UBCIC News - volume 1, number 10 (March, 1979) · UBCIC Periodicals

UBCIC News - volume 1, number 10 (March, 1979)

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UBCIC News - volume 1, number 10 (March, 1979)

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REPRIEVE FOR SPOTTED LAKE
SUICIDE: ASSIMILATION CAUSED IT WE HAVE TO STOP IT
MORE COURT VICTORIES

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NO. 1 VOLUME 10 MARCH, 1979

SIXTY-DAY REPRIEVE FOR SPOTTED LAKE

SUICIDE: ASSIMILATION CAUSED IT
WE HAVE TO STOP IT

MORE COURT VICTORIES

ONE DOLLAR

EDITORIAL

To explain how and why I was tempted toward
suicide for so many years, I would have to write a book.
What is important now is what led me away from it.

By the time I arrived in Vancouver in the summer of
77 at the age of 28, I had fallen as low as I could go. I
was unhappily married with two small children whose
lived were being ruined by my circumstances. Having
recovered from a suicide attempt just weeks before I
arrived here, I was in bad shape. Life had declined to
the level of mere survival.

By a strange turn of events, I got a job with an
organization whose goal was to ensure the positive
survival of Indian people by the recovery of Aboriginal
Rights. Intellectually, I could identify with that goal. I
was hired initially to be part of a small team assigned to
fight against an oil port on the Coast, on behalf of the
bands.

The issue was clear to me. If an oil port were
allowed on the coast, oil would be spilled and the fish
would die just as the buffalo had died on the Prairies. In
the transition from my great grandfather’s generation to
my grandfather’s, the buffalo were wiped from the
plains. In half a generation, the food and strength of my
people were made extinct by greed and the pleasure of
the kill. The life of my grandfathers became a hungry
struggle, spiritually and physically, to survive. They
called that mournful time: the summer of the hungry
pup.

In my own time, I was a hungry pup crying for scraps
of food in a time of famine. The fish threatened by
pollution and the greed of multinational oil companies,
became the buffalo. The buffalo became the fish. I
couldn’t let the fish die.

As the issue of the oil port gathered momentum
through the West Coast Oil Ports Inquiry, my
involvement grew and so did my knowledge. I was still
fragile and in rough shape, but I had a purpose to stay
alive. The people that I worked with then and still work
with today saw talent and good in me that I didn’t see

myself. They allowed me to lick my wounds and howl at
the pain. They never demanded any more than I could
give, yet they made me believe that I had much more to
contribute.

Gradually, through my involvement and growing
political awareness, I began to learn more about myself.
Intellectually in spite of myself, I was forced to grow
and learn.

Something was happening to me. It was as though I
no longer had the right to control my own life. My life
was given over to something bigger than individualism.
I was only a small part of a bigger struggle for the
collective survival and growth of the Indian Nations.

I discovered that I had a gift for writing and the more
I worked at it, the more I believed that this was my
purpose on earth. That through my writing, I could
make a solid contribution to the fight for Indian rights.

Then last fall I knew for sure that I was meant to live
a long life and that the worst was over for me. I felt a
strong pull to the land.

As fate would have it, I went on a long field trip with
close friends and fellow workers who with quiet
reverence and pride showed me their land.

On the last night of the trip I had a dream of two
enormous heavy half-circles coming together. Like
pieces of pottery that had been broken, the pieces slowly
moved into place and fit exactly, with a final decisive
thump that made the earth shake. I woke up from my
dream and looked about. I thought Vancouver Island
had just had another earthquake.

The next morning I asked my friend, ‘‘Was there an
earthquake last night?’’ I told her about my dream.
‘*Beth,’’ she laughed, ‘‘that was no earthquake, that
was your soul coming together.’’ I thought about that
all day and as I flew home that night I knew it was true.
The seam was tender but suicide was no longer an
option.

Our Cover: Spotted Lake or Klilok, is a powerful medicine lake in the Okanagan. The Okanagan Tribal Council is

trying to stop the commercial development of the lake. Developers are attempting to turn the lake into a health spa
weg will pollute its healing minerals. wy

UBCIC NEWS 2

The UBCIC NEWS is the official voice of ee
| Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs.

It is dedicated to building a strong foundation
for Indian Government by providing an awareness
of the political and social issues affecting the |

§ Indians of British Columbia.

Signed articles and opinions are the views of
the individuals concerned and not necessarily

those of the UBCIC.

Editor: Beth Cuthand Assistant Editor: Pauline Douglas

Written Contributions: George Manuel, Julie Newman, Caroline Gravelle, Lillian Basil,
Leslie Pinder, Val Dudoward, Renee Taylor, Sylvia Woods, Violet Birdstone, Wilf J acobs,
Maxine Pape, Gene Joseph, Clifford Hanuse and Linda Jordan.

Photographs: Uncredited photos from UBCIC staff

Typesetting: Mary Schendlinger

TABLE OF CONTENTS

OMG UIAE cis fic icsaessavcsecds SCUaN dips ecarah cha chsvalus Sha isvh lec dete aieeaka wi desi tcaive pada ee 2
East Fraser Bands Attach Lae EE eenO Rare duthsisccetideuiiebsdaes teach
President’s Message .. dianah dekiphes as oeekmeaiNNaLs ies anesaiae
Chilcotins Blast Health Minister with Mass Petition .. Sebti beds diancieacde ss ssivheavenadese site
Province-wide Health Forum .. es ik nines 7
Preliminary Hearings Begin: This time ‘it’s Uranium .. 8
B.C, Resource Investment Corporation .. sb Tome a PBN BE TNR aa aM ge
Ralph George of Ohamil: eeu BO ep Gd aa ie
Projects Protest SEP Cuts .. Ga suAURUKG V3 4 bedi awd iebie ened jc ek takes seomehroneascthvebanxausddeiccel
Abalone: The Demand is Growing. Scupiis sdaes vase aia lau upadicrbian chaes suesviGls okdhi rien vbues cankeee 10
Feds Senseless Census .. Seine kbdidubynenkusbedske ol ibis casted wuveavihasisecns cdvxveh eel
Military Rule Endangers Indian Survival .. [Nessie ssh) tess Sinkeksssexstauea diene ketaveneiialS
How I Came to Enfranchise .. Oe ta ae de
Lillooets Plan Crisis Centre ........ BE I a rare PS 1. NR ee es TER 16
Death by Suicide: Assimilation Causes suse 17
Our Teachings relieve the Conflict .. ginaevkesdusvedumlinyé Uhaphetteh«ssauxtuisucentis tania hn
Up-date ... MERA Saad Se UERS Aida Rhbonads txsnceirentaaiwietaucknans dock
Spotted Lake: Father of all Medicine Lakes .. Wa eis os bilactenss «nin skbesnbineddidceokesiiaedncaD
Ds ee a ORV eles Ck We Re vel Uh unica scedh unde culd ausens Wa pUcdNGNGULI Go i9) co.cd ccbicecad nataccasaocccncees 22
PaR CAM 2 Oem I EN ois 5 cs caving vadsaun Uh ckwaiu vie vaddceuesadsococecdiiakedndahit atid all
IRR WRIA PR PAPAL ERODE acs gins 5h d duck uvs i cGadsWadeca¥ins cdadeasncnbakvecienecs <Qhdede evel 27
Tobacco Plains: A Short Profile of a Kootenay Reserve ..........ccccscseceecssceecsscessesescessesee 29
RASA AY PRUNES oils chen y Poets Cais Ph clits Wi acai a cba p astoren dtcksd axek vases Vasa had v peters Cea ccddehudake (bas 30
Raven’s Story: A Short Story about Story-telling ............ssccsccsssssssssssosscsconscesccecsecceeces 32
PUMAANY CCUECREMONY MNES Os war ives cents Ain ux daca hsb oviseviuimaddlovccotviescensd hnicde dud chinastasta vee ey dese tas: 32
We COINS BLT oo cia ead vob iis iV Ke cid she vin oda avid’ cia divi dn an yndbuiedanesdeaaduvarkenteste de
Pe TENG oo cir iscc cu ar uusubeseetark dail su vedas pis Wendnxatisedkais in ben eERERi CE ae
Peet Fisherman .. eve oh ih Pepa cans bie supe da bun da enerdshens ves decatubd (es descbebeivivias anne
Li’] Beavers .. in eee eee ae ae cc en ais mies client

Dae LOGO) EACENCG 88 MONROE 5 i side ves balsanvvecduadunavarsilccdsaiansdisthokOQcGniceee 39 ty

UBCIC NEWS 3

RASER BANDS'ATTACH
TIONS TO EDUCATION

After three months of intensive Band talks, the terms and conditions under which the Bands
would pay tuition fees were brought to the negotiating table by Bill Mussell, Skwah Band;
Johnny George of Aichlitz, Denise Douglas, Bertha Peters, Christine Pettis, Carol McIntyre,
Mary Lou Andrew and Wayne Bob of Seabird Island.

On March 7th, Indian parents with
children at the St., Mary’s Catholic
School, Agassiz, faced Parochial
School representatives with a set of
conditions attached to their funding
contribution to the school. .

This is the first time that Indian
parents here have been able to
negotiate how their children should
be educated, with a say in the choice
of teachers, in the use of school
facilities, in the curriculum, discipline
and use of capital funds. It was an
exhilarating meeting: months of
meetings in the area had gone into the
drafting of an Agreement; the negoti-
ators knew every word of the Agree-
ment and why it was put in there.

CONDITIONS ATTACHED TO
TUITION DOLLARS___EEEE

Various Bands in the area have,
over the years, expressed dissatisfac-
tion with the level of education at St.
Mary’s School and there have been a
lot of other problems.There have
been allegations of discrimination
against Indian students, parents have
been really upset over their children’s
difficulty in going on to public school
or higher education after graduating

UBCIC NEWS 4

from St. Mary’s, and the curriculum
is not geared in any way to suit the
needs of Indian students. The DIA
has been well aware of these problems
and the local education officer told
the Band he would support their
negotiations to improve the situation.

The funding process for Indian
children going to parochial schools is
not dealt with under the MTA.
Under the Master Tuition Agreement
for Indian children who attend public
schools, a per capita payment is paid
by the Federal Government to the
Province who then pays the public
schools and effectively controls their
education. In the past, payment has
been made to parochial schools for
Indian students by the Federal
Government directly, on the same per
capita basis. Every now and then a
parochial school will hit up the
Federal Government for a contribu-
tion to their capital costs. In Septem-
ber last year, representatives from
eleven Bands who have children going
to St. Mary’s, and the DIA Education
Co-ordinator met with School offi-
cials to see what kind of Agreement
could be negotiated, in terms of
tuition dollars and the controls that
Indian people would have in exchange
for those tuition dollars.

CREATING AN AGREEMENT
AROUND THE ISSUES

Over the next three months there
was a lot of discussing and thinking
among parents about what they
wanted in an Agreement. The Seabird
Island Education Committee told
some of their more immediate con-
cerns and recommendations to
the school. The response was hardly
encouraging: ‘‘Well, we don’t do
things that way. We can’t do things
that way because that’s not the way
we do things.’’ This didn’t look too
good for further negotiations but now
the people got determined.

In the East Fraser, Bands met to
talk about their dissatisfactions and
possible ways to put these right. From
this process, the UBCIC legal task
force, who had been present at most
of those meetings, drew up a draft
agreement around all the concerns
and remedies that the parents had
dealt with. In November everyone
met to discuss the draft. It was a
broad Agreement, with a lot of
responsibility for the parents. People
in the Arch Diocese Society, who
control the Parochial Schools, are

(continued page 6)

é , ~
PRESIDENT’S
MESSAGE

Dear Parents & Indian Leaders:

I am very concerned about the terrible toll of suicides
among our young people in Indian communities across B.C.
The facts should force us to question the values that society
has imposed upon our Indian people. This is why I cannot
stress enough to all Indian people the importance of
building all that is dear to us on the foundation of Indian
government. We once had in our own society our own
traditional values and culture. We had dignity and respect
built into our customs.

I recognize the fact that most Indian communities are
trying to develop programs to meet the needs of the people
and to try to overcome the many social problems affecting
our young people. Sadly we have not moved fast enough but
I want each and every one of you to understand that the
suicides amongst our young people is the consequence of the
government forcing assimilation on the Indian people.

Underlying all our problems is the fact that Indian people

were forced to change their life style. That is the dangerous
thing that the white people have done to the Indian people is
to destroy the Indian culture and heritage because this has
destroyed us as a people.

Furthermore society has influenced all of us in some way
so that the simple things in life are no longer enough. I
believe that our young people become disillusioned in the
schools because what they learn there has no meaning to
their history or how they live in their communities. If our
young people become disillusioned and the Indian

a
7g

1 1

communities have no alternatives to offer them then they

have no set goals or purpose in life and take the easy way
out.

I want to encourage the Indian leaders to continue to
provide programs to help our young people develop their
interests. I also want to encourage the parents to give all the
young people encouragement and support in the cultural
programs offered in the communities. It is our responsibility
to show our young people the history of the Indian people
— this is their roots — and something to be proud of. I want
to stress, too, that we must all believe in one another.

I believe that it is in all of us to dream the best for our
communities and to build on that dream — our young
people are part of that dream.

Yarra Meruel

UBCIC NEWS 5

(from page 4)

paid full salaries to take on these |

_ kinds of responsibilities. Band mem-
bers were looking at a Committee
structure that made them equal
participants with these people. It was
pretty scary.

During the next couple of months,
talk continued about the Agreement.
Various students dropped out and
_ dissatisfaction with the School in-
_ creased.

_A GRASS ROOTS AGREEMENT
GIVES NEGOTIATING
STRENGTH i
The Arch Diocese Society and the
_DIA were asked to meet with Band
members on March 7th. The Seabird
Island Education Committee was
_ given authority to negotiate on behalf
of all the parents who had children
going to St. Mary’s. It was a great
meeting. Our Agreement was on the
table and everyone in that room knew
that Agreement so well. The whole
_ process of creating it turned out to be
so rewarding. We were coming there
with an Agreement that was really
created from the ground up and it was
created to deal with actual situations
that occurred. So when there were
questions like:‘‘Why do you need the
Home School Co-ordinator to do
this, that, or that,’’ there was Denise
- Douglas saying ‘‘Look, this has
happened, and this led to this
situation, and that’s what we’re
trying to remedy here.”’

BREAKING THROUGH
RED—TAPE

It was a happy meeting for the
Bands. There was the School Board
sitting down with the Band to talk
about an Agreement which will give
Indian people real control over the
education of their children. It was the
Band negotiating directly with the
School Board. It was actually a
Tri-partite Agreement because the
DIA has certain responsibilities and
these were spelled out too.

The Agreement sets a precedent. It
doesn’t happen very often that a
group of parents can break up a great
ball of administrative red tape and
have a say in how that school should
work, and details of the curriculum.

This meeting was, then the first
negotiating session for control of
- Indian education in a_ parochial

school in the Lower Mainland. @

UBCIC NEWS 6

CHILCOTINS BLAST MINISTER
WITH MASS PETITION

Anaham March Ist, 1979

The Minister of National Health and Welfare

Madam:

Representatives of the 3,000 Chilcotin people met at Anaham on March Ist,
1979 and are very concerned about the cutbacks in medical services to our
people that you have proposed. You may think that you are not proposing to
cut back the medical services to our people, but you are. Our people have no
money to spare now and have a hard time paying for their groceries and other
basic needs. If they cannot pay, they will not be able to receive the mesial
services that they need.

Our young people are just now beginning to graduate from high school. The
high schools are in town, a hundred miles away or more, and although some of
their expenses are met, their parents still have to support them with what little
money they can spare from raising large families If their money has to be spent
on medical services they will have none to spare for the older children; we
expect that many of them will have to drop out of school. This will be a step
backwards and will undo work that has been done for twenty years past. Our
struggle to survive has been and is hard enough without you creating
difficulties.

A hundred years ago we lived off the land and our doctors kept us healthy.
The whiteman brought with him nearly three hundred diseases that were new
to us and that our doctors could not combat. You must bear the responsibility
for this fact, especially at a time when our fish and wildlife have been reduced
and when we are forced to use grocery stores and non-Indian doctors.

We believe that if you introduce these guidelines, our people will suffer. We
believe that our suffering will be severe and that many of us will not survive. If
you doubt this, then you should visit our country and talk to us; spend a week
here, at least. You will see how isolated we are, how far away the doctors are,
and some of the problems that our people face. Many of our people cannot
afford to go see a doctor in town; they have no truck and cannot pay their way.
We expect that probably none of them will pay any medical plan payments
because most of them will not even understand what a medical plan is. Many
Chilcotin people run a few head of cattle and live without much money. How
can they pay? Do you want all our people forced on welfare? Or do you expect
us to sell what little we have in order to get medical coverage?

You already have statistics that show how many more of our people die
young than other people in Canada, how much more we use the hospitals and
how much we depend on medical services; by visiting us you will be able to see
what these statistics really mean.

Your proposals will increase sickness and disease amongst our people. We
think that you should be more interested in prevention; that is the wisest course
and, in the long run, the least expensive. If you think of us as beer rather thn
than dollars, you will not implement these proposals.

