Periodical
Indian World - volume 3, number 6 (September 1980)
Mirador viewer
1 of 0
- Title
- Indian World - volume 3, number 6 (September 1980)
- Is Part Of
- 1.06-01.04 Indian World
- 1.06.-01 Newsletters and bulletins sub-series
- Date
- September 1980
- volume
- 3
- issue
- 6
- Language
- english
- Identifier
- 1.06-01.04-02.09
- pages
- 36
- Table Of Contents
-
Traditional Wedding...........................2
Interview W. Christian..........................4
Child Caravan.................................4
Cultural Awareness.............................7
Mt. Currie Curriculum/Cultural Centre............8
President's Message............................9
In the News...................................10
Lake Babine Indian Days.......................11
Khowutzun Youth Project......................13
Haisla Revives Traditional Ways.................14
Pow-wow Dancer.............................15
Up-Dates....................................16
Oweekeno Profile.............................18
Squamish Band By-law.........................20
Lillooet Fight.................................21
Penticton Band Farm.......................... 22
Our World...................................23
Support Homes...............................25
Chehalis.....................................26
Resource....................................28
Rodeo.......................................29
Ads..........................................30
Poem: Understand, Old One....................31
Health......................................32
Letter to the Editor............................33
Editorial.....................................34
General Assembly.............................35 - Contributor
- s Faye Edgar
- Darrell Ned
- Pauline Douglas
- Mary Schendlinger
- Ts'zil Board
-
Sadie Worn-
Staff - Frank Rivers
- Denise Birdstone
- Les Casimir
- Mary Green
- Lorna Bob
- Marshal Goulet
-
Karen
Walkus - Millie Poplar
- Phil Thompson
- Leslie Pinder
- Loretta Todd
- Herman Thomas
- Val Dudoward
- Jimmie Quaw
- Ernest Lezard
- Vic Hulley
-
Frank
Smith - Ed Leon
- Reg Percival
- Simon Danes
-
Violet
Birdstone - Irene Bryson
- Carmen Maracle
-
Pee-Wee
Gottfriedson - Type
- periodical
- Transcription (Hover to view)
-
INDIAN WORLD
"THE CHOICE IS OURS"
UBCIC N E W S
SEPTEMBER 1980
$1.00
THE CELEBRATION
As the wind chased the clouds from the sky, the sun
smiled through the clearing to warm the land. It would be
a fine Saturday for a man and woman to marry the
Indian way.
Long ago there was a custom we had. When a man and
woman decided to live together a marriage ceremony was
performed. Their teepee was placed away from camp, but
before they entered and lived there, the brave went to the
mountain to purify his thoughts and to understand his
responsibility to provide and protect. The young woman
spent time in the forest watching mother nature and her
ways.
Then the couple had a long talk with an old man and an
old woman who told them to always be friends and to
respect and take care of each other, just as they would the
waters, the birds of the sky and the berries they pick in
the summer. Gifts were exchanged and they entered their
new home as man and wife. It was and remains a
beautiful, spiritually powerful custom.
Family and guests arrived, bringing their bright colors,
feathers, red blankets and dancing shawls, beaded
mocassins, black braids and their wonderful brown eyes
that sparkled with laughter.
It was the right moment for Dean Pelegrin and Faye
Dick to be wed and for all present to witness a
Traditional Indian Wedding.
Napoleon Kruger centered himself in the middle of the
circle and began the ceremony. Sage and sweet grass were
burnt and passed to everyone. Napoleon Kruger told
stories of Indian feelings about colors. Blue is for the
water and sky, the water never totally fills up or empties
one place and so life continues. The sky is freedom and
the Great Spirit. Green is for the new birth of spring, new
shoots in the corn field, Indian babies, ponies, and the
salmon who spawn upstream. White is for the wisdom of
the elders and the purity of truth. Red is for the sun that
warms all life and for the campfire that cooks our food.
Yellow is for the place where the sun comes up and smiles
on our day. Black is for the darkness when we can pray
that all the bad things go away.
Napoleon Kruger then put a blanket around Dean and
Faye and spoke many private words to them. He passed a
bird wing around their shoulders to bond them and give
them strength. He gave them special Indian medicine and
asked them to carry their responsibility in the union.
They smoked the pipe with Napoleaon Kruger and the
witnesses. Napoleon Kruger then declared from that
afternoon forward Dean and Faye would be known as
Man and Wife.
They lead the dance and everyone joined following
their footsteps and the rythum of the drum. The singers
dancers and drummers continued the constant beat of
life. There was time for visiting. Even a mother bear and
her cubs climbed up in a tree to see the special occasion
on T-Bird Heights.
The circle was complete, Dean and Faye were born
Indian, they wed Indian. They have chosen to live
Indian. And so the circle begins and continues for as long
as the stars give light to the night.
INDIAN
WORLD
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 6
INDIAN W O R L D is the official voice of the 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.
Table of Contents
Credit Peter Von Puttkamer
Contributors
Editors: Faye Edgar and Darrell Ned
Assistant Editor: Pauline Douglas
Photographs: UBCIC staff unless credited
Typesetting: Mary Schendlinger
Written contributions: Ts'zil Board, Sadie WornStaff, Frank Rivers, Denise Birdstone, Les Casimir,
Mary Green, Lorna Bob, Marshal Goulet, Karen
Walkus, Millie Poplar, Phil Thompson, Leslie Pinder,
Loretta Todd, Herman Thomas, Val Dudoward,
Jimmie Quaw, Ernest Lezard, Vic Hulley, Frank
Smith, Ed Leon, Reg Percival, Simon Danes, Violet
Birdstone, Irene Bryson, Carmen Maracle, Pee-Wee
Gottfriedson.
Illustrations: Carmen Maracle.
Traditional Wedding
Interview W. Christian..
Child Caravan
Cultural Awareness
Mt. Currie Curriculum/Cultural Centre
President's Message
In the News
Lake Babine Indian Days
Khowutzun Youth Project
2
.4
4
7
8
9
10
11
13
Haisla Revives Traditional Ways.
Pow-wow Dancer
Up-Dates
Oweekeno Profile
Squamish Band By-law
Lillooet Fight.
Penticton Band Farm
Our World
Support Homes
14
15
16
18
20
21
22
23
25
Chehalis
Resource
Rodeo
Ads..
Poem: Understand, Old One
Health
Letter to the Editor
Editorial
General Assembly
26
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
OUR COVER: The Indian Child Caravan is to protect our Indian children and assure them the benefit of
learning wisdom from their grandmother. Some of Mrs. Gertrude Schooner's 38 grandchildren, 90 great
grandchildren, 65 great, great grandchildren proudly celebrated their grandmother's 96th birthday on May 28,
1979.
INDIAN W O R L D 3
INTERVIEW
Chief Wayne
ChristianLeader of the
Indian Child
Caravan
The following is excerpted from
an interview with Chief Wayne
Christian of the Spallumcheen
Band, leader of the Indian Child
Caravan. This interview was conducted by Sadie Worn-Staff of the
Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs.
Q: What is the most valuable resource
to Indian people?
A : The most valuable resource in the
communities now is the children because the children are the mainstay in
the foundation for building stronger
communities in future.
Q: What do you feel the biggest threat
to their well-being is at this point in
history?
A : You know, at this point the threat
is and always has been non-Indian
agencies taking children from families, and that agency is the Ministry of
Human Resources.
Q: What has the Spallumcheen Band
decided to do about having their children apprehended?
A : We are a very small population
about 300 Indian people and actually
100 of those people have been apprehended, and placed in non-Indian
homes.
We wanted to put a stop to this,
we're tired of the non-Indian governments telling us how we should live
and actually taking our children and
forcing them to live in another world.
What happened in this case is a
mother came to us about 8 months
ago, she was quite concerned about
her children—the Human Resources
was going to apprehend them. She
INDIAN W O R L D 4
A C A L L TO INDIAN
PEOPLE TO JOIN OR
SUPPORT OUR B.C.
PROVINCE-WIDE INDIAN
CHILD CARE-A-VAN.
Here's why and here's how.
Why are children apprehended or taken by the Government? Through neglect, abuse, orphaning or abandonment
by their parents.
What is then done with the children? They are put in child
care.
Why are children apprehended or taken by the Government? Through neglect, abuse, orphaning or abandonme
by their parents.
What is then done with the children? They are put in child
care.
INDIAN CHILD CARE
CULTURAL ASPECTS
Indian children have been and are today being taken
from their people and their culture and put mostly into
white homes through apprehension. In 1978 in B.C. alone
1,786 Indian children were apprehended and evidence
shows they weren't put in Indian homes.
What is the effect on the Indian child in this situation?
Confusion, then loss or change of identity.
The loss of this child is usually harshly felt by relatives
and surrounding tribal members.
LEGAL ASPECTS
Jurisdiction or control of Indian child care is in question. The B.C. Provincial Government has had control
through their Department of Human Resources under the
Protection of Children Act and later the Family and Child
Services Act because the Federal Government Indian Act
doesn't have an Indian Child apprehension process written
into it.
However, the Indian Act does give Indian Governments
the right to make certain By-laws. The Spallumcheen Band
wrote the first ever By-law on Indian Child Care and the
By-law was approved by the Minister of Indian Affairs in
July 1980. This gave control of child care to the Spallumcheen Band and opened the door for other Bands in
Canada to make similar By-laws. The conflict between the
Spallumcheen Band By-law and the Family and Child
Services Act will have to be settled in a court of law.
POLITICAL ASPECTS
The money given for Indian Child Care Programmes
now goes from Department of Indian Affairs directly to
the Provinces in a lump sum. The B.C. Provincial Government today receives approximately eight million dollars
a year for Indian Child Care.
INDIAN CHILD CARAVAN
Our Indian children have been stolen and must be returned. This stealing must stop. The legal aspect is in
question and the Spallumcheen By-law must be supported.
Indian Governments have no control and Indian children
get no benefit from the money given for Indian Child
Care. This situation is unbearable and the Spallumcheen
Band is calling on all Indian people to support them on the
Caravan they are planning for Thanksgiving weekend,
October 9th to 13th. The Caravan will give an opportunity
to share information and unite Indian people on the Child
Care issue. It will also show everyone else we are serious
about taking control of our children's care.
Cars will travel in a line together picking up more Indian
people as the caravan makes its way through B.C. It will
start in Prince George, advance to Williams Lake, merge
with Okanagan Indians and have a stopover at Mount
Currie. After Mount Currie, it will merge with Interior
Kootenay, Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island Indians,
and arrive in Vancouver on Sunday, October 13th. A rally
will be held in Vancouver. The Caravan will make its way
through the city.
Support the Caravan by joining and travelling with it,
helping to organize and run it, participating in the stopovers, selling raffle tickets, and getting a Band Council
Resolution from your Council to support the Caravan. Let
other Indian people know about it.
OUR CHILDREN FOR OUR
SURVIVAL IS OUR
RESPONSIBILITY.
came to me as chief, and to our
Council, and asked for our support
and our help. We decided we had to
fight this as many different ways as
possible, we had to assume the authority to re-build the families.
Q: What is the detrimental effect that
the Indian children suffer when they
are taken away from their traditional
upbringing?
A : I guess the main thing that happens is a real identity crisis. I can
really identify with that because my
brother was apprehended. It was
about 2 years ago and he came back
to the community, he was back for
about 8 months and he went through
hell, he was staying with me and he
went through a lot of emotional things
that I couldn't help him with. He had
reached the point of total helplessness
and desperation from not knowing
who he was, until eventually on
December 10th, he committed
suicide. I remember that day, it was
really snowing hard and I walked outside and he had shot himself. Suicide
is a direct result of not being in control
of your own world. Those are the
types of things that happen and that's
a very direct thing. I feel that, and it
hurts. There are other things, like
alcoholism. When our young people
come back to the communities, they
don't know their own family, they
just don't know with whom they
belong. Alcohol is the first thing they
turn to, because alcohol gives them
some sense of false security.
Q: Why do you think the province of
B.C. would want to fight over who
takes care of Indian children, when
the Indian people are saying "they
are ours", we will take care of them?
A : What it really boils down to is
money. The province right now
receives 8.5 million dollars to look
after Indian children. Out of that,
only one third of what they receive
per month goes to the foster parents.
The other two-thirds is absorbed into
their administration. They provide no
services to Indian people on reserves.
So what it really boils down to is
money.
Q: What has the Spallumcheen Band
done to draw public attention to the
INDIAN W O R L D 5
fact that the Indian people will not
stand still for the needless apprehension of their children?
A : We've instituted what we term as
Spallumcheen Indian Government
Legislation or Law. We went through
a series of meeting and the people
decided that we had to codify our
traditional way of looking after our
children in terms of a written law.
That legislation is now in place, and
the Minister of Indian Affairs has
made it valid. With that we have also
initiated a court action against the
provincial government which is slated
to take place some time in Octover.
We are not yet sure of the dates. We
are saying that the province has no
jurisdiction over Indian children in
child welfare matters. It's a
child welfare matters. It's a constitutional issue.
But the biggest and the most
important action that we are taking is
INDIAN W O R L D 6
the direct political action that is being
demonstrated in the Children's
Caravan. What we want to accomplish with the caravan is three primary goals. One is to stop the needless apprehension of our children.
Two is to have those children returned
or re-united with their families. And
the third is to promote and tell the
people that there has to be Indian
Government control of child welfare.
Q: What have the Elders said in
Council to the Spallumcheen Band
about what they are doing?
A : Every time we have had a meeting
with the people in our community, we
had an interpreter present. The Elders
were the first to speak in favour of
our actions. Many of them said it's
about time we did something. Our
Elders look after our children. We
have a woman that's 80 years old and
looks after 4 of her grandchildren,
and they are very close. We have
another woman that's about the same
age that's looking after her two
grandchildren. She was one of the
women that actually chased off the
Ministry of Human Resources worker
with a rifle. She said you're not
taking my grandchildren, get the hell
out of here, and she took the gun
after the person, and she still has her
kids.
Q: So the Indian people can and will
look after their own blood?
A : That's the reality that the nonIndians have to realize. We want to
control and maintain our own destiny. In this area especially because
like I said earlier, there is no more
vital resource in our community than
our children. The children are the
foundation. They are the people that
we have to fight for, and it's bloody
time we stopped talking about it and
did something!
NATIVE CULTURAL
AWARENESS WEEK
By Denise Birdstone
Hiking was another side activity.
The juniors packed a lunch and hiked
two miles to nearby Whitetail Lake,
where they enjoyed their meal and
swimming. The intermediate hiked 3
miles to the top of the nearest mountain. They spent the night and survived
a night of early snow. A hike 7 miles up
and down a mountain in rain was a
new experience for many seniors,
On August 24,1980 until August 30,
1980, four of the five Bands that make
up the Kootenay district (Columbia
Lake, Tobacco Plains, Lower
Kootenay, and St. Mary's) participated in their first ever Native Cultural
Awareness Week.
Elders from each Band volunteered
their time and knowledge in the areas
of Language, crafts (beading and tanning), dancing, singing, and the art of
making frybread and dried meat.
The children were broken into three
major groups: Juniors, ages 5 to 8
years; Intermediates, ages 9 to 12
years; and Seniors, ages 13 to 18 years.
Classes began at nine each morning
and lasted until either 4 or 4:30 p.m.,
depending on the level of learning. As
well as their scheduled classes, the children enjoyed various recreation activities such as canoeing, swimming,
volleyball, tetherball, or if weather
permitted, sunbathing.
A camp fire was made every night,
where the camp workers and our
seniors delighted in scaring the children with tales of ghosts and an infam- although some of them barely made it.
ous 'hermit'. Hot chocolate was Thinking a cozy cabin awaited them,
served before it was time for bed.
many were dismayed to find rats. With
Seniors were often awakened in the
the help of Bruno (a dog), they
night to comfort homesick juniors.
succeeded in chasing the rats out. At
least they spent the night dry.
A l l 55 children have gone home and
Blue Lake is a quiet and lonely place
without them. Many of them have
promised to meet me here next year.
Hopefully, we will all meet again for
another Native Cultural Awareness
Week. Special thanks go to the
primary organizers, Lillian Ignatius
and Liz Adrian.
the funds to have the camp were
from the National Native Alcohol
Abuse Program and we would
especially like to thank them for
helping us become Aware.
INDIAN W O R L D 7
The
Mount
Currie
Curriculum/
Cultural
Centre
Curriculum development and cultural education have been ongoing
processes at Mount Currie since the
local Band took control. Native
dance and native art have been
central to school programs since
1973, as has the teaching of activities
related to fishing, basketmaking
and hunting. The local Indian language has been taught to students at all
grade levels since the Ts'zil Board
began to decide policy.
In 1977, DIA officially accepted
the Ts'zil Board's position that teachers developing curriculum materials
needed extensive out-of-classroom
time to do so. DIA came through
with curriculum enrichment funds,
and thus, two trained native teachers
who could also speak and write the
local language were hired to develop
curriculum materials. They were
joined by an outsider who was
responsible for the English language
component and a linguist who was to
oversee the development of local
Indian language materials.
In 1978, the Ts'zil Board became
aware of the possibility of obtaining
funding from the Cultural Centres
Program in Ottawa. Primarily, these
INDIAN W O R L D 8
funds were sought to set up a
specific Centre in Mount Currie and
to branch out into other areas such as
community programs. The grants for
these programs are initially tied to a
per capita allotment. The only criticism that could be levelled at the
Cultural Centres Program in Ottawa
is that a great deal of paperwork is
required (quarterly reports and financial statements) for so little money.
The Mount Currie Curriculum/
Cultural Centre projects fall into
three areas. Their major interest is in
the preparation and publication of
books, booklets and teaching kits for
the local school and community.
These materials are generally in the
fields of language enhancement,
legends/stories, and native studies.
This kind of work requires much time
interviewing Elders and other community members who know the
information that is being sought. The
second area of endeavour is what has
been labelled "cultural reclamation".
This is a community-based program,
and involves regular sessions and
specific workshops in several aspects
of culture such as basketry, singing/
dancing, and netmaking. One of the
tasks during the coming year will be
the identification and reclamation of
several traditional hunting and
berrypicking trails in the immediate
region. The Cultural Centre will hire
local people to do this work, but will
follow up on this project by making
maps and information booklets of the
various trails.
The third area of work is support
servicing of the local Mount Currie
Community School and its mainlynative teaching staff. Materials are
prepared by Cultural Centre staff to
aid teachers in their work. Cultural
Centre personnel consider
the
laminating, chart-making, posterproduction,
retaping,
binding,
writing, and consulting as central to
their jobs. The Mount Currie
Community
School's
essential
function is to further the integrity of
local native persons, and it is the
Cultural Centre's duty to help the
School reach its goals.
The Cultural Centre staff has noted
two problems: inadequate working
and storage space, and inaccessibility
to research facilities. In general,
though, these problems have not hindered the Cultural Centre from
completing many projects and
moving on to new areas of need.
