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UBCIC News - volume 2, number 2 (May, 1979)
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- UBCIC News - volume 2, number 2 (May, 1979)
- Is Part Of
- 1.06-01.03 Nesika: UBCIC News
- 1.06.-01 Newsletters and bulletins sub-series
- Date
- May 1979
- volume
- 2
- issue
- 2
- Language
- english
- Identifier
- 1.06-01.03-03.04
- pages
- 32
- Table Of Contents
-
Editorial 2
Coast Regional Assembly at Bella Coola 4
President's Message 5
Lakes District Forces Catholic School Board to Negotiate 8
Uranium Mining: Pitting Jobs Against Life? 9
Up-Date 11
B.C. Wildlife Federation Calls for Food Fish Quotas 12
Lack of Understanding Breeds Racism 12
Traditional Foods Key to our Health 14
Berry Cakes and Rose Tea 14
Bella Coola's Coastal Harvest 15
John Teegee: Our Grandfather's School is in the Bush 18
The Cut-off Lands 19
Lower Kootenay Band Defines Jurisdiction 20
Hat Creek: Montana Indians Tell of Damage and Disruption 23
Okanagan Tribal Council Honours Jacob Kruger 24
Chiefs Council, May 7-9th 24
Education 26
Radio From an Indian Perspective 27
Resource Centre 28
"Help my Friend, Please. . . " 29
Letter to the Editor30
Help Wanted 31 - Contributor
- Beth Cuthand
- Pauline Douglas
- Violet Birdstone
- Wilf Jacobs
- Rosalind Leon
- Saul Terry
- Philip Paul
- Lillian Basil
- Linda Day
- Maxine Pape
- Darrel Ned
- Carmel Nanimahoo
- Val Dudaward
- Darlene Tallio
- Steven Basil
- Gene Joseph
- John Teegee
- George Manuel
- Penny Goldsmith
- Type
- periodical
- Transcription (Hover to view)
-
UBCIC NEWS
VOLUME 2, NUMBER 2 MAY, 1979
1D ELLA
NORT HCOAST REGIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOOD FISH QUOTAS: THE PRESSURE IS ON AGAIN
FOOD AND HEALTH
ONE DOLLAR
EDITORIAL
For years our non-Indian friends have been
teaching us to eat regular and ‘well nourishing’ meals
with the proper amounts of carbohydrates, protein
and vitamins. I’m sure you’ve all seen the Canada
Food Posters with all the foods in their properly
divided categories for easier perception. To many of
us, it’s been almost impossible to learn to eat this way
so we’ve or less made up our own mixtures of
modern and traditional foods.
The other day I heard a fellow worker say she
craved salmon with steamed rice (and probably,
chinese soya sauce). This started me thinking of all
the different modern foods which have almost
become traditional to us when our own foods are
unavailable to us. How many of us have craved a
boiled venison supper and ended up with macaroni or
better still wanted a good feed of pemmican and
ended up with fried balogna? These foods are
nourishing and full of vitamins I’m sure, but are a
poor substitute to the nutrition found in our own
traditional and wholesome foods.
I recently read a history book which described the
early explorers’ food experiences in eastern Canada.
Most interesting was when he described the Indian
women grounding dried corn kernels for baking
bread; this he enjoyed and found tasty. Another
method was where the young girls and women half-
chewed the corn kernels, dried them and then made a
chunkier textured bread; this apparently was
favoured by the men but he voiced his distate for this
delicacy. He went on to describe the drying, smoking
and fresh cooking methods of buffalo, deer, fish,
etc. He also mentioned the methods in the
preparation of fresh berries and preserving them.
To me all these different foods have the ingredients
of the Canada food rules except for the absence of
cows milk, but our water was so full of minerals our
teeth grew firm and strong.
It’s apparent to me where our confusion arises
when confronted with alien foods we are not familiar
with. For instance roast poultry: I remember a funny
story about an old Indian man having had roast
chicken at a non-Indian neighbour’s for supper and
enjoying it immensly. He later urged his aging wife to
put the whole chicken in the oven, only to find that
they should have removed the innards.
Many vegetables like cauliflower and cabbage are
still quite new to us and are eaten without ‘proper
preparation,’ meaning over-cooking, or eaten raw.
Ironically, with society getting back to nature and
basics, eating vegetables raw is now found to be more
nutritious than cooking them, the vitamins are’t
destroyed and you get the full fibre.
Canned vegetables, such as peas, have never been
one of our favourites because they are usually pre-
pared in a strange juice which I could never figure
out whether to drink or discard. Then, to heat them,
usually makes them jump out of their jackets so best
not to bother with them at all. Our own wild vege-
tables remain to be best for us, onions, watercress,
carrots and bitter-root.
I’m sure if our Canada food rules read like this;
one serving of salmon, clams or venison per day plus
two servings of rice or corn, and one serving of fresh
saskatoons, we'd be a lot better off!
Summer Editor
OUR COVER: For three days the people of the Bella Coola Band hosted the delegates to the
Coast Regional Assembly. Each day of meetings and workshops ended with traditional
hospitality and celebration.
a
UBCIC NEWS 2
r
oe y
i The UBCIC NEWS is the official voice of eae
: 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
Summer Editor: Violet Birdstone
Written Contributions: Wilf Jacobs, Rosalind Leon, Saul Terry, Philip Paul, Lillian Basil,
Linda Day, Maxine Pape, Darrel Ned, Carmel Nanimahoo, Val Dudaward, Darlene Tallio,
‘Steven Basil, Gene Joseph, John Teegee and George Manuel.
Photographs: UBCIC staff
Typesetting: Penny Goldsmith
=
~
TABLE OF CONTENTS
BRNR Nn als in rode CL ar aks hme SO CEN EE Ns See ae oak 2
Coast Regional Assembly « El PO ee Sores ds oie oe 8 he es Ee Cease 4
rm TnT “ie NOM cet. errno Re ee ae ee hac Sey 5
Lakes District Forces Catholic School Board to Negotiate .......... 0. cc cece eee eens 8
BePeeEaen Tre WRUTAINIGE | PICU SOUS PONE END brie ccakclor eteGia wiuSuiale Ws tien wc 0 blak bic e's Cae wee 9
RRP ic sas ccs 4) bes 6 Fee MEMORE IN LCA Weert een cis cue emonehs Hine Wextoes 11
B.C. Wildlife Federation Calls TG week CUOINE otc vs aN els oss Eo oe S eae ete «ek 12
LBGe OF UNGErStAncing Breeds Rigi... ce ccd ce wes ote GaSe ouitiehs se Cheek wae e112
TAG One! FOOUS KGV-tO Clr Pitt oF. co oak ce case vi Se bee debiccccecvec kee ee
Berry Cakes and Rose Tea.............00055 PEE Tee a Fue EE oe ee ee eee 14
Hele COG SConstal FROT VERE i aaa ike. ate tee sila nravarpdste ave na Cate su 9d a ele’ he)
John Teegee: Our Grandfather’s School is in the Bush ........... 000 0ce ec eecceeesees 18
WO GUA 5 onc) cas PRU eee sired cw ee ean: oP n « so alee Seed 19
Lower ROotenay band Derines JUrsaiCtn cia sane oe ee ewe eave whee dt cok 20
Hat Creek: Montana Indians Tell of Damage and Disruption ....................0.05: 23
Okanagan Tribal Council Honours Jacob-Kruger ..... 2.000.000 cee cece cbeebercees 24
CTeTS COUN VIB. Fam hit is. cect aes eee wa cies Oe bene Oa ee SS VM OLA E Gee eae t 24
EUNCALION 5 oie ccna ice oo ase ee we Weed wen we Rs Oe bs arb whe Le oes 26
Radio Fro an- Indian Pere peetives: ins Fete ai ss wh a oo oe cn bv WE Reo a's wees 27
BRESOUITOR Cre a trg iit atets Mites awk aisle yet hes GL tie chiA elcelb a s'he ee oe oe ok Ee 28
‘Help my Friend, Please. ..7? 3... o2000... Sats AE vinte ate o08s Taharasht beet cae 29
RCisee LOT MOR rie REL fo, ating aN dae Sec Co uly math tig ees gaat ae Sete: 30
Help Wanted....... oak aA Nata 0: Gehan ata bephiayifh «4A js a oe pre rn ed eS 6 Ae si deep KearatinK a MOE Ke 31
J
UBCIC NEWS 3
REGIONAL ASSEMBLY
AT BELLA COOLA
“Indian Government is all en-
compassing. Aboriginal Rights
are all encompassing.’’
This statement, made by Bobby
Manuel, head of the Indian Govern-
ment Portfolio, at the Mini-confer-
ence held in Bella Coola from May
23-35, is what the meeting was all
about. All the concerns told by the
delegates at the conference came back
to that statement. All the concerns
fell under the heading of Indian
A ree. :
Government and the role of Indian
Government in solving these prob-
lems.
There were many other concerns
discussed by the delegates: fishing
rights, Fisheries harrassment, school
closures, hunting rights, and the loss
of language, art and other parts of
our culture. These all come under the
authority of Indian Government. The
reason was best explained by George
The second day of the meeting was devoted to Indian Government and
Fishing, and that’s when everybody started to speak out.
Billy Andy brought a spring salmon to the floor: ‘‘This is what we’re talking
about.”’ That’s Chief Archie Pootlaff speaking about our Fishing Rights.
children—and everybody else.
Respect and gratitude to our Elders are shown by
the first night of the meeting, when the Band gave a big birthday party for
the eldest person in Bella Coola, Mrs. Pat Schooner. She celebrated her
96th birthday with her great grandchildren and her great grand-
| Manuel, President of the UBCIC,
1 when he said:
‘Really when we're talking
about Indian Government, we’re
talking about Indian power.’’
With this power, we could control our
own affairs. We could develop our re-
sources, which would give us the in-
dependence we want from the Federal
Government. With the authority
Indian Government we could educate
our children in a manner that would
guarantee that they learn our lan-
guage, history and culture.
All parts of our life are affected by
Indian Government. This is because
Indian Government is a form of life.
It is a form in which we as Indian
people would control our own
destiny. We would decide how we are
to meet the future, helping us staying
a unique people, rather: than be-
coming assimilated into the non-
Indian society and becoming just like
m
the Bella Coola people on
UBCIC NEWS 4
(continued on page 6)
| PRESIDENT’S
MESSAGE
Since the last issue of the UBCIC News two elections
have happened: one Provincial the other Federal. I think
both elections have important consequences for Indians
in B.C.
The Social Credit government of Bill Bennet in B.C.
won with only a small majority and were surprised at how
much popular support there was for the N.D.P. Before
the election it was very difficult to deal with most
members of the Socred cabinet even to the point where
they refused to answer our letters and telegrams. They
were arrogant towards our concerns and refused to take
seriously our goal of Indian Government. When we
challenged their right to sell 60 million acres of B.C. they
reported to the Press that we didn’t understand their
position. But throughout the entire election campaign the
Socreds continued to pledge that they would make larger
areas of Crown Land available for private sale. This is
our land, our resources and yet they refuse to answer even
our personal telegrams. Even Frank Calder of the
Nishgas lost his seat in Atlin because of the Socred’s
attitude towards Indian people. According to James
Yours in Indian Rights
Gosnell of the Nishga Tribal Council, Calder lost because
Bill Bennet refused to respond to the Nishga’s request for
his position on their land claims. Barret responded for the
N.D.P. saying his party would negotiate but nothing
from Bennet.
Perhaps, the message has made it through to the
Socreds that they can’t continue to ignore Indian people
and make decisions behind our backs without any consul-
tation. I hope that the results will lead to better relation-
ships in the future.