The Chilcotin people will resist these policies in every way that is open to us.

signed by the people of Chilcotin

(Hundreds of people have signed this petition .)

PROVINCE-WIDE HEALTH FORUM

The U.B.C.I.C. has been directed
by Bands to totally reject the imple-
mentation of the proposed guidelines
to non-insured health benefits. Na-
tional Health and Welfare Minister,
Monique Begin, agreed to suspend
implementation of these guidelines
until July 24th, to allow full consul-
tation with all Bands across Canada.
Our Health and Social Development
Portfolio has drawn up a proposal
whereby this consultation would be
carried out by Indian people in B.C.
This proposal was rejected on Febru-
ary 15th, 1979, ‘‘because the cost
would be in excess of the total funds
available for the consultation process
across the country,’’ according to the
B.C. Regional Director.

MEDICAL SERVICES REFUSE
INDIAN PARTICIPATION IN
- CONSULTATION PROCESS

The format of the consultation
process that National Health and
Welfare emphatically insist upon, still
leaves total control of events in their
hands.

At a meeting on February 21, 1979,
Health & Welfare Canada, it was
stated that $10,000 was being offered
for the B.C. Region for the consulta-
tion process. National Health &
Welfare have not been sincere in their
negotiations with us. The following
conditions of the suspension were
listed:

(a) Treaty or aboriginal rights to
free medical care was not
accepted by Government at the
present time. Any discussions
on this matter should be direct-
ed to the Minister of Indian
Affairs.

(b) Consultation with Indian repre-
sentatives at local and regional
levels. Limited funds were avail-
able for this purpose — approx-
imately 10-15,000 — dollars
would be available to Pacific

Region up to March 31, 1979
and a similar sum in the
financial year 1979/80.

(c) If agreement on more humane
and workable guidelines cannot
be reached, the stricter guide-
lines would be reinstated at the
end of 6 months for the date of
the Minister’s meeting with
N.I.B.

PROVINCE WIDE FORUM
PLANNED TO DECIDE ON
HEALTH ISSUE

The only way we can show how
serious we are about the health of our
people, the control of our destiny.
and the right to participate in policies
that affect our lives is to take action,
use our OWN initiative in this matter.
No one can respect himself who has
lost control over his own destiny.
Self-control is the ability to make
decisions that count.

We plan to hold a province-wide
meeting of Band Social Development
Workers and Community Health
Representatives to discuss this issue.
Our alternatives: do we accept, reject
or improve on the proposed guide-
lines? What are our alternatives? This
meeting is tentatively scheduled for
May _,_ 1979, "in the Vancouver
area. Detailed information will be
sent to all the Bands.

George Manuel has called this issue
the worst crisis since the 1969 White
Paper Policy. But we alone must
decide where we want to go on this
issue, we must discuss our ideas,
concerns, strategies and alternatives.
The provincial meeting would be the
forum to bring all of our concerns
and ideas together.

The Health and Social Develop-
ment Portfolio does not have the
funding to pay for participants to
attend this meeting. We will be
looking into all possible sources for
travel dollars for delegates and will,
of course, be pleased to inform you if
we are successful. S

The National Indian Brother-
hood met with the Minister of
National Revenue to discuss this
matter, and issued the following
bulletin to Indian mothers:

1. You must fill out all the forms
provided for this year, Income
tax, TFAL and Schedule 10; but
next year there will be fewer and
simpler forms;

2. The Department of National
Revenue is working out an option
for next year, so you can choose
’ whether you want your payment
in a lump sum or in instalments.

ie 3. You don’t have to use your

f MOTHERS
CHILD TAX CREDIT

eis

Social Insurance Number in fil-
ling out tax forms, though this
will delay the application. The
N.1.B. recommends that you use
your Band or Treaty number
instead, or leave that space
blank. Put $0.00 as income on all
applicable forms and file as
normal.

4. The Minister agreed to send
the N.I.B. a written statement
disclaiming any intention to use
the Child Tax Credit application
towards the process of taxation
of Indian families.

For further information, contact
Julie Newman, Health and Social
Development Portfolio, Union of
B.C. Indian Chiefs.

UBCIC NEWS 7

Preliminary Hearings Begin
THIS TIME IT’S URANIUM

Again and again, that’s the story of
our lives. This time it is uranium.
There are so many things that
our people have to deal with, espe-
cially when it comes to development,
because to many of us, it is new and
yet it isn‘t because development is
decreasing our aboriginal rights in
fishing, hunting, trapping, lands,
water and other resources. Think of
all the developments in your area:
pipelines, dams, pulpmills, mines,
smelters, hydro lines, railways, roads,
logging and others.

la Coola

, * (
ee Tra
Vanco er e lowné

We are faced with another threat in
parts of the province: The explora-
tion for uranium mining. This is
something that we have to deal with
because it affects our health, the
environment and aboriginal rights.

The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs
has been given the mandate to oppose
the development of uranium mines in
the Province of British Columbia. At
the Central Interior Regional Confer-
ence at Vernon in July, 1978, the
resolution was proposed and carried
to actively oppose the development

Ft.St.J6hn
=. St.
kame
Prince
Géorae Alberta
Ouesngl
iy
‘i?
”"
=
i
a pata i
Y, 3 my
Kamloop

Sites of Active Uranium Exploration

UBCIC NEWS 8

of uranium mines and mills in British
Columbia.

On September 12, 1978 the U.B.C.
I.C. published a Special Report on
Uranium. This report is available at
the U.B.C.I.C. office. The U.B.C.
I.C. has been very active in pushing
for an inquiry on uranium mining.
Now this has happened.

ENQUIRY INTO SAFETY
MEASURES AGAINST URANIUM
HAZARDS é

On February 18, 1979, there was an
announcement that there will be a
Royal Commission of Inquiry into
Uranium Mining under the B.C.
Public Inquiries Act. The Lieutenant
Governor appointed Dr. David V
Bates as the Chairman of a three man
commission.

The Commission is to inquire into
the adequacy of existing measures to
provide protection in all aspects of
uranium mining. They will examnine
the existing federal and provincial
requirements for:

a) Protection of health and safety
of workers associated with explora-
tion, mining and milling of uranium;

b) Protection of the environment;

c) Protection of the public.

They will make recommendations
for setting and maintaining standards
for workers and public safety and
protection of the environment.
Public hearings are scheduled to be
held in communities in May, June
and July and again in the fall.

In order to carry out our mandate
to oppose uranium mining, it is vitally
important that those Bands and
people who will be affected provide as
much input and support to the
U.B.C.I1.C. as possible. In the last
two years, the Central Interior has
been the focus of the largest mineral
exploration program in the whole
province. Everyone in the mineral
industry is looking for uranium. Why
is this happening? One reason is the
jump in the price of uranium from $7
— $10 per pound in the early 1970’s
to $40 to $50 per pound or more this
year. The second reason is that a

Uranium pe been sighted on the Aboriginal 2 Tahitan Territory.
eo called to look into fae aarety of mining

program was jointly funded by the
federal and provincial governments to
map out where all the uranium is in
the area. The general areas affected
are the Okanagan, the Kootenays,
North Thompson, Williams Lake,
Fraser Lake, and Tahltans.

Some of the problems associated
with uranium mining are very serious.
One of the major problems is the
mining waste products which contain
more than 85% radioactivity. These
waste products remain radioactive for
up to a million years, There is no
known long term method to prevent
radioactivity from becoming exposed
to the environment and especially to
the food chain, fish, wild game,
cattle, wild berries, etc. For this
reason the people of British Columbia
must insure that the Commissioners
recommend high standards to protect
public health and the environment.

The radioactive elements would
cause bone cancer, leukemia and lung
cancer. The end uses of uranium,
nuclear power plants and bombs, are
even more dangerous to our health
and environment.

a statement of our intention to
participate in the inquiry. Our
overriding reason for participation is
to restate what we have been saying
for over one hundred years: that
Indian peope have aboriginal rights to
the lands, waters, and resources, and
that we want these aboriginal rights to
be recognized. We told the Commis-
sioners about our Indian peoples’

‘the province.

experience with paying the costs of
large resource developments around
The decisions to allow
these developments are made by
powerful people who base their
decisions on scientific principles. But
it isn’t a question of science, it is a
question of power. Standards are
political decisions and we should not
forget that it is important to develop
safe standards. In appearing before
the Commission we are asking the
powerful to listen to the oppressed.

We told the Commissioners that
community hearings have to be held
in Indian communities so that the
Commission can hear real evidence
from Indian people who have expert
knowledge of local areas. In the
Thompson Inquiry we learned the
validity of Indian people presenting
evidence based on their own know-
ledge of local areas. All of our Indian
people will be affected if uranium
mining is allowed to proceed because
of our reliance on fish. Uranium
mining would pollute streams, rivers
and lakes and eventually many of the
fish could be killed.

It is extremely important that we
support one another in opposing this
threat to our fish and our way of life.
There has been enough damage to our
lands, waters and resources. We have
to take on the responsibility -
protecting what we have.

UBCIC TO PARTICIPATE AT
ENQUIRY TO SAFEGUARD
ABORIGINAL RESOURCES

On March 6, 1979, the Union of
B.C. Indian Chiefs attended the
Preliminary Hearing of the Uranium
Inquiry. Our purpose was to present

B.C. RESOURCES INVESTMENT CORPORATION

The Premier of the Province has
announced that the government is
going to give to every person living in
B.C. for the last five years, five free
company shares of the BCRIC Every
person, no matter how young, can get
their share by filling in a form for
shares which are now worth $6.00
each. However, the banks are saying
that the value will likely go up to
$10.00 per share soon, so each set
would be worth $50.00. The BCRIC
is a company owned now by the
Provincial Government. The com-
pany has a lot of shares which
represent ownership of the company.
This company owns parts of such
other businesses as Canadian Cellu-
lose, Westcoast Transmission and
Kootenay Forest Products. It also
owns oil and gas rights in the
province. Therefore, if you get your

free shares you will own a small part
of these businesses.
APPLICATIONS: You can get the
forms from any bank or credit union.
You can also fill out a form for your
children or elders if they can’t go
themselves. After a few months the
shares will be sent to your bank and
you can go and get them.

These shares have a real dollar
value but George Manuel feels it is
important that the Indian people are
aware of what they represent. Pre-
mier Bennett is using this scheme as a
political ploy — and as many Indian
people as possible should take advan-
tage of this scheme.

Applications should be made by
June 15th at the latest. For further
information or assistance, you could
phone the Socio-Economic Portfolio
at the U.B.C.I.C.

UBCIC NEWS 9

FISHING

RALPH GEORGE OF OHAMIL

NOT GUILTY

Another victory in the courts for
Indians charged in cases related to
food fishing was won on March 19 in
Matsqui. Judge Kelly found Ralph
George of Ohamil not guilty of
catching salmon when prohibited,
and not guilty of transporting salmon
from above a commercial boundary
to below a commercial boundary. A
charge of not marking the salmon to
identify them as food fish was
dropped, when it was discovered that
all of the fish confiscated had been
properly marked.

Mr. George was charged last
September, after a Fisheries Officer
followed Ralph on the highway near
Mission. Mr. George had been fish-
ing, and had caught 60 fish. He was
on his way to Mission when he was
stopped by the Fisheries Officer.

In court on March 13, it was
revealed that Mr. George shares his
food fishing license with a friend who
also has a food fishing license. The
two sometimes fish within the differ-
ent boundaries allocated by their
licenses, and they share their catch,
with their families smoking and
canning the fish and then dividing it
between the two families. On the day
that Ralph George was charged, he
had been fishing in the boundary held
by his friend’s license. Both boundar-
ies were open to food fishing that
day.

It was also revealed that the
commercial boundary Ralph George
was charged with crossing happens to
be the railroad tracks. The road
crosses the tracks at many points,
creating a boundary which changes
very often.

When charged, Ralph George had
been on his way to Mission to pick up
his nephews and take them home to
Ohamil to deliver the fish to his
family.

_DECISION: NOT GUILTY
Judge Kelly, at the conclusion of
the case, said that he was not
prepared to convict Mr. George,
because he had acted reasonably

under the circumstances.

This decision is a further develop-
ment of ‘‘mens rea,’’ which is how

‘a

UBCIC NEWS 10

Edna Ned of Sumas was found not
guilty on February 15, of unlawfully
disposing of fish (see U.B.C.I.C.
NEWS, February issue, page 14).
Ralph George did not have an
intention to commit an offense; he
did not have a guilty mind.

In Ralph George’s case, he did not

intend to commit an offense. In fact,
because of the regulations governing
the commercial boundary in question,
Mr. George was not even aware that
he was committing an offense. e

To Obtain the Release
of Your Vehicle

1. Demand that the fisheries
officer and or police officer not
take it in the first place. They
have the legal authority to do so
but it is rare that they do, and a
firm demand on your part may
help prevent this.

2. If it is still seized, demand
from the fisheries or police
officer who has custody of the
vehicle that it be returned
immediately. If this is unsuc-
cessful;

Make an application AS SOON
AS POSSIBLE to the presiding
judge for its return. Do not
wait for your court date to come
up if it is any time away at all,
but rather go into court and ask
the judge to bring your case
forward so that you may apply
for the return of your vehicle.

It is sometimes necessary to post
a form of bail for the return of
the vehicle. This means that
you agree to pay the court a sum
of money if the car is sold or
lost by you. You should argue
that this sum be small as in the
past $1,000 — $1,500 sureties
have been required.

Notify the Union of B.C. Indian
Chiefs immediately, 440 West
Hastings Street, Vancouver,
B.C. V6B 1L1 (604) 684-0231
that your vehicle has been seized
and you have to post a surety.

PROJECTS PROTEST
SEP CUTS

On March 1, people from the 9
bands affected by the budget cuts to
the Community Economic Develop-
ment Projects of the Salmonid En-
hancement Program (S.E.P.) took
their displeasure to the Vancouver
public.

More than 50 people staged a
demonstration in front of the Depart-
ment of Fisheries Office at 1090 West
Pender to protest budget cuts to
community projects that currently
employ more than 90 people on
reserves. These projects were cut by a
total of 25%, while other areas in the
S.E.P. were cut by as little as 12%.

In addition to the current Commu-
nity Economic Development Projects
being cut, six additional 1979 Projects
are on the chopping block.

BANDS GIVE ULTIMATUM

In response to these cutback an-
nouncements, the bands, as well as
the Nanaimo non-reserve project,
have given government officials an
ultimatum: give the bands and con-
tractors the opportunity to negotiate
for increased budgets, or the com-
munities will abandon the Projects.
In addition, the communities want
the six new projects to go ahead as
planned.

There has not yet been an answer
from government officials.

However, Basil Ambers, a Salmon
Enhancement co-ordinator from
Nimpkish, is hopeful that the decision
to cut back on the Projects will be
reversed. He says the original budget
containing the cutbacks has been sent
back to Treasury, because of the
united front presented by the com-
munities. And he believes that the
demonstration may influence the
outcome of the budget decision in
favour of the bands and contractors.

SEP NEEDS COMMUNITY
PROJECTS

This is an important issue for not
only the communities and bands
but also for the Fisheries Department
and its S.E.P. This program has been

involved in controversy since its

introduction two years ago. The
overall objective is to offset the
impact of industrial growth and other
activities on salmon stocks. This is
done by “‘improving’’ three salmon
Tivers, the Nass, the Skeena, and the
‘Fraser, and _ sixteen salmon
streams in the province, and in some
cases new streams or “artificial
spawning channels’ are created. _
Improvement work done in the
streams and rivers such as clearing
debris and checking and improving

ABALONE
THE DEMAND IS GROWING

Like our salmon fishing rights, we
are gradually losing our rights to
other seafoods. An example is the
abalone.

Abalone has been a special seafood
to many of our people for centuries
upon centuries.

Today, however, many people

‘Community people from the Pesntehic Development projects of SEP
protested the budget cuts - and won.

gravel and pebble content (where the
salmon spawn) has generally been
regarded as an effective method of
enhancing salmon stocks. This is the
type of work being carried out by
bands and contractors under the
Community Economic Development
Projects.

Hatcheries have also been built
by Fisheries in order to
enhance ‘‘wild’’ or natural stock. But
they have not been greeted with
approval from all sides, and have
been a controversial area of the
Program, unlike the work being done
by the bands and contractors.

The bands believe their ‘projects
have been successful in the past, and

feel that the Fisheries Department |

should not be cutting back on

projects such as the Community
Economic Development Projects,
which involve methods proven suc-
cessful in the past in enhancing
salmon stocks. After all, that is the
stated objective of the Salmonid
Enhancement Program.

MARCH 21st: While going to press
we learned from Basil Ambers that
the Community Economic Develop-
ment Projects will not receive the
budget cutbacks previously an-
nounced by the Department of Fish-
eries. In addition, the six new projects
will go ahead as originally planned.
Basil Ambers says the Department’s
change of mind is directly linked to
the loud objections to the budget cuts
raised by the community and reserve
people involved in the Projects.e

throughout the world have come to
recognize abalone as a delicacy. This
demand has seriously depleted some
abalone neds, such as those in the
Queen Charlotte Islands area, and
threatens the future of many other
abalone beds along our coast. The
price of abalone has risen with its
popularity, and all of this could mean
restrictions on abalone food fishing
to our people.