—PRESIDENT'S —
MESSAGE
The Federal Government of Canada has a long range
strategy for dealing with the Comprehensive Claims of
the Dene in the Northwest Territories, the Indians in the
Yukon and in British Columbia. Their plan is to
extinquish the right of our people to govern our own
lands, forests, hunting, wildlife, fishing, trapping, etc. In
plain English it means the Federal Government is
forbidding us to determine our own future by using our
Indian traditional form of livelihood and survival. Their
unconditional criteria for settling our land claims is the
extinguishment of our Aboriginal Rights ending our
hereditory link with our country in exchange for a cash
settlement.
Their plan is that any political power or authorities
transferred to Indians must be consistant with the white
European political institutions. This means that Indian
Governments must become Municipal Governments on
their Indian Reserves under the B.C. Provincial Government. The concept of "Indian Government" as a way of
confirming our Aboriginal Rights is explicitly rejected by
both the Federal and Provincial Governments.
Negotiations with Indians is to be on a practical basis
and must be initiated with those Indian tribes, groups or
associations which are willing to trade off their
Aboriginal Rights title, Indian Band Government title,
etc. for cash settlements. Existing National and
Provincial organizations that are demanding Indian
Aboriginal Rights to be entrenched into law or the
Canadian Constitution are to be avoided and ignored in
any negotiating settlements.
The Federal Government's strategy to use Indians
against Indians so it can succeed in purchasing our
Aboriginal birth-right over our lands and resources for a
cash settlement is clearly in motion among our people in
British Columbia today. Our forefathers before us
refused to surrender our Aboriginal Rights in spite of the
suffering they endured of sweat, blood, cold and hunger.
Their strength, wisdom, and determination not to
compromise and sell us out is the very reason that today
we still have Aboriginal Rights. That right belongs to our
children yet unborn. Do we have the right to sell them out
now? I say we do not have that right. That is why the
Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs has taken the position that
we must strengthen our Indian Governments so they can
legally, politically, and constitutionally control our
hunting, fishing, trapping, lands and other resources for
us and our future generations. We have seen from past
experience that Indian Aboriginal Rights, under the
political control of white governments, is of no benefit to
the Indian people. We now know from our experience
that the only people that benefit from our Aboriginal
Rights is the white people. That is why we must bring the
control of our aboriginal rights under our own Indian
Governments. So that our people can enjoy the benefits
of their Aboriginal Rights.
The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs has completed the
first phase of its mandate from its membership, when it
completed the Aboriginal Rights Position Paper. It
completed the second phase of its work when it officially
presented the Aboriginal Rights Position Paper to the
Honourable John Munro, Minister of Indian Affairs and
Northern Development, the Prime Minister, other
Cabinet Ministers and the National Indian Brotherhood
and the First Nations Conference this year in Ottawa,
Ontario. We have served notice to all the Chiefs of
Canada, the National Indian Brotherhood and the
Federal Government on where we came from as
Aborigines of this country and where we intend to go in
developing our future with this country. The third phase
of our work is the most challenging part of our
manifesto. And that is the Implementation of our
Aboriginal Rights Position Paper. The first phase of our
implementation work has begun, when Mowachaht Band
in Gold River, B . C . brought into being the first in
Canada, anti-pollution by-law and compelled the Tahsis
Company to cooperate with the Indian Government law.
The Spallumcheen Indian Government by-law No. 3, The
Care of our Indian Children, provides exclusive jurisdiction over any child custody proceeding involving an
Indian child, notwithstanding the residence of the child.
This law will bring home the responsibility of Indian
children to its rightful place. But it will not heal the
emotional pain, heartaches or restore the cutural
genocidal destruction of the number of children stolen by
the archise Protection of Children Act that has recently
been replaced by The Family and Child Service Act.
Taking away children from their parents is the cruelest
punishment, that leaves lasting painful scars, to the
Indian children, the parents, the Indian community. It
wipes out the cultural ties of the Indian child to his
traditional culture.
Yours in the true spirit of Brotherhood,
INDIAN W O R L D 9
IN THE
NEWS...
John H. Wilson
From Khowutzun Newsletter
We can look back many snows and
see what we once had and can't even
look at tomorrow and see what is
coming. We have hope and we have
our Elders, with the help of our Elders
we can learn to live not as we once did
but for a future of needed freedom:
to teach our children that they are our
future, a future that can be changed
with the help that can only come with
Unity:
We have hope, that the dreams of
tomorrow can be realized and become
reality.
We as Indians have been described
as Indians by prominent people as the
most deprived and isolated minority
in our nation by virtually every scale
of measurement.
But the story of the Indians is
something more than the record of
the white man's frequent aggression,
broken agreements, intermittent remorse, and prolonged failure, it is
also a record of endurance, of
survival, of adaptation and creativity
in the face of overwhelming
obstacles. It is a record of enormous
contributions to this country—by our
arts and culture, to its strength and
spirit to its sense of history.
The special relationship between
Indians and the Canadian Govern-
ment is the result instead of solemn
obligations which have been entered
into by the Government. Down
through the years, through written
treaties and through formal and
informal agreements, our government
has made specific commitments to the
Indian people. For their part, the
Indians have often surrendered claims
of vast tracts of land and have
accepted life on reservations in
exchange for government-provided
services such as health, education and
public safety. Services that would
presumably allow Indian communities to enjoy a standard of living
comparable to that of other Canadians. This goal was never achieved.
The right to maintain a separate
way of life is a basic treaty obligation
of the Government towards the
Indian. But the right to preserve one's
identity as people should be viewed as
a basic human right. For many
groups in Canada this Freedom can
be exercised.
Indian people have a choice of
many alternatives for coping with the
problems brought about by the
cultural clash. Some have maintained
a tenacious sense of belonging—to a
land, to a people. We remain on our
reservation, form tribal government
and work through a myriad of
government agencies to solve legal,
economic and social problems, and
find ourselves in frequent conflict.
We can clearly see the inequities, the
number of jobless, the undereducated and often cold and hungry
people. And what appears to be the
best solution involves a valued
traditional loss. Those who have
never let themselves be influenced by
society, who still practice old ways,
know their language and customs, are
slowly and faintly speaking out
against progress. Our young people
are going to Elders, begging to be
taught traditional ways and how
better to survive independent from
governmental restrictions.
It is little wonder that with our
people this inner conflict is revealed
in alcoholism and sometimes even in
an alarming suicide rate that was
never known before. Others may turn
their frustrations inward and embrace
poverty.
We must change our philosphy and
co-ordinate our activities to help our
people to preserve our dignity and
maintain our revive our culture, our
traditions, hold onto our land, and
legal rights. To allow us as Indians to
choose our own destiny.
from Skookum Jim Friendship Centre Newsletter.
A STORY ABOUT FOUR PEOPLE
This is a story about four people named everybody, somebody, anybody and nobody, There was an
important job to be done and everybody was asked to do it. Everybody was sure that somebody would do it,
anybody could have done it, but nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that, because it was everybody's
job. Everybody thought anybody could do it, but nobody realized that everybody blamed somebody when
actually nobody accused anybody.
Now there's something to think about!!!!!
INDIAN W O R L D 10
LAKE BABINE
INDIAN DAYS
By Les Casimir
Not long ago, a group of concerned
people got together in hopes of raising
funds to aid in the construction of
sadly needed recreational facilities at
Lake Babine Band.
The first couple of meetings were
small, but a lot of ideas and suggestions were explored in detail. Everyone, both the youth and the Elders,
agreed that the members of the Lake
Babine Band, especially the children,
"have gone without proper facilities
and equipment long enough." The
people involved realized that a lot of
planning and hard work was ahead.
But they stuck together.
A l l other neighbouring villages
(many are smaller) in the area have
ball parks, camp sites, playgrounds.
This Band, one of the largest in population in B.C., has no facilities. The
Elders praised the young people for
their dedication and support expressed at these recreation meetings.
One Elder put it, "Everyone in this
room, we all share the same concerns,
we all want our children to grow up
healthy and wise. We must work
together and push toward a common
goal. Ten years from now, our
children will thank you—maybe
sooner. Before departing from the
return to the next talks." It was
emphasized that we must all pull together and provide our young with
facilities and programs to train and
develop their minds and bodies.
After only a few discussions the
group was ready for a first project,
Indian Days. There were lots of discussions, plans, debates, preparations
and an outdoor pow-wow at Augier
Lake—lots of good food and fresh
air.
Along with an excellent turnout
came a sunset that nestles in the towering trees to the west. Before the fire
was put out, all final preparations
and organizing was pretty well completed for the Indian Days that were
held from August 29 to September 1.
On Friday, August 29, the opening
ceremonies were held. Speeches and
an opening prayer in our Carrier Language were said. Band manager Wilf
Adam and Chief councillor Ted
Lowley cut the ribbon to officially
open "Indian Days 1980" sponsored
by the Lake Babine Band Recreation
Committee. A host of our local dancers, both the youth and Elders performed for the growing audience.
Dancers representing several of the area Bands performed with their varying
Then our young Queen, Gail Lowley,
traditional style, helping to keep the atmosphere lively.
was crowned. The bingo later was
well attended with the New Cultural
gathering, an Elder said, "Everyone
More meetings were necessary and
Centre decorated in readiness.
here should make every effort to
more people came. The new members
were brought up to date, and were
quick to agree that our children
deserve better. The children should
not have to play hockey or ball on the
road. It's just not safe. Why should
they sleigh down road ways? The
people in government just have to understand that our children deserve the
right to be able to grow up and pursue
the sport of his or her choice. A lot of
our children and young people display
talent, potential and desire. It's up to
us as leaders to do our best to provide
them with adequate facilities and
During the opening ceremonies, Gail Lowley was crowned Queen of thefi
equipment.
Lake Babine Indian Days.
INDIAN W O R L D 11
Saturday, August 30, the sun
managed throughout the day to peek
from behind threatening clouds. The
tourney was underway promptly. The
pancake breakfast was happening
and the coffee was ready.
The parade made its way through
the winding streets and concluded at
the ball park. The groups that entered
were excellent and deserve a lot of
and then. The games continued, the
food was prepared and the smell of
salmon and other foods filled the air.
One last huge performance by the
visiting dance groups and local
dancers was on Sunday evening. The
Prince George Cultural Dance groups
entertained the crowd for the first
hour or so. Then the local singers and
dancers performed. Later, each team
The rest of the evening was completed
with another rock-n-roll dance. Then
came the rain!
Monday, September 1, lots of rain,
for most of the night. With dampened spirits the committee managed
to fix the mud-covered field and start
the breakfast. The water and mud delayed the finals by a couple of hours.
Finally, about 11 a.m. or so, the
games continued—still in the muck.
Although it showered, on and off, the
crowd was back, strong for the finals.
Which were played in a fair bit of
soupy mud.
The tourney concluded with the
Moricetown "Cubs" taking top spot,
along with $1,000.00 cash, then a
strong second place, Stoney Creek
"Tigers" with $600.00 cash, Takla
Kumbias took third place and
$400.00 cash. The "Bayers" placed
fourth, while the Babine "Barkers"
took fifth position. Many thanks to
all the teams and their fans.
Young and old came together to enjoy the dun and festivities of the Lake
Babine Indian
Days.
in
the
tournament
sent
out
dancers
to
credit, for they made a good showing
represent
their
people's
dance
style.
on our behalf.
The games were all going well with
lots of good skill and talent displayed
on the playing field. The crowd grew
larger, the salmon steaks went fast. In
the concessions the pressure was on,
but the service and quality persisted.
The food was superb.
Saturday evening was the scene of
cultural dancing by twenty-five time
Grand Champion in competitive
fancy dancing. This man is in top
physical condition and, radiates his
identity well. Of course, I'm talking
about Ernie Phillips.
After that, the Cultural Centre was
packed for a 'modern' dance with
music by Todaze Image. It was well
attended and everyone enjoyed hours
of dancing.
Sunday morning wasn't a bad day,
with the sun breaking through now
INDIAN W O R L D 12
The Indian Days at Lake Babine Band helped bring the people together. The
Indian Days featured a parade, dancing, a ball tournament and good food.
Khowutzun Youth Project
By Lorna Bob
In May 1980 about twenty students
from around British Columbia
worked on a summer youth project
sponsored by the Union of B . C .
Indian Chiefs. It was a research project covering different aspects of our
Indian culture and it provided the
young workers with the opportunity to help preserve their culture while
learning about it. The students
worked out of thier own areas, interviewing people and learning about
their culture.
So many, young people are not
fortunate enough to have elders such
as grandparents to guide them along
in life. Also, throughout the years,
young Indian children have been
taken away from their homes and put
into boarding schools where they are
in an environment totally different
from their homes. This has been happening for years, from our grandparents' generation to the present.
Now we're struggling to hang on to
what we've got before we lose our culture altogether.
I am from Vancouver Island and
live at Duncan. This is where most of
my research has taken place. The
people are known as the Cowichans.
Some of my research has also taken
me out to the surrounding areas.
I was one of the unfortunate ones to
be sent out to boarding schools. But I
was also fortunate because I would
always come home to my grandmother, who would give me the
guidance and teachings that I needed.
She used to resent the fact that I was
going to school and slowly becoming
ignorant of my own culture. But she
never gave up on trying to teach me
the Indian ways. Her guidance has
always kept my heart eager to learn
more about our people's way of life.
This was an ideal job for the young
people because it gave them a chance
to go out and collect information that
is useful to each person's community
and to our Indian nations as a whole.
Michael David, with a few of his grandchildren.
It was also a good learning that they are just being old fashioned
because ther is nothing old fashiond
experience for the students.
about
our culture. It is our culture.
I find it sad though that more
Every
elder that I spoke with told
young people don't take the time to
me
that
our people were never a
sit down and speak to the elders. I
dependent
nation. We were always
personally have loved sitting down
independant
and never needed the
and talking with old people ever since
white
government's
assistance. We
I was a little girl. I feel that there is so
helped
one
another.
But the young
much to learn from them. Even if we
people
turn
further
away
from their
are young people with all the
own
culture
and
take
on
more
of the
are young people with all the educaother
society's
culture
and
values.
tion in the world it still isn't complete
Some of us working on the project
without the teachings of our elders.
had the opportunity to attend a youth
Most of the elders that I have conference held near Penticton at
interviewed expressed he desire to Owl Rock Camp. It wasn't the ususal
have more young people talk to them, conference. It was a camp-out
even if it is only to say hello. We conference. There were about fifty
cannot be like the other society which adults and one hundred young
places its old people in special homes. people. Everyone took part in the
Learning our old ways is one of the teaching and learning. Around the
most important educations our native camp, the fires were alit, people were
people can get. It is so important for gathering and chopping firewood,
them to have these interactions with carrying water for cooking, carving,
the elders, not only during a research preparing meals, while others brought
job like mine, but all the time. The food from their homes for the
elders are our teachers and they are kitchen. The children were helping
slowly leaving us, taking a lost of
with the chores, out enjoying the
valuable information that's so impor- lake, hiking around the area, listening
tant for us. We need it to carry on our
to the elders stories, learning how to
Indian culture. The white society's
drum and sing Indian songs or doing
schools and teachers will be in
a number of other activities. The
existence for a long time but our
children weren't being told to help, .
elders will not be here for long. They
they volunteered by themselves. They
are not replaceable. When the elders
saw the need to do something and
speak and scold us, we cannot think
they did it for their tribe.
INDIAN W O R L D 13
Haisla Revives
Traditional Ways
Mary Green
Angus August and Lorna Bob
''We need guidance''
The camp is a spiritual camp where
no junk food, drugs, alchohol or nonIndians are allowed. It was really nice
to see our people being able to speak
and relate to one another without the
help of drugs or alchohol. The young
people learned to appreciate the outdoors and to be occupied without the
help of artificial entertainment such
as television or pool halls.
One man from whom I have had a
lot of help and guidance is Angus
August, an Elder from the Cowichan
Reserve, he has talked with me about
marriage, death, chiefdom, food
gathering, history, the long house,
and the teachings that have been
passed down for generations. There
are many other elders who have
helped me along and who have also
spoken on those subjects. They are
Mr. and Mrs. Bill Thome, Mrs. M . G .
Pat Charlie, and Lucy Charlie. They
are all from Cowichan. Mr. and Mrs.
W. Bob from Nanoose Bay and
Micheal David from Chemainus
Bay helped me as well.
I have also learned that we have got
to start talking to one another as our
old people did in the past. The more
we talk to one another and exchange
ideas or share one another's
knowledge, the stronger we as Indian
people will be. We cannot get like the
other society in which there are only
certain people trained or qualified to
be teachers. We are all teachers and
we are all learners. It is an endless
cycle.
INDIAN W O R L D 14
Early in February 1980, applications for Student Summer Employment were submitted to the Job Creation Branch of Canada Employment
and Immigration for funding of the
Fishing Preservation Project and the
Firewood Energy and Conservation
Project. They were designed to supply
the following Elders, disabled,
widows and single parents with a
winter supply of salmon and firewood.
The purpose of the projects were to
teach the young people of our
community first hand the Haisla traditional ways of processing fish. The
firewood program would be to give
the young people close contact with
the Elders of our community. Actually, these have been the first programmes of their kind to be carried
on in our village.
There are very few young people in
our community who know how to
process and cure salmon, therefore
these projects would give them experience and the know-how to cure
salmon in our traditional style.
The programmes got underway
June 30th and were completed
August 29, 1980. The students were
selected according to their desire to
work on the Fish Project, of which
ten students were hired. First of all,
we approached B.C. Packers of Port
Edward, to supply us with a fish net
to use throughout the summer.
The first day of the project dealt
with an all-day session on First Aid,
and the second day Fire Prevention
and Water Safety. Then, the students
on the fish project started hanging the
fish net that was to be used (that is,
putting the corks and lead line together with the web). This was certainly
an interesting part of the fishing project, because it gave the students the
knowledge of how to prepare the fish
net.
The students had a listing of 26
families to fish for. They also did
various chores such as filleting and
cleaning of the fish, drying, smoking,
canning, freezing and salting.
It was a learning experience for the
students, because they enjoyed doing
this type of work and because the
majority of our Elders were very
willing and cooperative in the teaching of the young students the ways of
filleting and preparing for the various
ways of preserving.
Our findings, as the Adult supervisors, were that the students were
very eager to learn. They also were
able to relate very well with our Elders.
They made their project fun along
with working hard.
Quite a few of the families that the
students worked for were able to
preserve the fish needed for winter
use that they weren't able before.
Overall, the people in need of salmon
were happy, the students enjoyed
themselves, the Job Creation Branch
people were satisfied, and the
Kitamaat Village Council approved
wholeheartedly. The Council would
like to see similar programmes in
future for other young people.
At the end of the programme the
students hosted a Feast, using salmon
that they prepared themselves.
The food supplied for this feast
was prepared by the students themselves, with the help of their mothers.
Our Project Leader for the Fish
Project did the honours of being the
master of ceremonies.
The event proved to be an enjoyable evening. The parents were very
pleased with what their children had
learned throughout the summer.
On the last week of their project,
the students wrote their experiences
during the summer and their recommendations for the next summer project. Their general feeling was that
this programme be continued for the
younger students coming up. They
found it very enjoyable and a good
way to learn.
POWWOW
DANCER
By Marshall Goulet
To become a dancer is to make a
statement that you are a part of a
tradition that has survived for
centuries in Native North America.