After 16 years the government in Canada will no longer
be controlled by the Liberal party. When Trudeau and
the Liberals went down to defeat I felt that for the first
time Indian people had helped decide a Canadian
election. Several seats which would normally go to the
Liberals were lost to the N.D.P. on the strength of the
Indian vote. Both the Minister of Indian Affairs and his
parliamentary assistant were beaten on May 22.
In in the middle of May I attended an all candidates
meeting in Terrace and asked each candidate his or her
position on Indian Fishing and Health rights. Jim Fulton,
the N.D.P. candidate gave a very strong statement
supporting these rights, and Iona Campagnolo, the
Liberal M.P. was unclear and not fully supportive. Based
on this I publically supported Fulton. Fulton narrowly
won the seat away from Iona Campagnolo.
With a new minority government in power each Band
should try and meet their new M.P. and explain the
situation of Indian people and obtain their clear support
for Indian Government. It is a good time to educate your
M.P. about Indian fishing rights and our constitutional
right to adequate health care.
UBCIC NEWS 5
2
as er
The Chief Headress Dance from Gitkfan-Carrier.
(from page 4)
any other Canadian. We would
remain unique by deepening our
culture.
‘“‘We have to emphasize very
strongly our Indianness,’’ said
Bobby Manuel. ‘‘We must bring
back the proper place of our
Elders, bring back our Indian
music, bring back our Indian art.
Indian poetry has to emerge. The
Indian language is very impor-
tant. It has to be brought back,
otherwise we are just like non-
Indian people. That’s part of
what makes us unique.”’
What we really want is the power to
run our own lives, without control by
the governments of Canada. With the
system of Indian Governments, the
Bands would have the same status as
the Federal or Provincial Govern-
ments. We would negotiate on an
equal basis with them. With this
power, our Chiefs would have the
What a good feeling it was to have young people joining the Indian dancing.
How-Hows once again.
They made it possible to have
UBCIC NEWS6
status of Prime Ministers or Premi-
ers, and our people as legislators of
our laws. We would have total
control over our resources and lives.
At the moment we are under the
jurisdiction of the Federal Govern-
ment. But the Federal Government
would like to see us under the power.
of the Provincial Government. Seve-
ral Acts have been presented by the
Government aimed at destroying the
special status of the Indian people
and making us just like the non-
On the second night Bella Coola
hosted a Cultural Exchange.
Adelina Williams shared the dancing
of the Mt. Currie people.
Indians. The latest Act was in 1977,
when the Government put forward a
plan to turn reserves into munici-
palities. If this were to happen, the
Band Councils would be forced to
make the Indian people pay taxes to
keep the reserve from going in debt.
Under this system the reserves would
be broken up into lots that could be
sold to anyone, including non-
Indians. This would mean that
anyone could live on reserves. And
with that would end the reserves. We
would finally be assimilated into the
white society, just as the Government
would like to see happen.
At the conference Bobby Manuel
said,
‘*There are three things that are
necessary for us to be able to
direct our future. And those
three things include a land base.
For most of us, we do have a re-
serve, but it’s too small a land
base. The other thing that we
need is a resource base. We need
resources—timber, fish, wildlife,
minerals, forestry. We need all
kinds of resources to build a self-
sufficient community. The other
thing that is needed is_ the
authority to govern ourselves, to
be able to make the laws our-
selves. Those are very necessary
for us to be able to direct our
own future.”’
We must all become of one mind and one spirit to overcome the forces
working against our survival. The Cultural Exchange Night brought
the Quesnel dancers to Bella Coola.
Through the years we have lost
many of our old ways because we had
no power to stop what was happen-
ing. Now our children attend white
From our Elders we get our strength, our knowledge, our hope and our
direction. Over and over throughout the Conference it was heard that the
basis of Indian Government is our spirituality which can be found through
our Elders.
schools, we go to white doctors, we
are judged in white courts, we get our
supplies from white stores and in
many ways have grown to depend on
the white society. Indian Government
will help us to become independent of
that society. And in becoming
independent of the white society, we
will become stronger. .
Two resolutions were presented
and passed at the conference. Both
were presented by Oweekeno. One
was that the Union of British Colum-
bia Indian Chiefs support the Owee-
keno Village in their battle to keep
their school open.
The second resolution asked that
the UBCIC support the Oweekeno
Village Council in their investigation
of the Timber Sale Harvesting
“icence A-09976 of Mayo Forest
Products Limited.
UBCIC NEWS7
LAKES DISTRICT FORCES
CATHOLIC SCHOOL BOARD TO
NEGOTIATIONS
Indian children cannot get a good education unless
Indian people are involved in a partnership to provide that
education. On May 2, 1979 the Necoslie, Lake Babine,
Stuart Trembleur and Fraser Lake Bands, the
Department of Indian Affairs and the Catholic Public
‘Schools signed an agreement that ensures a partnership,
with Bands giving direction in order to provide their
children with the best education possible. The agreement
was initiated by those bands who have children in the
catholic schools, and are concerned about the education
their children are receiving.
In the past, the Bands were not satisfied with the
education provided their children by the catholic schools
in Burns Lake, Vanderhoof, Ft. St. James, and Prince
George. Although an agreement exists between public
schools and bands through the Master Tuition Agree-
ment, none was in effect for students attending catholic
schools. In the spring of 1978, parents decided that it was
time to change the relationship between them, the DIA
and the CPS. The main goal behind the action was to
have more Band input in all areas of their children’s
education.
DISSATISFACTION WITH CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
UNITES PARENTS
Several meetings were held between the Lakes District
Bands to discuss what needs they felt had to be met in
order for. their children to receive the best education
possible. Great concern was stressed over the fact that the
students spend ten months of the year away from home at
school and how important it is that those ten months give
them a strong foundation to build their lives. Indian
children have special needs in their school years, and the
Lakes District Bands believe that these needs can be met
by the Catholic Public Schools only with the proper
direction from the Bands.
THE POINTS OF NEGOTIATION
The major areas of concern include the curriculum.
Parents want their children to be instructed in the Carrier
language each school day for 30 minutes. There should
also be an increase of information and materials in social
studies, language arts, and natural science about Indians
and the contributions made to Canada. Only qualified
and committed teachers should be teaching the students,
with an evaluation program to check their effectiveness.
The dormitories that house the students must provide
safe, healthy facilities, and the staff and regulations must
be designed to respect the children and help them with
their problems. At the Prince George College, six Indian
UBCIC NEWS 8
house supervisors will be hired to ensure this takes place.
And if a student is expelled, he has a right to a fair
hearing first. The Lakes District Bands feel that these
needs must be met in order for their children to gain the
best education, while not losing touch with their people
and their communities.
Lakes District Bands held back tuition to force negoti-
ations with the Catholic School Board.
In all, it took over one year to get the points in the
agreement together and have it signed. In the meantime,
the negotiating committee, made up of representatives
from each band, did a lot of documentation into the
amount of money being paid to the schools for each
Indian and non-Indian student. It was discovered that
even though the Indian students were paying a higher
tuition rate than the non-Indian, they were receiving the
same amount of programs and nothing more. This
unbalance was then used as a rallying point.
After submitting the proposal last August and then
receiving no response from the negotiating committee of
the CPS, further action was taken. Each Band withheld
payment of tuition fees until as late as February of this
year. They were successful in this regard since this action
got the CPS negotiators to the bargaining table. After
that point it was a matter of routine negotiations.
Commenting on the stand taken by the Lakes District, Ed
John from Stuart Treumbler said, ‘‘Not the negotiators,
but other people in the CPS were very critical of our
stand, saying it was a farce. But I think ultimately they
will have to realize that our people are beginning to move.
That other people must contend with us. Our people are -
not going to sit by placidly and look on as other people
decide where our future is going.”’
URANIUM MINING:
PITTING JOBS AGAINST LIFE?
As the Royal Commission into uranium mining begins
Hearings next month, it is important that bands in B.C.
be aware of the dangers we are facing with the prospect of
uranium mining on our lands. The following is infor-
mation gathered at a protest sponsored by the American
Indian Environmental Council in New Mexico where
more mining companies endanger the lives of Indian
people there.
I think the Navajo people who are permitting the en-
ergy developers to give them money should be well
aware that once they accept that money they have
nothing to say about being heirs to the land or not.
Once you grab for that money, it’s almost a hopeless
chase. We must unite to oppose a development of
this nature. I was thinking as I was coming down the
road, what a terrible thing it is to find that roads scar
the area in many different directions. Is this the kind
of life that we want to see?
Lucy Keeswood
Indian people in the Southwestern United States have
witnessed uranium and coal mining companies destroy
their lives for the past thirty years. In 1949, Kerr McGee,
a multi-national company began mining uranium in Red
Rock Valley in northeastern Arizona. Navajo people
began working the mines not knowing about the danger
they were exposing themselves to. According to the Tribal
People’s Survival, ‘‘The miners drilled, blasted, and
hauled uranium from the mines in wheel barrels. Thirty
minutes after the blasting, the miners were sent back into
the mines. It took the uranium dust a long time to settle.
The miners were not given any protective clothing or
masks. There was no ventilation or drinking water. The
miners drank water that seeped through the walls of the -
mines.’’ Understanding the danger of uranium mining is
difficult, since the results of being exposed to it are not
visible for fifteen or thirty years.
When uranium is mined it gives off a radio-active dust
called radon. When radon is breathed into the lungs it
stays in the tiny air passages and gives the surrounding
cells of the body a very high dose of radiation over many
years. This radiation causes cancer, but it takes fifteen to
thirty years for the cancer to start developing after a man
has started to mine uranium. Uranium also contains
another radioactive product called radium, which is easily
absorbed through the stomach. When the miners swallow
the dust, radium gets deposited in the bone where it can
develop into bone cancer. Radium is also the cause of
leukemia.
Lucy Kelswood, a powerful speaker and activist for the
Coalition for Navajo Liberation.
Twenty-five Navajo miners have died of lung cancer
due to their exposure to radioactivity in uranium mines.
Another twenty are now dying of lung cancer. It is esti-
mated that of the 100 Navajo miners who worked at the
Red Rock uranium mines, 70 will eventually die of lung —
cancer and other related respiratory diseases.
After the uranium is mined it is crushed in a milling
. plant. The waste left over from this process is called
tailings, and contains radon gas which remains active for
up to one million years. There is no safe way to dispose of
the tailings. Uranium tailings are sent by the tons into
dumps, and people who live next to a uranium tailing
dump have double the risk of getting lung cancer than if
they actually mined the uranium. Yet, children’s play-
grounds are situated close to these dumps and vents that
emit radon gas from the underground mines. Animals are
dying because they graze next to those vents. Miners have
died and their widows struggle for basic survival because
they receive no compensation from the companies or
government. Because,they were unaware of the high risk
of radiation from the waste, people built their homes out
of the tailings. Now company officials come to the people
and tell them they should not live in their homes. They
have no place else to go. In the meantime, tailings in the
dust blow across the villages, water from the mines flow
into the water supply, and the people continue to be
isoned.
poison (continued page 10)
UBCIC NEWS 9
Grandfather David, Hopi Nation:
Don’t let anyone dig anything from this sacred
mountain. I heard that they’ll be planning another
war and if they make war, they’re gonna use some of
those resources to kill the people. I don’t like any of
the people to be killed with the things that are digged
from under our Mother Earth. We all know that
mother cannot kill any of her children, and we are all
her children. We must all hold hands together and
fight even if other people don’t like us to come
together. When it comes to lives like this, we should
spread our message all over the world so people will
\ hear about it and help us. iy
On April 28-30, in Mt. Taylor, New Mexico, the
American Indian Environmental Council brought to-
gether 2,500 people in a physical and spiritual protest to
oppose the mining companies who are destroying their
land and their lives. What the people had to say there has
special significance for us in B.C. What happened there is
very real, and as the mining companies encroach on our
land, it is a very real possibility that it can happen here
too. Thirty years ago the Navajo and Pueblos did not
have any warning of what would happen to them if they
began mining uranium on their traditional lands. For the
most part, they did not have a voice in the matter since
the Bureau of Indian Affairs leased their land to the
mining companies without their approval. Over 55 per
cent of the U.S. uranium supply is on Indian land.