Meanwhile, the fisheries depart-
ment has announced new abalone
fishing regulations for 1979 that will
see about 250,000 pounds of abalone
taken during an eight-day opening
which begins April 15.

The season will re-open April 29
for a seven-month period, closing
November 30. No more than 500,000
pounds may be taken for the entire
period of openings. There are 26
abalone license holders who will be
guaranteed 8000 pounds each during
the second opening, which amounts
to a minimum of 208,000 pounds of
abalone designated for the commer-
cial abalone fishery during the second
opening. @

On March 14, 1979, the
U.B.C.I.C. Wancouver office
received a telephone call from
Chief Victor Adolph of the
Fountain Band. He called to let
us know that the Fountain Band
is forwarding $1,000 as dona-
tions to the U.B.C.I.C. ‘‘Save
the Salmon (War) Chest Fund.”’

We thank you, Fountain
Band, very much for the dona-
tion. We cannot express enough
appreciation for this gesture.
Every dollar will be a valued
dollar in our cause in the Indian
fishing rights struggle. Many of
you are aware of the financial
difficulties we are having in the
U.B.C.1.C. fishing portfolio,
which has put us in a position of
having no dollars to wage the
fight to protect Indian fishing.
We see this coming summer no
easier than last summer, in
order to make our case strong-
er, sO we need your support
whether it be a word of encour-
agement, moral support or fi-
nancial support.

Thank you again to the
people of the Fountain Band.

UBCIC NEWS 1i

CYI/DENE POSITION
REPATRIATION OF

CONSTITUTION

On March 15, 1979, repre-
sentatives from the northern
Indian organisations gave joint
position statements at different
centres throughout Canada.
One of the main concerns was
over the Constitutional develop-
ments, bringing back the British
North America Act to Canada
from Britain. (See UBCIC
NEWS January issue) Richard
Nerysoo, Vice President of the
Dene Nation, told a Press
Conference in Vancouver of
their concern that the Canadian
public be made aware of our
right to participate in the consti-
tutional debate and to have our
aboriginal rights entrenched in
any new Canadian constitution.

*‘The commonly held idea
by non-native people of
what the present Consti-
tutional debate is all about
is a false one. The ‘two
founding nations’ concept
is simply a myth. The
present debate in its truer
perspective is about non-
aboriginal people in this
country conducting their
political warfare at the ter-
ritorial expense of the na-
tive peoples, with our survi-
val at stake.

We charge that the cur-
rent Constitutional debate
is not legal unless the
aboriginal people are invi-
ted to sit at the bargaining
table on the Canadian Con-
stitution.

We do not anticipate
formulating our social poli-
tical contract with Canada
only in light of special
status as aboriginal people
who would be dealt with by
Federal legislation. Instead,
we intend to do so in terms
of nation status and_ the
subsequent recognition of
this fact in a Canadian
Constitution. ‘‘

(For details of all Chiefs delegat-
to London on this issue, see page

- UBCIC NEWS 12

“LAND CLAIMS TALKS

STALLED

Land Claim negotiations with the
Federal Government have come to a
standstill for the Nishga people, the
Dene Nation and the Council of
Yukon Indians. On March 15th, the
Nishga Tribal Council issued a press
release stating that:

“The patience of some 4,000
Nishga Indians has run out
concerning their 110 years of
struggle with governments over
their claims to land in the Naas
Valley of British Columbia.

In 1973, the Federal Govern-
ment committed itself to nego-
tiate with the Nishgas. Later, on
January 12th, 1976, the Social
Credit Government also an-
nounced their commitment to be

Percy Tate left] of the Nishga Tribal Council tells the Press: “We have

Dene negotiations had reportedly
been going well with Indian Affairs
Minister Warren Allman. In late
1977, there was a sudden Cabinet
shuffle and Hugh Faulkner was
appointed Minister of Indian Affairs.
He issued an ultimatum that dollars
and negotiations would be cut off
until the peoples of the Northwest
Territories unite on a joint position;
that there be reconciliation between
those who want a cash settlement and
those holding out for political author-
ity over their lands. To date there has
been no reconciliation.

Negotiations between the Council
of Yukon Indians and the Federal
Government broke down dramati-
cally in 1979. Delegates from the

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not deviated from our original position paper right in the beginning, dated

back from 1913.”’

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full partners with the Federal

Government at the negotiation

table.

But since that time, we have
just sat and watched the bicker-
ing between the two levels of
government. In turh, little has
been accomplished.”’

The Nishgas now indicate that
unless the governmental problems are
resolved soon, they will consider
instructing their legal counsel to take
further court action. There are also
plans afoot for a full-scale interna-
tional campaign to embarrass the
governments of Canada and B.C. on
the international level.

C.Y.I. who were negotiating with the
Office of Native Claims discovered
that the Minister of Indian Affairs
had sent a document to the Territorial
Government of the Yukon, an arm of
the Federal Government, whereby the
Territorial Government not only were
to sit on all land claim negotiations,
but also had veto powers. The C.Y.I.
refuses to re-open negotiations until
such a move has been rescinded. With
the further delay of the construction
of the Alaska Highway Pipeline, time
is on their side now.

At the same press conference
March 15 delegates from the Dene,
C.Y.I. and Naskapi-Montagnais Innu

issued a joint statement of their

aboriginal rights:

‘‘We the aboriginal people of
the Yukon, Labrador and the
Northwest Territories have never
surrendered our rights to the
lands that we have occupied since
time immemorial.

These rights, which are inalien-
able, form the basis of our
struggle to gain recognition as
distinct groups of people who
have retained unique cultural,
political and social differences.

There is in international law a
supporting basis for our desire to
achieve recognition of our histo-
ric and political differences and
our desire to achieve self-deter-
mination. The Permanent Court
of International Justice has
stated that:

‘*. . .a group of persons living
in a given country or locality

Richard Nerysoo, Dene, and Mary

ons Cane at tog
Easterson, C.Y.I., are

entrenchment of self-determina-
tion within the Canadian Confed-
eration. There can be no extin-
guishment of our aboriginal title.

We demand much more than
token land bases and accompany-
ing insignificant administrative
powers. Instead, we seek devolu-
tion of land bases that reflect our
social, cultural and economic
needs and corresponding legisla-
tive control over these lands. Any
other negotiating policy for us
would be unacceptable.

In order that the Federal
Government formulate a differ-
ent position in approach to the
negotiations of claims settlements
with the various aboriginal peo-
ples, there is dire need for change
in two critical areas:

The first is in regard to
political self-determination. Up
to now the Government refuses

ae °

igning to

let non-Indians know that ‘“‘land claims is not just land. It deals with the

political development of the people.’”’

having a race, religion, language
and traditions in a sentiment of
solidarity with a view of preserv-
ing their traditions, maintaining
their form of worship, ensuring
the instruction and upbringing of
their children in accordance with
the spirit and traditions of their
race and rendering mutual assist-
ance to each other’s existence is a
question of facts; it is not a
question of law.’

We the Yukon Indian people,
the Naskapi-Montagnais Innu
and the Dene Nation are fully
aware of our right to seek

to negotiate political rights as
part of the total claims process.
Political self-determination is our
inalienable right. Our right to set
up systems of government within
which all citizens, native and
non-native, enjoy basic rights
must be recognized.

Second, the Government
must change its approach to
allocation of aboriginal lands.

The aboriginal people must
be assured that there will be
sufficient land to be maintained
by them in order to ensure that
their basic requirements are

met. e

FEDS SENSELESS CENSUS _
On March 7, 1979 Renee Taylor, a
member of the Nimpkish Indian Band
appeared in court in Alert Bay, B.C.
to face charges stemming from her
decision not to fill in a Canada
Census form. The court case arose
from an incident which occurred at.
her home on June 1, 1976.
A census taker, Mr. Holmquist,
arrived at her door and requested that

1 she fill in the form as all citizens were

required to do so. The form required
certain information such as the name
of the head of household, number of
rooms and average number of school
years. The form also had printed
ethnic group categories such as
Chinese, Japanese and Ukrainian but
there was not a space for ‘‘Canadian’’
Indian, Indigenous or Native person.
Renee said she would not fill in the
form since it did not recognize Native

} people. The census taker was then

asked to leave but he pushed his way
through the entrance and demanded
that Renee co-operate. Renee gave the
census taker who was also the
Pentecostal preacher several other
reasons why he should leave her

alone. ;
Renee’s first cousin Donna Ambers

who was visiting came to the front
hall when she heard all the arguing.
She evicted Mr. Holmquist while
Renee called the Band office to report
the trespass. Renee could not find the
Chief, who was out fishing. However
she later spoke with the Chief’s wife,
Eva Cook, who had told the census
taker to also leave her home for much
the same reason. Many other people
on the reserve refused to give census
information; some because the fed-
eral government used information to
undermine Native people and others
because they did not like his ‘‘Chris-
tian attitude.’” Remee was the one
charged.

The matter finally came to court
last week and the Crown had no
legal evidence. There were two affida-
vits: one from the census man (who is
now on a mission in Nigeria, Africa)
and the other from a dead man who
was never at her door. The prosecutor
did not give U.B.C.I.C. lawyer
Louise Mandell seven days notice of
the document which he wanted to
introduce to prove that Renee refused
to give that information. _.

Renee was found not guilty because
there was no valid charge. e

UBCIC NEWS 13

THE WORLD COUNCIL OF
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, of which
George Manuel is the President, has
finally won recognition in the United
Nations. By achieving Non-Govern-
ment Organisation status, indigenous
people everywhere are under the
protection of the Declaration of
Human Rights, and gain an interna-
tional forum for presenting the case
of Aboriginal peoples to educate
other governments and citizens.

The W.C.I.P., formed at Port
Alberni, B.C. in 1975, represents
Indians all over North and South
America, the Inuit, Maoris, Abori-
gines and the Indigenous peoples of
Northern Scandinavia. The World
Council was formed to provide
economic and spiritual support for its
member countries.

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Savio ani sedikeosile a irctic> “Helnans in North America
gives strength to the hard-pressed Indians of Argentina.

MILITARY RULE ENDANGERS
INDIAN SURVIVAL

Nilo Cayuqueo is an Executive
Council Member, an Indian leader
from South America. He has been
involved with George Manuel in
fighting for recognition by the United
Nations last month, and paid a brief
visit to B.C. before returning to
Argentina. Sylvia Woods, with the
help of interpreters, talked to Nilo
just before he left:

‘‘When I was first approached, I
was kind of hesitant to do the
interview, because I wouldn’t know
what to say. Then after I thought it
over I became more and more
interested. I met Nilo Cayuqueo the
day before I interviewed him, then I
really got excited about it. What got
me really excited was that he is from a
different country and he can’t speak
English, and I can’t speak or under-
stand Spanish. I had a feeling that, in
a way, we would be the same and you
know what, we are!”’

Where do the Indian people live in
Argentina?

There are 13 groups of Indian
people. We were put on reserves when
the Spaniards moved in. But the

UBCIC NEWS 14

‘land,

Indian people of Argentina do not
recognize an individual holding of the
they’ prefer to live as a
community. This provokes a lot of
trouble with the government.

What sort of jobs do they have for
Indian people there? Like over here
most of us are fishermen hunters and
farmers.

Most of us are in Agriculture, and
very poor. The land is very infertile
and if we can’t get enough food or
income from the land then we go and
work for the large white land owners.
This is just in the south.

In the north of the country the
Indian people live in a climate that’s
much hotter, there the land is a little
better and they have their own little
piece of land, and they work in
agriculture, they grow their own
crops, or they have bees, and cotton
fields.

Have you faced a lot of discrimina-
tion in school, on the job, travelling?
Where I live white people came in
and took over a lot of the area, so the
schools are full of white children,
there’s a lot of discrimination.

To be Indian was like a bad word,
somebody calling you an Indian is
like calling you a thief, or a savage.
So most of the kids, myself included,
would say we weren’t Indian, and try
to pass as somebody else. In primary
school all text books were written by
the same people who took over most
of our land. So it was all discrimina-
tion against the Indians. Very nega-
tive things were said about the
Indians.

What sort of beliefs do you have?

In the north of the country, the
Indian peoples’ religion is mixed up a
lot with the Catholic Religion, be-
cause the Catholic Missionaries lived
there. There’s no definite separate
Indian religion, but in the South, the
Mapuchez, where I come from, it is
different. Our religion is still very
strong, similar to what is here. We
relate very much to the earth, we
consider ourselves just like any other
animal. The earth is very important,
because it gives us life and takes it
back. We also have a relationship
with the sun and the water.

One of the most important Gods is
one who has all the characters of an

Indian. He loves us, guards us, and
watches so that we live with nature,
not exploit it.

We have a ceremony that goes for 3
days; we shower water over the land,
.and the Gods; this is to protect them
and to insure a good harvest. We also
offer food to the Gods so that the
community will be stronger. To finish
the whole ceremony we dance: it’s a
dance we have our own name for, it
has a lot of movement of the head.
The dance is almost an imitation of
the movements of this very great bird,
a divine bird. Choyk is the name of
the bird in our language.

Do you have very many Indian
organizations, i.e. Union of B.C.
Indian Chiefs, National Indian Broth-
erhood?

We do not have any organizations,
other than in each community, we try
to get together, move together, but no
specific organizations. In the North,
in Chako they constructed a small
building where people meet. Right
now there’s almost like a state of seige
in Argentina. The Military Govern-
ment won’t allow anyone to meet, so
at this time we must meet when it
rains, because then it’s not noticed
too much, we all gather at one house.

Does that only apply to Indians?

Nobody can meet together in
groups. Just the big ranchers can get
together, they can talk, but nobody
else. (laughter).

Do you have any recognition of
Aboriginal Rights?

We are working on Aboriginal
Rights, but it has to be all under-
ground, not through legal channels. I
am part of the organization, the
Indigenous Association of the Repub-
lic of Argentina. We’re working with
communities, and have a right to
organize ourselves in this way under
the Federal law. But because the
provinces are told that they are
separate and can make their own
laws, when we go to communities in
other provinces we’re not allowed to
unite the people and hold meetings,
so it all has to be done very
clandestinely, underground.

The Association is located in Buen-
os Aires (the Capitol). We try to have
one person from each of the Indigen-
ous communities from Argentina in
the Association, or at least one strong
spokesman from each community so
we know what’s happening. We try to
effect some kind of change in using
whatever power we can gather at the
Federal level.

One problem we had recently, just
six months ago, the Pentecostal
Missionaries moved into one of the
Mapuchez Communities trying to
destroy our traditional religion, tel-
ling us we’re all possessed, and
anyone that is possessed should be
dead or killed. One night they did
manage to kill two children and two
women, before the slaughter was
stopped. There were 12 men who tried
to stop this, it turns out. Three

When Canadian Indians visited Argentinian Indians, they weren’t allowed
to take pictures outside of the country’s capital city. Nilo Cayuqueio, Indian
leader and worker for the World Council of Indigenous Peoples stands in

the streets of Buenos Aires.

sispussg Bnog 1030 Wd

Indians were baptized and are associ-
ated with these Pentecostal Mission-
aries, and perhaps were responsible
for the killings. They have been.
detained along with the rest. The
dominant society is trying to take .
advantage of this situation to remove
the Indians from their lands, there’s a
judicial inquiry underway.

Is this just one of the ways to get your
land away?

There’s one man, a rancher, in the
north of Argentina, who says he owns
almost all the land, particularly in
provinces of Takuman, Chako. For
many years he’s claiming land with
papers. It’s the same throughout the
country where you get big landowners ,
who’ve slowly taken away pieces of.
land and say they own the land. It’s
hard to tell from the papers that the
land owners have, it’s hard to see
them.

We have Indian lawyers, they have
managed twice so far to stop two -
evictions, but for the most part they”
haven’t had very much success. The
Indian people themselves, although
land was given to them, they were
never given papers to the land, and so
the communities were recognized as
Indian communities, and they would
just leave them there ’til they wanted
the land.

If we ever protest we’re considered
subversives, so when they call the
police we can’t move anywhere, we .
can’t hide ourselves in any way.

Someone even came up to me,
threatening me, and said that the
Administrative External Affairs in
Argentina had received a report that I
had been travelling outside the coun-
try and saying bad things about
Argentina, that I was falsifying the
truth. This happened when I returned
to Argentina after I attended the
W.C.I.P. meeting in Sweden, and
Geneva.

How can W.C.LP.
Argentina?

As an organization it is able to get
different sources of funding from the
government and by the foundations
together to raise funds to be able to
continue on the work of the World
Council and its member countries. In
addition to providing economic sup-
port it provides moral and spiritual
support, simply by knowing there are
other Indian organizations function-
ing around the world helps alot. @

help in

UBCIC NEWS 15.