To dance is to become one with
your ancestors who danced a
thousand years before and to dance is
to create a strong spiritual link to our
children who will dance a thousand
years to come.
I believe that one is born to become
a dancer. It is a learning process that
requires strength, desire, patience and
a conviction in one's own belief in his
culture.
To me dancing is a way of keeping
our culture alive and vital.
Today in much of North America
the pow-wow style has been derived
from the Plains Indians. The fancy or
power dancing came from the Plains
Cree and is performed at all
pow-wows by men and women.
Dance costumes vary in design and
concept and it usually based on the
individual's own taste and tribal
affiliations.
The outfit usually consists of a
beaded headband or head-dress
decorated with turkey or eagle
feathers depending on thier availability.
Hair brooches are generally beaded
or made from porcupine quills sewn
together with horsehair.
Historically shirts were not worn by
pow-wow dancers. It was not until the
arrival of the white man with cotton
and synthetic material that the ribbon
shirt became popular. They are now a
standard for any dancer and are
usually decorated with elaborate
floral and geometric designs.
Leather leggings and bead clothes
or aprons were sometimes worn and
were often decorated with bead work
or porcupine quills. Fur leggings occasionally were worn just below the
knee and were designed to cover the
tops of the moccasins. Traditionally
these were made from wolf or bear
skin but today many use sheep or goat
hide.
Wide cuffs of leather or cloth were
decorated with beadwork or hand
painted designs. This is another item
that is now in general use that was
adapted from the Plains tribes.
Armbands and anklets were either
made of leather decorated with
beadwork or engraved metals such as
copper or brass.
The bustle that is worn at the back
of the dancer was considered a high
battle honor and was traditionally
worn by warriors who were known as
"dog soldiers".
Bells-which today are made of
metal-years ago were carved from
animal hooves.
In fancy dancing there isn't really
any basic steps but dance movements
that are timed to the beat of the
drum. These movements depend on
the speed and rhythm of the drum
and the timing of the individual
dancer.
In dancing there is identity. You
know who your are and you know
why you are there dancing to the
drum. You are secure in the
knowledge that the dance is not a
fleeting thing but is something that
has been long and widely practiced by
our people. From this knowledge and
this very real sense of identity comes
the strength to live from day to day
the the will to continue to dance.
INDIAN W O R L D 15
UP-DATE
GOVERNMENTS AGREE TO
GVRD OFFICIALS CHARGED
PROCEED WITH GREASE TRAIL
The four Chiefs representing Bella Coola, Kluskus,
Anahim Lake and Ulchatcho held a meeting at Anahim
Lake on the 15th of September to discuss with the Band
members the implications of the development of the
Grease trail.
The proposed Federal/Provincial Agreement for
Recreation and Conservation (A.R.C.), which will enable
the development of the Grease Trail, is now in the final
stages. The Agreement Document has been agreed to by
both Governments and is awaiting Treasury Board
funding approval. The Document will then be signed by
the Ministers representing the two Governments.
The two Ministers are now writing to the four Chiefs,
outlining their Governments' commitment to involve the
Bands in the planning and development of the Grease
Trail. These letters are expected to be in the mail at this
time.
The four Chiefs will be meeting with the Provincial
Minister responsible for the Agreement in the next few
weeks.
CHIEFS COUNCIL MEETING
The Chiefs Council met September 9, 1980 to discuss
the 12th Annual General Assembly and "Implementing
Indian Government". Chief Wayne Christian explained
the goals and mechanism of the Caravan to take place on
October 9-12 to draw attention to Child Welfare
Apprehension. With the statement to the Provincial
Government that "There is no room for negotiations we
are talking about lives of our children."
Chief Wayne Christian sought the support of Chiefs
Council for the Caravan to liberate the children lost to
the Department of Human Resources. Also discussed by
Chiefs Council were the UBCIC Annual Audit, Food
Fishing, Education, and First Nations Conference.
INDIAN W O R L D 16
The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs has filed charges
against the Greater Vancouver Regional District on the
grounds that the effluent from its Iona Island Sewage plant
has contaminated fish protected by the Federal Fisheries
Act.
Jim Brisbois, Union environmental consultant stated
that the charges were based on a federal study by Dr. Ian
Birtwell who found that fish were suffocating due to the
high rate of oxygen consumption by decomposing sewage.
Dr. Birtwell, head regional habitat protection researcher
for Federal Fisheries, found hundreds of dead fish and
thousands of others in an "apparently stressful situation"
near the mouth of the Fraser.
The plant was granted a permit in 1971 to operate "until
average flow exceeded 70 million gallons per day," a limit
of the plant surpassed on March 25th, thereby invalidating
their license.
Iona, the area's largest treatment facility, handles most
of the area's industrial sewage.
Two G V R D officials, chairman Alan Emmot and
commissioner Frank Bunnel, are co-defendants in the
action. The trial has since been remanded until January.
ENDERBY BRIDGE NEGOTIATIONS
Recently, a meeting regarding the Enderby Bridge took
place between the Minister of Highways and the
Spallumcheen Band Council. The Band has taken the
position that they will not negotiate over the
approximately 1.3 acres of land required for the bridge
without the government also negotiating about the 63
acres of land they have taken without compensation.
The bridge is in a serious state of disrepair and thus the
community is anxious that it be repaired immediately. As
a result, the Band has passed a BCR allowing the government to begin construction of the new bridge, on the basis
that they negotiate the matter of the outstanding 63 acres.
Although the government is fully aware of the seriousness
of the state of the bridge, they have taken the position
that they will not begin construction, even to the
temporary bridge, before settling the question of
compensation for the 63 acres. However, the government
takes the position that they only owe compensation for
five of the 63 acres.
FOUNTAIN BAND FISHERMEN GO TO TRIAL
After being charged with fishing during a closure
during a raid by Federal Fisheries and R C M P officers last
summer, the last of the accused Fountain Band members
went to trial September 8-11, 1980.
The first day of the trial posed the first problem. The
judge was the same one who had found Roger Adolph
guilty of similar charges last March. The defence brought
their concern that the judge may not be unbiased, to the
court and Judge Gilmore finally agreed to turn the case
over to Judge Shoupe. The case was then put off until the
next day.
Each o f the accused took the stand and explained to
the court that they fished because they need the winter
supply and because they have a hereditary right to fish
for food, as was recognised in the Bradley Bob decision
last August, 1979.
Several witnesses spoke to the court, explaining why
they fished and why it is so important to Indian people,
not only of Fountain Band, but to Indians all over B.C.
As well, Elders gave background information on the
history of Indian people in that area. George Manuel,
president of the UBCIC and Saul Terry, Vice-president,
also gave evidence to support the Fountain Band fishermen's case.
After all was said, the trial was adjourned until
October 9, 1980 at which time the judge would give his
decision.
HAT CREEK PROJECT GETS GO-AHEAD
B.C. Hydro's recent announcement that they would
proceed with the $2.6 billion Hat Creek thermal power
station has again sparked the concern of UBCIC leaders.
Rosalee Tizya, administrator of the Union, stated that
"the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, working with local
Indian Bands will not allow the project to be built. We
have no choice, our very lives and livelihoods will be
destroyed."
The coal-fired power plant will produce a minimum of
400 tons of sulphur dioxide per day, which is 7.5 times
the total present emissions throughout the whole Lower
Mainland. This, say environmentalists, represents a serious threat to the environment.
The Hat Creek project had previously been delayed for
16 months because of preductions of slow growth in
energy demands and uncertainty of air quality standards.
However, B.C. Hydro's latest statement indicated that
Pollution Control Board guidelines and revised 1989 electricity predictions had prompted it to undertake further
development plans.
Bob McClelland, provincial energy minister, stated
that Hydro's announcement did not mean an immediate
go-ahead on their coal fired plant.
"We're a fair way down the road before anything
happens," said McClelland. "Hydro hasn't announced
that it's going to go ahead, just that it's part of their long
range plan, and always has been.''
This has done little to reassure UBCIC leaders and
other groups, who note that B . C . Hydro, in their
renewed plans for Hat Creek, have given no indication
that the air emission problem has been solved.
GOVERNMENT MORATORIUM
RELAXED
A n amendment to the B.C. Mines Act has given the chief
mines inspector discretionary powers over future uranium
mining and exploration.
This points to a softening of the seven-year moratorium
imposed by the B.C. Government in February. Until that
time there had been widespread exploration but no
working mines in B.C.
The moratorium had been seen as a victory by the Indian
people of B.C. who have struggled to prevent uranium
mining in the province.
The amendment states that, when exploration or development is prohibited or a mining operation is closed by
regulation the chief inspector' 'may consent, on conditions
ordered by him, to the recommencement of exploration or
development or the opening of a mining operation that has
been closed under that regulation.''
While this effectively allows the government to exempt a
mine from the exploration and mining moratorium,
Energy Minister Bob McClelland denied that it would
mean the opening of any uranium mines.
The amendment to the Mines Act also gives the mines
inspector the right to allow certain works to be done
around uranium deposits. This has led to speculation by
the Scientific Pollution and Environmental Control
Society that the amendment could allow mining firms to
explore for and stockpile uranium, under the guise of
developing a different mineral ore.
T h e provincial mines branch regulation would appear to
give the go-ahead to Placer Development Ltd. planned
molybdenum mine near Atlin. Placer's Atlin property also
contains trace quantities of uranium.
There have been fears expressed by local residents that a
molybdenum mine would cause a problem because of
radioactive tailings.
FISHING RAFFLE
The winners of the Fishing Portfolio raffle were:
First—Stan Napoleon, Moberly
Buckskin Jacket
Second—Steve Basil, Bonaparte
Indian Sweater and Hat
Third—Ton John, Hope
Indian Sweater and Hat
Congratulations. Thank you all who participated by
purchasing and selling tickets.
Herman Thomas Fishing Co-ordinator
INDIAN W O R L D 17
by Karen Walkus
Oweekeno Community Health Rep.
We are a young village, economically poor, but rich in the love we have
for one another. Still, without some
sound economic development in the
near future, our village will die a slow
death and our young adults will
continue to move away from here.
Oweekeno—Don't let
Alcohol is one of our strongest
enemies. It too has brought about
many changes within our lives,
helping to create enemies among
friends, friction between families,
and despair for some.
Without the support of our elderly
leaders the battle may be long and
weary. What will we leave our
children? We may talk about natural
resources and it's potential for
creating dollars, but in our small
isolated village, our main concern is
the children and the generations to
come.
With so few people and even
fewer Elders, we have to rely on one
another to teach our children respect
for the Indian way. If we allow
alcohol and his friend apathy to have
the majority vote, our village will
soon die. What then?
The missionaries, school teachers
and DIA have all played a part in
helping to destroy our way of life, let
us show them that the battle is not
over. The bitter fruits we have eaten
in the past need no longer make us
feel inadequate and angry with ourselves. For, together, as a people
united in our Indianess, we can
conquer the destructive legacy of the
past and pave the way for our
children to live once more in harmony
and peace. Only then will we see our
village grow and our people return
home.
INDIAN WORLD 18
Credit Peter Von Puttkamer
The cultural and economic changes
we have undergone have taken their
toll. We are now a people classed as
dependent wage earners. Our old way
of life is practically non-existent.
At the Oweekeno Lake first narrows there is this huge rock standing on the
edge of a bluff It is called the "Lone Eagle. "
At one time there were, four rocks standing at the edge of this same bluff
Each stood for an Oweekeno Village. Each time a rock fell a village would die.
Now there is only the "Lone Eagle." Now there is only the "Oweekeno
Village." ,
"A Rye Illusion"
She asked me to quit
I told her I'd try
But I knew in my heart
That it was only a Be
Right from the start
I could see the list
Beginning to grow
The many excuses
That I had made
To go crawling on back
To that blind old Charade
To keep some guessing
At the meaning of my existence
And this life that I lead
And laying in a bed
Wondering where it's going to end
And trying to remember why the hell it
started
Dedicated to Ivy
And coming to the conclusion
That I have in my head
That the only thing left
When I run my last race
Is another blank face
And another big toe
With the tag "John Doe"
Just another lost soul
That the twenty-sixer sucked down
Another lifeless body
That the whiskey had drowned
So as the keys on this electronic
machine
Put my thoughts on paper
I think I'll just drink that last ounce
Before it turns to vapor.
by Gordon Hanuse
"LONE EAGLE" Fall.
Oweekeno Village is an isolated
community located on the central
coast of B . C . Approximately 50
people still live at home with the
majority of our band members living
off reserve in larger centres. We are a
rich people, measuring our wealth by
what Mother Nature so generously
lends us. Salmon and timber are our
main resources, even though we only
participate in a marginal way in the
fish canning and logging industries.
But we are in a depressed Economic
situation. Attempts to change this are
often frustrated by the fact that most
Economic Development must operate
within the restriction of DIA
programs, or their government
agencies.
Frank Hanuse telling the children stories relating to their talking stick.
Our traditional health practices,
knowledge of the land and spiritual
concepts and practices have always
been passed down from generation to
generation either through stories,
dances or by word of mouth.
Credit Peter Von Puttkamer
Fortunately there are some things
that we can do to reverse this
destructive pattern. Namely, a return
to our traditional cultural roots. For
Oweekeno, this means relying on our
few remaining Elders.
The majority of our population is
under the age of 40. We have 3
Elders, one who has just recently
returned to the village after 35 years
of living in a small city. Her Indian
name is Yada and she is truly a
mother to us all. She generously gives
her spare time to teaching us our
language, basket making, Indian
dancing and blanket making. Our
children have learned respect for her
word as well as for adults. For all the
money the DIA contributes to education, they have never taught our
children respect for the old ways.
Since Yada has returned home,
people in our community are slowly
becoming aware of their Indianess.
Giyanekci
INDIAN W O R L D 19
BAND BY-LAW TAKES PRIORITY
OVER PROVINCIAL REGULATIONS
out this, the fishing authorities will
continue to charge people for fishing
on their own Reserves during times
when they say that the fishing should
be closed.
The Band Council's power to make
such a By-law is found in Section
81(0) of the Indian Act which deals
with "the preservation, protection
and management of fur-bearing
animals, fish and other game on the
Reserve." AH Bands which have fishing occurring on the Reserve, or have
fishing stations allotted to them,
should consider passing a fishing Bylaw governing fishing on the Reserve.
In that way, Band Council will decide
INDIAN W O R L D 20
the times and places that the fishing
will occur rather than an outside
regulation by the Federal Government. If there are problems with a
run, and Band Council is concerned
that there won't be enough fish going
to the spawning grounds, the Council
can impose special closures.
It is time for Bands to make use of
what little power they have under the
Indian Act to regulate their resources
and other affairs on Reserves. With-
There was an important development in Indian Fishing Rights last
month. A member of the Squamish
Indian Band was charged with fishing
against Federal fishing regulations,
but the fishing occurred in waters
which were a part of the reserve.
There is a Squamish Indian By-law
which regulates fishing on reserve.
Despite this By-law, which allowed
the fishing to occur, the Indians were
charged under the regulations of the
Fisheries Act. However, before the
case was completed, the prosecutor
dropped the charges.
The reason for this was that the
Department of Justice and the Federal Government now seem to agree
that a Band By-law takes priority
over government fisheries regulations.
If there is a conflict between the Band
By-law and the regulations, the Bylaw is stronger.
This is a very important step for Indian government. It means that a
Band Council can pass a By-law and
take control of this crucial element of
resources on its reserve. If the Federal
Fisheries officers tried to impose
special closures, and the By-law
allows the fishing, the By-law will
win.
Other Bands in the province have
passed similar By-laws, including the
Bridge River Indian Band. These Bylaws assert that the Indian people
themselves can make decisions
dealing with the conservation and
preservation of fish, and can decide
themselves when fishing will or will
not occur. It is an exercise of responsible Indian Govenment, and the
Federal Government, under the regulations, if there is a By-law in place,
cannot deny or obstruct this exercise
of Indian Government.
THE LILLOOET FIGHT
The Lillooet Indians continue to
fight Federal Fisheries regulations
using tactics equal to theirs.
The success of resolutions passed at
the last general assembly, stating that
we work in co-operation with our Indian brothers in U.S., is demonstrated in the Lillooet court case September 8-12.
Several attempts were made to find
a biologist to testify on behalf of Indian people. There was no success
because it seems Federal Fisheries employs pretty well all biologists in B.C.
at some level. In fact, at the court
case it was revealed Fisheries employs
to date, 63 biologists.
Once it was realized that no biologist would testify, UBCIC immediately contacted Lummi Band in
Washington State, requesting their
assistance. Jewel James, fisheries
manager and lawyer for the Lummi
tribe,
immediately
volunteered
Lummi's chief biologist Paul Hage to
assist UBCIC lawyer in the fight.
At the trial, Paul Hage went
through a very cruel cross-examination, when attempts were made to
discredit him. The prosecutor ques-
tioning Paul, after reading messages
handed to him by Fred Fraser, head
of Federal Fisheries.
At the trial it was demonstrated
that in this particular year of harassment, there was no need because in
fact there was more than ample salmon at the spawning grounds. Not to
mention how many fish derby people
catch as well as the sports fishermen.
Federal Fisheries policy still hasn't
changed to date as there are just as
many charges being laid this year as
last year. Fisheries seems to only have
time to charge Indian people while
industries of all kinds continue to
create havoc. Cities continue to
deposit pollution into the Thompson
and Fraser Rivers.
Thanks to the resolution, UBCIC
got Paul Hage of Lummi. This is only
the beginning of how Indian people
can assist each other.
Indian people pleading not guilty
to illegal fishing represent victories
just by that action. The result of
pleading guilty is hot important at the
time, it is history being made. Indians
are not guilty.
By Herman Thomas
INDIAN W O R L D 21
For the Penticton Indian Band the
idea to develop a relatively small
acreage to grow alfalfa grew from the
necessity to protect and use the existing water license.
The Band had purchased some years
ago, the top half of an existing irrigation system, together with a storage
lake, from the Kaledan Irrigation
District. The old flume, some several
miles in length, was past repairing
and it was decided to replace and
relocate it with a buried 12" plastic
mainline from Farleigh Lake to land
already developed and to land that
could be developed.
The potential for development was
about 100 acres. Substantial funding
was obtained from the First Citizens
Fund as well as the Department of Indian Affairs.
A n engineering firm was retained
and design work carried out. The
Provincial Department of Agriculture
was also consulted and a field man
did an on-site examination of the land
and recommended a design for the
irrigation system.
Project co-ordinators found that
they could purchase plastic pipe and
both hand lines and wheel move irrigation systems cheaper in the State of
Washington than here in B.C., even
after paying exchanged freight rates.
Ernest Lezard assumed responsibility for the major part of the whole
project, hiring crews, assigning work,
co-ordinating the activities of men
and machines and acting as time
keeper.
Band machinery was used almost
exclusively for all phases of the project. There were problems, due
mainly to finding a viable means of
separating the rocks from the soil.
The mainline went in with the usual
hitches—large boulders and rocks
had to be removed—leaks developed
where gaskets didn't seal. The ingenuity of the pipeline workers was taxed
at times to find solutions to the many
problems.