Today in B.C. mining companies have been exploring
for uranium on Indian land, particularly in the
Okanagan. They do not have permits to actually mine the
uranium, and what is happening now is the Royal
Commission into uranium mining. The purpose of the
UBCIC NEWS 10
Commission is to examine the existing federal and
provincial requirements in three areas: the protection of —
health and safety of workers associated with exploration,
. Mining, and milling of uranium; protection of the
environment; and the protection of the _ public.
Community hearings will be held throughout the summer
with the first one being held in Kelowna on June 5.
Scheduled dates for other hearings are: Clearwater June
8, Kamploops June 11, Rock Creek June 18, Grand
Forks June 20, Castlegar June 21, Williams Lake June
26, Vanderhoof June 27, Ft. Nelson July 3, Altin July 4.
After the community hearings are held, formal hearings
in Vancouver will take place with witnesses testifying to
the dangers that uranium mining will bring to the land
and people.
Navajo uranium widows: they struggle for basic survival.
This uranium enquiry is for you, the people, to voice
your feelings about the possibility of having a uranium
mine on your land. If our interests are not protected and
uranium mining is allowed to happen here as it has in the
U.S., we will suffer as have the people there. Uranium
mining kills all living things in the immediate environ-
ment. The radioactivity produced from the mining
process is highly dangerous and will affect all of us. The
uranium enquiry is one way to let the government know
that you are not willing to let future generations of Indian
people suffer, so that you have the jobs and money that
twenty years of mining will bring. Recent history shows a
pattern: after the resource is depleted, the company
moves out, leaving people without jobs and poisoned by
radiation. :
One Navajo elder describes what the mining has
done to divide his people. He said, ‘‘When we talk about
developing certain things we’re talking about basically
two things: life and jobs. I think these two basic feelings
have pitted us against one another.”’ e
UP-DATE
FISHING CASES
LILLOOET:
Judge DeBolt has informed the people of Lillooet that he
was not ready to hand down any decision on the Bridge
River Reserve Right to fish. He hopes to be ready by June
7th. A new Fishing Bulletin will be sent out to all Bands
to inform everyone of this decision.
anything any longer. The Legal Task Force wrote to the
Department of Highways to remind them of this and to
inform them that the Band did need the land. The
Department has written to the Band promising to fix up
the land and return it to the Band.
SQUAMISH:
Earl Lewis was charged by Fisheries Officers at the same
time as his brother Allan (see UBCIC News, April issue).
His case was due to be heard June 18th but he has been
informed that he has received ‘‘a stay of proceedings’’
which usually means that the charge has been dropped.
KWIKSUKTAINEUK:
The Band applied to the Court for an interim injunction
to stop B.C. Forest Products from building and using a
road going over their foreshore. The Band was refused
the injunction because the Court felt concern that too
many people would be put out of work if the logging
company was made to cut down their operation in that
area. However, B.C. Forest Products have agreed to
renew negotiations with the Band over acu. unit price for
use of band land for transportation.
B.C. APPEALS
FRANCIS HAINES CASE:
The Province is appealing the court decision by Judge
Barnett that Chilcotin Indians have a right to hunt for
food during all seasons. The case comes up in the Alexis
Creek Courthouse on June 13th. The people of Stone
Band have asked that as many people as possible be at the
court to demonstrate to the court the importance to us of
our aboriginal hunting rights. ;
LILLIAN BROWN
In a Federal Court case last year, Lillian Brown sued
B.C Hydro on her own behalf and for all other Indians
on reserves who purchase electricity or gas from B.C.
Hydro and who have paid sales tax.
She was contesting paying the sales tax on the grounds
that Indians on reserves are traditionally exempt from
direct taxation, under Section 86 of the Federal Indian
Act.
**And no Indian or land is subject to taxation in respect
of the ownership, occupation, possession or use of any
property mentioned in paragraph (A) or is otherwise
subject to taxation in respect of any such property.”’
In the first hearing, April 3rd and 4th, 1978, the judge
decided against Lillian, saying that electricity used in
one’s own home is personal property, but not the kind of
personal property suggested in Section 86 of the Indian
Act.
Lillian Brown appealed this decision and the case came
up in the Court of Appeal, May 24, 1979. However it was
adjourned once again for mid November.
Several new questions arose and neither parties were
prepared to deal with them. One problem was with the
definition of electricity as a possession.
The other problem dealt with is just how constitutional
is that section of the Act, and nobody wanted to get into
that!
LAND RETURNED TO SODA CREEK BAND:
Chief Herman Zellers asked the UBCIC Legal Task Force
to check up on a piece of the Soda Creek Reserve land
that had been expropriated under Order-in-Council 1036
for a highway. The Department of Highways no longer
needed this land for a highway and using it was using it
just as a rest stop. Under Order-in-Council 1036, if the
land is no longer used for the purpose for which it was
taken away, then the Order-in-Council doesn’t mean
SPOTTED LAKE:
On May 17th, the Okanagan Tribal Council suffered a
set-back but immediately restated their commitment to
see that Spotted Lake be left in its natural state, as a
sacred medicine lake.
The Regional District of Okanagan and Similkameen
decided in favour of the rezoning application to turn the
lake into a tourist resort. The rezoning application now
goes to Minister of Municipal Affairs, Bill Vander Zalm,
for final consideration. The Tribal Council is angry at
this development: over thirty people had spoken against
the rezoning application at the Public Hearings and only
about ten spoke in favour. What most upset the people
however is that the Regional District so obviously ignored
the main issue: the right to practice out traditional Indian
religion in a sacred place. The Tribal Council will be
meeting to decided on their next step.
UBCIC NEWS 11
_ WILDLIFE FEDERATION
CALL FOR QUOTAS
At the May 1978 Convention of the
B.C. Wildlife Federation, the Mission
and District Rod and Gun Club
submitted the two following reso-
lutions:
FISH WASTEAGE
WHEREAS the B.C. Sportsfisher-
men and Federal Fisheries - field
officers have observed wasted fish on
the river banks (especially the Fraser
River) in great numbers;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED
that there shall be a limit according to
the needs of the individual B.C.
Indian food fishery permit, or
permits placed upon seasonal catch of
those Native people who take fish
from all B.C. waters under the pro-
visions of Section 29 of the Federal
Fisheries General Regulations (provi-
sions respecting Indians).
SUPPORTING BRIEF: This reso-
lution is submitted with the faith that
it will curtail some of the obvious
wasteage of net-caught salmon by the
B.C. Indians.
NETS
WHEREAS set nets have been ob-
served sitting loaded with fish for two
and three days at a time;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED
that Native Fishermen be obligated to
attend their own individual nets while
fishing under the Indian food fishery
permits, at all times, all year round.
About two weeks before the con-
vention, the UBCIC was informed of
these resolutions. We were able to
have our President George Manuel on
as a guest speaker, and organized
eighty-five Indian people to attend
the BCWF convention, in order to try
to defeat these two resolutions on
Indian fishing.
fishing.
George Manuel gave a _ seven-
minute speech and challenged the
_BCWFF to explore the best ways to
form a joint committee in order to
enable the BCWF and the UBCIC to
work effectively together on common
objectives and search for creative
UBCIC NEWS 12
solutions to the problems. The most
pressing problem which both parties
face is the serious concern for conser-
vation. During the convention, the
challenge was accepted: we were also
successful in participating in the
workshops. We were successful to the
extent of having the two resolutions
tabled. Special thanks to all the
Indian people who attended in
support of protecting our fishing
—Monitor industrial pollution
—Do a study on the Salmonid
Enhancement Program.
The next meeting was held on July
28th, 1978. It left us in an impossible
situation because we were shocked
with certain members of the BCWF’s
attack on Indian Fishing, stemming
from the Squamish Band By Law 10.
It is well known that the Indian
people of this province have
borne the brunt of criticism with
regards to the depletion, wastage
and illegal sale of salmon. The
well-worn trails to court houses
throughout the province speak
for themselves.
It is quite obvious, too, that
the governmental agencies—the
supposed managers of the salmon
fisheries—do not respect Indian
people in their historic place
within this country. This dis-
respect which stems from lack of
understanding of the people and
their culture influences other
agencies by association. In this
case I am referring especially to
the B.C. Wildlife Federation.
If you look at the statistics for
annual salmon catches, you can
readily deduce who may be most
responsible for. the depletion of
salmon stocks. Consider, for
Lack of Understanding Breeds
example, the following:
e The Fraser River system pro-
duces about 9.9 million species
fish. This total is comprised of
various species of Pacific sal-
mon.
* Out of this lot about 2.5 million
are designated for spawning es-
capement. Another 7.5 million
are caught by the commercial
fishery, with about 121,600
caught by the sports fishery and
about 170,300 caught by the
Indian Fishery.
* Consider also that the Indian
people of the Fraser River
System have been co-operating
over the last thirty years in per-
mitting much of the Stuart
Lakes species to go throughBut
to this day there is no apparent
improvement in the population
of this species. Is the fault of
the Indian Fishery?
Another point to ponder is a
rights.
A preliminary meeting was held in
early June, 1978, to prepare a
committee structure and identify the
common concerns. On June 23rd,
1978, a committee meeting was held
with three members from UBCIC and
five from BCWF. Both parties iden-
tified two concerns to work co-opera-
tively on:
It must be pointed out that the
Squamish Band is not a member Band
of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs
and we therefore are not familiar with
their Band’s activities. On July 18th,
we sent a letter to Bill Otway on the
subject and stated that we would like
to continue to focus on the objectives
we have in common and begin serious
efforts to understand one another’s
point of view.
~ On July 28th, 1978. BCWF Presi-
dent, Dick Cole, sent us a letter
agreeing ‘‘to take part in the Liaison
Committee comprised of the mem-
bers of the two organizations because
of our strong conviction that resource
and conservation groups concerns
will benefit from a joint action by
groups with common goals.’’
The letter, along with a position
paper titled B.C. Wildlife Federation
Indian Liaison Committee Position
Paper, was hand-delivered at the July
28th meeting. At thé July 28th
meeting, the two areas we agreed to
culty the UBCIC was having in its
fishing portfolio. However, both
parties remained optimistic in a
working relationship on common
concerns.
In conclusion, we maintain our
position that we have common con-
cerns and can support each other on
many problems both organizations
face time and again. We still feel
much can be gained by developing an
understanding in goals and objectives
in relation to conservation, and
management of our resources.
Following the BCWF 1978 conven-
tion, we immediately began telling
our people about the fact that the two
e ie :
Racism e by Saul Terry, Vice-President responsible for fishing
statement made during this past
élection campaign that the com-
mercial fisheries have never had it
so good. The industry has
increased its earnings by some
200 percent, it has been stated.
If the maximum potential pro-
duction of the Fraser River
system were reached (estimated at
2% times present production)
would the Indian Fishery, along
the system, benefit? The ‘‘gold
rush’’ type exploitation of the
resource leads me to believe that
the Indian fishery will not see
much greater benefit even if the
fish stocks are substantially in-
creased. Indeed, we may have to
be more prepared to meet greater
criticism and we may also have a
lot more reason to ask, ‘‘what is
racism?’’