HOW I CAME TO ENFRANCHISE

A friend at work and I were discussing taxation and I
mentioned I was non-status. Are your parents non-status he
asked me? “‘No,”’ I replied while I continued to type without
thinking that this was going to be one of those short
inquisitive conversations. ‘‘How did you become non-
status. . .?’’ he asked. I stopped typing and looked him
square in the eye. ‘“‘I enfranchised,’’ I said and started
typing again. I was beginning to hope that he would stop
asking questions because this wasn’t one of my favourite
subjects, but he was persistent. Why did you enfranchise? I
stopped typing, looked at him, and debated whether I
should go on or give him one of my usual short casual
explanations I usually give when confronted with this very
personal question, but his concerned, honest, proud Indian
profile made me give him a full detailed explanation.

Many cruel incidents with DIA while I was a student made
me bitter against the system and helped me to decide to
enfranchise when I could afford to. I went on because I
couldn’t get a job as a secretary in the early 60’s. I worked as
a waitress, short-term typing positions, the Post Office at
X’mas time, I did the rounds of a person unable to obtain a
good position until I finally realized I wasn’t getting
anywhere so I went back to DIA and asked them for some
other training or further secretarial training. They of course
replied they couldn’t help me because I had already been
‘fone of their students,’’ but they could give me a brush up
course of two weeks at Pitman College. Bewildered and
having no other choice I took it.

I finally secured a good waitress job that brought good
tips and managed to get myself into the V.V.I. Practical
Nurses Course. With help from good friends I just
managed. By this time I was beginning to understand their
system. At the beginning of my practical of my course I
needed a pair of $20.00 regulation white duty shoes. In those
days $20.00 shoes were a very expensive pair. Not having the
funds for them, I turned to my parents who didn’t have any
money either so I turned to DIA thinking that they would
help, after all, they weren’t footing my bill!! I made an
appointment, and sat in front of the lady, told her my
situation. (I’m now making the grand total of $40.00 per
month in practical training.) She says I’m sorry but since
you’re not one of our students I cannot help you. I stared at
her not believing my ears. ‘‘This can’t be!’’ I thought. She
must have seen the anguish on my face. How can I go
through training without white regulation shoes!! My
mind’s whirling, moments are passing, my whole life is
depending on a pair of white duty shoes!! She clears her
throat, “‘I can loan you a pair of shoes, what size do you
wear?’’ ‘Size 7.’’ ‘‘These are a size 7 (thank God). It
belonged to one of our girls who decided not to go through
with the course, she wore them only one day. I’ll loan you
these shoes if you’ll pay me back when you’re through your
course.’’ “‘OK, thank you, Miss. . .’’ I left the office with
the pair of used shoes knowing she had broken the rule. A
slow deep bitter hatred started growing deep inside me. It
was the beginning of my awakening!

UBCIC NEWS 16

by Violet Birdstone

A few months later I developed a severe abscessed molar,
not having any funds as before I agairi sought help from
them, after all this is a health problem. My jaw throbbing
with excruciating pain I went down to Health and Welfare,
after a few questions from the obviously not too busy
dentist he tells me, ‘‘Sorry but I cannot touch your tooth.
I’d lose my job if I did, not that I don’t want to help you but
you know how it is, you’re not one of our students and
you’ve been off the reserve longer than 6 months, besides
you’re earning a wage.”’

My grand wage was up to $80.00 per month now from
V.V.I. I left, too much in pain to hate. I found a dentist who
pulled it for $5.00 I forgot from time to time the bitter sour
feeling in my stomach but was always reminded when the
DIA representative came around on her field trips to visit
with ‘‘our girls.’ ‘‘My how well they are doing!’’ she would
say in her sickly sweet voice. She would glance at me, and
I’m sure she wondered, ‘‘Why isn’t she one of our girls?
Who is paying for her course?’’

i ri C
Fete gas : - fl
3 aes
eo
a

— —

Deep frustration with the DIA caused Violet Birdstone to
reject legal Indian status soon after she graduated as a
licensed practical nurse. That’s Violet on the far right of
the first row. f

On graduation day I proudly accepted my diploma in my
used-shoes. I made it!!

Of course she was there too, taking pictures of ‘‘Our
Girls’’ and fluttering around like a butterfly so proud!!
Yech!!

The day I cashed my first paycheque from Vancouver
Geueral Hospital I went directly to THE OFFICE without
an appointment, just barged in and handed her a crisp new
$20.00. Somehow I knew she never expected it. That’s why I
enfranchised. .

He just sat there looking at me without a word, his eyes
full of understanding, no pity, just understanding and
wisdom.

**I don’t know if I’ll ever want to be voted back into my
band, I just don’t know yet. The bitterness is still there, I
thought it was gone but it’s still there.’’ e

LILLOOETS PLAN CRISIS CENTRE

“‘T got tired of seeing one funeral
after another on our reserve right
here.’’ This is one of the reasons
Georgina Harry of Pavilion gives for
organizing with the people in the
Lilloet area to try and establish a
Crisis Centre.

Since January of 1979, 5 Indian
youths have committed suicide in the
Lillooet area. There have been at least
3 recent attempts.

Lillooet is not alone. Many other
areas of the province are experiencing
the same tragic losses.

Georgina Harry is president of the
Lillooet Life Line Committee set up
on March 10, at a public meeting in
Lillooet, to try and open a Crisis
Centre to help the youths before they
decide they have no choice but to
commit suicide. The public meeting
attracted more than 100 people, both
Indians and non-Indians, who want
both answers and solutions.

Mrs. Harry says, ‘‘When I first sat
down, you could just feel it, that no
one was going to leave there until
something was done. People just got
tired of going to meetings and talking
and talking and listening and nothing
being done. But very few people got

up to leave this meeting, they just sat
there, just waiting you know. But
after they’d chosen (committee) of-
ficers. . . everybody felt happy, I
think after that, like something was
going to be done this time.’’

A committee of 17 was elected to
tackle the task of setting up a Crisis
Centre in Lillooet. Georgina Harry is
President, Georgina Alec is first
Vice-President, and }krea John is

‘Second Vice-President, with Gene-

vieve Thorn the Secretary-Treasurer.

Mrs. Harry would like to have a
Crisis Line set up, and a streetworker
hired to keep in close contact with
reserve youths, in addition to the
Crisis Centre.

All of the suicides in the Lillooet
area have been committed by young
people; the youngest was 16 and the
oldest was 30.

Mrs. Henry says another common
factor in the suicides has been
alcohol. ‘‘Just about all of them
drank,’’ she says.

But the real causes for the suicides
remain, for now, a mystery.

However, the committee is search-
ing for some answers. At its first

meeting held on March 19, specific
plans were drawn and responsibilities
divided among the committee mem-
bers.

Also, a Lillooet business man
offered office space to the Committee
until they establish a Crisis Centre. A
telephone will be installed imme-
diately.

In the meantime, the Cowichan
Band is also working at establishing a
Crisis Centre. Thirty to forty volun-
teers have offered to work at the
Centre, once it’s set up. In addition, a
training program is being planned for
the people who will handle the calls
on the Crisis Line. A ‘flying squad’
will also be trained to go to people
who have tried to commit suicide, in
order to provide support and assist-
ance. The elders have given these
plans their total support, and will be
involved in some parts of it. Two
people from Cowichan attended a
province-wide Crisis Line Conference
held in Vancouver recently, and they
say another one is planned six months —
from now because of the demand
from Crisis Centres for more infor-
mation. e

DEATH BY SUICIDE

ASSIMILATION CAUSES IT

“Once we were rich, not just
culturally rich, but rich in every
way possible. But when the other
people came to our shores, they
gave us their teaching. They took
away our children to school. And
when we went to school we had to
learn their language. The second
thing they took away was our
language. Children were whipped
and punished for talking Indian.
That was making us poor. Then
they gave us food which was not
right and they taught us to drink
and that is now one of our most
serious problems. This is why this
is how it is now.”’

Agnes Sam,Tslartlip

OUR TEACHINGS
RELIEVE
THE CONFLICT

‘*The majority society took a—
way our responsibility - we’re not
assuming responsibility anymore.
Indian children were not taught to
be responsible because Indianpar—
parents had this taken away from
them. But isn’t this what Indian
Government is all about - taking
back our responsibility for each of
our actions?”’

Herman Thomas, Halalt

Since 1963, Statistics Canada fig-
ures show that deaths from suicide in
B.C. have been two or three times
higher for Indian people than for
non-Indians. In 1975 there were 18
Indian suicides in B.C. In 1977, there
were 26. Since 1977 the figures have
risen again. The ages of the victims
are also shocking — they are the
young people.

We don’t have the figures. for
1978 yet, but we know from meetings,
from the calls for help from various
areas that these last eighteen months
have brought tragedy to many fami-
lies and communities.The figures we
do hear, like 19 suicides and 37
attempted suicides among Cowichan

UBCIC NEWS 17

Indians, or 5 suicides in a small
interior reserve since the New Year,
are shocking but they still don’t tell
the whole story. How many suicides
are there in the accident figures? How
many homicides were provoked by
the victim? and how many suicides
are there among the people who die
from cirrhosis of the liver? Where
figures are put together more realisti-
cally in certain areas in the United
States, in the Shoshone and Blackfoot
areas for example, we are told that
Indian suicides have been ten times
higher than for non-Indians.

The people in the communities who
are experiencing these tragedies tell a
story more clear than any statistics.
According to the elders, suicide used
to be a very rare occurrence among
people. In traditional society, until
relatively recently, suicide was not
acceptable among young people, or
only in extremely special circum-
stances, like preventing capture by an
enemy or to prevent retaliation
against one’s tribe. It was certainly
much less acceptable than a suicide by
a very old person who chose to die
when he was a burden to his people in
time of shortage or crisis.

After looking at the studies on the
Manitoulin Island Reserve in Onta-
rio, among the Blackfeet in Montana,
Shoshone in Idaho, the Navajo and
the Salish people in B.C., a pattern of
circumstances that leads to suicide
comes clear: family losses, family
break-up or discord, history of
alcoholism in the family, changes in
the people taking care of the child,
loss of constructive activities leading
to rowdiness and violence. All young
people used alcohol or drugs before
committing suicide and told people
they were going to do it.

the Manitoulin Island reserve say
there was a great deal of conflict in
the community, because of the pres-
sure for industrialization and total
assimilation. They reported too, that
young people especially, had a very
bad image of what it meant to be
Indian. In areas where our people
have kept clear of contact, like some
Pueblo communities, there have been
no suicides.

A DOUBLE IDENTITY CRISIS

The adolescent years are usually
ones of seeking an understanding of
yourself, of trying to find out where
you fit in the society. Most teenagers
go through this kind of identity crisis.
It’s a hard time for a lot of
youngsters, frustrating and wishful,
depressing, confusing and idealistic;
but it’s usually a strengthening pro-
cess in the end. But for Indian young
people, faced by assimilation and
integration, it is a double identity
crisis. They go through the ordinary
personal identity crisis like most
teenagers, PLUS a cultural identity
crisis. At the meeting to talk about
suicides in the Cowichan area, An-
selm Thom of Kuper Island talked
about this:

“‘Our own teaching has lapsed,
and the things we’re taught in
school, they’re not Indian. And
when all those things come toget—
her, they don’t meet, they don’t
mesh.””

CONFUSION ABOUT
OUR VALUES

CULTURAL ASSIMILATION

These studies show the amount of
pressure from white contact each
person was experiencing before he/
she committed suicide. A psychiatrist
working with the Navajo people
wrote that you could tell how close an
area was to the white society, just by
looking at the suicide figures. The
rates very clearly follow the degree of
assimilation. The Indian councillor
and a psychiatrist who reported on

UBCIC NEWS 18

Through the media, the T.V., their
non-Indian schoolfellows and their
teachers, our young people are bom-
barded by what Dr. Jilek calls ‘‘the
values of an economically and tech-
nologically, but NOT morally, super-
ior society.”’ These contradict the
values that filter down through our
families. Many of our young people
are daily exposed to a new set of
values: of competition, and achieve-
ment in a materialistic sense. Teddy
Seward, now a constable on the
Squamish reserve describes how con-
ditions had been bad enough when he

was at school in Duncan:

‘‘But in my time, we were by
ourselves in school and it was a day
school. They integrate now over
there. I think possibly kids see
what the other kids have, mater—
ially...now if there is one job, 30
kids apply for it - they want a car
like the white kids.”’

Dr. Wolfgang Jilek, a psychiatrist
who has worked with Salish people
for the last eight years in this field,
describes a situation where many
young people have neither the tradi-
tional pride and self-respect that our
ancestors had, the pride in our
people, culture and family, nor can
they identify with the culture and
traditions of a non-Indian society
because that society rejects them and
their families and culture.

THE LAPSE OF TRADITIONAL
STRENGTH

Many many elders came to the
3-day meeting in Duncan in January
to talk about the suicides, and every
one of them spoke of the traditional
teachings that are being neglected:

“It is the teaching that is so
important to our children. But
sometimes the children don’t
listen. They say we got to a level
where we’re educated enough
that we don’t have to listen to
anybody, it’s not important any-
more. So we push our elders
aside. But if we were taught,
from the beginning, if we under-
stood, from the beginning, some
of these things would be a lot
easier on us.”’

(Agnes Sam)

All the elders spoke of the central part

of their living that was the traditional
teaching. They all related the suicides
to the lapse in Indian teachings. By
attacking our teachings and languages
in the schools, by outlawing Pot-
laches, Winter Spirit Dances and all
major ceremonial activities, the Ca-
nadian majority society systemati-
cally destroyed the very centre of our
living.

(continued page 23)

UP-DATE

FISHING CASES

So far this year, throughout B.C., Indian people have
won every single fishing case we have taken on. This means
that we can now beat the Federal Fisheries at their own game
of rules and regulations.

The arguments that led to Ralph George winning his case
(see page 10)‘ should apply to Herman Thomas’ case too.

The Lillooet cases, based on Aboriginal Rights to Fish,
are going ahead on April 17-20th, and at the same time we
will have some fishing cases going on in Matsqui. We are
really encouraging whoever can be in either of those two
areas to come to court and give the people some support. In
Lillooet, the court is the Lilloet Court, and in Matsqui, the
court is on South Fraser Way.

has offered assistance to the Fort Nelson Band if they
want to respond to this application.

2. The ‘‘Looping’’ project which involves building a
second pipeline parallel to the existing mainline pipeline
from Chetwynd to Huntingdon, B.C.

This application was before the National Energy Board
last spring, at which time the U.B.C.I.C. was a major
participant. Representatives from many of the affected
Bands came down to Vancouver to present their evidence to
the Hearing. Permission to build the ‘‘Loop’’ was denied at
that time because the National Energy Board concluded that
the pipeline was not needed. Westcoast Transmission has
now re-activated this application and will try again to get
approval. No date has been set for this Hearing.

ZERO A—BASE REVIEW

The Department and the bands are continuing to carry
out band budget reviews in the Terrace District

The Department staff have been sitting down with most
bands and reviewing all of their budgets. The bands are
being asked if they wish to change the priorities that are
reflected in their budgets.

While the review will hopefully permit bands to use
funding towards the priorities they define, the exercise wil
not look at the overall needs picture of the community.
D.I.A. will still say how many dollars overall the Band can
work with.

This stage of the review will be finished by the middle of
April. We will then look closely at the results to see if this
exercise has enough benefits to warrant the time and energy
to carry it out.

ORDINANCE TO PREVENT THE VIOLATION OF
INDIAN GRAVES

On 14th March Chief Barney Shackley of Nooaitch
contacted the U.B.C.1.C. legal task force to ask what could
be done to prevent any damage to Indian graves that had
been discovered by a Department of Highways construction
crew. While widening the highway near Merritt, the crew
had come across an old burial site and the foreman had
contacted Chief Shackley.

According to the most recently updated Ordinance it is a
criminal offence to violate an Indian grave site in any way.
Chief Shackley informed the construction manager who
stopped work in that area immediately. On March 16th, he
phoned to confirm that the Department of Highways will
delay construction until a re-routing has been negotiated.

MORE PIPELINE HEARINGS

Westcoast Transmission Co. has been busy again
planning for more pipelines through Indian lands. They
have just announced the submission of two applications for
approval by the National Energy Board:

1. The ‘‘Junior-Sierra’’ gas pipeline in the Fort Nelson
area, for which a public hearing will be held in
Vancouver beginning April 18, 1979. The U.B.C.I.C.

B.C. CATTLEMEN'S ASSOCIATION CONCERNED
OVER HAT CREEK PROJECT

There has been a growing concern among local

cattlemen, ranchers and residents about the Hat Creek
Power Plant planned by B.C. Hydro. The Cache Creek local
of the B.C. Cattlemens’ Association invited the UBCIC to
an Association meeting held March 22, to explain the risks
and dangers associated with the power plant and open-pit
coal mine. The issue has become broader than an ‘“‘Indian
issue’’.
And B.C. Hydro has still: not responded to the
Environmental Statement of Risk from the Hat Creek
Project, which UBCIC representatives presented to Hydro
officials more than seven weeks ago.