It was mainly due to the hard work,
patience and humour exhibited by
everyone associated with the project
that made it a success. Especially
those sturdy souls who literally hand
INDIAN WORLD 22
Pride
and
Alfalfa
Growing
on the
Penticton
Indian
Band
Farm
Ernest Lezard and Vic Hulley
picked tons of rock from forty acres
of what looked like a giant's rock garden. Never let it be said that you can't
grow alfalfa in rocks. The Penticton
Indian Band Farm has proved that it
can be done!
The Band had heard of Thor alfalfa and decided to try If and so far
haven't been sorry. It's been a prolific producer. Soil samples were taken
beforehand and analyzed by the
Department of Agriculture soils
testing lab in Kelowna. Following
their recommendations we had a
special fertilizer mix made up and
have applied it to the 40 acres 2 years
running.
The first year's crops were late and
average. The second year's were excellent and the third year's average
was running two to two and a half
tons to the acre.
The new irrigation line provides
about 120 lbs. of working pressure
gravity flow to the sprinkler systems.
This services 40 acres of Band land
and 30 acres of private land with
another 30 acres of private land available for development.
Farm workers have had to harrow
the alfalfa field each spring to help
level the ground and fill in shallow
depressions. This has loosened more
large rock and rock picking has
become an annual spring event. The
harrowing has not been detrimental
to the alfalfa and has actually seemed
to stimulate an even more vigorous
growth.
The application of fertilizer takes
place after harrowing and rock picking are complete.
The Band has also found that subsequent growth is more rapid and
heavier if cut when new shoots at the
base of the plant have appeared and
are about two inches in length. This is
done whether the plants have begun
to bloom or not. Farm Managers
have found that it they waited for the
whole field to bloom that the new side
shoots that form at the base of the
plant have grown to six or seven
inches. Consequently, when moving
takes place these are cut off and the
plant is set back and growth retarded.
In the final analysis the project fostered many new swear words, dusted
off old ones, developed new skills,
provided a new source of income for
Band members, and protected a valuable water license.
The DIA Engineering Department
was quite negative towards the
Band's belief that they could
complete the project for less than
they estimated and without Departmental help. The Band has done both
and now would like to see the DIA
transfer one of their man years to the
Penticton Band.
No attempt has been made here to
quote costs, length of pipeline—fertilizer types, water application rates,
etc. Farm managers feel that any
project of this nature has its own
unique qualities, problems and solutions. Anyone wishing to write and
ask questions about the Penticton
Indian Band Farm should write to:
Penticton Indian Band
RR #1, Green Mountain Road
Penticton, B.C.
V2A 6J7
OUR WORLD
INDIAN H O T E L
There's a new hotel in East End Vancouver, open
since January, 1980, which caters only to Indian people.
The New World Hotel, located at 396 Powell St., came
under the control of the Vancouver Indian Housing
Society and now employees nine people, all Indian.
Robert Romero, manager, said that all but a few of the
120 rooms have been filled, at rates ranging from $117 to
$166 per month. Daily and weekly rates are also
available.
Robert said that the hotel idea came about because of
the situation in the East End. The hotel gives Indian
people a place to stay where they won't have to worry
about the violence in that part of the city. The New World
Hotel is considered to be the safest in the area.
It is more than just a hotel, Robert explained. When
people are in need of help, food or clothes, the staff tries
to help out as much as possible.
SKATEBOARD CHAMPION
Trevor Adolph, 12 years old, of Vancouver (from
Fountain Band), made his mark in the sports world
during the Canadian Amateur Skateboard Championships, held in Burnaby and North Vancouver, August 2529.
Although he missed the first day of the competition, he
made up for it during the last four days. Trevor skateboarded his way to win three events. He took first in the
half-pipe ramp riding event, second in the downhill
slalom, and third in freestyle bowl riding.
Trevor has been skateboarding for three years for East
Vancouver Skates. His older brother is also a skateboarder. To round out the fast moving group is Trevor's
younger brother, who at the ripe old age of four years,
has decided to take up the sport as well.
INDIAN W O R L D 23
STONEY CREEK 4H CLUB
Stoney Creek is an Indian Reserve
situated 9 miles south of Vanderhoof
in the Central Interior. It has three 4
H Clubs—Beef, Crafts and Outdoor
Trappers. They are the only Indian 4
H Clubs in the Northern area and
were formed in May of this year with
money funded through Department
of Indian Affairs using District
Development monies. Our Group
Leaders from the Reserve work well
with their groups.
The Beef Club consists of 15
members, 6 boys and 9 girls ranging
in ages from 10 to 18 years. Much
interest has been shown by other 4 H
groups in Vanderhoof area in helping
in organizing and assisting in getting
our club going. The first project for
the Beef Club was to make a rope
halter for their animals. Each
youngster also must keep records of
the daily progress of the calves.
The Crafts Club has 8 girl
members. They have been busy
making leather vests for the Beef
Club members to wear at the Fall Fair
in Kamloops in October.
The third group is an Outdoor
Trapping Club consisting of 8 male
members. This group was formed
since it takes in a wide variety of
outdoor activities relating to our area
such as wilderness survival, trapping,
guiding and others.
The boys and girls are looking
forward to attending the Fall Fair in
Kamloops in October to show their
skills and display their animals. A car
wash was held to raise funds and a
dance is also being planned to help
with expenses.
As we are newly formed, we have
not been able to attend 4 H functions
this year, so the Fall Fair in Kamloops
will be the first. We look forward to
joining the rest of our 4 H groups in
the province next year whenever
possible. Stoney Creek hopes to
double membership in our 3 clubs
next year and also form a 4 H
Garden Club.
INDIAN WORLD 24
P O L E SITTING FOR C A N C E R R E S E A R C H
Willie Chapman, an Indian from near Laidlaw, pushed
himself to the limit to help fight a disease that has taken
the lives of many Indian people.
Willie sat on top of a more than 100 foot pole near
Hope September 6-13, to raise money for the Terry Fox
Cancer Fund. During the week-long ordeal, he raised
about $9,000 for the fund and says he plans to do it again
soon.
"It just shows how far you can push your body when
you want to," he said.
By the end of the week, Willie had lost 24 pounds and
braved such weather conditions as rain, cold, frost and
winds of 50 to 60 miles per hour. A l l he allowed himself
to eat was the occasional candy and sips of a milkshake.
He said that the town of Hope altogether raised only
about $3,000, so his feat-was quite a major task. Besides
helping cancer research, Willie said he also hoped the
ordeal would bring him publicity. After being injured
while logging, and now being unable to work, he said he's
having trouble getting workers' compensation.
OUR CHILDREN—
OUR HOMES
Our Native children have been
taken away from us for years. The
white society, from the time the
whiteman first came to Indian land,
have been trying to mold us into
white Indian people. A few may have
succeeded, but no more. Indian
people are tired of being treated as
though we don't have an identity of
our own. Now, with all the Indian
organizations, we are starting to do
something about keeping our children
within our own culture.
Recently, two new homes for
Native children were opened in
Vancouver. One is located at 1796
West 15th in Vancouver, for children
of ages from infancy to twelve years.
The house is a 2 level, 4 bedroom
home with a large dining room,
kitchen and living room. There is also
a large backyard for the children to
play in. The other home is located at
1334 East Georgia St., Vancouver.
Jeannie Carter, Social Worker, is
supervising the home located at West
15th.
The two homes are run by Native
people. By keeping it operated by
only Indian people, they are kept
within our culture. The children who
are brought there will no longer be
confused by moving from the Indian
society into the white society. The
homes are for Indian children who
need foster homes.
by Fran Smith
One of the new homes was visited
by Chief Dan George when it
officially opened. Seeing Chief Dan
George at the home, I knew he was
proud knowing the Indian people
were not going to be lost to the white
society. He was there to show the
younger generation that the Elders
have not given up hope on Indian
people to regain our true identity.
Chief Dan George's grandchildren
were also there, showing their
beautiful Indian dances. A couple of
the dances they performed were the
Eagle Dance and the Maidens Dance.
The costumes were very beautiful
with wooden beads hanging from the
girls' dresses, making sounds to the
beat of the drum as they sang and
danced.
The opening of these two homes is
a small event to the world, but to us,
the Indian people, is a great victory.
We are no longer sitting back
watching and letting the white society
take our children away. We will fight
to keep them and show all people that
we are a proud nation.
INDIAN WORLD 25
The Story of Chehalis
by Ed Leon
A long time ago, Chehalis was
not an Indian "reserve". Only
Indian people lived here and at that
time, all the land belonged to them
and they were free to live wherever
they chose.
Also at that time, many of the
people lived south-west of today's
Chehalis reserve. The old village
smokehouses were closer to the
mouth of the Chehalis River and
closer to the Harrison River than
today's reserve.
There are several families in
Chehalis today whose people
originally came from up at Chehalis
Lake. Alex Joseph's family were
regular Chehalis people and a long
time ago, they lived right at the
mouth of Chehalis Creek.
Now, back then, the people
whose home was at Chehalis Lake
didn't know about the people who
lived at the mouth of the Creek and
vice versa.
One day, Alex Joseph's family,
decided to build a fish-trap at the
mouth of the Chehalis. Long ago,
fish traps were used to catch a lot of
fish, and Alex Joseph's family knew
this would be good for their people.
They went to work and split some
cedar stakes which they stood
INDIAN W O R L D 26
upright in the water. The trap
looked kind of like a picket fence,
except that it was shaped like a
corral. The fish swan through a
small opening, right into the trap.
Something else the people did
which helped was to put white rocks
on the bottom of the trap. That
way, when the fish came along at
night, they could be easily speared
because they were more visible
against the white rocks.
That particular season was not a
good one for the salmon. A l l the
fish that came into the creek were
caught. This meant that the people
who lived up at Chehalis Lake got
very few fish. The people were used
to having salmon and they missed
the taste of it, so much so, that they
felt as though they were starving,
even though they had other food to
eat.
They missed their salmon so
much that their chief finally decided
to send a footrunner down to the
mouth of the creek to find out what
was wrong. He wondered if maybe
there had been a big slide which had
stopped the fish from coming into
the Lake.
These footrunners had the job of
carrying messages or doing errands
which required great speed. Their
training began very early in life.
They would cut their legs with flint.
After the cuts had healed, a shaman
would put medicine on them. This
strengthened their legs, they would
become good runners.
Alex
Jospeh's footrunner was so fast, he
could catch a bird.
When the people up at Chehalis
Lake were starving for the taste of
fish, the fastest way to find out why
there were none was to send a
footrunner down to the mouth of
the Chehalis Creek.
The runner set out while it was
still daylight. It was a long journey
so he took along a dried sockeye
head torch. The dried fish head was
stuck onto a certain kind of wood
that doesn't burn. In the Indian
language, this wood is called
sth'elhp, and in English it is called
mock orange. This torch made a
good light.
When the footrunner reached the
mouth of the creek, it was dark. He
saw the fish trap in the water. As he
sat quietly in the darkness, he saw
men spearing the trapped fish. The
footrunner was surprised, he had
never heard of people living down
there.
After awhile, the footrunner set
out for his home. When he was far
enough away from the men at the
fish-trap, he lit his torch. When
home, he told his chief what he had
seen. The chief was surprised
because he too hadn't known of the
people at Chehalis Creek.
Soon after this, the footrunner
returned to the mouth of the creek.
He took his sockeye head torch with
him. He lit the torch and hid in a
hollow cedar tree. His plan was to
destroy the fish-trap, and he knew
that after destroying it he wouldn't
have time to make another fire for
his torch, so he left it burning,
hidden in the tree.
He jumped into the water and
split the cedar pickets that made the
fish-trap. He then returned to his
home at Chehalis Lake.
The fishermen at Chehalis Creek
were not aware of the runner's deed,
and for several days the fish swam
untouched, through their trap.
Finally, they checked the pickets
and found where the trad had been
broken. Repairs were quickly made.
Some fish did get through, and
the people up at the Lake were
happy to have salmon. But soon
after the repairs, the fish stopped
and the Lake people were hungry
for fish once again.
Once more, the footrunner made
the trip down to the mouth of
Chehalis Creek. "I know how to do
it now," he said as he jumped into
the water and broke up the cedar
pickets. This time however, the men
sitting on the fish-trap caught a
glimpse of him as he ran. But they
didn't know what it was they had
seen, or that the running object was
related to their broken fish-trap.
The next day, they realized that
the fish were again getting through
the trap. The Creek fishermen
remembered the quick flash they
had seen by the river the day before.
They called all their people together
to find out if it had been one of
them. None of the people had been
in the water and no one knew
anything about the broken fishtrap. It was a real mystery. A l l the
people could do was repair the trap
again. It wasn't long after that the
people at Chehalis Lake were
starving for the taste of fish.
For the third time, the footrunner
was sent to break the fish-trap. The
Creek people, thought that whoever
had broken it before would be back
to do it again. So they had their own
footrunner sitting there every night
on the trap. He waited at the very
same place where the Lake footrunner had been spotted.
But this time, the footrunner
from Chehalis Lake took a different
course. He was not seen by the
watchman. Once again, he dived
and broke the trap.
This time, as he climbed out of
the water and ran off, the
footrunner who had been watching
for him, spotted him! Away he went,
chasing
after
the
Chehalis
footrunner.
Now
the
Chehalis
Lake
footrunner
had been trained
specially to run up steep hills and
mountains, while Alex Joseph's
footrunner had been trained as a
flat ground runner. So, by the time
the Lake runner reached Par:lexel,
the steep canyon, Alex Joseph's
footrunner had almost caught up
with him. But once the Chehalis
Lake runner got to the mountains he
quickly left Alex Joseph's footrunner behind.
Much the same thing happened
this time as before and the footrunner made the trip to Chehalis
Creek again.
This time Alex Joseph's people
were ready for him. They had him
surrounded and they caught him
even before he landed in the water.
When captured, the footrunner
was terrified. "Oh my brothers," he
said, "don't kill me! I came here
because your brothers are starving.
That's why I did this!"
Alex Joseph's people were
surprised to hear of people living up
at Chehalis Lake. They released the
footrunner and the chief told him
this, " G o back up to your chief and
tell him that we'll meet him halfway
between our two places." The chief
named a day for the meeting to take
place. The spot was to be what is
now called Westfork. In Indian it is
called 'ts'amxwelgs'.
When the meeting day came, both
tribes went to ts'amxwelqs. They
met at that place and it was there
that each learned of the other.
Both chiefs decided that the two
groups of people should join
together. The people from Chehalis
Lake and Alex Joseph's people all
came into one. The chief from Alex
Joseph's people became the chief of
all the tribe. A man named
Symyem, who was the richest, put
up a big potlatch to celebrate the
joining of the two villages.
And that is the story of how
Chehalis came to be.
INDIAN W O R L D 27
RESOURCE CENTRE
INFORMATION IS THE KEY
By Reg Percival
The term Indian Government to many non-Indian
people and Indian people is a relatively new expression. It
is also, unfortunately, to most people a very frightening
term.
For the people who understand it not as a term of our
people's movement, it is a reality. It is a reality that has
existed since time immemorial. Indian tribes throughout
North America have gone to war over it. For Indian
Government encompasses more than land claims. It is the
very root of our existence. It is the laws which govern the
land, whether it is education, economic development or
health. It is the ability to have foresight, the strength to
fight multinational corporations and governments at all
three levels; Federal, Provincial, and Municipal.
While the tasks of running and managing Indian
government is monumental, the information to help keep
it running is also monumental and just as important as
the upkeep of Indian Government. For, information is
power, power which is useless unless utilized and
distributed properly. The information to the power you
seek are available.
INDIAN WORLD 28
While the Resource Centre is presently well used by
UBCIC staff, students, teachers and researchers for
various Indian bands throughout the province, we would
like to extend to the Chiefs attending their annual
assembly in Vancouver to come and see first hand their
Resource Centre, a tour not only of the entire office but
an extensive tour of the Library, in which the Resource
Centre staff would be more than willing to answer any
specific questions that you may have regarding materials
that may be related to your band.
The Resource Centre contains materials covering a
large variety of topics relevent to the Indian people of
British Columbia. They include: Indian Education,
Housing, Economic Development, Aboriginal Rights,
Land Claims, Government Relations, Communications,
The Environment, Criminal Justice, and B . C . Indian
history.
Schedules of the tours of the UBCIC office and
Resource Centre will be announced throughout the
conference. Transportation will also be made available
from the Assembly to your office.
B.C.I.R.A. Standings
as of September 5, 1980
Saddle Bronc:
1. Lawrence Elkins
2. G u y Gottfriedson
3. Oliver Louis
4. Charley Montgomery
5. Gus Gottfriedsom
6. Wayne Andrews
7. Dave Best
8. Cecil Louis
9. Richard Louis
10. Billy Richter
$2187.50
1456.11
1201.49
1162.32
834.97
784.70
690.65
495.90
467.87
323.00
Bareback Riding:
1. Dennis Sampson
2. Clint M o r i n
3. Richard Louis
4. Wayne Andrews
5. Dave Best
6. Bucky Ned
7. Charlie H a r r y
8. Rene Larochelle
9. Shawn Best
10. Casey Cawston
$1738.02
1599.33
1425.71
816.53
332.02
316.35
292.60
209.00
192.37
169.81
Bull Riding:
1. Burt Williams
2. Ernie Thomas
3. Russ Arnouse
4. Alexis H a r r y
5. Henry Johnson
6. Rene Larochelle
7. Benji Buffalo
8. Calvin Nelson
9. Glenn Gottfriedson
10. Dave Best
$1904.65
1783.69
1415.50
1252.80
963.10
953.37
565.25
547.11
508.82
488.15
Boys Steer Riding:
1. Troy Dan
2. Shane Johnson
3. Frank Antoine
4. Faron Tonasket
5. Snyder Holloway
6. Eddie Johnson
7. H a n k Johnson
8. Eddie H u n t
9. Duane Christopher
10. Richard Louis J r .
Calf Roping:
1. Chester Labelle
2. Terry Rider
3. Vern Benjamin
4. Eugene Creighton
5. George M c L e a n
6. Fred Mussell
7. Harvey Labelle
8. Maurice M c L e a n
9. Andrew Hunt
10. E l d o n M c L e a n
$464.08
386.65
380.95
356.25
252.22
143.92
66.50
64.60
27.55
22.80
$1748.96
1506.23
1026.00
809.40
643.15
420.38
419.90
313.50
297.35
231.80
Steer Wrestling:
1. Lawrence Elkins
2. Chester Labelle
3. Clarence H u n t
4. Clint M o r i n
5. F l o y d Grinder
$1046.90
1006.60
991.33
600.88
506.35
Team Roping:
1. Oliver Louis
2. Blane Louis
3. M i k e Benjamin
4. E l d o n M c L e a n
5. Vaughn Louis
6. Keith Johnson
Saddle Bronc Riding:
Lawrence Elkins
Gus Gottfriedson
Charlie Louis
Oliver Louis
Bareback Riding:
Dennis Sampson
Bucky Ned
Richard Louis
Clint M o r i n
Bull Riding:
Henry Johnson
Ernie Thomas
Glenn Gottfriedson
Gary Houle
Sonny Clegg
Boys Steer Riding:
Troy Dan
Shane Johnston
E d Hunt
Frank Antoine
$1792.94
1592.06
1312.94
1212.77
1044.86
1020.92
70
69
65
61
pts. $210.80
pts. 158.10
pts. 105.40
52.70
pts.