Following meetings such as the
B.C. Wildlife Federation meeting
of May 10, 11, 12, 1979, we may
indeed ask, ‘‘what is racism?’’
Is racism:
—giving people incomplete in-
formation in order to meet
your obectives?
—making certain allegations
based on unfounded or un-
proven terms of reference?
—giving out portions of a
written law while withholding
other portions in order to dis-
credit the law and/or the
people having established the
law?
—imposing or recommending
laws or regulations to which
no other group is subject?
—proposing rules or regula-
tions upon a people while you
refuse them permission to
speak on their own behalf?
—pointing or insinuating guilt
upon a people without proof?
work on were re-affirmed. At this
_ meeting, it was also reported who
would be recognized as committee
members. Due to the Committee
members coming from various parts
of the province, meetings were diffi-
cult to schedule.
Another meeting was finally held in
November, 1978. A major factor
pointed out was the financial diffi-
Indian fishing resolutions would be
dealt with again at the BCWF May
1979 convention. To make a long
story short, after informing several
people about the BCWF 1979 Con-
vention, a disappointingly small
number of Indian people showed up.
Twenty Indian people, mostly from
the Okanagan went through a horri-
ble experience. At the workshops
where our resolutions were being
dealt with, UBCIC Chief Council
member Rosalind Leon was not
recognized at all, and was not allowed
to speak her concerns. Resolution
One was passed and resolution Two
was put to the floor.
For workshop two they were ob-
‘viously hesitant in allowing our
President, George Manuel, to speak
on the resolution. He did speak, and
the first and second resolution were
both tabled to the floor.
At the third workshop, there was
again reluctance to let George speak.
However, he was recognized and
resolution One was defeated, and
resolution Two was tabled to the
floor. After the workshops we had to
wait until the resolutions were to
proceed to final voting at the plenary
session. The two resolutions were the
very last to be dealt with. They both
were passed with a very small number
voting for, a smaller number against
and a large number abstaining from
the vote. What a let-down and a
horrible experience.
In registering as an observer at the
cost of $45.00, we also discovered the
Native Affairs Committee Report,
which totally discredited the efforts
of the joint committee. Incidentally,
the report was adopted, meaning
dissolvement of the joint committee.
Because it was so badly written, we
prepared our own report and distri-
buted the report to all of the
delegates. That is the situation as it
stands now. We will write a further
report on the National Committee on
native Affairs that has been formed.
We were very disappointed at the
small turn-out because the B.C.
Wildlife Federation, now that it has
passed the resolutions at its annual
convention, will begin strong lobby-
ing in making it law or regulation of
the Federal Fisheries Regulations. It
makes our struggle all the harder in
terms of our fishing rights.
We would like to thank those who
did support our struggle at the May
1979 B.C. Wildlife Federation Con-
vention. We need your support
because all the enforced fishery regu-
lations further erode our fishing
rights. é
UBCIC NEWS 13
INDIAN FOODS
At one time Indians were one of the healthiest races in
the world, but now many of our people are not eating
right or are undernourished and our health has suffered
badly. Many factors have come together over the years
that have greatly changed our eating habits. At one time
we ate only the food of the land and sea, but since the
non-Indians came we’ve begun to eat what supermarkets
have on the shelves. Our children eat potato chips, choco-
late bars and candy. Sometimes we eat these foods
because we are forced to, that is all we can get.
Pollution, development, sport and commercial fishing,
logging, pulp mills, mines and other factors have de-
stroyed many of our sources for traditional foods. The
Federal Fisheries has been placing closures and limi-
tations of food fishing in many areas. To make up for
certain important vitamins and minerals that are lost we
must look for other ways of getting them.
_One of the earliest blows to our nutrition and therefore
Sea Lion meat is now rare: the animals were over-hunted
for furs.
UBCIC NEWS 14
Lena Hope is a 75 year old Elder from Seabird
Island. She. has been involved with the Stalifito
Curriculum Development program at the Coqualetza
Cultural Centre. The following is part of an interview
between Coqualetza and Lena about traditional
foods.
Q.: Did you ever make tea with different kinds of
plants?
Lena: Yeah rose bushes. The young, not the ones just
growing but the young last year’s wild rose bush. My
mother used to make that, and salmonberry bush, and
I don’t know what you call that one you get up the hills
swamps. Some people call it swamp tea.
Q.: Labrador tea.
Lena: | think so, yeah. The rose bushes are really nice. |
It’s medicine at the same time. And what else? Some
kind of branches—it’s not hemlock, I forget the name.
Q.: Oh you mean the yew tree. It is sort of like a fir
tree. It’s not really as large as yew but it looks like it.
It’s way up the mountains.
Lena: I think I know what you mean. I don’t even
know the name. When we get out of tea up the
mountains we use that. But down here, all I know is
salmonberries and rose bushes. There is something else
around here but I never use it. During the war we
couldn’t get no tea, War I. We were allowed just a
little bit of a bag a month. My mother used to make
tea ot of salmonberry bushes, rose bushes, cause we
didn’t have to sugar it. Cause we weren’t allowed
much sugar, a quarter of a pound a month I think it
was. I was a lucky one because I didn’t use sugar in
anything. Not in my porridge, not in my tea. We
weren’t coffee drinkers then.
Q.: Did you ever collect honey?
Lena: Oh yes, when we first come down here, wild
honey. My husband used to collect it when we first
come. There were a lot of cedar trees then and bush all
over. He goes around and sees them bees and he
doesn’t cut the trees down till the end of summer. We
used to get one or two buckets full, big as ice cream
pails you know. Poor bees, I guess they got nothing to
eat all winter. I just thought of that one time. I was
talking about it one time to my sons and I said those
poor bees after we cut that down.
Q.: Did you ever see those berry cakes made? Made
out of fresh berries. Dried berry cakes.
Lena: Yeah, made from huckleberries, I seen it. And
SOURCE OF OUR HEALTH
AND ROSE TEA....
what do you call those berries up that way?
Q.: Saskatoon.
Lena: Yeah saskatoons. I guess they used to have
more sun than we do now because they used to make a
rack outside, my grandmother did. Anywhere around
the field and she squashes the berries with something
and she just spread them on top of a mat made out of
the same thing inside the maple bark. She spreads it
the — ao wants. I eee a two or three
We have to go further to gather berries and leaves
since more and more lands are cleared for projects.
days, she turns it overand it’s dry right through. You
can just break a piece off and just eat it. It’s lovely.
When we kids got hungry and they’d break a piece for
us, and we’d go play. You go up in the mountain and
you do the same with huckleberries. You kind of
squash the huckleberries a little bit and spread them on
mats. They stay up there for two or three weeks drying
huckleberries if they find a good patch. I don’t know
how many cakes. Nowadays you can’t even trust the
weather. One day it’s raining and sunshine comes. Oh
I don’t think you can dry any berries, It wasn’t bad
when I first came down here cause I used to dry my
rhubarb, dry my blackcaps, wild blackberries.
Everything I picked I dried them, cause there was no
sugar. Everything had to be dried. e
our health, happened in the early 1900’s. This was the
This was the start of the commercial fishing and the
discovery of how to can fish. Commercial fishermen now
take over 95% of the salmon each year. To ensure the
future runs, restrictions are put on Indian food fishing.
Abalone is a very high source of protein. Once, Indians
were able to catch these in great quantity. But now
abalone is considered a great delicacy all over the world.
And with this high demand comes the commercial fisher-
men. They have depleted much of this traditional Indian
food. One area that has been affected a lot is the Queen
Charlotte Islands. The price of abalone has risen with the
demand. This rise in price could mean restrictions of it as
food fishing for Indians.
MARINE POLLUTION
KILLS RIVER AND SEA LIFE
During the 1950s, DDT spraying wiped out the salmon
spawning grounds of the Nimpkish Band. At one time it
was the second largest spawning ground in B.C., but now
it is one of the poorest. The people have tried to bring
back the fish population through an enhancement
program. But their efforts may have been in vain. B.C.
Hydro wants to spray alder trees along the power line
right-of-ways near Nimpkish Lake with 2, 4-D. Tests
have shown that it causes affects on the liver, circulation
and spawning times of the fish. Evidence also shows that
shellfish gather 2, 4-D.
A classical case of fish being killed off by pollution
took place at Nootka.
License limitation had wiped out the fishing fleet. In
1968, the Tahsis Pulp Mill started operating on Band land
and the people moved to nearby for the promised jobs.
The mill pumps sewage into the fishing grounds through
an underwater pipe. Before 1968 the fishing was good—
now there are few fish. Provincial Government ordered
the company to clean up the pollution, but gave them a
few years to do this.
At Quatsino, the Utah Mines Ltd. operation is
depositing about 17 million gallons of tailings effluent
per day into the Rupert Inlet. The effluent, which
contains waste water, metals and chemicals from the
process of concentrating copper, is polluting the tidal and
inter-tidal zones of Rupert Inlet. These pollutants con-
taminate crabs, clams and other shell fish. The salmon
going through these spawning and rearing grounds may
(continued page 18)
UBCIC NEWS 15
i
around the reserve, shows that the
valley is rich in natural foods. In the
valley or nearby there is a great
variety of foods: oolicans, herring,
seaweed, salmon, sea urchins, sea
prunes, clams, cherries, blackberries,
soap berries, raspberries, elk, deer,
moose and many other foods are
within reach of the people.
Although Bella Coola is quite a ee es
isolated, the people are not very 4 a . BER | ; A ( OC
concerned about it. A quick walk ‘A lt <a i | .
* yt Fi site
Besides the Indian foods nearby,
many of the Bella Coola people have
gardens, trees, and berry bushes in
their backyards. Some of the yards
are crowded with cerry, plum and
apple trees just waiting to bloom.
Along the ditches in the fields and in
the yards are a variety of berry
bushes. Although the wild straw-
berries are quite small, the people
make up for it by growing tame
strawberries in their gardens. Berry
bushes can be found almost any-
where, but Bella Coolas say that
once the berries were more plentiful.
Hunting is still quite good. In the
valley itself are elk, deer, ducks and
other small game. Because the fresh
water of the Bella Coola River meets
UBCIC NEWS 16
with the salt water of the inlet only
one mile from the reserve, there are
both fresh and salt water ducks to be
hunted in the fall. The people say they
can get almost any kind of duck
found in B.C. The abundance of big
game in the area was shown to several
Union staff as we neared the reserve
on their dirt road. Moose, caribou,
deer, goats and a bear were spooted
by the travellers. But the big game has
been depleted. To hunt moose now,
Bella Coolans have to go a short
distance out of the valley. But
hunting was so big at one time that
some of the people worked as guides
for visting hunters.
Although food from the land and
air is quite abundant, Bella Coolans
are most proud of the resources of the
water.
However, their fishing rights
to the river have been eroded over the
years. The Elders say that when they
were young they would fish all the
way up and down the valley. Now
their total fishing area is only four
miles along their river. Food fishing is
done by drifting. Although sea water
is only about a mile from the reserve,
Bella Coolas' must travel about 10
hours to get to the best sea food
grounds.
~<a At
as
me
_—
Oolican grease, a traditional Indian
food, is prepared in Bella Coola, one
of the few areas in B.C. where it is
still made.
Though fishing has been
cut down to one day per week, the
Bella Coola people are very fortunate
to have other food sources to fall
back on.