(More update on page 22)

UBCIC NEWS 19

SPOTTED LAKE: Fathe

The Okanagan Tribal Council is working to re-establish
their trusteeship of Spotted Lake, which is held in reverence
as a medicinal and spiritual lake. The Council feels that the
Federal Government, the trustees of Indian interests, did
not act in their best interests when it sold this Crown land
away from Indian people to a non-Indian individual. This
person, Ernest Smith, has now applied for a re-zoning
application to turn Spotted Lake into a tourist development. #7)
At the first hearing, on January 22nd, the Council Bm
succeeded in having the matter tabled until negotiations |
could be arranged between Mr. Smith, the Okanagan/Simil-
kameen Regional Director and the Council. The Council
requested the matter to be tabled for six months, to give
them time to find out ways to have the lake returned to
Indian trusteeship and at the same time find means to
compensate Mr. Smith for his interests. The negotiations
were not successful on March 5th.

On March 22nd, the rezoning application was to be |
brought before the Regional District of Okanagan and |
Similkameen. On the afternoon of the 22nd, the Tribal |
Council filed a Caveat with the Land Registry office. This
leaves the property ‘frozen’ for 60 days, so that no |
transaction on that area can take place. It allows the Tribal ©
Council to go to court and file a Supreme Court Writ which #7
shows that the land really belongs to the Indian people, and &

that Ernest Smith is their Trustee; that the condition of
Trust is that the property remain in its natural state for the
use of the Indian people to practice our religion and our
religious ceremonies. (Even if he didn’t realize he was a
Trustee, if the facts of the case show that he is, the Court
can declare a Trust). The next step will be to gain a
permanent caveat until the whole matter is settled in the
courts.

The Land Registry office accepted the caveat, accepting
that there was enough legal evidence to show the Tribal
Council’s interest in the land. This raised a second legal

Photographs by ]
UBCIC NEWS 20.

- of All Medicine Lakes

point as far as the rezoning hearings are concerned: the
Tribal Council maintains that the hearings are being held
illegally because of their interest in the lake.

The Okanagan Tribal Council had organized a public
demonstration for the March 22nd meeting, in order to
solicit support from the general public for the postpanement
of the rezoning application. Over two hundred Indian
people were there: all the neighbouring tribes were there -
the Okanagans, the Thompsons, the Lillooets, Shuswap and
from the South came the Colvilles and the Lummi.

At the meeting, the UBCIC lawyer explained the Caveat

| to the Regional District Council and warned that should the
~@ | rezoning application be passed by them, the Tribal Council
would take both them and Mr. Ernest Smith to court for
Breach of Trust. (The Regional District Council had been
taking the position that the Public Hearings were over on
» January 22nd.) The Tribal Council also maintained that the
-} Public Hearings had not been completed, before the
| adjourning for another meeting on January 22nd. A number
| of people who had wished to speak had not been allowed to
+ and a public hearing cannot be adjourned until all evidence
- has been heard.

George Manuel then addressed the meeting, maintaining
that the whole question went far beyond this area, that all
the Indian people in B.C. were behind the Okanagan Tribal
Council because it was Indian religion that was in question.
Our religion has been repressed in the past or had to stay
underground, but now our religion leaders were exercising
their religious rights. The Lake was no less sacred that any
sacred sites, like the birthplace of Christ or the sacred

i é
springs of Lourdes.
Larry Pierre, speaking for the elders and in his own
language, maintained that the Indian people of the region
had never been consulted by any parties, provincial or
municipal, by the DIA or by any individuals, as far as
ownership of the Lake was concerned. He insisted that the
Okanagan people still had ownership of the Lake; it is part
of their Land Claims which still have not been settled.
The members of the Regional District Council immediate-
ly passed a resolution to table the decision on the rezoning
until April 19th. It was very apparent that they didn’t want
to deal with it. There was not one word of discussion. The
ie Okanagan People have won some of the time they need in
ee , eee their fight to regain their Trusteeship of Spotted Lake. »

ile Pickering

UBCIC NEWS 21

UP-DATE

THE RETURN OF THE MOOSE -
OR PARTS OF IT

On February 22nd, U.B.C.1.C. got a call from Karen
Myers from the Stone Band Indian Reserve telling us that
Francis got his moose back. She said that the Fish & Wildlife
officers had pulled into the reserve with two hind quarters of
a moose in the back seat. They asked Francis if he was
satisfied with this moose and Francis said that moose would
do. Everyone was happy!

The same day, U.B.C.I.C. received a nasty note from
Richard Vogel, the Deputy Attorney-General. Mr. Vogel
began this letter by denying that Indian people, in his
Department’s opinion, have any special rights to hunt
outside Provincial Wildlife laws. It is because of this denial,
he stated, that the Provincial Government is appealing
Francis’ case. He also seemed to back up the actions of the
Conservation officers when he lied to the Band members
and to the court. (See U.B.C.I.C. NEWS: January issue) as
to the question of the return of Francis’ moose, Mr. Vogel
stated that Francis’ moose would not be returned unless he
obtained a sustenance permit. Mr. Vogel said, ‘‘While he
does not have a right to hunt, it is within the discretion of
the Fish and Wildlife Branch to either give him a carcass or
permit him to hunt his own moose.”’

So, while the Deputy Attorney-General composed a letter
to us essentially denying Indian people’s aboriginal rights to
hunt and thereby refusing to return Francis’ moose, except
under special conditions, another arm of the Provincial
Government, namely the Fish & Wildlife Department, was
returning Francis’ moose.

Now that’s the story of Francis’ moose!

Francis Haines Appeal: The Appeal by the Province against
Judge Barnett’s ruling on hunting rights in the Chilcotin
area has been postponed to June 13th, in Alexis Creek.

CHIEFS DELEGATION TO ENGLAND

The National Indian Brotherhood is organizing a

| delegation of Chiefs to London in July, to advise the

Queen and the British Parliament of their concern that
patriation not be completed until our aboriginal rights are
securely defined and entrenched. .

NIB has reported that approximately 200 people will be
travelling to England and UBCIC Coordinator for the

| trip, Linda Jordan reports that about 15 delegates from

B.C. have raised funds and are goin.
The dates are June 30 - July 7.

TAXATION: A New Amendment

The Federal Court Trial Division passed a new Taxation
Act in favour of Bands on March 6, 1979. Before, Indian
people working for a company on a reserve were not liable
for taxation. The Act also reads now that an Indian person
working for a company off reserve, but receiving his or her
pay from that company’s office on reserve, then you are
still not liable for taxation.

MISSION [ST. MARY’S RESIDENCE]

Because most of our residential schools have been
closed down in B.C., the Chiefs of Fraser East District
Council recommended a Resolution to our Special Assembly
in November. They requested that the Union coordinate a
Feasibility Study on possible uses for St. Mary’s.

At present, students from all over the lower mainland live
at St. Mary’s and attend Hatzic Junior Secondary School in
Mission.

We have a green light from DIA regional office on the
Feasibility Study! Now we need a committee from the
District Council.

B.C. FOREST PRODUCTS TRIES ILLEGAL BY-PASS
OF OBLIGATIONS

Negotiations between the Kwicksuktaineuk Band and
B.C. Forest Products have broken down dramatically. In
line with what other Bands are getting on the Island and on
the coast, Kwicksuktaineuk Band demanded $1.00 per cu
unit for use of reserve land for logging company roads. The
Company offered 40 cents per cu units. The Band left the
negotiating table, telling the company that they were going
to block the road and the company accepted that. A couple
of days later, the UBCIC legal task force got a phone call
that the company has now filled in a new area. They were in
the process of building a mew road. The Provincial
Government was consulted about whether they had given
permission for the company to put in a new road. According
to the Provincial authorities, such permission had to come
from the upland owner. The upland owner of that property
is the Band.

The Band has bought the old fill, which was illegally put
there in the first place by McMillan Bloedel, a fact that B.C.
Forest Products was well aware of. By their action in putting
in a new fill, bridge and road to try and by-pass the road, the
Company also demonstrated that they had not been
negotiating in good faith with the Band. The Band is
presently deciding on their options to deal with the
company’s new act of trespass.

If any Bands have contracts with B.C. Forest Products,
the UBCIC legal force would appreciate your contacting
them.

UBCIC NEWS 22

(continued from page 18)

UNDERMINING OUR POLITICAL
AUTHORITY

In a talk to a group of students in
the Native Awareness Program on
Salt Spring Island, Chief Denis
Alphonse of the Cowichan Band
spoke strongly about the lack of
political control and its effects on his
people. The new political, cultural
and economic systems that were
imposed on them were often in direct
contradiction to their traditions. Not
only was their religion attacked, but
chiefs and elders lost authority.
Families lost their children to be
schooled in a different culture. Hunt-
ing was restricted. Licensing
regulations nearly wiped out commer-
cial fishing in their area and the
people are fighting for their basic
food fishing rights. However, Chief
Alphonse was careful to explain how
the Cowichan and other Tribal Coun-
cils are now beginning to counteract
these events: the gradual regaining of
political authority, the steps toward
control of a school on the Mount
Currie model, the establishment of a
co-operative farm for crops, vege-
tables and berries, and other meas-
ures to restore that richness that was
once theirs.

Chief Gary Harry of Pavilion
confirmed what many other people
said about alcohol and drug abuse
just being part of the problem, not
a cause for it:

“I don’t really know what the
problem really is, but booze and
drugs is just a part. We have a high
drop—out rate too. The reason is
not only unemployment here. Two
of the people who committed
suicide were working, getting
pretty good wages...I think it’s up
to the family to tackle its own
problems. It’s more like a family
ordeal.’’

often embarrassing to talk about new
fears, secret feelings to a friend, they
think there is no one to talk to. Ina
competitive school environment,
there is the fear of being laughed at,
in a fast-moving group there is a fear
of being left out. And yet, all the
crisis workers and psychiatrists and
young people agree that really what
most of them want, is someone to talk
with.

There has to be a place where
you can be heard. This might already
exist — it’s a question of recognizing
it.

PARENT SKILLS LOST TO
RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS.

UNEMPLOYMENT

Nathan Spinks, school bus driver
on the Lytton reserve, mentioned
unemployment as a large factor in the
problems there:

‘*The causes here are pressure
for livelihood. The welfare pro—
gram can’t help enough. We have
little employment. All our people
who tried suicide were looking for
a job, couldn’t get a job, couldn’t
get help from anybody. Luckily,
the Lillooet people have taken in
our boys for a bit on _ their
‘Community Improvement’ pro—
ject, but that job is going to be
over pretty soon.’’

Dan Stone, one of the staff at the
Vancouver Crisis Centre, believes
that parents throughout society are
having a problem with their roles.
The ‘‘Parent Stress’’ line in Vancouer
is so busy with parents having
problems with their responsibiltiies
that the Centre is having to put in
another line. Xavier Eugene, Koot-
enay Area Council, sees a direct
reason for the problems of Indian
parents:

‘‘The reason why our children
are so often neglected is because of
the missionary schools. Our par—
ents were parents two months of
the year. And in those two months,
our parents never learned to
discipline us. And the schools took
away all our tribal customs where
we were taught our manners, our
respect. Throughout the seventy
years that the missionary schools
have been in existence they took
away our sense of responsibility. I
can see a couple of generations
before our young adults become
positive parents again.’’

WHO CAN YOU TALK TO?

ALCOHOL AND
DRUG ABUSE

Because many young people are
idealistic and find it difficult to talk
to parents who don’t seem to be living
up to traditional values, and since it is

It is also a question of putting
reasons into words: it’s hard. Often
it’s just a dim feeling of having no
meaning, no purpose and no way to
go in life. It’s hard to make the
family, who is often part of the
problem, understand how urgent the
problem is. Dan Stone of the Crisis
Centre said one of the problems is
that people have heard the myth that
those who talk about suicide don’t
really do it: so the young person
talking about dying is often not
believed. But in all the suicide cases in
B.C., the young person talked about
it first.

Another myth is that a person
won't try it again if he/she doesn’t
manage it the first time. So this
person is often not believed. Yet
apparently four out of five suicides
have made at least one previous
attempt.

Because so many people find it
hard to communicate their depression
in words, they often just withdraw
into a kind of emotional isolation, or
they might show their distress in
sudden changes of behaviour. A shy
person becomes a thrill-seeker, or an
outgoing person becomes disinter-
ested or unfriendly. Often too, these
actions are an act of farewell.

Sometimes: the communication
problem is on the listener’s side. If
someone confides that they are
thinking about suicide, we shouldn’t
be afraid to discuss it. Our willingness

UBCIC NEWS 23

to discuss it will show the person that
we do not condemn them for having
such feelings.

At the most basic level though, Dan
insists, people intending suicide
should be heard, and need someone
to talk to.

At the Duncan meeting, all the
elders said ‘‘We have to deal with it
ourselves.’’ At a recent meeting in
Masset to discuss suicide, the young
people were asked what they felt. We
were told how moving it was, when
the young people said:

‘we want more time with our

parents. We could help __ repair

nets, we could go out on
picnics. . .”’

INDIAN EDUCATION

Often the major experience in a
young person’s life has been the
school. Most people feel strongly that
this is where changes must start.
Tommy Sampson of Saanich talked
of the importance of language classes,
to renew the language and thus be
able to communicate with the elders.
In Saanich, the elders are invited to
the schools to talk. George Manuel
once talked to a class in Chetwynd.
He described how all the dark little
heads were cast down, shoulders
hunched. As he talked, the shoulders
straightened and the heads came up,
proud and smiling. Chief Dennis
Alphonse talked of their plans to
expand the Indian elementary school
so that Indian people can control the
children’s education.

To counter-act the feelings of

inferiority that the stress on economic
values tends to give a young Indian
boy, elders in the Queen Charlotte
Islands and on Vancouver Island have
started taking groups of young boys
to the land. They feel it is important
because wilderness survival is a skill
that most non-Indians don’t have.
It’s a traditional superiority.

In the Kootenays they are also

concentrating on positive ways to
counteract negative group pressure.

“One of the things we see,’’ said
Xavier Eugene, ‘‘is to work on a

UBCIC NEWS 24

peer group basis. Have young
leaders develop on the reserve, for
the others to follow. At the
moment there are too many who
have a chip on their shoulder, their —
views on life are all negative yet.
We have a diversionary project to
change that negative view to a
positive one, change that negative
peer—group pressure that causes a
rush of suicide attempts in a

group.”’

INDIAN TEACHINGS
AND CERE MONIES

The elders tell of the richness of the

bee i meta.

Frances Bo

It is to a rebirth of these values that
the Cowichan Band is working, says
Chief Alphonse:

“A return to the traditional
ways in which people treat each
other, of seeing society as a
brotherhood and nurturing the
land which provides all for man.
The need to strengthen our spirit—
ual values as well. To this end, the
revival of the Spirit Dance is
important. The Spirit Dance path
is a tough process, but its purifying
regime gives powerful support to
young initiates and better enables
them to cope with their troubled
wo Pi

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our own children, our grandchildren, the teaching, then things will
change. It has to change in our families - that’s where its got to change.”

lives of our ancestors, richness in all
ways. At the Duncan meeting, the
elders kept returning to the central
value of the teachings:

“It is up to us to teach the
language, the culture, the tradit—
ions, the teaching itself. It belongs
to us, it’s up to us to teach. Don’t
wait too long. If you don’t have
any in your family, go to someone
who has and ask them to speak for
you. Because it’s important that
you do.”’

Anselm Tom, Kuper Island

It seems, ultimately, that it is a
question of responsibility, of re-gain-
ing the control that we lost, becoming
masters of our destinies once again.
All the reasons that people gave for
the high rates of suicide deal with the
loss of a traditional authority, Indian
teachings and Indian government.
The long-term solutions that our
leaders are striving for have their
roots in the re-establishment or
re-strengthening of this traditional
authority, where each person in a
community can be heard and takes
responsibility for what happens in the
community.

c — ie
When we mentioned to some people from the Lillooet area that we would grew up. Now I’m going through _

Councillor in the area. Walter thought about it for a bit and then he phoned

in:

“I’m phoning you from the
Alternate School here. Just right
now they’re doing articles and
poems on suicide and drinking.
This is one way I feel to get our
people thinking about life, in an
alternate school. In a public
school, they don’t teach the value
of life really, eh.

One of the things I like to bring

without really meaning it. Things

innocent things like ‘the only
time you’re good is when you’re
sleeping’, or else we just come
out with “Gees, I wish I were
dead,’’ you know, dumb things
like that. And I know a lot of
times, when I used to speak at
funerals, I would really glorify
the act of death, and when I
really thought about it, it made
me sick: maybe I was encourag-
ing people to take a short cut.
We have to start teaching our
people what we feel is right and
what we feel is wrong. I really
don’t see the suicide act as a
cowardly thing or as a brave
thing. But a lot of us are on a
fine string between fantasy and
reality and the string sometimes
snaps. It’s often more like a
fantasy for people who do com-
mit suicide — they still think
they’ll be around tomorrow, eh;
they don’t see it as an end-all.’
They don’t really realise that this
is the end. I’m talking the way I
am because both my parents
committed suicide and I tried it
too. But I use this as an aid, my
willingness to talk about it, to get
it out of the closet, so to speak.
It’s been there too long. We’re
beginning to believe the white
man when he tells us we can
endure pain — and I always look
on our greatest gift as our ability
to share, you know. I think we
should start practicing what we
preach, sharing our problems and
ee whatever is bothering us. Let’s

up is a tendency to say things .

that put ideas into a kid’s mind, |

talk about it.