67
62
62
60
pts.
pts.
pts.
pts.
190.00
118.75
118.75
47.50
72
69
69
66
66
pts.
pts.
pts.
pts.
pts.
387.40
242.12
242.12
48.42
48.42
64
63
62
61
pts,
pts;
pts.
pts,
129.20
96.90
64.60
32.30
Steer Wrestling:
Lawrence Elkins
18.67 $159.60
Clint M o r i n
38.38 119.70
79.80
1 min. 16.23
Clarence H u n t
Ground M o n e y / B . C . I . R . A .
Calf Roping:
Andrew H u n t
Chester Labelle
Oliver Louis
Clarence Wesley
12.44 $190.00
12.50 142.50
44.81
95.00
47.15
47.50
Ladies Barrel Racing:
Joan Perry
Sandy Pasco
Laurie Peters
Joan Gentles
17.89 $129.20
17.90
96.90
18.18
64.60
18.25
32.30
Team Roping:
Vaughn & Frank Louis
Willie W i l s o n / G i l Bowe
Vaughn & M i k e Louis
Vern Benjamin/Terry Rider
Andrew & Clarence H u n t
G i l Bowe/Charlie Louis
Ladies Barrel Racing:
1. Fay Nelson
2. Joan Perry
3. Sandy Pasco
4. Joan Gentles
5. Becky Palmantier
6. Tracey Crawler
7. C a r l a Peirro
8. Delia Perry
9. K i m Perry
10. Margaret Crawler
All Around:
1. Lawrence Elkins
2. Oliver Louis
3. Clint M o r i n
4. Richard Louis
5. Dave Best
1
Rockie of the Year:
1. Darrell Eustache
2. Glenn Gottfriedson
3. Willie Johnson
4. Nick-o Andrews
$287.47 ea
219.83 ea
152.19 ea
84.55 ea
59.18 ea
42.27 ea
$1520.00
1492.92
1403.63
666.90
393.78
331.07
233.70
173.80
116.85
112.10
$3234.40
2681.93
2608.58
2071.58
2038.50
745.27
508.82
380.00
121.90
INDIAN W O R L D 29
NATIVE
LEGAL
AID
CLINIC
EMPLOYMENT
OPPORTUNITY
LANDS, MEMBER—
SHIP and ESTATE
CLERK
ager Okanagan, Indian
Band Pr#7, Site B,
A Legal Aid Clinic specifically
Comp. 20 Vernon B.C.
for Indian people has been established by an Indian law student. Okanagan Band Council V1T 723
The clinic deals with criminal
is accepting applicationsPHONE: 542-4328
matters, landlord and tenant
for a Lands, Member- TELEX: 048-8311
problems, drafting of wills,
debtor assistance, small claims, ship and Estates
unemployment insurance, employer-employee relations and
other areas.
Record keeping
Clerk.
exper-
ience is a must.
WHEN: TUESDAYS, 7:00
pm—9:00 pm.
WHERE: THE NATIVE
REFERRAL OFFICE
52 BLOOD ALLEY
VANCOUVER, B.C.
CLOSING DATE:
OCT 15,1980
FOR INFORMATION
CONTACT:
Lyle Brewer, Band Man-
An Indianowned general
development
CARVED SLATE DISH, HAIDA
consulting
group
(Indian Consulting Group) Ltd.
WOODEN DISH
•
•
•
•
•
•
Economic feasibility studies
Preparation of funding proposals
Project planning/implementation
Socio-economic impact analysis
Negotiations with government/industry
Band organization and training
225-744 West Hastings Street
Vancouver
V6C 1A5
(604) 682-7615
INDIAN W O R L D 30
TSIMSHIAN
CARVED AND PAINTED CHEST, HAIDA
"SPIRIT C A N O E "
BONE CARVING
TLINGIT
UNDERSTAND, OLD ONE
This come after I had visited an old burial ground in Kisgegas. A vacated village where a tribe of Gitksan
people lived before they moved to what is known as Hazelton today.
Understand, old one,
I mean no desecration
Starting here
At your grave.
Deeply moved am I.
Understand, old one,
I mean no lack of reverence
I mean no lack of reverence.
It is with love
I think of you so long ago laid here
with tears and wailing.
Strongly I feel your presence very near
Haunting the old spot, watching
As I disturb your deep sleep. Poor Chost,
As I disturb your deep sleep. Poor Ghost,
I know, I know you will understand.
What if you came back now
To our new world, the city roaring
There on the old peaceful camping place
Of your red fires along the quiet water,
How you would wonder
At towering stone buildings high in the air
Immense, incredible;
Planes in the sky over swarms of cars
Like things frantic in flight.
What if you came at night upon these miles
Of clustered neon lights of all colors
Like Christian newly come to his Heaven or Hell
And your own people gone?
Old one of the long ago,
So many generations lie between us.
But cannot estrange. Your duty to your race
Was with the simple past, mine
Lies in the present and the coming days.
by: Simon Danes
INDIAN WORLD 31
CONSULTATION FUNDS ARRIVE
Health Fieldworkers Hired
On September 3, 1980, the
National Indian Brotherhood received the first quarter of the
Consultation Funds for 1980 and
began distributing them to the organizations across the country.
Last October, 1979, the Health and
Social Development Portfolio learned
through the National Commission
Inquiry meetings hosted by the
National Indian Brotherhood, that
National Health and Welfare had set
aside $950,000 yearly for Consultations on Indian Health.
It wasn't until March, 1979, that
the money was made available to the
Provincial and Territorial Organizations. This gave the Provincial and
Territorial Organizations a full three
weeks to do Province-wide and Territorial consultations. These were then
submitted to National Health and
Welfare by March 31, 1980, the end
of the fiscal year.
The submission our Portfolio
handed in was made into a brief from
some of the material gathered at the
Indian Health Conference in March,
1980, and research on Provincial
Health Services. This brief was
presented by a delegation in
Edmonton, Alberta, to the Health
Services Review '79.
The Health and Social Development Portfolio has hired four
consultation fieldworkers to start the
consultation process with people in
the communities. The consultation
fieldworkers will consult with the
Chief and Council, or whomever they
recommend, on their concerns on
health-related problems. Their recommendations will then be recorded
and sent to the fieldwork coordinator. At the end of the fieldwork
period, the material will be put into a
report and presented to the communities for approval.
The fieldworkers spent a few days
in the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs
I N D I A N W O R L D 32
office for training and briefing before
returning to their communities to
commence their work. One fieldworker was chose from the four
different regions in B.C., so as they
can cover as many Bands in B.C. as
possible, and have as much input
from the people in the communities as
possible.
Herb Russell from Kitsequkla will
cover the N.W. zone; Romeo Edwards,
from Spallumcheen, the N E ; Lora
McCoy from Grasmere, the South
Mainland; and Theresa Thorne from
Cowichan, the Vancouver Island
zone.
National Native Alcohol Abuse Program
From the beginning of our involvement with the evaluation we have
stressed the need for direct Band participation. Through the NIB/NCI,
resolutions have been passed and
given to the government and our
portfolio has lobbied directly with the
government to ensure Band involvement.
In June a 5-day meeting was held in
Williams Lake to discuss the
evaluation with chiefs and councillors, the N N A A P , project workers
and other concerned Band members.
The meeting was originally intended to serve as the basis for the evaluation adhering to the government's
July deadline.
NIB Calls for Proper Band
Evaluation off Program
But a resolution passed at the
NIB/NCI meeting calling for the
extension of the evaluation for at
least a year changed the nature of the
meeting. The resolution was passed
because it was felt by all the PTO's
that to conduct a proper evaluation,
representative of the people's views,
would require more time and
coordination than the government's
allotted one month. The extension
would also allow the possible placement of a data system into N N A A P
projects
to provide statistical
information for the evaluation. The
resolution was supported at the
meeting and an Action Plan called for
the formation of a coordinating committee made up of N N A A P Zone
Consultants, Tribal District Council
representatives, and the UBCIC as
technical supporters. Each committee
member would be responsible for the
evaluation in their region obtaining as
much input as possible from all Band
members, and resources from outside
the Band such as other alcohol agencies and the R C M P , would also be
called upon.
Regional Advisory Board
Evaluation from Workers Only
Following the Williams Lake
meeting the Regional Advisory Board
held a meeting in Vancouver to evaluate N N A A P projects. Our understanding of how this section of the
evaluation was to work is that
N N A A P project workers were asked
to fill out a questionnaire on their
projects. The questions concentrated
on the administration of their
projects but also touched on the
effectiveness of their work on
changing the alcohol abuse problem
in their area. Some examples of the
questions included "Is there a written
financial policy manual (for your
project) and "Is there a noticeable
community change in visible inebriated Indians in community? "
Prior to this meeting the projects
had not received any notice from the
RAB on this or any aspect of the
evaluation. The R A B has forwarded
their report to Ottawa but so far we
have not received a ropy.
No True Reflection of B.C.
Situation
It will be a mistake for the government to consider what the RAB's has
produced to be truly representative of
B.C. The R A B made no attempt to
consult with Chiefs and councillors or
Elders or other Band members.
Only two provincial organizations
have submitted to the government's
evaluation deadline. A l l others have
continued to reject it until an extension is granted and direct Band involvement is ensured. Some Regional
Advisory Boards in other provinces
have also declined the government's
deadline and terms of reference.
NH & W Gives Agreement in
Principle to Extension
We are continuing to press the government for the extension. The DIA
has agreed to the need for an extension but so far National Health and
Welfare has only agreed to it in principle. We have asked Monique Begin,
Minister of N H & W, to state her
Opinion on the extension.
The government cannot expect
Indian people to accept any changes
within N N A A P without complete
and open exchange of expectations
between Indian governments and the
Federal Government.
The threat of termination of
project funds is an unfounded one as
the government is fully aware of the
need and importance of this program.
If they had really thought that could
get away with such actions they
would have after N N A A P ' s first 3
years of funding was up.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
The article by Chief Wayne Christian in the July, 1980
issue of INDIAN WORLD, reflected on Genocide;
forcing our children to life in the white society, after
apprehension by Social Workers employed by the
Provincial Government. What about the officials
employed by the Federal Government? And our elected
Indian leaders? What are they doing to help lessen acts of
Genocide? Indian women who marry a man of non-status
automatically loses all her rights, heritage, culture and
values. She is given a month at the most to leave her place
of birth and live in a society totally unknown to her. her
children are forced to live in the white society. How can
you tell a child of Indian origin—brown eyes, dark hair
and dark complexion, "you are white"? The trouble
starts as soon as they become aware of their status. They
are not fully accepted in the white society, and can never
be really accepted on the Reserve by their blood relatives.
The Indian Act #12 imposed on Native Indian Women,
is discriminatory and against universal declaration of
human rights. While it promotes status for a white
woman, it will never change the color of her skin. White
women can never be Indian in thought, work or deed,
therefore, their children are not raised in the true Indian
traditional fashion.
Indian status should not depend on a piece of paper! It
should be determined through blood lines. If our leaders
do not stop this act soon, within the next quarter century
the majority of status Indians living on the reserve will be
white status Indians. (If this isn't Genocide, I don't know
what is!)
Mrs. Irene Bryson
Osoyoos Indian Band
INDIAN W O R L D 33
EDITORIAL
We, as Indian children, elders, mothers and fathers,
will soon embark on a long and difficult journey.
Although it will be a journey filled with hardships and
temporary setbacks, we will eventually arrive at our
destination strong.
After a quick mental scan at what's happening across
B.C., it becomes clear to see that we are ready for our
journey. The route has been agreed upon and carefully
mapped out, the preparations have been made,, and our
elders have given us knowledge and strength. We are
ready to implement our Indian Government.
In the past, we've talked and dreamed about gaining
control of our own lives once again. Since then, we've
sharpened the tools we need to achieve our goal. Now
that we have the skills, knowledge and determination, the
time is right for action.
We are at a critical point. We must now decide
whether we will stride forward or stop dead in our tracks.
Personally, I cannot see any satisfactory alternative to
Indian Government.
This is an exciting time for our people in B.C. and ..
across Canada. In the homes, on the street, at gatherings,
and at meetings, our people are saying, "we want to run
our own lives, we want to regain our dignity we don't
want to be dependent Indian Nations any longer."
Although the term Indian Government is relatively new
to most Indian people in B.C., the concept is not new.
Indian Government was practiced for centuries before the
white people came to this land. It is an old system that we
are merely trying to put back into place, since the present
systems and conditions are obviously not what our people
either want or can tolerate.
Several years ago, the term Indian Government
began to come into use, but today our people are at a
point where it's almost a household word used by
everyone from elders down to children. In many areas it
has gone further than that: implementing Indian
INDIAN W O R L D 34
Government has become a way of life for these Bands.
They didn't look for outside help to take control over
various aspects of their lives, they pulled together and
practiced their rights, either ignoring or fighting the
obstructive and destructive laws and regulations of the
larger society.
The individuals who've pushed to take over various
aspects of their lives are creating a snowball effect, and
Other Indian people and Bands are watching their
progress then following their models. During the summer
of 1978, several members of the Bridge River Band were
charged after fishing on days that Federal Fisheries had
imposed a closure. The fishermen had implemented one
portion of the Indian Government by fishing and fighting
the charges. In the end, the court realized and recognized
the fact that Indian people do have the right to fish in
waters next to reserve land at any time of the year.
The entire issue only proves that when Indian people
assume control over certain areas, the outside bodies,
such as Fisheries, can do little to stop us. What it does
take, though, is the courage to take this control, or
power.
The governments have found an easy method in
dealing with the "Indian problem", by delegating our
powers to others thus creating a dependancy on them.
The power we once had in education, health, housing and
other areas, is now in the hands of other bodies. We
cannot leave the task of regaining this power to our
Chiefs and Band Councils. To be successful we will have
to, individually, take control of our own lives. We must
regain the power we have within ourselves and our
communities and utilize it.
At the moment, we are nations dependant on a foreign
power. We now have the choice of either remaining
dependant on others or taking the responsibility of
running our own lives. It is a decision each of us alone
must make.
THE UNION OF B.C. CHIEFS TWELFTH
ANNUAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY - OCTOBER 14-17
NOTICE
Due to new conference plans, we will no longer
require the Robson Square Media Center. The whole
conference will be held at the Italian Cultural Center,
3075 Slocan St., October 14-17, 1980.
OUR THEME
Implementing Indian Government... every Indian
Band in British Columbia is a government. Every
Indian Band is exercising its power in different ways.
A good example is the Spallumcheen Indian Band
setting up a by-law to control Child Welfare on their
reserve. There will be other powerful examples during
the assembly.
OUR CULTURE
An expression of our Indian Culture will be
witnessed at the traditional form of giving on the
evening of October 16th when the Union of B.C.
Indian Chiefs honour those Indian Leaders who laid
the foundation of Indian Government through dedication and hard work. Special Guest will be Jacob and
Annie Kruger. Keynote speaker will be Del Riley,
President of the National Indian Brotherhood. We will
also^share in the Indian Dancing program and the
Traditional Indian Food Auction on October 15th and
the Annual Amateur Talent Show on th 14th.
HIGHLIGHT OF CONFERENCE
Where Are The Children... for years the Provincial
Government, through its Child Welfare Act, has taken
away Indian Children from the parents, grandparents
and the community. The Spallumcheen Indian Band
will be making presentations at the assembly on this
heartbreaking issue.
FROM: UNION OF B.C. INDIAN CHIEFS
440 WEST HASTINGS ST.
VANCOUVER, B.C. V6B 1L1
On this, the eve of our 12th Annual General Assembly,
Indian people across the province will once again make a
united effort to improve the future for our children by
pushing the implementation process of Indian
Government.
To bring the focus to the children, Spallumcheen Band
will spearhead an Indian Caravan just before the
Assembly. It will be a caravan of Indian people from all
across B.C. with the purpose of bringing attention to and
stopping the apprehension of our children, which is
resulting in many ending up in alien environments. Frank
Rivers of the Squamish Band explained the consequences
of the placing of our children in non-Indian homes. Fran
Smith of the Port Simpson Band talks about Indianoperated support homes as an alternative in cases where
SECOND CLASS MAIL
REGISTRATION NUMBER 4983
VANCOUVER, B.C.
parents may not be able to properly raise their children.
As long as we have control of our children, we can
teach them our culture. Lorna Bob of the Cowichan
Band wrote in about the youth project she and 19 others
in B.C. worked on, researching their cultures. From
Kitimaat Village, Mary Green explained programs the
Band provided for young people of the village.
Karen Walkus sent in a profile of the Oweekeno Band.
It told of the problems her people face and how she
would like to see the problems solved with the help and
knowledge of the Elders. To accompany the story,
Gordon Hanuse wrote a strong poem, which stresses a
major concern—alcohol.
On the lighter side, Les Casimir sent a story and
pictures to show all the fun that was enjoyed during the
Lake Babine Band Indian Days. During that weekend,
Indian dancing was one feature.
Marshal Goulet shared his feelings, as an Indian dancer,
about dancing and why he feels so strongly about it.
For those who toil the soil, we have this month a story
about the Penticton Band farm, which was submitted by
Ernest Lezard and Vic Hulley. Along the same line is a
story by Jimmie Quaw about the Stoney Creek 4H Club.
UNION OF B.C. INDIAN CHIEFS
ANNUAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY
14-17th OCTOBER IN VANCOUVER
WORLD
““THE CHOICE IS OURS”’
2
Z
eC
SEPTEMBER 1980
THE CELEBRATION
As the wind chased the clouds from the sky, the sun
smiled through the clearing to warm the land. It would be
a fine Saturday for a man and woman to marry the
Indian way.
ws
Long ago there was a custom we had. When a man and
woman decided to live together a marriage ceremony was
performed. Their teepee was placed away from camp, but
before they entered and lived there, the brave went to the
mountain to purify his thoughts and to understand his
responsibility to provide and protect. The young woman
spent time in the forest watching mother nature and her
ways.
Then the couple had a long talk with an old man and an
old woman who told them to always be friends and to
respect and take care of each other, just as they would the
waters, the birds of the sky and the berries they pick in
the summer. Gifts were exchanged and they entered their
new home as man and wife. It was and remains a
beautiful, spiritually powerful custom.
Family and guests arrived, bringing their bright colors,
feathers, red blankets and dancing shawls, beaded
mocassins, black braids and their wonderful brown eyes
that sparkled with laughter.
It was the right moment for Dean Pelegrin and Faye
Dick to be wed and for all present to witness a
Traditional Indian Wedding.
Napoleon Kruger centered himself in the middle of the
circle and began the ceremony. Sage and sweet grass were
burnt and passed to everyone. Napoleon Kruger told
stories of Indian feelings about colors. Blue is for the
water and sky, the water never totally fills up or empties
one place and so life continues. The sky is freedom and
the Great Spirit. Green is for the new birth of spring, new
shoots in the corn field, Indian babies, ponies, and the
salmon who spawn upstream. White is for the wisdom of
the elders and the purity of truth. Red is for the sun that
warms all life and for the campfire that cooks our food.