They are fortunate com-
pared to many other reserves that are
losing their traditional food sources
because of pollution, pipe -lines,
over-fishing, Fisheries harrassment,
government mismanagement, fores-
try and other destructive development
projects. Let’s hope their good
fortune continues. °
UBCIC NEWS 17
John Teegee, Trapper from Takla Landing wrote
about the school year clashing with the natural cycle
of the hunter’s year What he had to say has everything
to do with how we have had to change our eating.
We used to be in school in summer. Around 1937 it
is good. We start on June 1 to September 1, and then
we go trapping in the fall and winter. We learn out-
doors. Sometime 40 or 50 degrees below zero. We
camp out night if we go long ways. We know that our
children couldn’t do that just because lazy school
spoils everything.
Our grandfathers’ schools are in the bush.
We used to go hunting moose on September after 10.
Usually go to Middle River and stay there ‘til we get
five bullmoose. Make lots of dry meat and grease for
Winter.
October month we’re making wood. After
November 1, start trapping. We don’t bother with
moose. Christmas everybody come back from
trapping. Everybody in joy, then start Indian dance
and potlatch goes on ’til after New Year.
After January 15, everybody back to trapping
again until March 20. Then we hunt moose again.
Gets few moose and dry meat for springtime. Then
we go hunting beaver after Easter Sunday around
May 25 or 30. Come home and start digging the
ground for planting potatoes. Around August go up
the mountain for hunting.
It is very good in old days. Now I got very few
\ timber left. Nowhere to set traps. All logged out. y
(from page 15)
also be harmed. The Quatsino Band said the salmon runs
have greatly declined over the years and shell life is
becoming inedible.
Without the salmon and shell fish, the people of the
area are forced to look elsewhere for their sources of
good nutrition.
Another example of pollution that could destroy much
of the salmon fishing is at the Hat Creek plant . The
greatest problem by the project would be that the pollu-
tants could be converted into an ‘‘acid rain.’’ This occurs
when pollutants such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen
UBCIC NEWS 18
dioxide enter the clouds and form sulphuric acid and
nitric acid. These would fall to the ground with the rain.
When it falls into the rivers and streams, it would force
the fish to the bottom. Since there is not enough oxygen
for the fish at the bottom, they would eventually die. And
with their death would go another source of Indian food.
PIPLELINES, LOGGING, DAMS...WHERE CAN
THE ANIMALS GO?
In the North hunting has been affected by new develop-
ments. Pipelines have been built which force the animals
away from the area. Roads, towns, and other develop-
ments frighten away the animals that our people depend
on for food.
Logging is another factor that causes a depletion of our
traditional foods. Hunting is reduced because of large
areas of land being cleared. The game must go elsewhere
to find food and therefore so must the Indian.
= f mx ar ie .
; om J rt
j * . * , F
limmy Gauthier of W
grounds will soon be affected by the proposed Alaska
pipeline.
The Kootenay diversion is one way that development
could destroy Indians’ traditional food supplies. B.C.
Hydro has proposed to divert two thirds of the water
from the Kootenay River to the Columbia River by
damming the Kootenay near Canal Flats and using a
canal to send the water to the Columbia. Hydro admits
the diversion could cause problems with the environment
from Golden to the U.S. border. These problems would
affect the Columbia, Shuswap, St. Marys and Tobacco
Plains Bands. In the north flooding would occur which
could seriously threaten the natural habitat of the deer,
elk, geese, beaver and other wildlife. To the south,
pollution from industry and other sources would increase
and affect fishing grounds. Also, the diversion would
cause a drop in temperature of the Columbia and
Windermere Lakes which would affect the productivity
of the fish. .
Without salmon, deer, moose, ducks,
shellfish and other naturally nutritious foods, many of us
are not receiving proper amounts of vitamins and
minerals we need to be healthy. ®
KOMIASKET, a member of the
Okanagan Band addressed the
Commissioners as follows:
This land belongs to my Chief,
and anything that is on top of the
earth is his, therefore I tell you
that this land is mine, therefore I
will not sell it, and I don’t want
to have my land cut up. You can
see that it is from my land that I
am good and strong and big—
That is all I have to say.
SAM PIERRE of the Okanagan
Band addressed the Commis-
sioners as follows:
I am glad to see the Royal
Commissioners. I have two
youngsters, and I always think
how I am going to feed them
young ones. This land, it is true,
is my parents, and if it was not
for my land here, I would not be
so good and alive; therefore I
THE CUT-OFF LANDS
cannot sell the land.
The Okanagan Band lost a
\_ Surther 246 acres. - a
For over fifty years, the Provincial
Government refused to admit any.
doubt about the justice of the
McKenna McBride Commission’s
cutting off 33,000 acres from Indian
Lands without the consent of the
Bands involved. Finally, after heavy
pressure from Indian leaders in 1975,
the NDP Provincial Government
promised to return all the cut-off
lands. Negotiations under the present
government are continuing. Twenty-
three Bands are involved in all:
Alexandria, Beecher Bay, Chemai-
nus, Clinton, Kincolith, Kitwanga,
Lower Kootenay, Metlakatla, Nawi-
tti, Nazko, Quatsino, Seton Lake,
Sheshaht, Songhees, Squamish, Up-
per Similkameen and Westbank.
SQUAMISH BAND CLOSE TO
SETTLEMENT
question was valued at $359,000.00
Today it has been estimated as being
worth over three and a half million
dollars. However, the Squamish
people are not that concerned over
the dollar value; says Chief Joe, ‘‘we
want the land, all 133 acres.’’
THE STORY SO FAR
The story of the ‘‘Cut-Off Lands’’
is just one part of the larger Land
Claims question. The Cut-off lands
refer to those pieces of land that have
been chopped away from the first
reserves that were set up, and
specifically to those cut off by the
McKenna McBride Commission.
Over the yers, these first reserves have
been reduced to a very small part of
their original size. Land Claims deals
with the fact that, outside of the
Treaty areas, we have never surrend-
ered, given away or sold our title to
anv B.C. lands or resources.
THE FIRST RESERVES
Reserve. Trutch’s only concern was to
make way for the white settlement of
B.C. Our leaders protested angrily
and war nearly broke out. Trutch’s
policies also led to disputes with the
Federal Government.
The Federal Government, respon-
sible for “‘Indians and lands reserved
for Indians’? under the new B.N.A.
Act, disputed the Province’s allot-
ments for Indian reserves. The main
issue was the amount of land allow-
able per family. Under the Federal
Treaties in the Prairies, an Indian
family was allotted 160 acres. Because
most B.C. Indians relied so deeply on
their fishing, our forefathers were
concerned in protecting all their
fishing stations and full aboriginal
fishing rights. With this in mind, the
Federal Government proposed eighty
acres of land per family with fishing
rights. The Province proposed ten.
Later, they finally agreed on twelve
acres per family. :
Before the 1850’s, our people
shared the land and its resources. The
first reserves were set by James
Douglas, the first Governor of B.C..
Douglas made some treaties but when
he ran out of money and blankets, he
continued to negotiate reserves, re-
cognizing Aboriginal Rights to the
land, and recognizing that Bands
. could choose the size of their reserves.
They were set up in the South Island,
Fraser Valley, Fraser Canyon and
Thompson River areas.
THE FIRST BROKEN PROMISES
Closest to satisfactory settlement, it
seems, is the Squamish Band in North
Vancouver. Chief Philip Joe is
positive that their land will be
returned back to his people in the very
near future. In 1913, the land in
In 1865, Joseph Trutch became
B.C.’s Commissioner of Lands and
Works. He broke the promises that
Douglas made. He reduced the size of
the reserves already set up, refused to
recognize our Aboriginal Title to land
or resources and would not allow
Indians to buy land outside the
INDIAN RESERVE COMMISSION
(: B,
Chief Paul Kladak opposed
cut-offs and testified about the
Gitzault Reserve:
“I am putting before you...the
grievances of my land...of my
village. It is a great grievance and |
trouble to us...there are too
many white people trying to take
the land from me. They have
practically run all over the Indian
Reserve notwithstanding the
word of the government that no
white man shall come. From now
on I want this to cease...I want
the reserve to cover the whole
waterfront.”’
However the 202 acre reserve was
cut-off because the commission
said that it was: ‘‘conveniently
situated near mining properties
\ promising early development.’’ y
UBCIC NEWS 19
Indian protests against Trutch’s
policies forced the two Governments
to form the Indian Reserve Commis-
sion in 1875. Its job was to review the
size of Trutch’s reserves and set up
reserves in areas that had none. Over
35 years it allotted, or ‘“‘re-alllotted’’
most of the reserves in B.C. Some-
times it made them smaller by
re-surveys; sometimes the Province
refused to approve reserves and in
other cases, the reserves were set up
without any proper consultation with
the Bands. Continued protests by
Bands, the Province’s attempts to get
Indian land and the continued
argument over control and manage-
ment of the reserves, ended the work
of the Reserve Commission in 1910.
All during this time, Indian reser-
ves were also being reduced because
of the DIA land policies: land sales,
rights-of-ways, re-surveys, churches
and lands taken for other ‘“‘public
purposes.”” There has been little
change in these policies.
THE MCKENNA-MCBRIDE CUT-
OFF LANDS
The McKenna-McBride Commis-
sion was set up to finalize the Indian
land disputes. Under the terms of the
Commission, any reduction in land
was to be made only with the consent
of the Indians concerned. The
Commission also had the power to
recommend additions to the reserves
and also to cut off lands for ‘‘public
purposes.’’ From 1913 to 1916, the
Commission travelled throughout
B.C., hearing evidence from Chiefs,
Band spokesmen, Indian Agents and
also white businessmen.
In 1919, before the Royal Commis-
sion’s report became official, it had
to be approved by both the Federal
and Provincial Governments. By
passing the Federal Indian Affairs
Settlement Act and the British
Columbia Indian Land Settlement
Act, the governments took the
authority to adopt the Commission’s
report and to make all the changes
that were recommended. The terms of
UBCIC NEWS 20
the Commission were altered by this
legislation and the governments
claimed the right to cut off lands
from Indian reserves without the
consent of the Bands involved.
Through the McKenna McBride
Commission, the Squamish people
lost six entire reserves and over one
thousand acres to ‘‘corrections’’ and
surrenders to Great Pacific Eastern
Railway Company for _ station
grounds and other railway purposes.
The UBCIC started the struggle for
the return of the lands cut-off by the
McKenna-McBride Commission.
Then the Bands involved formed their
individual committees to continue]
their battles. Most were confident
that the land would eventually be
returned. But it was always dependent
on the good will of the governments
of the day, especially the Provincial
Government. Even though the lands
were taken away in an unjust way, it
was still ‘‘legal’’. A-just settlement of
the McKenna-McBride cut-off lands
will be an important step towards the
recognition of our aboriginal right to
land title in B.C. .
A number of bands refused an
deal with the McKenna-McBride
Commission because it had no
authority to deal with the ques-
stion of Title.
The position taken by some
Bands was that the issue of
Indian Title should be dealt with
Jirst, then questions of the size
and location of Indian Reserves
could be settled. Chief Joseph of
Port Simpson Band said:
‘‘We are sorry that we expected
to go more fully into the land
question with the Commission
thinking that they had power to
deal with the larger land ques-
tion, but seeing that they are not
empowered to do so, it would be
useless. ..to say more.”’
As with other Bands Port Simp-
son gave NO consent to cut-offs,
yet the McKenna-McBride Com-
mission mde four cut-offs total-
ling over 11,000 acres.
ce 7 A
LOWER
KOOTENAY
BAND
DEFINES
JURISDICTION
by Wilf Jacobs
The Lower Kootenay Band, small
in number and known as river people,
occupy the lower Kootenay River
banks from the Idaho border to the
head of the Kootenay Lake. The
nearest shopping centre is the nearby
town of Creston. Fruit growing is the
major industry in the area.
