the
students’ participation in their
regular school setting.

The Hesquiat program to which
the Department is contributing
$15,000 is one of three research
projects. announced recently by
Eileen Dailly, minister of
education.

The department’s research and
development section is responsible
for all educational research
projects and may recommend
financial assistance for projects
undertaken by outside educational
agencies. (From Port Alberni
Times.)

By T. WILSON

By DAVID CHESNUT

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