Yellow is for the place where the sun comes up and smiles
on our day. Black is for the darkness when we can pray
that all the bad things go away.
Napoleon Kruger then put a blanket around Dean and
Faye and spoke many private words to them. He passed a
bird wing around their shoulders to bond them and give
them strength. He gave them special Indian medicine and
asked them to carry their responsibility in the union.
They smoked the pipe with Napoleaon Kruger and the
witnesses. Napoleon Kruger then declared from that.
afternoon forward Dean and Faye would be known as
Man and Wife.
They lead the dance and everyone joined following
their footsteps and the rythum of the drum. The singers
dancers and drummers continued the constant beat of
life. There was time for visiting. Even a mother bear and
her cubs climbed up in a tree to see the special occasion
on T-Bird Heights.
ye
2
The circle was complete, Dean and Faye were born
Indian, they wed Indian. They have chosen to live
Indian. And so the circle begins and continues for as long
as the stars give light to the night.
a ee et
{ INDIAN
WORLD
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 6
Credit Peter Von Puttkamer
Contributors
Editors: Faye Edgar and Darrell Ned
Assistant Editor: Pauline Douglas
Photographs: UBCICstaff unless credited
Typesetting: Mary Schendlinger
- Written contributions: Ts’zil Board, Sadie Worn-
Staff, Frank Rivers, Denise Birdstone, Les Casimir,
Mary Green, Lorna Bob, Marshal Goulet, Karen
Walkus, Millie Poplar, Phil Thompson, Leslie Pinder,
Loretta Todd, Herman Thomas, Val Dudoward,
Jimmie Quaw, Ernest Lezard, Vic Hulley, Frank
Smith, Ed Leon, Reg Percival, Simon Danes, Violet
Birdstone, Irene Bryson, Carmen Maracle, Pee-Wee
Gottfriedson.
Illustrations: Carmen Maracle.
1979.
OUR COVER: The Indian Child Caravan is to protect our Indian children and assure them the benefit of
learning wisdom from their grandmother. Some of Mrs. Gertrude Schooner’s 38 grandchildren, 90 great
grandchildren, 65 great, great grandchildren proudly celebrated their grandmother’s 96th birthday on May 28,
INDIAN WORLD is the official voice of the 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.
Table of Contents
PE FACIVIONAL W COGING ovo occ io1s's4 0 wh tese bow emesrien 2
Interview W. CHIISHIAN | 55665565 s ss wn aw ne vice aig 4
CRE BAVA © oa a iy seterscrocgin ojs 00 asus w insce so epery ats oat
GIIETAD A WATODESS. 6 ave.c ois.c s/o 9:c:esivels aij sisies seers rT
Mt. Currie Curriculum/Cultural Centre............8
President’s Message .............+.-. caw vane ears 9
PIPETTES Sate ore t teint os rel esd svbheee ecole sleale tienen On 10
Lake Babine Indian Days .............0+000 aes
Khowutzun Youth Project ...........ceeseeeeees 13
Haisla Revives Traditional Ways..........00ee00 14
Pow-wow Dancer .......... Wines aie aleaiee wc-aiareraee
Up Dates ca t+ Seeeleleletets sae eel! Henle ta ete 16
Oweekeno. Profile soo! sci ioe eo viedibvstalle re oll Saleelths 18
Squamish Band By-law... <:6e:ceicas 000 sais eels elses 20
Eillooet Fight 5 .-<ssiye-ci0re'd wiacvinc os mietwiety steaversbeisipre 21
Penticton Band Farm) ic5es:cccmec eaiwanwee ses 22
Cut Worlds can vik eer viveleriawen nie tanahes team 23
SUPDPOrt FOMES «55 ccs isrcicce Gre dic) oe c)bieerayele Slaele eats 25
CRORES ceil aie te ce eee eine wlarelao/ececbiactiaterstuaeaynte 26
ROSOUICE ids oir WNT WaR cia ede Gest rea eons 28
ROGGO 55's osc tie:s acces ibye hie a ecoiaislatahelee Mites Sielbioe 29
Ads ee ere NS win SPSS CUR ee ace wate rer ests Rae Ba 30
Poem: Understand, OldOne ............e00e0e0e 31
PRCT Bree ee a ee a ee ie take ne ee 32
Detierto the EGHor ails. ah. eks ether ba waahteneen 33
EGuonal ec. 28 pases Soiree ee See toe Sees 34
General Assembly cca Hicwaly saarcvu no cies Cae eae 35
—/
INDIAN WORLD 3
INTERVIEW
Chief Wayne
Christian-
Leader of the
Indian Child
Caravan
The following is excerpted from
an interview with Chief Wayne
Christian of the Spallumcheen
Band, leader of the Indian Child —
Caravan. This interview was con-
ducted by Sadie Worn-Staff of the
Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs.
Q: What is the most valuable resource
to Indian people?
A: The most valuable resource in the
communities now is the children be-
cause the children are the mainstay in
the foundation for building stronger
communities in future. .
Q: What do you feel the biggest threat
to their well-being is at this point in
history?
A: You know, at this point the threat
is and always has been non-Indian
agencies taking children from famil-
ies, and that agency is the Ministry of
Human Resources.
Q: What has the Spallumcheen Band
decided to do about naving their chil-
dren apprehended?
A: We are a very small population
about 300 Indian people and actually
100 of those people have been appre-
_hended, and placed in non-Indian
homes.
We wanted to put a stop to this,
we’re tired of the non-Indian govern-
ments telling us how we should live
and actually taking our children and
forcing them to live in another world.
What happened in this case is a
mother came to us about 8 months
ago, she was quite concerned about
her children—the Human Resources
was going to apprehend them. She
INDIAN WORLD 4
A CALL TO INDIAN
PEOPLE TO JOIN OR
SUPPORT OUR B.C.
PROVINCE-WIDE INDIAN
CHILD CARE-A-VAN.
Here’s why and here’s how.
Why are children apprehended or taken by the Govern-
ment? Through neglect, abuse, orphaning or abandonment
by their parents.
What is then done with the children? They are put in child
care. Pet
Why are children apprehended or taken by the Govern-
ment? Through neglect, abuse, orphaning or abandonment
by their parents.
What is then done with the children? They are put in child
care,
INDIAN CHILD CARE
CULTURAL ASPECTS
Indian children have been and are today being taken
from their people and their culture and put mostly into
white homes through apprehension. In 1978 in B.C. alone
1,786 Indiarv children were apprehended and evidence
shows they weren’t put in Indian homes.
What is the effect on the Indian child in this situation?
Confusion, then loss or change of identity.
The loss of this child is usually harshly felt by relatives
and surrounding tribal members.
LEGAL ASPECTS
Jurisdiction or control of Indian child care is in ques-
tion. The B.C. Provincial Government has had control
through their Department of Human Resources under the
Protection of Children Act and later the Family and Child
Services Act because the Federal Government Indian Act
doesn’t have an Indian Child apprehension process written
into it.
However, the Indian Act does give Indian Governments
the right to make certain By-laws. The Spallumcheen Band
wrote the first ever By-law on Indian Child Care and the
By-law was approved by the Minister of Indian Affairs in
July 1980. This gave control of child care to the Spallum-
cheen Band and opened the door for other Bands in
Canada to make similar By-laws. The conflict between the
Spallumcheen Band By-law and the Family and Child
Services Act will have to be settled in a court of law.
POLITICAL ASPECTS
The money given for Indian Child Care Programmes
now goes from Department of Indian Affairs directly to
the Provinces in a lump sum. The B.C. Provincial Govern-
ment today receives approximately eight million dollars
a year for Indian Child Care.
INDIAN CHILD CARAVAN
Our Indian children have been stolen and must be re-
turned. This stealing must stop. The legal aspect is in
question and the Spallumcheen By-law must be supported.
Indian Governments have no control and Indian children
get no benefit from the money given for Indian Child
Care. This situation is unbearable and the Spallumcheen
Band is calling on all Indian people to support them on the
Caravan they are planning for Thanksgiving weekend,
October 9th to 13th. The Caravan will give an opportunity
to share information and unite Indian people on the Child
Care issue. It will also show everyone else we are serious
about taking control of our children’s care.
Cars will travel in a line together picking up more Indian
people as the caravan makes its way through B.C. It will
start in Prince George, advance to Williams Lake, merge
with Okanagan Indians and have a stopover at Mount
Currie. After Mount Currie, it will merge with Interior
Kootenay, Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island Indians,
and arrive in Vancouver on Sunday, October 13th. A rally
will be held in Vancouver. The Caravan will make its way
through the city.
Support the Caravan by joining and travelling with it,
helping to organize and run it, participating in the stop-
overs, selling raffle tickets, and getting a Band Council
Resolution from your Council to support the Caravan. Let
other Indian people know about it.
OUR CHILDREN FOR OUR
SURVIVAL IS OUR
RESPONSIBILITY.
came to me as chief, and to our
Council, and asked for our support
and our help. We decided we had to
fight this as many different ways as
possible, we had to assume the au-
thority to re-build the families.
Q: What is the detrimental effect that
the Indian children suffer when they
are taken away from their traditional
upbringing?
A: I guess the main thing that hap-
pens is a real identity crisis. I can
really identify with that because my
brother was apprehended. It was
about 2 years ago and he came back
to the community, he was back for
about 8 months and he went through
hell, he was staying with me and he
went through a lot of emotional things
that I couldn’t help him with. He had
reached the point of total helplessness
and desperation from not knowing
who he was, until eventually on
December 10th, he committed
suicide. I remember that day, it was
really snowing hard and I walked out-
side and he had shot himself. Suicide
is a direct result of not being in control
of your own world. Those are the
types of things that happen and that’s
a very direct thing. I feel that, and it
hurts. There are other things, like
alcoholism. When our young people
come back to the communities, they
don’t know their own family. they
just don’t know with whom they
belong. Alcohol is the first thing they
turn to, because alcohol gives them
some sense Of false security.
Q: Why do you think the province of
B.C. would want to fight over who
takes care of Indian children, when
the Indian people are saying ‘‘they
are ours’’, we will take care of them?
A: What it really boils down to is
money. The province right now
receives 8.5 million dollars to look
after Indian children. Out of that,
only one third of what they receive
per month goes to the foster parents.
The other two-thirds is absorbed into
their administration. They provide no
services to Indian people on reserves.
So what it really boils down to is
money.
Q: What has the Spallumcheen Band
done to draw public attention to the
INDIAN WORLD 5
fact that the Indian people will not
stand still for the needless apprehen-
sion of their children?
A: We’ve instituted what we term as
Spallumcheen Indian Government
Legislation or Law. We went through
a series of meeting and the people
decided that we had to codify our
traditional way of looking after our
children in terms of a written law.
That legislation is now in place, and
the Minister of Indian Affairs has
made it valid. With that we have also
initiated a court action against the
provincial government which is slated
to take place some time in Octover.
We are not yet sure of the dates. We
are saying that the province has no
jurisdiction over Indian children in
child welfare matters. It’s a
child welfare matters. It’s a constitu-
tional issue.
But the biggest and the most
important action that we are taking is
ws |
ee —E==—==- —a
ee Ce sad
a) My
- f ; i
iy ia *) ,
4
POOGAAGAAA Zé
INDIAN WORLD 6
the direct political action that is being
demonstrated in the Children’s
Caravan. What we want to accom-
plish with the caravan is three pri-
mary goals. One is to stop the need-
less apprehension of our children.
Two is to have those children returned
or re-united with their families. And
the third is to "promote and tell the
people that there has to be Indian
Government control of child welfare.
Q: What have the Elders said in
Council to the Spallumcheen Band
about what they are doing?
A: Every time we have had a meeting
with the people in our community, we
had an interpreter present. The Elders
were the first to speak in favour of
our actions. Many of them said it’s
about time we did something. Our
Elders look after our children. We
have a woman that’s 80 years old and
looks after 4 of her grandchildren,
and they are very close. We have
aie
another woman that’s about the same
age that’s looking after her two
grandchildren. She was one of the
women that actually chased off the
Ministry of Human Resources worker
with a rifle. She said you’re not
taking my grandchildren, get the hell
out of here, and she took the gun
after the person, and she still has her
kids.
Q: So the Indian people can and will
look after their own blood?
A: That’s the reality that the non-
Indians have to realize. We want to
control and maintain our own des-
tiny. In this area especially because
like I said earlier, there is no more
vital resource in our community than
our children. The children are the
foundation. They are the people that
we have to fight for, and it’s bloody
time we stopped talking about it and
did something! @
Go am
gat eet
NATIVE CULTURAL
AWARENESS WEEK
£ ‘ssa
By Denise Birdstone
On August 24, 1980 until August 30,
1980, four of the five Bands that make
up the Kootenay district (Columbia
Lake, Tobacco Plains, Lower
Kootenay, and St. Mary’s) participa-
ted in their first ever Native Cultural
Awareness Week.
Elders from each Band volunteered
their time and knowledge in the areas
of Language, crafts (beading and tan-
ning), dancing, singing, and the art of
making frybread and dried meat.
The children were broken into three
Major groups: Juniors, ages 5 to 8
years; Intermediates, ages 9 to 12
years; and Seniors, ages 13 to 18 years.
Classes began at nine each morning
and lasted until either 4 or 4:30 p.m.,
depending on the level of learning. As
well as their scheduled classes, the chil-
dren enjoyed various recreation activi-
ties such as canoeing, swimming,
volleyball, tetherball, or if weather
permitted, sunbathing.
A camp fire was made every night,
where the camp workers and our
seniors delighted in scaring the chil-
dren with tales of ghosts and an infam-
ous ‘hermit’, Hot chocolate was
served before it was time for bed.
_ Seniors were often awakened in the
night to comfort homesick juniors.
Hiking was another side activity.
The juniors packed a lunch and hiked
two miles to nearby Whitetail Lake,
where they enjoyed their meal and
swimming. The intermediate hiked 3
miles to the top of the nearest moun-
tain, They spent the night and survived
anight of early snow. A hike7 miles up
and down a mountain in rain was a
new experience for many seniors,
although some of them barely made it.
Thinking a cozy cabin awaited them,
many were dismayed to find rais, With
the help of Bruno (a dog), they
succeeded in chasing the rats out. At
least they spent the night dry.
All 55 children have gone home and
Blue Lake is a quiet and lonely place
without them. Many of them have
promised to meet me here next year.
Hopefully, we will all meet again for
another Native Cultural Awareness
Week. Special thanks go to the
primary organizers, Lillian Ignatius
and Liz Adrian.
the funds to have the camp were
from the National Native Alcohol
Abuse Program and we wanld
especially like to thank them for
helping us become Aware.
INDIAN WORLD 7
The
Mount
Currie
Curricu-
um/
Cultural
Centre
Curriculum development and cul-
tural education have been ongoing
processes at Mount Currie since the
local Band took control. Native
dance and native art have been
central to school programs since
1973, as has the teaching of activities
related to fishing, basketmaking
and hunting. The local Indian langu-
age has been taught to students at all
grade levels since the Ts’zil Board
began to decide policy.
In 1977, DIA officially accepted
the Ts’zil Board’s position that teach-
ers developing curriculum materials
needed extensive out-of-classroom
time to do so. DIA came through
with curriculum enrichment funds,
and thus, two trained native teachers
who could also speak and write the
local language were hired to develop
curriculum materials. They’ were
joined by an outsider who was
responsible for the English language
component and a linguist who was to
oversee the development of local
Indian language materials.
In 1978, the Ts’zil Board became
aware of the possibility of obtaining
funding from the Cultural Centres
Program in Ottawa. Primarily, these
INDIAN WORLD 8
funds were sought to set up a
specific Centre in Mount Currie and
to branch out into other areas such as
community programs. The grants for
these programs are initially tied to a
per capita allotment. The only criti-
cism that could be levelled at the
Cultural Centres Program in Ottawa
is that a great deal of paperwork is
required (quarterly reports and finan-
cial statements) for so little money.
The Mount Currie Curriculum/
Cultural Centre projects fall into
three areas. Their major interest is in
the preparation and publication of
books, booklets and teaching kits for
the local school and community.
These materials are generally in the
fields of language enhancement,
legends/stories, and native studies.
This kind of work requires much time
interviewing Elders and other com-
munity members who know the
information that is being sought. The
second area of endeavour is what has
been labelled ‘‘cultural reclamation’’.
This is a community-based program,
and involves regular sessions and
specific workshops in several aspects
of culture such as basketry, singing/
dancing, and netmaking. One of the
tasks during the coming year will be
the identification and reclamation of
several traditional hunting and
berrypicking trails in the immediate
region. The Cultural Centre will hire
local people to do this work, but will
follow up on this project by making
maps and information booklets of the
various trails.
The third area of work is support
servicing of the local Mount Currie
Community School and its mainly-
native teaching staff. Materials are
prepared by Cultural Centre staff to
aid teachers in their work. Cultural
Centre personnel consider the
laminating, chart-making, poster-
production, retaping, binding,
writing, and consulting as central to
their jobs. The Mount Currie
Community School’s essential
function is to further the integrity of
local native persons, and it is the
Cultural Centre’s duty to help the
School reach its goals.
The Cultural Centre staff has noted
two problems: inadequate working
and storage space, and inaccessibility
to research facilities. In general,
though, these problems have not hin-
dered the Cultural Centre from
completing many projects and
moving on to new areasofneed. @
—PRESIDENT’S —
MESSAGE
The Federal Government of Canada has a long range
strategy for dealing with the Comprehensive Claims of
the Dene in the Northwest Territories, the Indians in the
Yukon and in British Columbia. Their plan is to
extinquish the right of our people to govern our own
lands, forests, hunting, wildlife, fishing, trapping, etc. In
plain English it means the Federal Government is
forbidding us to determine our own future by using our
Indian traditional form of livelihood and survival. Their
unconditional criteria for settling our land claims is the
extinguishment of our Aboriginal Rights ending our
hereditory link with our country in exchange for a cash
settlement.
= it —— :
ao yy
<.: i
Their plan is that any political power or authorities
_ transferred to Indians must be consistant with the white
European political institutions. This means that Indian
Governments must become Municipal Governments on
their Indian Reserves under the B.C. Provincial Govern-
ment. The concept of ‘‘Indian Government”’ as a way of
confirming our Aboriginal Rights is explicitly rejected by
both the Federal and Provincial Governments.
Negotiations with Indians is to be on a practical basis
and must be initiated with those Indian tribes, groups or
associations which are willing to trade off their
Aboriginal Rights title, Indian Band Government title,
etc. for cash settlements. Existing National and
Provincial organizations that are demanding Indian
Aboriginal Rights to be entrenched into law or the
Canadian Constitution are to be avoided and ignored in
any negotiating settlements.
The Federal Government’s strategy to use Indians
against Indians so it can succeed in purchasing our
Aboriginal birth-right over our lands and resources for a
cash settlement is clearly in motion among our people in
British Columbia today. Our forefathers before us
refused to surrender our Aboriginal Rights in spite of the
suffering they endured of sweat, blood, cold and hunger.