The river was at one time the only
means of travel and it also controlled »
the way of life as it flooded and
receded each year. Fishing for food
was probably the most important
factor in sustaining a livelihood.
Hunting for game cannot be dismis-
’ sed as there exists a great variety of
wild game in the area. Travel was
made possible by using the ‘‘stur-
geon-nose canoe”’ that is of unique
design, with the fore and aft shaped
like the nose of a sturgeon and sub-
merged under water. The design of
the canoe has gained world-wide
recognization and has been under
considerable study by anthropolo-
gists.
Water travel was quite extensive,
taking in areas as far as the Upper
Arrows, Lower Arrows, The Colum-
bia River System south to undeter-
mined distances into the now state of
Washington, and, of course, the
Kootenay River south into the state
i
lex Shopa, Manager Trainer and Chief Chris Luke, who is also the
aie ies
_
General Manager of the Lower Kootenay Band Agriculture Corporation.
of Idaho, and north into the
Kootenay Lakes.
Similar to the other Indian commu-
nities, the population which was once
greater, was decimated during the
influenza epidemic of 1918, but once
again is in a definite upswing to the
present population of 85.
The early Catholic Missionaries
had a lot of influence on the Native
People and they had no desire «to
travel on the river bottom flats to visit
the people along the river, so they
built a church near the Great
Northern Railway and what is now
_ Highway 21. Other homes were built
near the church: thus began the
present St. Peter’s Mission. Today, a
major part of the population reside
there, 3 miles south of the town of
Creston, and 4 miles north of the
Canada-U.S. Border on Highway 21.
At one time the bottom flats below
the community and adjacent to
realizes any gains. But due to the
earnestness and determination of the
People, success is inevitable. One of
the reasons why success is anticipated
is by the sincerity of the employees
and the management and by the
mediation of the Agriculture Commi-
tee.
The success of this project will
emphasize the struggle of a band and
especially one person, Chief Chris
Luke, who had to hurdle obstacles
created by bureaucratic red-tape and
a period of eight long years before the
project was recognized as a positive
investment by government agencies
and was finally deemed feasible.
Since the project got the green light
late last fall, it has created employ-
highway 21 was a huge marsh which "= ~
boasted a large population of musk-
rats which were trapped and sold by
band members to supplement what- ,
ever income was available at that |
time. Beaver was also in great number
on the Goat River and the Kootenay.
Today, a prime example of how a
people have to adapt to changing
times in order to survive is demon-
strated by reclaiming the above |
mentioned marsh and developing it ~~ 4
into agricultural land.
Without a doubt, this has been the *
largest project undertaking by the —
Lower Kootenay Band, where the
whole community is involved. Like
any other business undertakings, The
Kutenai Agricultural Corp. expects a
loss in its infant stages before it
Wayne Louie, Manager Trainer, Alex Shopa, and Sam Francis, ironing out
a small problem.
Leona Basil and Arlene
applying their techniques to the
fencing part of the project.
Basil,
ment for the majority of the band
members. Last winter when the
weather did not permit work on the
flats, fence posts were prepared for
an expected seven-mile fencing pro-
ject. Tractors were purchased in
preparation for breaking the ground
after it dried up as a result of a
draining system established earlier.
An office building to accomodate the
clerical staff was constructed. Hay-
sheds were erected in the fields.
Machine sheds, and workshops are
also under construction.
The hay sheds will be used for hay
that had no protection in the past.
UBCIC NEWS 21
f 1
| oo ae % .
Boe ge es ASE
| pts
~
fetedce a :
Bobby Jacobs.
|
Daycare children along with ‘supervisor, Pharness, and an older boy
The immediate concern of the band
is to turn as much ground as possible
this year. Only a small acreage will be
seeded and this lot has been relatively
dry in the past.
History was also made when Arlene
Basil took advantage of one of the
policies where it states that all Band
members would be given equal
opportunities on the project and was
the first person of the fairer gender to —
be hired by the band other than in
administration position. She has since
been joined by Leona Basil and Mary
Basil. So far any doubts, if any, of
their capabilities to perform their
duties have been erased.
* The Lower Kootenay Band is
aware of the need for Indian Govern-
ment and have taken the initiative to
establish certain committees that are
essential to a community in order to
function in an efficient manner.
First of all law and order must be
maintained so the band proceeded to
elect from its band members a Justice
Committee. After its formation, the
Committee made its existence known
to the local detachment of the
R.C.M.P. A working relationship
was established between the
R.C.M.P. and the Justice Commit-
tee. All domestic differences are to be
handled by the J.C. and the more
serious infractions of the law are to be
taken by the R.C.M.P. At this time,
UBCIC NEWS 22
being a new venture, the Band is
anxiously waiting for more programs
to be established in order to define the
status of the Committee and the
extent of its jurisdiction.
The Education Committee is made
up of Band members who have taken
interest in the education of Native
Children from the Daycare, Kinder-
garten, grades one to twelve, post-
secondary and adult education.
Other committees are the Health
and Welfare Committee. In this
committee include the Community
Health Representative, whose duties
range from taking water samples to
ensuring that medical cards are up to
date.
The Lower Kootenay Daycare Cen-
tre, under the watchful eyes of Irene
Bennelie and Gary Pharness, sees
many young, happy and sometimes
uncertain faces pass through its
doors. The Daycare is probably the
first experience the youngsters have in
facing what the world has to offer.
The Daycare has a wide range of
books in the library. Evén if a child
cannot read, the books have a lot of
pictures to hold a child’s interest and
train the youngster to take a liking to
books which will be so important to
them in their lives. The saying goes,
‘Daycare today, the world tomor-
row.’’ It is here the child prepares for
high
the
Kindergarten, grade school,
school, post-secondary and
child’s chosen profession.
-The present location of the Daycare
is being renovated to accomodate a
group home. This necessitates the
establishing of another Daycare at a
different location.
*‘All work and no play makes
everyone gray.’’ Sports has a high
preference in the community and
hockey has a number one spot among
participants and spectators. ;
The L.K.B. Eagles Hockey Club
has taken part in several tournaments
since its inception three years ago.
The most recent being this past winter
in Kaslo, B.C., Oliver, B.C. and
Windermere, B.C. The standing of
the club is not the most impressive,
but the spirit is forever present.
Softball has its session during the
summer months. It is the hope of the
Lower Kootenay Band to expand its
Annual Sports Day by inviting more
teams to the tournament.
The younger fellows have been
taking interest in baseball. The main
purpose, of course, is to teach sports-
manship and to learn to play as a
team.
Indian craft is much alive in the
community where some of the ladies
do beadwork. .
Isaac Basil, Agatha Jacobs and
their mother, Charlotte Basil are the
only persons left that know the art of
building the famous Kootenay Canoe
that was mentioned earlier.
Typical of other bands throughout
B.C., the Lower Kootenay Band is
still fighting for cut-off lands. They
also support the concepts of Aborigi-
nal Rights that all B.C. Indians have ,
Northern Chapa people told our fi lm crew about the instant town that sprang up around
the Colstrip Mine near their Reservation.
As part of our public education
efforts, the Hat Creek Committee
and UBCIC are making a film which
documents the concerns that people
have about the project. It also
involves people who have already
been affected by coal mining in other
places. The filming took our camera-
man and fieldworker to Colstrip,
Montana where there is a 700
megawatt coal fired power plant, and
a proposal for adding another 1,400
megawatt plant.
COLSTRIP MINE DISRUPTED
WAY OF LIFE
Some fifteen miles south of the
Colstrip mine is the Northern Chey-
enne Indian Reservation. We visited
the Northern Cheyenne and_inter-
viewed some people who told us that
they had had no consultation with the
Montana Power Company until the
project was already underway, Then,
almost overnight, some 2,000 people
wih construction expertise and other
technical skills moved into the area,
and a new instant town was created.
Along with this came overcrowding in
schools and homes, and of course
with that, the inevitable high alcohol
and drug abuse. These factors
together led to an increase in family
problems and crime.
The Indian people could see from
the beginning the kinds of problems
they would have, such as disruption
of their culture and their way of life,
and destruction of their hunting and
their environment. The ranchers in
the area also opposed the project
because of the effect it would have on
the environment and on their ranch-
ing livelihood. But despite Indian and
white opposition to the plant in
Colstrip, it went ahead anyways be-
cause the plans were already made
and the construction already under-
way. There were millions of dollars
already invested in the project and the
Government already had approved
the mining.
- NOSCIENTIST CAN DENY
HARMFUL EFFECTS
The impacts of coal fired power
plants have been studied extensively
and no scientist can honestly say that
sulphur dioxide (SOQ2) and nitrogen
dioxide (NO2) do not affect the
health, the environment and the wild-
life in the surrounding area. The end
result of this pollution is a slow death.
The people we interviewed all feel
that the Hat Creek Project must be
stopped, for the reasons I have
already mentioned. B.C. Hydro’s
proposed power plant in the Hat
Creek area will affect us in the same
way as the Colstrip plant, except that
the Hat Creek plant will be even
bigger.
WHY HAT CREEK?
The energy companies say, ‘*You
already have pulpmills, copper mines,
etc., why all of a sudden are you
saying no to the Hat Creek project?’’
Well, let’s ask ourselves these ques-
tions: ‘‘1. Why Hat Creek?; 2. Is the
power needed?; 3. Who needs the
power?; Even Hydro’s own reports
say that the Hat Creek coal is of low
quality. Our position is that it should
be left in the ground.
But does that then mean that there
has to be another river dammed or a
nuclear plant built? Does it mean we
must kill the salmon in one more river
or maybe have a nuclear plant some
day destroy the world?
There is no dollar value that we
could put on what our losses will be
from these kinds of ‘‘developments’’.
We, and the future generations who
are yet to be born, stand only to lose
if these projects are allowed to go
ahead. °
UBCIC NEWS 23
CHIEFS COUNCIL
MAY 7, 8 and 9th, 1979.
Chiefs Council met over the three
days of May 7-9th. This was the first
meeting since the start of the new
fiscal year, and many of the new
programs had just started. The tone
of the meeting was of much more dis-
cussion between the leaders and the
portfolio staff, a blending of political
and administrative skills.
REGIONAL ASSEMBLIES:
* The Bella Coola Band has re-
quested that they host the Coastal
Regional Assembly in their commu-
nity, from May 23-25th.
e The Kootenays will be hosting the
Central Interior Regional Assembly
from June 18-20 at Edwards Lake,
near Grassmere.
workshop last year.
OKANAGAN TRIBAL COUNCIL
HONOURS JACOB KRUGER
_by Rosalind Leon
Jake Kruger explains his theory of Indian Government, at a
presented Jacob Kruger with a
deerskin drum.in recognition of
his many years of dedicated work
for the Tribal Council and for all
Indian people. Jacob not only
fostered the idea of Indian
Government but he actively
practices what he believes in, The
lengthy court trials of Kruger vs.
the Queen to bring about a ruling
on Aboriginal hunting rights was
one of his stands on his Indian
rights.
‘*By golly, if you believe you
have a right to hunt or fish,
then you do it—you don’t
just sit around and talk about
ae
For three years he sat on the
The Okanagan Tribal Council
Chiefs Council and before that,
he travelled to many meetings
over the country, paying his
expenses out of his own pocket;
forever questioning and pushing
the idea of controlling our own
destinies. A remarkable man, he
is understood by too few, for it is
a difficult thing to understand in
the Indian way and they to try
and communicate that in a
language foreign to your
thoughts.