We always acknowledge the
gift of our ears and our hearing.
And also we ask for guidance in
one gift, and that is our tongue,
so we don’t hurt people.

When there is more than one
suicide, the people most likely to
do it go from one funeral to
another and they are numbed.
And they still have a remorse in
them. So I think it affects their
vision. It sticks with them until
they think ‘Maybe I should do it.’

They don’t know what is wrong
with them. You know I’ve had
people come to me — and what
they really need is a good cry.
Until then, it is impossible to find
out what is making them so
depressed.

That is why I really believe in
the revival of our culture, and
our traditions. Because this is
where all our strength disap-
peared, when that disappeared.
Like they say: there’s nothing to
believe in, that’s what’s really
lacking, and if you can’t believe
in something, you sure can’t
believe in yourself.

A lot of people have found
their spirituality after bad times.

When we talk about preven-
tion, I always say we have to start
at home. You know, in teaching
our kids our values, we don’t
only talk about them, we also
have to practise them. Where we
can begin is to make the family
unit like one again, and talk with
your kids every day about our old
values. Our greatest gift was life
itself. We respected it in plants
and animals and fish. We have to
really begin talking about this
with the children and your spouse
and whoever is involved in your
family structure.

Even Indian people are begin-
ning to think about old age
homes now. You see, this is what
I’m working for. I went through
public school and I never really

to my children and my children’s
children. And my reward would
be that there will be no old-age
home for me because I will have
instilled in my kids’ and my
grandchildren’s minds that my
life should mean something, be-
cause it means something to me.
This is something we have lost:
we respect other people’s elders
more than they do their own. We
have to regain some of our
knowledge, and we have to use
our elders and not just talk about
it. You know, I speak to a lot of
knowledgeable Indians. I’m
talking about our ways. You
know a lot of them could really
hold degrees in psychiatry and all
these things. I get more soothing
from them, just talking to them,
than I do from a highly paid
person with their degrees. I really
see a need for a revival of our
medicine men also. To me,
when they went, a lot of our
strength went with them. With
the structure of our society, the
attacks from the Churches and
the Government, they had to go
underground, but they’ve been
sticking in there. But they’re not
turning their backs on us now.
They’re willing to come out and
talk to us. In fact there is one
man coming to Pavilion on the
23rd. And this is all medicine for
me.

I think there is a message for
us. We must slow down a little.
Even Nature is telling us some-
thing. I always tell people: look
at our bears, look at our trees —
they all take a rest during winter
time. And look at our rivers:
they freeze over and they no
longer look so ferocious because
they are covered in ice. And it
points to the winter time. And
you notice, winter time is an idle
time. This is when confusion
builds up and the suicides start
happening. In the years past, this
was the time of potlatches, this
was the time of gatherings, you
know, to give our spirits
strength.”’ e

UBCIC NEWS 25

KOOTENAYS

Chief Dan Gravelle, Tobacco Plains
Band, states, ‘‘I still oppose the
construction of the pipeline but due
to the national agreement between the
Canadian and U.S. governments,
which were signed long before the
Native People were informed of the
proposed construction. I am aware of
the fact that we have to face realities
and agree to mitigative measures
which are planned and demand
maximum benefits that may arise
from the building of such a pipeline.”

“‘There is no need for an impact
study in the southern part of British
Columbia on the pipeline route since
there is already an existing line.’’ This
statement was made by some govern-
ment official or a statement to this
effect.

The existing pipeline was not
protested against since the Kootenay
people at that time still regarded the
DIA as the ‘‘Great White Father’’
and that they (DIA) were invincible.
Any of the ongoing developments on
traditional lands of the Kootenays
were not opposed for fear of any
reprisals from the DIA.

Today, the Kootenay People are
growing stronger through the forma-
tion of the Kootenay Indian Area
Council.

When the Kootenay Indian Area
Council learned of the proposed
pipeline from the Union of B.C.

UBCIC NEWS 26

Wilf Jacobs, Kootenay Area Indian Council worker, describes mapping

DEFINE
ERRITORY

by Wilf Jacobs

procedures with Catherine Gravelle, on the left, and Mrs. Louis Caye, a
Kootenay from the Flathead reservation in Montana.

Indian Chiefs, they took a firm
position:

KOOTENAY AREA INDIAN
COUNCIL TAKES FIRM STAND
ON PIPEINE POSITION

1. The effects of the pipeline have
been recognized in the northern parts
of the province and discussions have
been held with the Indian People, in
these parts. However, no such recog-
nition or discussions have been
extended to the Indian People af-
fected by the southern part of the
pipeline.

2. No studies have been done by the

Alberta Natural Gas on the effects the
pipeline will have not only on the
Indian People, but on the area in
general.

3. Because of the accelerated time-
table, to begin construction, the
Kootenay People are not allowed the
time necessary to carry out our own
research of the effects the pipeline
will have on us as native inhabitants
of the Kootenay area.

4. Until such time as the governments
of Canada and the province of British
Columbia recognize Aboriginal
Rights and Land Claims of the Indian

(continued page 28)

A SHORT PROFILE OF A KOOTENAY BAND

TOBACCO PLAINS

The social life of the Tobacco
Plains tribe is variable according to
the season. The people are very
outdoors minded, and take advantage
of the many natural recreational
facilities in the area.

Winter group activities include
such sports as ice fishing, week-end

For the more daring and exciting
few, you can go to the Reserve-owned
rodeo arena and find someone there
practicing bull-riding or other such
rodeo events.

The Tobacco Plains Band sponsor
Rodeos twice a year.

The economic situation of the band

a he ha " 4
“ea.

aie dee
om, wig | | |

hockey games with the White com-
munity of the area and hunting.
Hunting is a sport as well as a way of
life by obtaining meat.

In the entertainment area, the band
hold a New Year’s pow-wow and
giving of gifts in the old traditional
way. Fund raising activities such as
cabarets, concerts, etc. The near U.S.
town of Eureka, Montana offers a
large variety of entertainment.

Spring and summer bring out other
group sports, such as baseball, soc-
cer, etc. Then to cool off, there is
Edward’s Lake, which is band owned
and operated as a tourist resort.

ee ri

ase

by Caroline Gravelle

Many of the jobs available to the
employable members of the band are
mainly in the field of logging and
farming industry. Members are en-
gaged in tree-pruning, on X-mas
trees, slashing and lately working on a
mill purchased by the band.

Different projects partaken by the
band such as the Edward’s Lake
Resort provide jobs, garbage dispo-
sal, cleaning and caring of the camp
grounds.

The band offers jobs in keeping the
boundary fences in good repair.

Much of the farming that takes
place is mainly a family undertaking
and the land in use is generally
privately owned by band members.

One of the biggest reasons for the
lack of band use of the land is that it |
is not irrigated. The band is in need of
funds to tap the underground water

UJ Sia Pe
aa <a,
ae r ; } Pa

r : 4 > — se Lt} ;

Many of the jobs for Tobacco Plains Band Members are in logging and
farming. The Band owns a mill, but farming is limited by the amount of
money made available by DIA for irrigation equipment.

is similar to any small community
where employment is limited or never
regular enough to sustain the people,
especially the women.

sheds.

Many of the band members find
that they have to travel outside the
reserve to gain employment.

UBCIC NEWS 27

Wilf Jacobs reviews land use areas on the map with Agatha Jacob and Alex
Gravelle.

(from page 26)
People of B.C. we the Kootenay
Indians cannot and will not enter into
any discussions with the Alberta
Natural Gas or any other company.
As the result of this meeting with
pipeline personnel on November 1,
1978, the Kootenay Indian Area
Council was quite upset because of
the total disregard shown by the
pipeline company until it was quite
evident that the pipeline would first
begin in the Kootenays.

IMPACT STUDY RESEARCH

However, they proceeded to take
action by hiring a person to do
research on the effects the pipeline
will have on the Indian People as far
as hunting, trapping and Indian land
use in general.

The first finding of this research
was that the existing pipeline did
indeed destroy the traplines because
of access roads on the right of way,
more people were frequenting these
areas and scaring off the wild game.

Alex Gravelle and Abraham Shot-
tanana were of great assistance to
Wilfred Jacobs, in preparing the
cultural maps. Also, gratitude is
extended to all persons who partici-
pated and gave their time in supplying
essential information on their activi-
ties on their traditional lands.

A major step taken was the
mapping of the area. The first maps
showed in what ways the land was
used, whether it was hunting, trap-

ping, berry gathering, etc. and this —

was marked on the maps.
The second map was done by
locating all places of importance to
the Indian People. Places of impor-
tance from the past to the present
were identified by their Kootenay
names and older members of the
community were asked to relate any
important events in these areas.

The pipeline route is very close to
the Tobacco Plains Reserve in Gras-
mere, B.C. and the effects of the
pipeline and other \developments in
the area are made quite clear by Band
Councillor Pete McCoy, in his prep-
aration to the Senate Committee in
Ottawa: ““There are more people. . .
hunters and campers. . . and they are
scaring away all the game.”’ e

RADIO WORKER TRAINEES

The Communications Portfolio of the Union of B.C.
Indian Chiefs will be starting a 20-week radio training
course May 1, 1979.

We are now taking applications for 3 radio worker
trainees.

Applicants must:

- have a lively curiosity

- be at ease with people

- be willing and able to work odd hours and travel in the
Province

- have a genuine interest in, and knowledge of B.C. Indian
issues and concerns

Forward written work history, schooling and previous
experience to:

Beth Cuthand

Communications Coordinator

Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs

440 West Hastings

Vancouver, B.C.

No later than April 30, 1979

UBCIC NEWS 28

BAND MANAGER

Location: Mount Currie - 26 miles north of Whistler

Reporting to the Mount Currie Band Council, the Band
Manager will be an energetic and dedicated person who
will direct the various businesses and financial activities
of the Mount Currie Indian Band.

The Band Manager will attend Council meetings and
ensure that the decisions of the Council are carried out.
He/She will also ensure that operational procedures are
maintained or developed to allow programs and activities
to be managed effectively.

The Band Manager will have a strong financial
background, be able to communicate with all levels of
government, both native and non-native, be experienced
in budget preparation and be prepared to act as a Trainer.
A university degree is desirable.

Send application with resume to:

Mt. Currie Band Council
Box 165

Mt. Currie, B.C. VON 2K0
Phone: 894-6394

On March 19th, representatives
from the Saanich School Board and
from the Okanagan Tribal Council
participated at the meeting of the
Secretariat, which is the regular
meeting between the U.B.C.I.C. port-
folio holders and the top executives
from the D.I.A.

LOCAL SERVICES AGREEMENT:
_ Agreement on Quarterly Reporting.

The Okanagan representatives had
come to join discussion on the Local
Services Agreement. They were espe-
_ cially concerned over the monthly
reporting system that Treasury Board
required for contribution agreement.
The U.B.C.I.C. has been negotiating
to find other reporting systems and
this had caused a considerable block
in L.S.A. negotiations. The Regional
Office had come to agree that mothly
reporting was out of the question, but
was blocked in turn by Ottawa. This
block has now apparently been
overcome and a system of reporting
on a quarterly basis has been agreed
to.

Deadlines Put Back to 1980:

The second important bit of news
for Bands worried over the signing of
the L.S.A. is that the signing deadline
has been postponed to March 31st,
1980. A directive is being sent to all
District Offices and Bands stating
that there is no need to enforce a
March 3lst deadline for this year.

On March 22nd D.I.A. will be
making available to the U.B.C.I.C. a
report on all the different funding
arrangements they have with the
Bands. This will help to work out
alternatives for those Bands who have
not signed the L.S.A., who don’t
want to sign it and want alternative

ways of negotiating their budget.
The U.B.C.I.C. has invited Elmer
Derrick of the National Indian Broth-

erhood to B.C. to discuss the alterna- —

tives to the L.S.A. that he’s been
researching at National level. We
hope he will be here in April. The
major concern of the Socio-Economic
portfolio is to find alternatives that
will assist Indian Governments to deal
with the Canadian Federal Govern-
ment.

INFORMATION SERVICES:
DUPLICATION OF SERVICES
The D.I.A. Information Services
has drawn up a costly proposal for a
resource centre along the same lines

of the one at U.B.C.I.C. Much time, ©

energy and money went into develop-
ing the U.B.C.I.C. Resource Centre
for use by the Band members doing
research into rights and agreements,
by Indian students, cultural centres

and for all U.B.C.I.C. programs. The

D.I.A. was requested, therefore, to
put together a clear policy on their
information services, to make sure
that they do not spend B.C. Indian
dollars on duplicating services that
already exist.

It was agreed that there would be
some D.I.A. information aspects that
we would have nothing to do with,
the D.I.A. news-sheet, their press
liaison and their propaganda services.
It was also accepted that D.I.A.

wines ar aman

would need a staff person to answer
questions on D.I.A. matters. The
matter of a media centre has still to be
negotiated.

SAANICH SCHOOL BOARD
PRESENTATION:

The Saanich School Board has been
developing an alternative for the
school drop-outs (see U.B.C.I.C,
NEWS, February issue). Their basic
position is that the funding should
come from the Department of Indian
Affairs and no other Department.
They stand by the Indian Government
position that, by referring us to other
departments, for services and fund-
ing, the Department of Indian Affairs
is denying our special status guaran-
teed in the Constitution and shrug-
ging off their responsibilities to
provide guaranteed services.

Representatives from the Depart-
ment have agreed to go to Saanich
and work out the details of the
negotiations.

The Saanich School Board made a
good case for itself and for Indian
Government. It is a show of support
and strength when provincial and
Band representatives can appear to-
gether and give Bands a Forum that
they sometimes do not get. No date
has been set for the next Secretariat at
this stage. It should be in about 6—8
weeks time. @

UBCIC NEWS 29

RAVEN’S STORY

A long haired man with a beard was flying a kite down
from the lower deck of the truck ferry. It was a beautiful
colored cloth kite with a long, long tail that fluttered
behind the ferry. It caught the boys’ attention and held it
for a long time.

Linda watched her sons watch the kite. She didn’t
mean to give them chocolate bars, but Aaron had kicked
up such a fuss, screaming and stomping his feet, that she
had given in to keep him quiet. Then Luke had to have
one too, and now her boys stood on the deck gleefully
smacking on Wonder bars watching the kite and playing
Macho Viking all at the same time. ‘‘Vunder Bar! Vunder
Bar!’’ they’d yell, then giggle and poke each other with
their sticky little fingers. Aaron, the older boy, was a lean
high strung four-year old, while Luke, the baby, was
round, easy going and funny. At this moment, he was
making his brother laugh hysterically with his imitation
of the chocolate bar commercial. If Linda didn’t stop
them now, they’d be out of control and the whole ferry
would be turned upside down.

‘*Come on you guys,”’ she said, ‘‘let’s go upstairs and

sit down for a while.” «Can you tell us a story, please
Mon, tell us the story about Joan and Whale,’’ Aaron
pleaded.

*‘Joan and the Whale?’’

**You know, that kid in the Bible who got swallowed
by a whale. Can you live if you get swallowed by a whale?
Are they any whales in this water? Would the ferry kill a
whale if it ran over it?’’ .

“‘Whale, big fish’’ said the baby.
solemnly nodding his head up and down.

Linda felt impatient. She didn’t want to teach her kids
Bible stories. She wanted them to be Indians. Besides, she
couldn’t remember the story about Jonah and the Whale
if she tried. ‘‘I don’t know much about whales’’, she said,
**But I think whales are too smart to get run over by
ferries!’’

Aaron looked at her. His bright eyes were knowing and
resigned to the fact that there would be no story from his
mother again. The baby babbled something to his brother
and off they went to watch the kite waving in the wind.

That evening, after the kids had gone to bed, Linda sat
in her sister’s kitchen, drinking tea and slowly tearing the
label off a tin a milk. ‘‘] wish someone would come to
vist,’’ Linda said and sighed.

**Richard Benedict, the new teacher might drop by.’’
said Laura.

‘“‘What kind of teacher is he?’’ Linda asked
suspiciousy, ‘‘Not one of those ‘Save-the-Indian’ types, I
hope.”’

‘“*We wouldn’t hire someone like that’’ said Laura,
‘*Benedict is a good teacher. You should talk to him.
He’s got some real substantial ideas about Indian
Education.’’ Just then, there was a knock on the door
and a middle-aged, heavy set man walked in.

UBCIC NEWS 30

by Beth Cuthand

‘Hello, Richard, we were just talking about you,”’
Laura said as she set aside the iron and put the kettle on
the stove in one fluid motion.

Linda sized up the stranger. There was something
about the man which made her comfortable. Soon they
were sitting around the table talking like old friends
about this and that ...‘‘I’m really finding it difficult to
raise my kids as Indians, in the city,’’ said Linda. ‘‘]
don’t imagine it’s that much easier to teach them Indian
values on the reserve either.”’

Richard and Laura nodded sympathetically, then the
teacher spoke.