Their strength, wisdom, and determination not to
compromise and sell us out is the very reason that today
we still have Aboriginal Rights. That right belongs to our
children yet unborn. Do we have the right to sell them out
now? I say we do not have that right. That is why the
Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs has taken the position that
we must strengthen our Indian Governments so they can
legally, politically, and constitutionally control our
hunting, fishing, trapping, lands and other resources for
us and our future generations. We have seen from past
experience that Indian Aboriginal Rights, under the
political control of white governments, is of no benefit to
the Indian people. We now know from our experience
that the only people that benefit from our Aboriginal
Rights is the white people. That is why we must bring the
control of our aboriginal rights under our own Indian
Governments. So that our people can enjoy the benefits
of their Aboriginal Rights.
The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs has completed the
first phase of its mandate from its membership, when it
completed the Aboriginal Rights Position Paper. It
completed the second phase of its work when it officially
presented the Aboriginal Rights Position Paper to the
Honourable John Munro, Minister of Indian Affairs and
Northern Development, the Prime Minister, other
Cabinet Ministers and the National Indian Brotherhood
and the First Nations Conference this year in Ottawa,
Ontario. We have served notice to all the Chiefs of
Canada, the National Indian Brotherhood and the
Federal Government on where we came from as
Aborigines of this country and where we intend to go in
developing our future with this country. The third phase
of our work is the most challenging part of our
manifesto. And that is the Implementation of our
Aboriginal Rights Position Paper. The first phase of our
implementation work has begun, when Mowachaht Band
in Gold River, B.C. brought into being the first in
@anada, anti-pollution by-law and compelled the Tahsis
Company to cooperate with the Indian Government law.
TheSpallumcheen Indian Government by-law No. 3, The
Care of our Indian Children, provides exclusive juris-
diction over any child custody proceeding involving an
Indian child, notwithstanding the residence of the child.
This law will bring home the responsibility of Indian
children to its rightful place. But it will not heal the
emotional pain, heartaches or restore the cutural
genocidal destruction of the number of children stolen by
the archise Protection of Children Act that has recently
been replaced by The Family and Child Service Act.
Taking away children from their parents is the cruelest
punishment, that leaves lasting painful scars, to the
Indian children, the parents, the Indian community. It
wipes out the cultural ties of the Indian child to his
traditional culture.
Yours in the true spirit of Brotherhood,
levge Woml
INDIAN WORLD® ,
IN THE
NEWS...
John H. Wilson
From Khowutzun Newsletter
We can look back many snows and
see what we once had and can’t even
look at tomorrow and see what is
coming. We have hope and we have
our Elders, with the help of our Elders
we can learn to live not as we once did
but for a future of needed freedom:
to teach our children that they are our
future, a future that can be changed
with the help that can only come with
Unity:
We have hope, that the dreams of
tomorrow can be realized and become
reality.
We as Indians have been described
as Indians by prominent people as the
most deprived and isolated minority
in our nation by virtually every scale
of measurement.
But the story of the Indians is
something more than the record of
the white man’s frequent aggression,
broken agreements, intermittent re-
morse, and prolonged failure. it is
also a record of endurance, of
survival, of adaptation and creativity
in the face of overwhelming
obstacles. It is a record of enormous
contributions to this country—by our
arts and culture, to its strength and
spirit to its sense of history.
The special relationship between
Indians and the Canadian Govern-
CD Me
7/2
oo oe Vee ey, A
bod EY lols) ihe)
APD
o
(Se!
i)
ment is the result instead of solemn
obligations which have been entered
into by the Government. Down
through the years, through written
treaties and through formal and
informal agreements, our government
has made specific commitments to the
Indian people. For their part, the
Indians have often surrendered claims
of vast tracts of land and have
accepted life on reservations in
exchange for government-provided
services such as health, education and
public safety. Services that would
presumably allow Indian communi-
ties to enjoy a standard of living
comparable to that of other Cana-
dians. This goal was never achieved.
The right to maintain a separate
way of life is a basic treaty obligation
of the Government towards the
Indian. But the right to preserve one’s
identity as people should be viewed as
a basic human right. For many
groups in Canada this.Freedom can
be exercised.
Indian people have a choice of
many alternatives for coping with the
problems brought about by the
cultural clash. Some have maintained
a tenacious sense of belonging—to a
land, to a people. We remain on our
reservation, form tribal government
and work through a myriad of
government agencies to solve legal,
economic and social problems, and
find ourselves in frequent conflict.
We can clearly see the inequities, the
number of jobless, the under-
educated and often cold and hungry
people. And what appears to be the
best solution involves a_ valued
traditional loss.. Those who have
never let themselves be influenced by
society, who still practice old ways,
know their language and customs, are
slowly and faintly speaking out
against progress. Our young people
are going to Elders, begging to be
taught traditional ways and how
better to survive independent from
governmental restrictions.
It is little wonder that with our
people this inner conflict is revealed
in alcoholism and sometimes even in
an alarming suicide rate that was
never known before. Others may turn
their frustrations inward and embrace
poverty.
We must change our philosphy and
co-ordinate our activities to help our
people to preserve our dignity and
maintain our revive our culture, our
traditions, hold onto our land, and
legal rights. To allow us as Indians to
choose our own destiny. @
\
“INDIAN WORLD 10
sia from Skookum Jim Friendship Centre Newsletter.
A STORY ABOUT FOUR PEOPLE
This is a story about four people named everybody, somebody, anybody and nobody, There was an
important job to be done and everybody was asked to do it. Everybody was sure that somebody would do it,
anybody could have done it, but nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that, because it was everybody’s
job. Everybody thought anybody could do it, but nobody realized that everybody blamed somebody when
actually nobody accused anybody.
Now there’s something to think about!!!!! Vy
<
LAKE BABINE
INDIAN DAYS
By Les Casimir
Not long ago, a group of concerned
people got together in hopes of raising
funds to aid in the construction of
sadly needed recreational facilities at
Lake Babine Band.
The first couple of meetings were
small, but a lot of ideas and sugges-
tions were explored in detail. Every-
one, both the youth and the Elders,
agreed that the members of the Lake
Babine Band, especially the children,
“*have gone without proper facilities
and equipment long enough.’’ The
people involved realized that a lot of
planning and hard work was ahead.
But they stuck together.
~~
Dancers representing several of the area Bands performed with their varying
All other neighbouring villages
(many are smaller) in the area have
ball parks, camp sites, playgrounds.
This Band, one of the largest in popu-
lation in B.C., has no facilities. The
Elders praised the young people for
their dedication and support ex-
pressed at these recreation meetings.
One Elder put it, ‘‘Everyone in this
room, we all share the same concerns,
we all want our children to grow up
healthy and wise. We must work
together and push toward a common
goal. Ten years from now, our
children will thank you—maybe
sooner. Before departing from the
ee
elie 5 oes
-_
traditional style, helping to keep the atmosphere lively.
More meetings were necessary and
more people came, The new members
were brought up to date, and were
quick to agree that our children
deserve better. The children should
not have to play hockey or ball on the
road. It’s just not safe. Why should
they sleigh down road ways? The
people in government just have to un-
derstand that our children deserve the
right to be able to grow up and pursue
the sport of his or her choice. A lot of
our children and young people display
talent, potential and desire. It’s up to
‘us as leaders to do our best to provide
them with adequate facilities and
equipment.
gathering, an Elder said, ‘‘Everyone
here should make every effort to
Lake Babine Indian Days.
During the opening ceremonies, Gail Lowley was crowned Queen of the first
return to the next talks.’’ It was
emphasized that we must all pull to-
gether and provide our young with
facilities and programs to train and
develop their minds and bodies.
After only a few discussions the
group was ready for a first project,
Indian Days. There were lots of dis-
cussions, plans, debates, preparations
and an outdoor pow-wow at Augier
Lake—lots of good food and fresh
air.
Along with an excellent turnout
came a sunset that nestles in the tow-
ering trees to the west. Before the fire
was put out, all final preparations
and organizing was pretty well com-
pleted for the Indian Days that were
held from August 29 to September 1.
‘On Friday, August 29, the opening
ceremonies were held. Speeches and
an Opening prayer in our Carrier Lan-
guage were said. Band manager Wilf
Adam and Chief councillor Ted
Lowley cut the ribbon to officially
open ‘‘Indian Days 1980’ sponsored
by the Lake Babine Band Recreation
Committee. A host of our local dan-
cers, both the youth and Elders per-
formed for the growing audience.
Then our young Queen, Gail Lowley,
-was crowned. The bingo later was
well attended with the New Cultural
Centre decorated in readiness.
INDIAN WORLD 11
Saturday, August 30, the sun
managed throughout the day to peek
from behind threatening clouds. The
tourney was underway promptly. The
pancake breakfast was happening
and the coffee was ready.
The parade made its way through
the winding streets and concluded at
the ball park. The groups that entered
were excellent and deserve a lot of
and then. The games continued, the
food was prepared and the smell of
salmon and other foods filled the air.
One last huge performance by the
visiting dance groups and local
dancers was on Sunday evening. The
Prince George Cultural Dance groups
entertained the crowd for the first
hour or so. Then the local singers and
dancers performed. Later, each team
Young and old came together to enjoy the dun and festivities of the Lake
‘Babine Indian Days.
credit, for they made a good showing
on our behalf.
The games were all going well with
lots of good skill and talent displayed
on the playing field. The crowd grew
larger, the salmon steaks went fast. In
the concessions the pressure was on,
but the service and quality persisted.
The food was superb.
Saturday evening was the scene of
cultural dancing by twenty-five time
Grand Champion in competitive
fancy dancing. This man is in top
physical condition and radiates his
identity well. Of course, I’m talking
about Ernie Phillips.
After that, the Cultural Centre was
packed for a ‘modern’ dance with
music by Todaze Image. It was well
attended and everyone enjoyed hours
of dancing.
Sunday morning wasn’t a bad day,
with the sun breaking through now
INDIAN WORLD 12
in the tournament sent out dancers to
represent their people’s dance style.
ma Ts 1
:
leg
The rest of the evening was completed
with another rock-n-roll dance. Then
came the rain!
Monday, September 1, lots of rain,
for most of the night. With damp-
ened spirits the committee managed
to fix the mud-covered field and start
the breakfast. The water and mud de-
layed the finals by a couple of hours.
Finally, about 11 a.m. or so, the
games continued—still in the muck.
Although it showered, on and off, the
crowd was back, strong for the finals.
Which were played in a fair bit of
soupy mud.
The tourney concluded with the
Moricetown ‘“‘Cubs’’ taking top spot,
along with $1,000.00 cash, then a
strong second place, Stoney Creek
**Tigers’’ with $600.00 cash, Takla
Kumbias took third place and
$400.00 cash. The ‘‘Bayers’’ placed
fourth, while the Babine ‘‘Barkers’’
took fifth position. Many thanks to
all the teams and their fans. @
The Indian Days at Lake Babine Band helped bring the people together, The
Indian Days featured a parade, dancing, a ball tournament and good food.
Khowutzun Youth Project
By Lorna Bob
In May 1980 about twenty students
from around British Columbia
worked on a summer youth project
sponsored by the Union of B.C.
Indian Chiefs. It was a research pro-
ject covering different aspects of our
Indian culture and it provided the
young workers with the opportun-
ity to help preserve their culture while
learning about it. The students
worked out of thier own areas, inter-
viewing people and learning about
their culture.
So many. young people are not
fortunate enough to have elders such
as grandparents to guide them along
in life. Also, throughout the years,
young Indian children have been
taken away from their homes and put ~
into boarding schools where they are
in an environment totally different
from their homes. This‘has been hap-
pening for years, from our grand-
parents’ generation to the present.
Now we’re struggling to hang on to
what we’ve got before we lose our cul-
ture altogether.
I am from Vancouver Island and
live at Duncan. This is where most of
my research has taken place. The
people are known as the Cowichans.
Some of my research has also taken
me out to the surrounding areas.
I was one of the unfortunate ones to
be sent out to boarding schools. But I
was also fortunate because I would
always come home to my grand-
mother, who would give me the
guidance and teachings that I needed.
She used to resent the fact that I was
going to school and slowly becoming
ignorant of my own culture. But she
never gave up on trying to teach me.
the Indian ways. Her guidance has
always kept my heart eager to learn
more about our people’s way of life.
This was an ideal job for the young
people because it gave them a chance
to go out and collect information that
is useful to each person’s community
and to our Indian nations as a whole.
Michael David, with a few of his grandchildren.
It was also a good learning
experience for the students.
I find it sad though that more
young people don’t take the time to
sit down and speak to the elders. I
personally have loved sitting down
and talking with old people ever since
I was a little girl. I feel that there is so
much to learn from them. Even if we
are young people with all the
are young people with all the educa-
tion in the world it still isn’t complete
without the teachings of our elders.
Most of the elders that I have
interviewed expressed_the desire to
have more young people talk to them,
even if it is only to say hello. We
cannot be like the other society which
places its old people in special homes.
Learning our old ways is one of the
most important educations our native
people can get. It is so important for
them to have these interactions with
the elders, not only during a research
job like mine, but all the time. The
elders are our teachers and they are
slowly leaving us, taking a lost of
valuable information that’s so impor-
tant for us. We need it to carry on our
Indian culture. The white society’s
schools and teachers will be in
existence for a long time but our
elders will not be here for long. They
are not replaceable. When the elders
speak and scold us, we cannot think
that they are just being old fashioned
because ther is nothing old fashiond
about our culture. It is our culture.
Every elder that I spoke with told
me that our people were never a
dependent nation. We were always
independant and never needed the
white government’s assistance. We
helped one another. But the young
people turn further away from their
own culture and take on more of the
other society’s culture and values.
Some of us working on the project
had the opportunity to attend a youth
conference held near Penticton at
Owl Rock Camp. It wasn’t the ususal
conference. It was a camp-out
conference. There were about fifty
adults and one hundred young
people. Everyone took part in the
teaching and learning. Around the
camp, the fires were alit, people were
gathering and chopping firewood,
carrying water for cooking, carving,
preparing meals, while others brought
food from their homes for the
kitchen. The children were helping
with the chores, out enjoying the
lake, hiking around the area, listening
to the elders stories, learning how to
drum and sing Indian songs or doing
a number of other activities. The
children weren’t being told to help, .
they volunteered by themselves. They
saw the need to do something and
they did it for their tribe.
INDIAN WORLD 13
Angus August and Lorna Bob
“‘We need guidance’’
The camp is a spiritual camp where
no junk food, drugs, alchohol or non-
Indians are allowed. It was really nice
to see our people being able to speak
and relate to one another without the
help of drugs or alchohol. The young
people learned to appreciate the out-
doors and to be occupied without the
help of artificial entertainment such
as television or pool halls.
One man from whom I have had a
lot of help and guidance is Angus
August, an Elder from the Cowichan
Reserve. he has talked with me about
marriage, death, chiefdom, food
gathering, history, the long house,
and the teachings that have been
passed down for generations. There
are many other elders who have
helped me along and who have also
spoken on those subjects. They are
Mr. and Mrs. Bill Thorne, Mrs. M.G.
Pat Charlie, and Lucy Charlie. They
are all from Cowichan. Mr. and Mrs.
W. Bob from Nanoose Bay and
Micheal David from Chemainus
Bay helped me as well.
I have also learned that we have got
to start talking to one another as our
old people did in the past. The more
we talk to one another and exchange
ideas or share one _ another’s
knowledge, the stronger we as Indian
people will be. We cannot get like the
other society in which there are only
certain people trained or qualified to
be teachers. We are all teachers and
we are all learners. It is an endless
cycle.
y e.
INDIAN WORLD 14
Haisla Revives
woce braditional Ways|
Early in February 1980, applica-
tions for Student Summer Employ-
ment were submitted to the Job Crea-
tion Branch of Canada Employment
and Immigration for funding of the
Fishing Preservation Project and the
Firewood Energy and Conservation
Project. They were designed to supply
the following Elders, disabled,
widows and single parents with a
winter supply of salmon ‘and fire-
wood.
The purpose of the projects were to
teach the young people of our
community first hand the Haisla tra-
ditional ways of processing fish. The
firewood program would be to give
the young people close contact with
the Elders of our community. Actu-
ally, these have been the first pro-
grammes of their kind to be carried
on in our village.
There are very few young people in
our community who know how to
process and cure salmon, therefore
these projects would give them exper-
ience and the know-how to cure
salmon in our traditional style.
The programmes got underway
June 30th and were completed
August 29, 1980. The students were
selected according to tfeir desire to
work on the Fish Project, of which
ten students were hired. First of all,
we approached B.C, Packers of Port
Edward, to supply us with a fish net
to use throughout the summer.
The first day of the project dealt
with an all-day session on First Aid,
and the second day Fire Prevention
and Water Safety. Then, the students
on the fish project started hanging the
fish net that was to be used (that is,
putting the corks and lead line toge-
ther with the web). This was certainly
an interesting part of the fishing pro-
ject, because it gave the students the
knowledge of how to prepare the fish
net.
The students had a listing of 26
families to fish for. They also did
various chores such as filleting and
cleaning of the fish, drying, smoking,
canning, freezing and salting.
It was a learning experience for the
students, because they enjoyed doing |
this type of work and because the
majority of our Elders were very
willing and cooperative in the teach-
ing of the young students the ways of
filleting and preparing for the various
ways of preserving.
Our findings, as the Adult super-
visors, were that the students were
very eager to learn. They also were
able to relate very well with our Elders.
They made their project fun along
with working hard.
Quite a few of the families that the
students worked for. were able to
preserve the fish needed for winter
use that they weren’t able before.
Overall, the people in need of salmon
were happy, the students enjoyed
themselves, the Job Creation Branch
people were satisfied, and the
Kitamaat Village Council approved
wholeheartedly. The Council would
like to see similar programmes in
future for other young people.
At the end of the programme the
students hosted a Feast, using salmon
that they prepared themselves.
The food supplied for this feast
was prepared by the students them-
selves, with the help of their mothers.
Our Project Leader for the Fish
Project did the honours of being the |
master of ceremonies.
The event proved to be an enjoy-°
able evening. The parents were very
pleased with what their children had
learned throughout the summer.
On the last week of their project,
the students wrote their experiences
during the summer and their recom-
mendations for the next summer pro-
ject. Their general feeling was that
this programme be continued for the
younger students coming up. They
found it very enjoyable and a good
way to learn. .- ©@
- POW-
WOW
DANCER
By Marshall Goulet
To become a dancer is to make a
statement that you are a part of a
tradition that has survived for
centuries in Native North America.
To dance is to become one with
your ancestors who danced a
thousand years before and to dance is
to create a strong spiritual link to our
children who will dance a thousand
years to come.
I believe that one is born to become
a dancer. It is a learning process that
requires strength, desire, patience and
a conviction in one’s own belief in his
culture.
To me dancing is a way of keeping
our culture alive and vital.
Today in much of North America
the pow-wow style has been derived
from the Plains Indians. The fancy or
power dancing came from the Plains
Cree and is performed at all
pow-wows by men and women.
Dance costumes vary in design and
concept and it usually based on the
individual’s own taste and tribal
affiliations.
The outfit usually consists of a
beaded headband or head-dress
decorated with turkey or eagle
feathers depending on thier availabil-
ity.