Jacob’s recent bad _ health
restricts his travelling now. When
the drum was presented to him,
he was given a standing ovation
and everyone there went to Jacob
and his wife Annie to express .
their deep respect.
UBCIC NEWS 24
* The South West Regional Assembly
will be hosted by the Mowachaht
Band at Yuquot, July 16-18.
© And the final regional assembly will
be held at Ft. St. John, August
6-8th.
The eleventh Annual Assembly of
the UBCIC will be held in Vancouver
in October, 1979.
FISHING PORTFOLIO:
Funding has been blocked for the
planned Fish Guardian Patrol but
Bands and individuals have been con-
tributing to the ‘‘Save the Salmon
War Chest”’ in order to continue our
fight to retain our aboriginal right to
fish.
ENERGY AND RESOURUES:
The first Uranium Hearings are
scheduled to begin in Kelowna on
June 5th. Total funding for the B.C. .
Enquiry was $75,000 and the Chiefs
Council had some doubts about
whether the Hearings would allow.a
full and meaningful inquiry into the
hazards of uranium mining to the
neighbouring communities.
WESTERN INDIAN AGRICUL-
TURAL CORPORATION:
Gordon Antoine reported on work-
shops held in Merritt, Spallumacheen,
Vernon and Cranbrook on manage-
ment and accounting. Seven work-
shops had been held in Mt. Currie
exploring possibilities of raising
chickens, bees, and beef growing
fruit and vegetables. A _ similar
one-day workshop was held at
Hagilgwet and Stone Creek. A work-
shop on financial management and
special ARDA loan procedures is
planned at Ft. St. John Friendship
Centre, 7th and 8th June.
The WIAC budget had been ap-
proved at more than half a million
dollars and the corporation was ready
to hire 3 agrologists, 8 farm technical
workers, 4 fieldworkers, one 4-H
worker and a secretary.
Chiefs Council agreed to consider
replacements for the three WIAC
Board members who were not able to
*
attend the Board meetings.
FARM ACCOUNT BOOK:
Many farms and businesses get into
trouble because they don’t keep a
good set of records. WIAC has put
out an account book to make this
process understandable and easy to
keep up.
B.C. RESOURCE INVESTMENT
CORPORATION SHARES:
accepting that that gift is theirs to give
in the first place. The Chiefs argued
that most of the resources have not
been given away by the Indian people
and the Provincial Government is not
in a position to give them to anyone.
The argument for buying shares
_and applying for free shares is the
amount of dollars this could repre-
sent.
A late Chiefs Council session. Left to right: Victor Adolph, Alice Baker
[secretary], George Manuel, Gerry Ettienne, Tom Sampson, Saul Terry,
Bill Roberts, John L. George, David Paul, Archie Pootelass, Bobby
Manuel, Rosalind Leon.
Bands have been asking about the
Bands have been asking about the
UBCIC position on this. Arnold
Adolph presented the alternative
positions. Many Bands could see a
possible Conflict of Interest if the
UBCIC actively promoted applying
for free shares. The B.C.R.1.C. man-
date is to operate most profitably and
the most ‘‘profitable’’ operations are
often contrary to the proper conser-
vation and management of B.C.
lands. For example B.C.R.I.C. owns
10 per cent of West Coast Trans-
mission who owns 50 per cent of the
Alaska Highway Pipeline in northeast
B.C. and owns license to explore 2.3
million acres in the northeast for oil
and gas. The Indian people in the
northeast do not approve Westcoast
management of lands and Westcoast
has not proved sympathetic to Indian
interests in the area. The fact that
Indian people would become share-
holders of such companies would be
difficult to defend! The main argu-
ment, however, was that by buying
shares or getting shares in what is
already ours by aboriginal right might
compromise our Land Claims posi-
tion. When you accept something as a
gift from someone else, you are
It was decided that this issue should
be left to the individual decisions of
Bands and Band members.
HEALTH AND SOCIAL DEVEL- |
OPMENT:
Julie Newman reported on plans for
the Provincial Health Forum, May
28-30th and that a Health Bulletin
would be sent to all Bands to report
on the Forum.
TAXATION:
The Legal Task Force reported that
the National Indian Brotherhood
taxation case had been decided
against them, and that Indian people
who work for Indian organizations
off-reserve are liable for income tax.
The Court ruled that Section 87 of the
Indian Act and the related Section 90
did not apply to activities off-reserve.
Another Court has been deliberating,
in a different case, whether Section 87
applies to Income Tax at all. As there
are a number of cases presently
before the courts on income tax and
Section 87 of the Indian Act, the Task
Force will watch how these go before
recommending further action on
behalf of the UBCIC.
INDIAN GOVERNMENT:
Bobby Manuel expressed concern that
not enough discussion had taken
place at Band level on the UBCIC
Aboriginal Right Position paper. The
Chiefs discussed the problems of
‘diversions’ from building up the
framework of Indian Government in
the communities. The Portfolio has
to spend a lot of time putting out
““brushfires”’ like the original Local
Services Agreement, and Revisions to
the Indian Act. It was agreed that the
Administration deal with these
““brushfires’’.
Bobby Manuel reported on the
Indian Government conference in
Montreal last month, sponsored by
the National Indian Brotherhood. A
visit to Ganienkeh in New York State
gave an exciting understanding of
what the exercising of sovereignty was
about. The community is responsible
for their own laws, education, health,
livelihood, for everything from the
delivery of their babies to the care of
their dead.
Indian Government is not just a
word nor an administrative frame-
work: here it was a gut feeling that the
people had the power to choose their
own way. Indian Government was
seen as the vehicle to exercise the
authority that we have chosen to
exercise on our land. The Chiefs
discussed the options: total sovereign-
ty, the third government, an Indian
Provincial Government, remain as we
are, or a Municipal Government.
There was much discussion about
the building up of a feeling of power
among our people to make such
decisions, about building up this
power through the strength of our
Indian history, experience, art, lan-
guage, songs, dancing, design, disci-
pline, responsibility, togetherness,
nationalism and Indian uniqueness.
Films were shown on these themes.
The UBCIC will be purchasing these
films to make available at all
assemblies, meetings and to Bands.
FINANCIAL REPORT:
The Administrator, Rosalee Tizya,
was very happy to inform Chiefs
Council that the UBCIC is in good
shape financially, that the December
cut-backs had worked their intended
purpose and that the Union had a
year-end statement that was only very
slightly in the red! Hooray! °
UBCIC NEWS 25
=
~ EDUCATION |
A SPECIAL MAGAZINE. ON >
INDIAN EDUCATION
Many Council members and Edu-
cation staff who have been attending
committee meetings with the Educa-
tion Portfolio have been helping to
plan a Special Indian Education
magazine. Articles written by Band
members on your feelings, ideas and
plans would be very valuable. We are
planning for a history section in the
magazine and also a section ‘on what
some Bands have done with the
control that they have gotten over the
education of their members.
ae io
edition on
“e
Indian Education: Bands are invited to share ideas.
We would also like to hear what our children have to say about education.
* The MTA was signed in 1968
between the Federal Indian Af-
fairs Department and the Provin-
cial Ministry of Education to
allow Indian people to attend the
provincial schools.
Despite the irrelevancy of the
Provincial education curricula to
Indian educational needs, ten
percent of the Indian student
population have met the require-
ments of the provincial standards
in recent years. The alarming
statistic is that ninety percent are
struggling to get training that
would allow them to qualify for
gainful employment. ;
How can this glaring inade-
quacy be corrected? First of all, it
takes money to bring about
change in education. There is
more than enough money pro-
vided by the Federal government
for Indian Education. However,
the major part of the Indian Edu-
cation budget goes to honour the
financial requirements of the
MTA. Indian people have not
signed the agreement and the
provincial government is not
prepared to discuss any changes
to this agreement.
In all the other provinces of
THE MASTER TUITION AGREEMENT
Vice-President responsible for Education
by Philip Paul
Canada the Indian people are
either a party to the provincial
agreement or are able to sign
agreements with their respective
local school boards. In B.C. we
must at the very least have this
same opportunity to get better
results for our young people.
It is with this in mind that we
have appointed a_ three-person
Negotiating Committee to negoti-
ate with the Department of
Indian Affairs: .
The team is made up of Bob
Sterling, Jeannette Bonneau, and
Shirley Leon. The Chairperson of
the Negotiating Team is Bob
Sterling. Their task will be to
negotiate firstly the inclusion of
an opting out clause to the MTA
and to bring in line the areas that
conflict with Indian Control of
Indian Education.
We have great confidence in
the qualifications and demon-
strated ability of this team. of
education specialists and we seek
the support and advice of those
education specialists at the com-
munity level as we take positive
action to improve the educational
services provided through the
MTA.
UBCIC NEWS 26
BAND TRAINING
We held a provincial Band Training
Workshop just before the November
Special General Assembly here in
Vancouver. The Workshop was a
huge success for those people who
participated. Many new Chiefs got a
good start in their leadership roles,
and Chiefs who have been in office
for a while appreciated the infor-
mation exchange.
The Special Assembly adopted a
resolution stating that the DIA Band
Training has been ineffective and in-
consistent with Indian direction for
self-determination and therefore the
Union of Chiefs was given a mandate
to develop a comprehensive approach
to Band Training consistent with
Indian Government. A comprehen-
‘sive proposal must be sent to Bands
for discussion and approval at the
next General Assembly.
We are happy to report that Chief
Council met on May 8, 1979 and
adopted a Band Training Discussion
Paper which has now been mailed to
bands and Education Committees.
In order to make sure that Band
priorities are met for training of Band
Members, Chiefs Council passed a
resolution that DIA commit $200,000
this year to Band and_ District
Councils to conduct workshops on
Band Training Needs. These funds
should be applied for directly from
Band/ District Councils to the region-
RADIO FROM AN INDIAN
PERSPECTIVE
This summer, our Communications Portfolio will have
a staff of thirteen, working in print, radio and photo-
journalism. Our newest communications program, and
the only one of its kind in British Columbia, is a
twenty-week training program in Radio Communica-
tions. Four trainees are involved: Della Wilson from
Gitamaax, Mel Seymour and Ken Matthew from the
Kamloops area, and Joyce Bourrassa, living in
Vancouver though originally from The Pas in Manitoba.
Val Dudoward and Beth Cuthand are co-ordinating the
program. The four trainees were very carefully chosen for
their enthusiasm, interest and dedication to radio and
Indian issues. Although we are only two weeks into the
training period, the trainees’ progress has been very fast.
As a result, we are able to learn the skills at a much faster
rate than we initially thought we’d be capable of.
Indians—by people who are not Indian and who do not
have an Indian perspective. It’s important to have our
people in news, public affairs, sports and all other aspects
of the mass media. Our radio training program is a first
step in this long-term process.
This training program will continue until the end of
September. Until August 3rd the four trainees will be
working out of the Union office in Vancouver, learning all
aspects of the radio medium, from interviewing to news-
writing, from newsreading and announcing to tape
editing and technical skills needed to operate studio
equipment. Then, from August 6th until September 28th,
the trainees will work at various radio stations through-
out the province under a practicum, similar to that taken
by teachers to put their skills learned during their training
period to work in a real-life situation.
Joyce, Della, Mel, and Ken are taking a different kind of training, designed according to our needs.
Why are we training and encouraging Indian people in
the radio communications field? For the same reason that
we’re training and encouraging our membership to
become involved in print, especially through this monthly
newsmagazine; and for the same reason that we’re
responding to band requests for workshops which involve
learning to use the local non-Indian press to the bands’
advantage.