“T’m thinking that we’ve forgotten the value of
story-telling for the children and for us too. *‘

Linda looked at him a bit miffed. She had expressed
a serious concern and he was talking about story-telling.
Richard smiled and went on. ‘‘Our moral and spiritual
teachings used to be taught by stories. Before television
and mass-produced children’s books, the stories used to
be told by word of mouth.’’

**T make up sometimes and tell them to my
boys’’. said Linda. Laura nodded with approval. ‘‘They
really like to listen to me tell stories, but I don’t know
enough about our teachings.

*‘Don’t worry about it, stories will come to you. The
real value of telling stories instead of reading them, is in
the kind of communication which takes place between the
parent and child’’ said the teacher.

- “The old teachings will be there in the stories that come
to you after you start regularly telling stories.’’ said
Laura smiling. ‘“When I tell my kids a story, I turn off
the TV, the radio, the electric lights, I light a candle and
we sit together just like Grandpa used to do with us.
Remember’’.

Linda remembered. She was beginning to understand
also why Laura’s children were different than Luke and
Aaron.

‘‘Heres a story to start you off. A Raven told it to me,
one day when I was walking in the woods.”’ said Laura.
‘‘Now, don’t worry about writing it down, you'll
remember and tell it your own way. The important thing
like Richard said, is to talk to the kids, put lots of
expression in the story. OK, here is Raven’s story.”

Raven lived with his wife on a large island in the ocean.
One day, he decided it was too boring where he lived. He
decided to go somewhere else.

‘‘Why was it boring?’’ though Linda.

He said good-bye and started to fly but it was very
foggy. As he flew, the fog got thicker and thicker but
Raven kept going.

‘Foolish and stubborn,”’ thought Linda.

Pretty soon, the fog got so thick that Raven couldn’t
see his way. He had no choice but to continue onward
because he couldn’t see to land. He flew all day and all
night. He got more and more tired and more and more
weak.

‘*T should keep still and listen,’’ thought Linda. ‘*This
is actually a pretty interesting story.”’

_ As the morning neared, the fog lifted and Raven found
that he had flown far out to sea. There was no place to
land. He was so tired and the ocean was so wide and
empty. As far as he could see, for miles and miles, there
were no birds, no islands, no boats, no seals. As Raven
got weaker and weaker, he flew lower and lower until he
though he would surely drown. He had no strength left.

“‘And here, you should really put a lot of expression
into it to emphasize that Raven was really in a serious
predicament.’’ said Laura. She went on...

Suddenly he saw an island. It was a small black barren
island, but Raven was so glad to see a place to land and
rest. He was so tired that he lay on the little island and
panted.

Suddenly the island moved. Raven was thrown into the
water and before he realized it, he was being pulled into a
large black cave. Down, down, down he went into the
dark swirling water. “I’m drowning’’, thought Raven.

Linda could feel the excitement, as Laura told the story
to her.

When Raven woke up he discovered, much to his
surprise, that he was in the belly of a whale. As he lay in
the dark damp cavern, he saw a beautiful little shining
house off in the distance. He sat up and walked toward it.
It was a beautiful shiny clean house. As he neared the
door, a beautiful little lady dressed in a long white gown,
came to the door and invited Raven in.

‘*The lady in white’’ said Linda with excitement. ‘‘The
lady in white is the spirit of the whale!’’ Laura nodded
and continued...

Raven was so tired and run-down from his ordeal that
he fell down with exhaustion. The little lady took Raven
in and nursed him back to health. As he got better, she
told him, ‘‘Please feel free to make my house your house.
You can look and touch anything but do not touch the
lamp.’’ As Raven lay in bed day after day, he admired the
little house, it was so clean and tidy. It was bathed in a
beautiful golden glow by an unusual lamp - the lamp that
the little lady in white had told him never to touch.

“Respect,”’ said Linda aloud. ‘‘The spirit of the whale
is telling Raven to respect this valuable thing’.

**Which is the soul of the whale,’’ said Laura.

“Boy, is there ever a lot to a simple little kid’s story’’
said Linda. Her sister smiled.

Raven became more and more curious about the lamp.
He itched to touch it. It was so tempting. Raven noticed
that the little lady would get up and abruptly leave the
house and come back again just as abruptly.

Laura stopped because she could see the question in her
sister’s eyes. ‘‘The little lady is symbolic of the spirit of
the whale. When the whale rises up to take air through its
blow hole to maintain life force, his spirit must be there
to connect with the force of the universe, with all life.”

**All that in a story, but do kids see it?’’ asked Linda.

“Children are more capable of understanding abstract
thought than are most adults of today’’ Richard said. ‘‘If
they are exposed to it,’’ said Laura. She went on...

One day Raven could resist temptation no longer.
When the lady in white left on one of her mysterious
journeys, he went up to the lamp and touched it.
Everything went dark.

Raven felt bad that he had touched the lamp but
nothing he could do could make the lamp go on again.
Raven made his way out of the house and out of the
whale. As he neared the whale’s mouth, he realized the
whale was dead. The little lady in white was gone. Raven
knew that he had killed the whale, by touching the lamp.
He had not respected the wishes of the lady in white.
Raven felt very sad and mourned for the whale. He flew
back to his land but he was always sad for ever after.

Today when you see Raven you will see that he is still
sad and mournful, crying for the dead whale.

“Isn’t that ending kind of harsh?’’ asked Linda.
Richard answered..‘‘When you tell a story, you must
always give the child a solution. This is what modern day
stories often leave out. It leaves the child up in the air and
unsatisfied.’’

“*Raven’s story has a solution. It may seem harsh, but
children can take it and understand and accept more than
we think. They learn from the story and because a kind,
loving adult is telling it to them, they can accept the
seeming harshness of the ending.’’ said Laura.

One evening, soon after their trip to the Island, Linda
lit a candle, turned off the TV and called her children to
her.

““Come and let me tell you a story’’.

“Oh, Mommy, you are going to tell a story, really?’’
The little boys nestled close to their mother and watched
the flickering flame of the candle.

‘**One day, a Raven came to Auntie Laura and told her
a story,’’ Linda began.

‘*Really?’’ asked Aaron, his eyes wide with wonder.
‘‘What did the Raven say?”’

**Raven, big black bird,’’ said Luke.

The boys’ mother began...‘‘A big black Raven lived on
a large island...... ®

UBCIC NEWS 31

- _INDIANEDUCATIONIN B.C.

When we look at our job of
building Indian Government in B.C.,
we have to talk to each other a lot,
listen hard, and learn together.

In Indian education we have the
choice to build Indian control of
Indian education under our Indian
Governments in B.C. To do this, we
need to examine very precisely what
the purpose of education is that is
generally available to us, like the
provincial school system, kindergar-
ten to university, vocational training,
Band training, etc. We need to
examine what Indian education for
Indian people was before contact with
non-Indians, and how it served to
strengthen our people and allowed
everyone to find a place and to
experience continuous usefulness.

Education to non-Indian people
means to sit in a classroom in a desk
and learn from an instructor. Educa-
tion to Indian people is our life, our
language, our culture, our songs, our
games, our food, our spiritual and
physical strength and health. How do
we combine the two? We can look at
an approach that takes our sound
unchangeable principles from the
past, and combine them with the
needs of the present to create a vision
for the future, that is designed to help
Indian people succeed. For us, we are
fortunate to be Indian people because
we have the means to a full and total

UBCIC NEWS 32

education for our survival, which
takes in our mind, and body and
spirit. This is possible for us because
of our reserves and families. Right
there we have so much more than
non-Indian people. We can and must
break out of the confined thinking
that non-Indian people place on
education. .

In March almost all of our Cultural
Education Centres were represented
at a meeting of our B.C. Centres. It
was raised and discussed in that
meeting, that we were allowing
ourselves to be led into separating
‘Cultural Education’ from ‘Indian
Education.’ How easily that hap-
pened in our talks.

While we were talking about cul-
tural education, we were talking
about teaching and learning our
language, our songs, our own Indian
history and how to learn modern
skills in our own way. We agreed that
we should not be the only ones at the
meeting. The meetings must be
opened up, because what we’re
talking about is the foundation of
Indian education. Our Centres are
putting our language into our schools
and even public schools. Our Centres
are creating curriculum for our local
history to be taught in our schools,
our Centres are putting together our

_elders with our children right in

school and out of school. Since that

meeting some of us talked about how
our cultural education programs may
grow to be the foundation and part of
resolving Aboriginal Rights in B.C.
If we unjam our thinking we find
ourselves talking about what our
Education will be like as part of our
Indian Government or Land Claims
Settlement. We are the only ones who
can make this happen.

If we really believe in Indian
Government, and in Indian Control
then we must be prepared to make
that the real foundation of the
decisions we make every day. We
need to co-ordinate amongst our-
selves in B.C. to share the work and
support each other’s direction.

Right now, we have over a hundred
Indian people working in Education
for our Bands. When we examine our

-workloads, we have to admit that

most of our time is involved with
studying or processing outside rules
and paperwork. We are resisting this
unsatisfactory arrangement, so we
work all the faster to try and get it
done, only to find our desks piled just
as high again. There we are, dreaming
up the wonderful things we would do,
if only we could eke a way out from
under those papers. The things that
would be possible if we could spend
our time with people instead of pape

or bureaucrats!

CULTURAL EDUCATION
CENTRES

We have 11 Cultural Education
Centres in B.C. funded by the DIA
programme in Ottawa. .

Our Centres have been working on
co-ordinating amongst all Bands in
B.C. In the past, the Centres have
recommended Resolutions to the
General Assemblies of the Union for
the continuation of the Program.

The most recent resolution from
our Penticton Conference is that the
Educatio Portfolio, with the existing
Centres, work on decentralizing this _
Programme, from Ottawa to B.C.
under the Indian Control of Indian
Education policy.

In the last meeting, on March 8, 9,
1979 we set up a working committee
to begin writing a provincial policy on
Cultural Education.

In the future, we will schedule

future meetings well in advance; so
that more people can plan to attend.

_ We see Cultural Education as the
foundation of Indian Education.

E-12 OR POST-SECONDARY
EDUCATION

The DIA has been attempting to
cut back on funding for students

going to University. This has been-

going on now since 1974.

Our November Special Assembly
passed a resolution which states that
the Education Portfolio co-ordinate
the shaping of a Policy on Post
Secondary Education.

We have compiled a lot of the
material on Post Secondary Educa-
tion and now look to our Education
co-ordinators, N.I.T.E.P., and Uni-
versity students to work with us on
the real problems, and assist with the
putting together of a policy.

We hope to have a meeting in the near
future. We look forward to your
participation.

INDIAN STUDIES PROGRAMS—
COMMUNITY COLLEGES

The Ministry of Education for the
Province wants to increase Indian
Studies Programmes in the Commun-
ity Colleges.

They held a meeting to discuss this
on March 8th. We have notified the
Education Department that locally
and provincially, Indian people must
be involved in shaping these pro-
grammes.

There are plans for a new Commu-
nity College in the northern Okan-
agan.

MASTER TUITION AGREEMENT

Dealing with the MTA is one of the
priorities of the Education Portfolio.

At our Penticton General Assembly
a Resolution was passed giving direc-
tion to the Union to include an opting
out clause for those bands that are
ready.

Our President and Education Poli-
tician have been involved in a series of
discussions with DIA to work jointly
on including the opting out clause in
the MTA.

We should know soon whether we
will be successful this year. The
Provincial Government is stalling.

In the meantime we would like to
see a continuation of the MTA
workshops with our Bands, to in-
crease our informed discussions. @

Keeping their school open is one step the Oweekeno people are taking to

keep their community from dying.

The residents of the Oweekeno
Reserve, located near River’s Inlet,
are involved in a struggle which they
believe will determine the future of
their reserve.

There are 150 people on the
Oweekeno Band membership list, but
only 49 of them live on the reserve.
Many have been forced to move away
because there are almost no jobs to be
had at Oweekeno.

And now the people of Oweekeno
are facing another burden: the pro-
vincial government has informed
them their school will be closed down
at the end of June because there are
only five students enrolled, and the
government minimum is eight.

Chief Frank Johnson says the
reserve will die if the school is closed
down, because families will be forced
to move to other communities so that
their children can receive a formal
education.

On March 6, a delegation of
Oweekeno people met in Victoria
with represenatives from the provin-
cial Ministry of Education, the De-
partment of Indian Affairs, and the
local School District involved. The
Oweekeno delegation presented the

government representatives with a
brief explaining why the school must
be kept open. The brief represented
four months of painstaking work
done by the Oweekeno people. They
were told that they’ll have an answer
to the request outlined in their brief
no later than May 15.

Chief Johnson says even if the
school is shut down in June, he will
not move his family from Oweekeno.
**I wouldn’t go with my kids. I’d keep
"em right here at Oweekeno, teach
*em myself what I know,’’ he says.

But he remains hopeful that the
school will be kept open. And he
points out that in addition to fighting
to keep the school open, the people of
Oweekeno are trying to attract econ-
omic development projects to their
reserve so that there will be jobs for
the current residents, and jobs to
attract former residents back to the
reserve.

The people of Oweekeno are
determined to. continue living at
Oweekeno, their traditional home-
land. They view their struggle to keep
their school operating as the first step
toward ensuring that the Oweekeno
people will always have their home.@

UBCIC NEWS 33

(RESOURCE CENTRE

On March 8th and 9th a small
group of U.B.C.I.C. staff and Co-
qualeetza researchers toured the re-
search facilities in Victoria B.C. The
following article is an attempt to
share the information we received on
the tours.

PROVINCIAL ARCHIVES OF B.C.

655 Belleville St., Victoria, B.C.

The North-West Library of the
Archives contains old, rare books and
published materials on British Co-
lumbia. Most of this collection’s
holdings cannot be found in ordinary
libraries as they require special care
because of their age.

The U.B.C.I.C. Resource Centre
has the right volume set of the
Dictionary Catalogue of the Library
of the Provincial Archives of British
Columbia. Boston: G.K. Hall & Co.,
. 1971. The dictionary catalogue con-
tains approximately 170,000 card
entries of the Archives holdings.
Researchers in Vancouver may use
these books for preliminary research
of the Archives holdings.

The Provincial Archives has a
Newspaper Index which covers Victo-
ria newspapers published _ before
1900. They also have microfilmed
copies of all of the mewspapers
contained in the index.

The Visual Records department of
the Archives contains thousands of
old photographs of B.C. towns,
buildings, people and events. Some of
the more famous holdings of the this
department are original Curtis photo-
graphs and photographs by Richard
Maynard of the coastal tribes. Unfor-
tunately a large portion of the Visual
Records collection has not yet been
catalogued. As a result it may be
easier to obtain access to photographs
of B.C. Indians through the Provin-
cial Museum’s Ethnology Division.

The Map Division contains many
old maps of B.C., including reserve

UBCIC NEWS 34

maps. These maps should not be
confused with survey plans of the
reserves. Survey plans can be ob-
tained from the Surveyor General in
Ottawa.

Photo: Public Archives of Canada

Babine River Salmon catch, 1923 |

The Aural History section of the
Archives maintains over 12,000 hours
of taped interviews with approxi-
mately 3,500 individuals interviewed.
These tape recordings include bio-
graphical narratives, collections of
music, speeches, debates, personal
reminiscences, etc. The Native People
of British Columbia Aural History
collection contains material relating
to the music, art, folklore, language
and social history of B.C. Indians.
Some of these tapes are in Indian
languages. Only a part of the entire
Aural History collection is available
to the general public as the collection
has not yet been completely cata-
logued.

The Manuscript Division of the
Provincial Archives holds private
papers and government records. The
private papers include letters and

diaries of people who have played a
part in B.C. History. The government
records include most documents from
the Colonial government which ex-
isted before Confederation, plus
assorted government documents of
the provincial government.

LEGISLATIVE LIBRARY

The Legislative Library holds all
published government documents re-
sulting from the B.C. Legislature. It
also has a large book collection of
books on all aspects of B.C., econo-
mics and politics. This library’s prime
function is to serve the B.C. legisla-
ture. Researchers will probably find
that they have easier access to the
library when the House is not in
session. When the House is in session,
a pass for the Library may be
obtained by writing to your M.L.A. It
should be noted here that if govern-
ment documents and records cannot
be found in this library or the
Archives the researcher should check
the various government departments.
Many government departments have
not yet transferred their records to the
Archives or Legislative Library.

Probably the most interesting part
of the Legislative Library is its
Newspaper Index and Collection. The
Newspaper Index and Collection cov-
ers Vancouver and Victoria newspa-
pers from 1900 to the present. As the
Index is the main public service
function provided by the Legislative
Library it has distributed microfilm
copies of the index to other libraries.
In Vancouver these microfilms can be
found at Simon Fraser University
Library, Vancouver Public Library
and the University of B.C.

PROVINCIAL MUSEUM

The Provincial Museum’s new B.C.
Indian display area is quite impres-
sive. In the past the museum’s

Photo: Public Ar

displays showed a very heavy bias
towards coastal Indian cultures. In
the new display they have attempted
to give a more balanced presentation
of coastal and interior cultures. As a
result the display contains a full scale
model of an interior pit house,
miniature model of a Kootenay
Indian village, a large slide presenta-
tion of Athapascan art, as well as the
impressive displays on coastal cul-
tures.

Behind the scenes of the Museum is

the Ethnology Division which houses
a large collection of B.C. Indian art
and artifacts. The Ethnology Divi-
sion’s photo collection contains most
of the photographs with Indian
content from the Provincial Archives’
visual records department. As the
Ethnology Division’s photo collection
has been catalogued by tribe
the search for specific photos is much
easier.

The Linguistic Section of the
Museum has language curriculum
materials from across B.C. and a
large language tape archives of 1200
tape recordings. Unfortunately some
of these materials have restrictions as
to who may have access to them. The
restrictions were passed upon these
materials by the person; band or
group recorded on the tapes, or
producing the curriculum materials.
The linguistics section also has tech-
nical linguistics material on B.C.
Indian languages, and are willing to

Tahltan women and their packdogs, 1906.

provide technical advice to bands
starting a language project.

The Archeology Section of the
Museum has a large colection of
archeological objects, and an arche-
ological site file. As B.C. has over
12,000 known archeological sites it is
quite difficult and time consuming to

search for information on specific
sites. In the near future access to
archeological information will be
easier as the site file is being placed in
computer.

Conclusion

Most of the previously described
research facilities require personal
visits. However, introductory letters
before a visit may gain a researcher

quicker access to the facilities. These
institutions generally have informa-
tion pamphlets which they may be
willing to mail.

If the U.B.C.I.C. resource Centre
can be of assistance please do not
hesitate to contact us. e

UBCIC NEWS 35

“SOUR MAIN SOURCE OF LIFE IS THE SEA”
HENRY CLIFTON, FISHERMAN

Henry Clifton is a fisherman — an
eighteen-year-old seiner, troller, and
gillnetter. He is also a grade twelve
student at the Prince Rupert Senior
Secondary School, and a member of
the Hartley Bay Intermediate bas-

Henry Clifton is a busy eighteen
year-old fisherman and a Grade 12
student living in Prince Rupert.

ketball team — his home village.
Henry is a mixture of the traditional
Indian way of life, and the new life of
today. His respect for fish and the
sea, and the animals he kills for food,
is strong. Here is Henry’s story, in his
own words.

*“We first lived in Hartley Bay —
that’s where our family is originally
from, but we moved from Klem-Tu,
Shearwater and Bella Bella, because
my father had to get jobs after fishin
season). My mother did too. So i
learned. . . four places at once, and
fished in all of them. And, uh, I’ve
always been fishing, and we always
cried when our father didn’t let us go

UBCIC NEWS 36

out with him if it was too rough out.

I have eleven brothers and sisters
altogether (including me). Every-
one in the family goes fishing. . . my
sisters too. The kind of fishing I do. .
We started off gillnetting, halibut,
trolling. My father was just getting
out of trapping because he needed
more money for gillnetting (costs) so
then we trolled.

Then, justacouple of years ago,
I started seining, ‘caus: I was,
you know, starting to get a
better build on myself and getting
older. So I got more money that way,
from seining. In all fishing you have
to figure out the temperature and
water and things like that. In trolling
you go along with your boat with the
line in the water and when the fish
bites it you pull it aboard. In
gillnetting, you set your net out and if
you’re lucky your fish’ll come by and

go through it and tangle itself up.

And in seining you have to figure out
where the fish is to set around it, you
have to watch for it. To see it jump,
then you know there’s a school there,
. .SO you set around it.'And it’s more
physical than any other way, you get
pretty tired after a day’s work. Like
sometimes you get 19 hours a day,
working and setting the net continu-
ously. The trolling and the gillnetting
can be the same-sized boats; they
usually are both in one (boat), and
gillnetting can take two people, or
else just one person. And seining you
have to have a crew of at least five
because. each person has a
different job to do.

Like when I was gillnetting with my
father, sometimes we’d ask to go on
with my grandfather, cause he always
seined and so we snuck a ride to

Henry and his ten brothers and sisters were brought up in a fishing
environment and to them fishing boats are a second home.

watch what was going on. Everything
came to us natural, though, all
fishing. . .

Right now it’s seining I like, ’cause
it’s a lot faster and I like faster and
harder work.

- Igo out fishing with our relatives.
. . they cali us. Like, they called me
*cause I was one of the faster ones of
my age group at home (Hartley Bay)
and I was on the fishing boat ever
since.

We (fishermen) really don’t want
any oil tanker traffic like in the
Kitimat proposal because. . . if you
cut off our main source of life, is the
sea, you’ll just kill us all off.

A few years ago I was invited to go
down to Youth Parliament where we

LY’L BEAVERS

The L’il Beavers Program, opera-
ting from the Mission Indian Friend-
ship Centre, has a total active
membership of 66, and the numbers
are growing.

The Program began operating last
September, and employs a staff of
five (one position is not filled) to
work with young people between the
ages of five and fifteen. These
children and youths often come from
unstable or troubled homes, are
having trouble in school, and some of
them have had at least one brush with
the law.

The program provides them with
tutoring to improve their work at
school, counselling to help deal with
situations at home, and a variety of
activities to fill up their spare time.

Danny Sherwood is the Program
Manager, and he approaches the

Fishing means a traditional livelihood and a basic food source to Henry.

took over Parliament for two weeks
during Christmas holidays and that
(the anti-Kitimat proposal stance)
was one of the resolutions that I set
up.

When we’re (Indians) cutting fish,
we don’t just do it any old way. We
have to do it in a special way. And...

for animals it’s the same way. Like,
uh, when some guys. . . some of the
men at home go hunting, they still
think. . . if the animal is suffering, he

has to kill it right away. Like in some |

animals you can. . . you can see them
cry if you don’t kill it right away. You
see their pain. . . so we still take quite
a bit of respect for the animals
and fish that we do take.’@ ©

young people who come to him for
help as a friend.

“This program is designed to be
one on one,”’ he says. ‘‘I was, from
the age of 13 all the way through till I
was probably 20, I went through all
the things these kids are going
through. So I know what they’re
talking about when they come here
for help.

**T think that if you fill a void — a
parent void, a big brother void —
then you’re diverting them from an
activity they might get into otherwise,
like trouble with the police.’’

To fill that void, the L’il Beavers
Program offers such activities as
beadwork, bake sales, and other
fund-raising events to pay for Field
Trips, Walk-a-thons, leatherwork,
and raft races. A service called
‘*Alateen’’ is also offered, to help
teenagers cope with alcoholic parents
or relatives or. close friends.

Because of the large number of
young people who have signed up as
members, the Program has divided
many of its activities into two clubs: a
Girl’s Club, with 30 members, and a
36-member Boys Club.

The staff members Karen Blain,
Debbie Kelly, Bunny Morley, and
Danny Sherwood have built a good
rapport with the Probation Office,
Human Resources Child Support
Division, and the Native Courtwork-
ers and Counselling Association, and
the R.C.M.P.

The Program has run into one
obstacle though. Their tutoring pro-
gram has not received the approval of
the local School District, and so
tutoring is done at the Friendship

‘Centre instead of in the schools.

Twenty students are in the tutoring
program. However, Mr. Sherwood
hopes that the School Board will
change its mind, especially after the
staff completes a 2-day workshop on
an Indian Tutoring Program.

The underlying objective in every
aspect of the L’il Beavers Program is
developing a close and special rela-
tionship with every young person in
the Program.

*“We’ re friends, first and foremost,
with the kids we work with,’’ Danny
Sherwood emphasizes. @

UBCIC NEWS 37

INDIAN EDUCATION|
CO-ORDINATOR

Applications are open for position of
Indian Education Co-ordinator for
the Salmon Arm area on behalf of
Indian youngsters from three Bands.
This is a new full-time position with

_ salary commensurate to training and
experience. The successful applicant
will be responsible to the Co-ordina-
tor of Special Programs.

NICOLA VALLEY INDIAN ADMINISTRATION
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Salary Range: Negotiable
Terms and Conditions: Negotiable
Reporting to: Nicola Valley Area Council
Special Skills and Abilities:
Organized, self motivated
Ability to manage
Entrepreneur
Special Indian languages

The successful applicant likely will be
a native British Columbian with high
school graduation plus post-second-

Functions and Responsibilities:

- interpret and carry out area council objectives and
policies

- Public relations

- coordinate Band Managers, Program Heads, and

- administration so that the band members needs and

- aspirations are met

- provide reports to councils on activities

- maintain a current flow of information to the Bands on

- external activities that will affect the Bands concerned

- coordinate and direct development and service pro-

- grams

- involved in, supportive to, and representative of area
council and or all of the five Nicola Valley Indian Bands
(Lower Nicola, Upper Nicola, Coldwater, Shackan and
Nooaitch) in seeking, lobbying, negotiating for funds.

Closing date: April 23, 1979

ary training. Experience in social
work, recreation and/or Band-school

systems will be valuable. Duties
include educationa, social and econ-
omic development with emphasis on
close work with Indian students,
parents and school personnel.

Applications with full particulars and
references should be submitted to the
District Superintendent of Schools,
School District #89, Box 699, Salmon
Arm, B.C. by April 23, 1979.

Inquiries may be directed to Mr. N.

Martin at 832-7025.
Telephone number (604) 378-4235

THE
EDITOR ei Telex number: 048 785 3

[Advertising Rates available on Request]

Applications to be mailed to:

Nicola Valley Indian Administration
Personnel Committee ,
P.O. Box 188

Merritt, B.C. VOK 2B0

Editor: My opinions differ with your

article on page 19. This prompted me
to write.

Salmon Depletion: Who’s To Blame
_ The principal offenders are the
Logging Companies. They eliminate
our watersheds which fed our rivers
and streams that produced our wall to
wall salmon. Next in line to blame is
the Governments. They allowed our
forests to be vandalized. Motive —
greed. Next in line to blame is us, the
apathetic public. This is the true
picture of our salmon depletion.
Rivers and streams which had a yearly
run of a hundred thousand (100,000)
salmon each, do not produce one
single salmon now. The E & N
Railway contracted out billions and

UBCIC NEWS 38

billions of feet of prime timber to
logging companies with no plans of
reforestation, a real shame.

The commercial fishermen are not
to blame. Oyster River was one of the
best Coho rivers on the island. I’ve
seen pictures of people walking on the
dry, completely dry river beds. For
years now when people blame the
Indians and commercial fishermen, I
write letters to editors of our newspa-
pers stating it’s the vandalism of our
watersheds. Once in a while I get
flack, but it don’t bother me. I know
I’m right because I seen it happen and
still happening.

Trees should be planted, millions
of them all over the province. I often

wonder why they send people to jail
to lead a useless life when they could
be out in the forest planting trees.
Let’s get to work on our elected
government officials and show them
we are interested in our environment.
Keep in mind these two sayings: “‘If
you are not part of the solution you
are part of the problem’”’ and ‘‘If you
do not stand for something you will
fall for anything.’’ The estuaries are
part of the rivers and streams which
should be protected at all costs. We
must learn to police ourselves, if we
don’t, others will, to our detriment.
Alfred Recalma
R.R. No. 3
Qualicum Beach, B.C.

Clifford Hanuse is a forestry researcher for the
U.B.C.1.C. and a member of the Oweekeno reserve, We
asked him to write an article on Tree-Farm License

Renewals for this month’s issue. Clifford started writing

the article, but he got so angry he decided to write the
Minister of Forests to protest the injustice of the
government’s policy.

Honourable T.M. Waterland,
Minister of Forests

Dear Mr. Minister:

[29] [7] No Tree Farm License is Renewable.

Mr. Justice George Murray, a B.C, Supreme Court
judge, decided that the Rayonier Canada (B.C.) Ltd.
can (renew) or ‘‘replace’’ the tree-farm licence No. 24
without the provincial Ministry of Forests holding a
public hearing. The big corporation can continue

logging on South Moresby Island (one of the Queen —

Charlotte Islands) in spite of the United People Against
TFL Automatic Renewals’ strong objection. Mr.

Minister, please allow me this opportunity to tell you
my opinions about this ‘‘political scam.’’ I’ve looked.

into the new provincial Forest Act to emphasize my
points. Hopefully you can make the whole issue more
clear.

First of all, section 27 which deals with ‘‘applications —

for tree-farm licences which are proposed.’’ You,..Mr.
Minister, can invite applications for a TFL proposal by
advertising in the manner that the Act’s regulation says.
You’re obligated to hold a public hearing regarding the
applications. You don’t necessarily have to. be in
attendance at this public hearing as you’re permitted to
have a designate hold the meeting. Also, by your advice
or recommendation, the Lieutenant-Governor in Coun-
cil may approve an application for a TFL. You cannot
approve a TFL until a chief forester approves a
management and working plan for the TFL. You may
also reserve the timber in the area described in the
proposed TFL advertisement for allocation depending
on the outcome of the application, whether it be
accepted or rejected. Lastly, section 27 does not apply
to sections 29 and 33, specifically the ‘‘Replacement’’
and ‘‘expiry’’ sections of the tree-farm licence.

Now, let me portray my interpretation of section
29. Let’s imagine that I am a big time corporation
making all those bucks within my tree-farm licence. Oh,
I have a lot of land, many acres. I have cut and planted
trees like I agreed to, and under your terms of the
allowable annual cut rate. I’ve had the TFL for nine
years to date. Within the next 6 months I should expect
to read a notice in the Gazette that my TFL is eligible
for “‘replacement’’ provided that the original TFL
agreement stated this and that I requested this
““replacement’’ during the 2 months before my 9th year
anniversary came about. If I succeed in getting another
TFL, on the 10th year anniversary of the existing TFL

shall for ens ; a 25 year tea: Your agreement | to
‘*exte
licence is renewable.

Should some private tenure se within the boundaries

of my TFL and expires while there is still harvestable

timber remaining on it, I can actually apply for that
tenure. Maybe it was an old temporary tenure or a

_ timber licence. Or even better, if private land that is

transferred to the Crown shall remain subject to TFL if
it is my TFL area, I can also have this private land
added to my TFL area.

Things don’t appear too hot now. My TFL is almost
ready to expire. What can I do? Wait! Section 33(2)
saves me. I can actually get another Tele as stated as
follows:

“*33. (2) In respect of a tree-farm licence that is
due to expire under subsection (1) the minister, if —
requested to do so by its holder during the first 6
months of the final year of its term, shai/ in a
notice served on its holder within 3 months after
the request, offer one or more tree-farm licences
to replace the licence then in force, that would
have the terms commencing on the expiry of the
licence then in force and describe it as tree-farm
licence areas the same area subject to the expiring
licence.”’

Mr. Minister, the general public can only be active in a
TFL if a public hearing is held or they hold some type of
a tenure in or near the TFL area. A public hearing only
applies to proposed tree-farm licences. The ‘‘roll-over’’
of replacements and ‘‘extensions’’ of TFLs about to
expire is an indication that the general public or small
enterprise forestry operators have a ‘10 to 1’ chance of
having their concerns heard.

Now, my question is whether the Rayonier Canada
(B.C.) Ltd. addition of 25 years in their TFL will be
under the ‘‘Replacement’’ or ‘‘Expiry’’ section. Please
clarify this matter.

Did you know that the Department of Fisheries are
bringing MacMillan Bloedel to court next summer?
It’s a coincidence that their disputed TFL is on the
Queen Charlotte Islands too. Now that the MacMillan
Bloedel TFL is an offence by section 33 of the Fisheries
Act, will your Ministry ‘‘replace’’ that particular TFL
on its next 10th anniversary? It’s probably pending on
the outcome of the case, right?

Well, Mr. Minister, I would like to thank you for
your time. Should you respond to my questions, I await

and remain
Yours very truly,

Clifford W. Hanuse

cc: U.B.C.1.C. NEWS
W.R.Bennett, Premier of British Columbia

UBCIC NEWS

’* my TFL shall be given by a written notice no —
later than 3 months after you make the offer. It is
_ interesting to note that under this en no tree-farm

ONLY CHOICE FOR A LAND
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YOUR CHILDREN DEPENDS ON THE CHOICE
YOU MAKE TODAY...

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V6B 1L1

THIS MONTH

WALTER LEECH, Pavillion Band
member who works as a Drug and
Alcohol Councillor in the Lillooet
area, talked to us about his deep
concern for the growing numbers of
young Indians choosing suicide.

CAROLINE GRAVELLE, A Band
Member of the Tobacco Plains tribe
wrote a short description of her band
and the lifestyle they lead as Koote-
nays of the Southeast.

HENRY CLIFTON, described his life
as a fisherman and the respect he was
taught for the land and the sea. He is
anIl8 year old Hartley Bay Band
member.

FROM THE UBCIC NEWS:Thank
you to Walter Leech, Caroline Gra-
velle and Henry Clifton for their
contributions. They will be receiving
a free 1 year subscription to the
UBCIC News as a token of our
appreciation.

THE UBCIC NEWS IS ALWAYS
OPEN TO YOUR SUGGESTIONS,
OPINIONS, NEWS AND PHOTOS.

UBCIC NEWS is published monthly by the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs.

~
2

“LS SDNILSVH LSAM OPP

ITE €9A °O'H “WAANOONVA
SHaTHO NVIGNI ‘0° AO NOINN -WOdd

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