GETTING OUR POINT ACROSS IN THE MEDIA.
The reason is power. Through the various news media,
our issues, our work and our feelings are currently
communicated to the general public—Indians and non-
There are several resource people from C.B.C. Radio,
Vancouver Co-op Radio (CFRO-FM), commercial radio
stations and the British Columbia Institute of Technology
who are sharing their knowledge with us in this training
program on a volunteer basis. However, the training
program is designed by Indians to teach Indians and
approaches radio from an Indian perspective; and this is
how the training differs from that taught by non-Indian
communication schools.
Currently, there are no more than four Indian people
involved in radio communications in B.C. This training
program will ensure that there will be four more at the
end of September. And next year we hope to add at least
four more....
UBCIC NEWS 27
RESOURCE CENTRE
One of the main functions of the Resource Centre is to
provide up-to-date information to the Indian bands and
people of B.C., the UBCIC executive committee and
staff. To fullfil this role the Resource Centre monitors the
news resulting from various government standing
committees, debates of the House of Commons, and
debates of the Legislative Assembly in Victoria.
However, these sources only contain news of
immediate government concerns and often do not contain
news items of general interest. For this reason the
Resource Centre has developed a news clipping file.
Before December 1977 we had subscribed to a news
clipping service which supposedly clipped all news items
on Indians or of Indian interest. When we re-organized
the Resource Centre we found this news clipping service
to be giving inadequate coverage of news.
As a result we started the UBCIC News clipping file.
At first only the Vancouver Sun and the Province were
clipped. Later the Toronto Globe and Mail was included.
In May 1978, Reg Percival joined the Resource Centre
staff, and began doing the news clippings. When the
Vancouver Sun and Province went on strike we began to
clip the Vancouver Express and the Victoria Daily
Colonist.
Tluwalahu costume
UBCIC NEWS 28
nen ‘cloud
pPURD 30 BAKEIY
photo: National Archives of Canada
Fort George Reserve [undated]
Aen eae cca
eerie ati
In February of this yer we also subscribed to the
Prince Rupert -Daily News. Recently we have been
informed that the Victoria Daily Colonist would no
longer be available in Vancouver. As a result we will be
subscribing to another daily newspaper.
Each morning Reg thoroughly checks through the new-
papers for items about Indians, and of interest to Indian
people. These he clips and photocopies. Copies are distri-
buted to all portfolios in the office. Each Monday copies
of the previous week’s news clippings are sent to the
UBCIC vice-presidents.
Original news clippings are kept at the Resource Centre
with a photocopy stored in the News clipping Files. In the
files they are arranged according to subject, i.e. land
claims, education, fishing, criminal justice, individual
Bands and so on, and are available to researchers using
the Resource Centre.
Resource Centre Up-date
The Resource Centre now has a new staff member.
Bess Brown from Bella Bella, B.C. is now employed as
the Library Assistant.
The Original People’s Library Association will be
holding tours of those libraries in Ottawa which hold
important materials on Indian people. The tours and
OPLA’s meetings will be from June 14-20, 1979. The
Canadian Library Association is also holding its
annual conference in Ottawa at the same time.
OPLA’s tours will probably be of great interest to
Indian librarians or beginning researchers. If you are
interested in the tours and meetings please contact
Gene Joseph at the UBCIC office.
“Help my friend, please...’ is a poem written by
Darlene Tallio of Bella Coola. She sent it to her cousin
Penny Billy who is our receptionist at the Union office. In
her letter to Penny she wrote: ®
Dear Penny:
It seems that Alcohol plays main roles in people’s social
lives. Everywhere I go, alcohol is a main factor. Sometimes
it gets depressing; watching your own people waste their
lives to alcohol. One day I was really feeling sorry for my
people, then I thought of what life must be like for one with
problems related to alcohol, living in the city. Noting that
your office is located in the direct downtown section of
Vancouver, I thought of those people. I know you will
probably feel the same as I do. I hope that you enjoy reading
the poem.
The white man’s promises, we once knew
Were all lies, they weren’t true,
His faith is gone with his pride,
No longer does he show his talents, he does hide.
He tries and tries to survive
But he faces nothing but toil and strife
The promises of success are gone oe
Gone from his heart, is his song
His heart is heavy, his sight is failing,
Why? Why? Why? Cries from the streets, wailing
In desperation, he slowly turns
““Help My Friend, Please. . .’’
See him wasted on the sidewalk
Waiting for the sun to come up
His back bent from his heavy load
Trying to search for the right road.
He left his home with no intent
The streets to roam,‘when his money spent
The white man’s ways, he did accept
He lost his land and all his crops
To alcohol, his body burns Sis
He drinks himself in a drunken stupor ga
For he sees no promises for his future *
So if you see my friend
Don’t be afraid to lend
A helping hand is what he needs
He knows nothing but white man’s greeds
He needs to know we care
And our Love, to him, we share
We must join hands, in all we do
And work in Unison, with Nature too,
The sun is now setting, another day is gone
We must create in our hearts. . .
a new song.
UBCIL NEWS 29
LETTERS TO
THE EDITOR
Editor,
Over the past three years we have been involved in
aquaculture and related industries. We have recently
completed our technical report on aquaculture and the
raising of Coho salmon.
The technical report is entitled, ‘“The 1976-1977 Crop
of Coho (ONCORHYNCHUS kisutch) Salmon Incu-
bated, Hatched, and Raised For Marketing Purposes For .
The Nimpkish Indian Mariculture Project, Alert Bay,
British Columbia.
At this time we are wondering if other Indian Bands are
interested in reading this literature. If they are, it is
available and will be sent to them upon request.
If there is any further information that you may
require, please feel free to drop us a line and we will
answer you promptly.
Thank you for your kind attention to this matter.
Sincerely yours,
Ms. Verna Ambers
Nimpkish Indian
Mariculture Project,
P.O. Box 210,
Alert Bay, B.C.
Dee
TEL EK
Editor
Linda Daniels, Squamish News Editor, has a
wonderful idea—to exchange newsletter/newspapers with
other B.C. (Indian Land) Bands or Indian organizations.
The total cost to Bands would be the 17 cent stamp and
the effort it takes to moisten it. If there are Indian Land
Bands or organizations interested in this ‘exchange
program’ with Tl’azt’en News, Stuart Trembleur’s news-
letter, the address is:
Tl’azt’en News
Box 670, Fort St. James, B.C.
VoJ 1P0
If only a few Bands agree with Linda’s idea, we’ll be
that much closer, for we are one in this struggle.
Cyril Prince
Tl’azt’en’ News
UBCIC NEWS #0
SATURDAY JULY 28 SUNDAY JULY 29 |
INTERTRIBAL
POW WOW
MISSION CITY
BRITISH COLUMBIA
EVERYONE WELCOME!
BONE GAMES TOURNAMENT
CRAFTS
SALMON BARBEQUE
THE UBCIC NEWS WANTS TO
KNOW ABOUT YOU AND YOUR
COMMUNITY. DO YOU HAVE A
STORY TO TELL? A JOKE, A
POEM, PICTURES TO SHARE?
THE UBCIC NEWS IS ALWAYS
OPEN TO YOUR SUGGESTIONS,
OPINIONS, NEWS AND PHOTOS.
THIS MONTH —
JOHN TEEGEE wrote to us from
TAKLA LANDING about learning
the ways of our grandfathers. He
describes the yearly cycle of the
hunter in northern B.C.
ROSALIND LEON of the Okana-
gan Tribal Council pays tribute to
Jake Kruger for his work for the
' Tribal Council and all Indian
people.
DARLENE TALLIO from Bella
Coola Band let us publish her poem
‘*Please help my Friend...”’
FROM THE UBCIC NEWS: Thank
you to Rosalind, John and Darlene.
They will be receiving a _ free
one-year subscription to the UBCIC
NEWS as a token of our appre-
ciation.
ADMINISTRATOR FOR NESKAINLITH
INDIAN BAND
Qualifications:
Experience working with persons of Indian origin;
Personnel Management abilities;
Knowledge of Provincial and Federal Departments
and Programs;
Should have post-secondary education but person with
| less education will be considered;
Knowledge of Financial Management and accounting
procedures.
Duties:
Responsible for day to day operation of the office
and responsible for control and supervision of staff and
implements all policy as set by the Chief and Council.
Will be expected to develop, initiate and supervise
various projects and programs in the area’s Education,
Social Development, Agriculture, Construction, Tour-
ism, and Recreation.
Salary: Negotiable
Job will commence June 1, 1979.
Applications may be sent to:
Neskainlith Indian Band
Box 608,
Chase, B.C. VOE 1MO0O
Please include a resume.
CHILD CARE WORKER
USTLA-ALTERNATE SCHOOL, NORTH VANCOUVER, B.C.
HELP WANTED
EXPERIENCED PERSON TO ASSIST IN SETTING
UP A DAYCARE/NURSERY/KINDERGARTEN
PROGRAM ON RESERVE
Starting date: July 2, 1979
Deadline for Applications: June 15, 1979
20 Children
$5.00 per hour based on 35 hours a week for 8 weeks.
Duties:
1. To establish a year round program for young people
(ages 1-5 years old)
2. Develop a Training program for Daycare Supervisors
3. Will be assisted by 4 Summer students
Program development will include:
a) Equipment and supplies required.
b) Plan and the use of resources within the community,
i.e. Elder persons and others with special skills in the
community.
c) Emphasis will be on developing an Indian Cultural
Program
d) Knowledge of the culture of the Central Interior
Indian people is essential
Please submit resume to:
Brian Mathew
Box 608, Chase, B.C.
Neskainlith Band Office
Phone 604-679-3295
Ustla-Hahn is an alternate School which seeks to prepare students to return
to regular secondary school. It is a co-operative venture of the Squamish
Indian Band and the North Vancouver School District, and is located at 345
West 5th Street, North Vancouver. The child care worker is employed by
the Squamish Indian Band.
One position is available, beginning in September and involves
* assisting teachers with classroom activities and working with students
both individually and in groups;
arranging opportunities for community members to assist with and par-
ticipate in the school program, and actively encouraging them to do so;
other related duties.
Qualifications: university graduation in Education, Social Work or other
appropriate field, or completion of a Child Care Worker Diploma course or
other equivalent training; experience in a similar or related position.
Salary: $1,000-$1,200 per month
Interested persons should request a detailed statement of the duties involved
and qualifications required before submitting an application.
Please direct all enquiries to:
Linda George, Social Development Program,
Squamish Indian Band,
P.O. Box 86131, North Vancouver, B.C. V7L 4J5
Telephone: 985-7711 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Closing date for applications: June 12, 1979.
NATIVE INDIAN TUTOR
SCHOOL DISTRICT #70
[ALBERNI]
Applications will be received for
the position of a Native Indian
Tutor (Secondary Level) for the
school year 1979-80. Applicants
must have valid B.C. Teaching
Certification. Preference will be
given to experienced Native In-
dian teachers.
Please direct en-
quiries and resumes to Mr. F.A.
Bradley, Co-ordinator of Special
Education, School District #70
(Alberni), 4690 Roger Street,
Port Alberni, B.C. V9Y 324. Tel.
723-3565.
UBCIC NEWS 31
THE KOOTENAY AREA INDIAN COUNCIL
INVITES YOU TO ATTEND
CENTRAL INTERIOR TRIBAL COUNCIL
REGIONAL CONFERENCE
AT EDWARDS LAKE ON THE
TOBACCO PLAINS INDIAN RESERVE
JUNE 18, 19, 20, 1979
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Part of UBCIC News - volume 2, number 2 (May, 1979)