Hair brooches are generally beaded
or made from porcupine quills sewn
together with horsehair.
Historically shirts were not worn by
pow-wow dancers. It was not until the
arrival of the white man with cotton
and synthetic material that the ribbon
shirt became popular. They are now a
standard for any dancer and are
usually decorated with elaborate
floral and geometric designs.
Leather leggings and bead clothes
or aprons were sometimes worn and
were often decorated with bead work
or porcupine quills. Fur leggings oc-
casionally were worn just below the
y
‘i '
| (es
knee and were designed to cover the
tops of the moccasins. Traditionally
these were made from wolf or bear
skin but today many use sheep or goat
hide.
Wide cuffs of leather or cloth were
decorated with beadwork or hand
painted designs. This is another item
that is now in general use that was
adapted from the Plains tribes.
Armbands and anklets were either
made of leather decorated with
beadwork or engraved metals such as
copper or brass.
The bustle that is worn at the back
of the dancer was considered a high
battle honor and was traditionally
worn by warriors who were known as
‘‘dog soldiers’’. =
Bells-which today are made of
=
EA)!
metal-years ago were carved from
animal hooves.
In fancy dancing there isn’t really —
any basic steps but dance movements
that are timed to the beat of the
drum. These movements depend on
the speed and rhythm of the drum
and the timing of the individual
dancer.
In dancing there is identity. You
know who your are and you know
why you are there dancing to the
drum. You are secure in the
knowledge that the dance is not a
fleeting thing but is something that
has been long and widely practiced by
our people. From this knowledge and
this very real sense of identity comes
the strength to live from day to day
the the will to continue to dance. @
INDIAN WORLD 15
UP-DATE:
GOVERNMENTS AGREE TO
PROCEED WITH GREASE TRAIL
The four Chiefs representing Bella Coola, Kluskus,
Anahim Lake and Ulchatcho held a meeting at Anahim
Lake on the 15th of September to discuss with the Band
members the implications of the development of the
Grease trail.
The proposed Federal/Provincial Agreement for
Recreation and Conservation (A.R.C.), which will enable
the development of the Grease Trail, is now in the final
stages. The Agreement Document has been agreed to by
both Governments and is awaiting Treasury Board
funding approval. The Document will then be signed by
the Ministers representing the two Governments.
The two Ministers are now writing to the four Chiefs,
outlining their Governments’ commitment to involve the
Bands in the planning and development of the Grease
Trail. These letters are expected to be in the mail at:this
time.
The four Chiefs will be meeting with the Provincial
Minister responsible for the Agreement in the next few
weeks.
GVRD OFFICIALS CHARGED
The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs has filed charges
against the Greater Vancouver Regional District on the
grounds that the effluent from its Iona Island Sewage plant
has contaminated fish protected by the Federal Fisheries
Act.
Jim Brisbois, Union environmental consultant stated
that the charges were based on a federal study by Dr. Ian
Birtwell who found that fish were suffocating due to the
high rate of oxygen consumption by decomposing sewage.
Dr. Birtwell, head regional habitat protection researcher
for Federal Fisheries, found hundreds of dead fish and
thousands of others in an ‘‘apparently stressful situation’’
near the mouth of the Fraser.
The plant was granted a permit in 1971 to operate ‘‘until
average flow exceeded 70 million gallons per day,’’ a limit
of the plant surpassed on March 25th, thereby invalidating
their license.
Iona, the area’s largest treatment facility, handles most
of the area’s industrial sewage.
Two GVRD officials, chairman Alan Emmot and-
commissioner Frank Bunnel, are co-defendants in the
action. The trial has since been remanded until January.
CHIEFS COUNCIL MEETING
The Chiefs Council met September 9, 1980 to discuss
the 12th Annual General Assembly and ‘‘Implementing
Indian Government’’. Chief Wayne Christian explained
the goals and mechanism of the Caravan to take place on
October 9-12 to draw attention to Child Welfare
Apprehension. With the statement to the Provincial
Government that ‘‘There is no room for negotiations we
are talking about lives of our children.’’
Chief Wayne Christian sought the support of Chiefs
Council for the Caravan to liberate the children lost to
the Department of Human Resources. Also discussed by
Chiefs Council were the UBCIC Annual Audit, Food
Fishing, Education, and First Nations Conference.
INDIAN WORLD 16
ENDERBY BRIDGE NEGOTIATIONS
Recently, a meeting regarding the Enderby Bridge took
place between the Minister of Highways and the
Spallumcheen Band Council. The Band has taken the
position that they will mot negotiate over the
approximately 1.3 acres of land required for the bridge
without the government also negotiating about the 63
acres of land they have taken without compensation.
The bridge is in a serious state of disrepair and thus the
community is anxious that it be repaired immediately. As
a result, the Band has passed a BCR allowing the govern-
ment to begin construction of the new bridge, on the basis
that they negotiate the matter of the outstanding 63 acres.
\Although the government is fully aware of the seriousness
of the state of the bridge, they have taken the position
that they will not begin construction, even to the
temporary bridge, before settling the question of
compensation for the 63 acres. However, the government
takes the position that they only owe compensation for
five of the 63 acres.
+
. FOUNTAIN BAND FISHERMEN GO TO TRIAL
After being charged with fishing during a closure
during a raid by Federal Fisheries and RCMP officers last
summer, the last of the accused Fountain Band members
went to trial September 8-11, 1980.
The first day of the trial posed the first problem. The
judge was the same one who had found Roger Adolph
guilty of similar charges last March. The defence brought
their concern that the judge may not be unbiased, to the
court and Judge Gilmore finally agreed to turn the case
over to Judge Shoupe. The case was then put off until the
next day.
Each of'the accused took the stand and explained to
the court that they fished because they need the winter
supply and because they have a hereditary right to fish
for food, as was recognised in the. Bradley Bob decision
last August, 1979.
Several witnesses spoke to the court, explaining why
they fished and why it is so important to Indian people,
not only of Fountain Band, but to Indians all over B.C.
As well, Elders gave background information on the
history of Indian people in that area. George Manuel,
president of the UBCIC and Saul Terry, Vice-president,
also gave evidence to support the Fountain Band fisher-
men’s case.
After all was said, the trial was adjourned until
October 9, 1980 at which time the judge would give his
decision.
that it’s going to go ahead, just that it’s part of their long
range plan, and always has been.”’
This has done little to reassure UBCIC leaders and
other groups, who note that B.C. Hydro, in their
renewed plans for Hat Creek, have given no indication
that the air emission problem has been solved.
HAT CREEK PROJECT GETS GO-AHEAD
B.C. Hydro’s recent announcement that they would
proceed with the $2.6 billion Hat Creek thermal power
station has again sparked the concern of UBCIC leaders.
Rosalee Tizya, administrator of the Union, stated that
“the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, working with local
Indian Bands will not allow the project to be built. We
have no choice, our very lives and livelihoods will be
destroyed.”
The coal-fired power plant will produce a minimum of
400 tons of sulphur dioxide per day, which is 7.5 times
the total present emissions throughout the whole Lower
Mainland. This, say environmentalists, represents a ser-
ious threat to the environment.
The Hat Creek project had previously been delayed for
16 months because of preductions of slow growth in
energy demands and uncertainty of air quality standards.
However, B.C. Hydro’s latest statement indicated that
Pollution Control Board guidelines and revised 1989 elec-
tricity predictions had prompted it to undertake further
development plans.
Bob McClelland, provincial energy minister, stated
that Hydro’s announcement did not mean an immediate
go-ahead on their coal fired plant.
‘*We’re a fair way down the road before anything
happens,’’ said McClelland. ‘‘Hydro hasn’t announced
GOVERNMENT MORATORIUM
RELAXED
An amendment to the B.C. Mines Act has given the chief
mines inspector discretionary powers over future uranium
mining and exploration.
This points to a softening of the seven-year moratorium
imposed by the B.C. Government in February. Until that
time there had been widespread exploration but no
working mines in B.C.
The moratorium had been seen as a victory by the Indian
people of B.C. who have struggled to prevent uranium
mining in the province.
The amendment states that, when exploration or devel-
opment is prohibited or a mining operation is closed by
regulation the chief inspector ‘‘may consent, on conditions
ordered by him, to the recommencement of exploration or
development or the opening of a mining operation that has
been closed under that regulation.”’
While this effectively allows the government to exempt a
| mine from the exploration and mining moratorium,
Energy Minister Bob McClelland denied that it would
mean the opening of any uranium mines.
The amendment to the Mines Act also gives the mines
| inspector the right to allow certain works to be done
around uranium deposits. This has led to speculation by
the Scientific Pollution and Environmental Control
Society that the amendment could allow mining firms to
explore for and stockpile uranium, under the guise of
developing a different mineral ore.
‘The provincial mines branch regulation would appear to
give the go-ahead to Placer Development Ltd. planned
molybdenum mine near Atlin. Placer’s Atlin property also
contains trace quantities of uranium.
There have been fears expressed by local residents that a
molybdenum mine would cause a problem because of
radioactive tailings.
FISHING RAFFLE
The winners of the Fishing Portfolio raffle were:
-First—Stan Napoleon, Moberly
Buckskin Jacket
Second—Steve Basil, Bonaparte
Indian Sweater and Hat
Third—Ton John, Hope
Indian Sweater and Hat
Congratulations. Thank you all who participated by
purchasing and selling tickets.
Herman Thomas Fishing Co-ordinator
INDIAN WORLD 17
by Karen Walkus
Oweekeno Community Health Rep.
We are a young village, economic-
ally poor, but rich in the love we have
for one another. Still, without some
sound economic development in the
near future, our village will die a slow
death and our young adults will
continue to move away from here.
The cultural and economic changes
we have undergone have taken their
toll. We are now a people classed as
dependent wage earners. Our old way
of life is practically non-existent.
Alcohol is one of our strongest
enemies. It too has brought about
many changes within our lives,
helping to create enemies among
friends, friction between families,
and despair for some.
Without the support of our elderly
leaders the battle may be long and
weary. What will we leave our
children? We may talk about natural
resources and it’s potential for
creating dollars, but in our small
isolated village, our main concern is
the children and the generations to
come.
With so few people and even
fewer Elders, we have to rely on one
another to teach our children respect
for the Indian way. If we allow
alcohol and his friend apathy to have
the majority vote, our village will
soon die. What then?
The missionaries, school teachers
and DIA have all played a part in
helping to destroy our way of life. let
us show them that the battle is not
over. The bitter fruits we have eaten
in the past need no longer make us
feel inadequate and angry with our-
selves. For, together, as a people
united in our Indianess, we can
conquer the destructive legacy of the
past and pave the way for our
children to live once more in harmony
and peace. Only then will we see our
village grow and our people return
home.
INDIAN WORLD 18
Oweekeno—Don’t let
At the Oweekeno Lake first narrows there is this huge rock standing on the
edge of a bluff. It is called the ‘“‘Lone Eagle. ”’
At one time there were four rocks standing at the edge of this same bluff.
Each stood for an Oweekeno Village. Each time a rock fell a village would die.
Now there is only the ‘“‘Lone Eagle.’’ Now there is only the ‘“‘Oweekeno
Village.”’ |
| ‘“‘ARyelllusion” + -Datieated to Ivy pee
| She asked me to quit : And coming to the conclusion.
I told her I'd try _ That Ihave in my head
But I knew in my heart ~That the only thing left
That it was only a lie ‘When'l run my last race
Right from the start _.-ls another blank face
I could see the list ~ And another big toe
Beginning to grow . “With the tag ‘‘John Doe’’
| The many excuses Just another lost soul
‘That I had made ~~ “That the twenty-sixer sucked one :
! To go crawling on back ~ Anather lifeless body aM 3
To that blind old Charade
To keep some guessing
At the meaning of my existence —_
And this life that I lead ae o Pat my thoughts on paper
And laying in a bed ~<Pthink I'l] just drink that last ounce —
Wondering where it’s going to ond _ | Before it turns to vapor. pss
And trying to remember why the hell it seis
i ery by Gordon Ham
‘LONE EAGLE” Fall.
i i" oa e i
JOUIDY NN UOA Jaf Mpasz
4
f
Afb
Oweekeno Village is an isolated
community located on the central
coast of B.C. Approximately 50
people still live at home with the
majority of our band members living
off reserve in larger centres. We are a
rich people, measuring our wealth by
what Mother Nature so generously
lends us. Salmon and timber are our
main resources, even though we only
participate in a marginal way in the
fish canning and logging industries.
But we are in a depressed Economic
situation. Attempts-to change this are
often frustrated by the fact that most
Economic Development must operate
within the restriction of DIA
programs, or their government
agencies.
Our traditional health practices,
knowledge of the land and spiritual
concepts and practices have always
been passed down from generation to
generation either through stories,
dances or by word of mouth.
Fortunately there are some things
that we can do to reverse this
destructive pattern. Namely, a return
to our traditional cultural roots. For
Oweekeno, this means relying on our
few remaining Elders.
The majority of our population is
under the age of 40. We have 3
Elders, one who has just recently
returned to the village after 35 years
of living in a small city. Her Indian
name is Yada and she is truly a
mother to us all. She generously gives
her spare time to teaching us our
language, basket making, Indian
dancing and blanket making. Our
children have learned respect for her
word as well as for adults. For all the
money the DIA contributes to educa-
tion, they have never taught our
children respect for the old ways.
Since Yada has returned home,
people in our community are slowly
becoming aware of their Indianess.
Giyanekci
INDIAN WORLD 19
BAND BY-LAW TAKES PRIORITY
‘i
The Band Council’s power to make
such a By-law is found in Section
81(0) of the Indian Act which deals
with ‘“‘the preservation, protection
and management of fur-bearing
animals, fish and other game on the
Reserve.’’ All Bands which have fish-
ing occurring on the Reserve, or have
fishing stations allotted to them,
should consider passing a fishing By-
law governing fishing on the Reserve.
In that way, Band Council will decide
INDIAN WORLD 20
the times and places that the fishing
will occur rather than an outside
regulation by the Federal Govern-
ment. If there are problems with a
run, and Band Council is concerned
that there won’t be enough fish going
to the spawning grounds, the Council
can impose special closures.
It is time for Bands to make use of
what little power they have under the
Indian Act to regulate their resources
and other affairs on Reserves. With-
out this, the fishing authorities will
continue to charge people for fishing
on their own Reserves during times
when they say that the fishing should |
be closed.
There was an important develop-
ment in Indian Fishing Rights last
month. A member of the Squamish
Indian Band was charged with fishing
against Federal fishing regulations,
but the fishing occurred in waters
which were a part of the reserve.
There is a Squamish Indian By-law
which regulates fishing on reserve.
Despite this By-law, which allowed
the fishing to occur, the Indians were
charged under the regulations of the
Fisheries Act. However, before the
case was completed, the prosecutor
dropped the charges.
The reason for this was that the
Department of Justice and the Fed-
eral Government now seem to agree
that a Band By-law takes priority
over government fisheries regulations.
If there is a conflict between the Band
By-law and the regulations, the By-
law is stronger.
This is a very important step for In-
dian government. It means that a
Band Council can pass a By-law and
take control of this crucial element of
resources on its reserve. If the Federal
Fisheries officers tried to impose
special closures, and the By-law
allows the fishing, the By-law will
win.
Other Bands in the province have
passed similar By-laws, including the
Bridge River Indian Band. These By-
laws assert that the Indian people
themselves can make decisions
dealing with the conservation and
preservation of fish, and can decide
themselves when fishing will or- will
not occur. It is an exercise of respon-
sible Indian Govenment, and the
Federal Government, under the regu-
lations, if there is a By-law in place,
cannot deny or obstruct this exercise
of Indian Government.
The Lillooet Indians continue to
fight Federal Fisheries regulations
using tactics equal to theirs.
The success of resolutions passed at
the last general assembly, stating that
we work in co-operation with our In-
dian brothers in U.S., is demonstra-
ted in the Lillooet court case Septem-
ber 8-12.
Several attempts were made to find
a biologist to testify on behalf of In-
dian people. There was no success
because it seems Federal Fisheries em-
ploys pretty well all biologists in B.C.
at some level. In fact, at the court
case it was revealed Fisheries employs
to date, 63 biologists.
Once it was realized that no biolo-
gist would testify, UBCIC immedi-
ately contacted Lummi Band in
Washington State, requesting their
assistance. Jewel James, fisheries
manager and lawyer for the Lummi
tribe; immediately volunteered
Lummi’s chief biologist Paul Hage to
assist UBCIC lawyer in the fight.
ery tg ‘ . we A
> a ‘ ny a
ao
u
At the trial, Paul Hage went
through a very cruel cross-examina-
tion, when attempts were made to
discredit him. The prosecutor ques-
a
: = -
~
THE LILLOOET FIGHT
a Lr eo
£ tod P
tioning Paul, after reading messages
handed to him by Fred Fraser, head
of Federal Fisheries.
At the trial it was demonstrated
that in this particular year of harass-
ment, there was no need because in
fact there was more than ample sal-
mon at the spawning grourids. Not to
mention how many fish derby people
catch as well as the sports fishermen.
Federal Fisheries policy still hasn’t
changed to date as there are just as
many charges being laid this year as
last year. Fisheries seems to only have
time to charge Indian people while
industries of all kinds continue to
create havoc. Cities continue to
deposit pollution into the Thompson
and Fraser Rivers.
Thanks to the resolution, UBCIC
got Paul Hage of Lummi. This is only
the beginning of how Indian people
can assist each other.
Indian people pleading not guilty
to illegal fishing represent victories
just by that action. The result of
pleading guilty is not important at the
time, it is history being made. Indians
are not guilty. @
By Herman Thomas
INDIAN WORLD 21
For the Penticton Indian Band the
idea to develop a relatively small
acreage to grow alfalfa grew from the
necessity to protect and use the exist-
ing water license.
The Band had purchased some years
ago, the top half of an existing irriga-
tion system, together with a storage
lake, from the Kaledan Irrigation
District. The old flume, some several
miles in length, was past repairing
and it was decided to replace and
relocate it with a buried 12” plastic
mainline from Farleigh Lake to land
already developed and to land that
could be developed.
The potential for development was
about 100 acres. Substantial funding
was obtained from the First Citizens
Fund as well as the Department of In-
dian Affairs.
An engineering firm was retained .
and design work carried out. The
Provincial Department of Agriculture
was also consulted and a field man
did an on-site examination of the land
and recommended a design for the
irrigation system.
Project co-ordinators found that
they could purchase plastic pipe and
both hand lines and wheel move irri-
gation systems cheaper in the State of
Washington than here in B.C., even
after paying exchanged freight rates.
Ernest Lezard assumed responsi-
bility for the major part of the whole
project, hiring crews, assigning work,
co-ordinating the activities of men
and machines and acting as time
keeper.
Band machinery was used almost
exclusively for all phases of the pro-
ject. There were problems, due
mainly to finding a viable means of
separating the rocks from the soil.
The mainline went in with the usual
hitches—large boulders and rocks
had to be removed—leaks developed
_where gaskets didn’t seal. The ingen-
uity of the pipeline workers was taxed
at times to find solutions to the many
problems. :
It was mainly due to the hard work,
patience and humour exhibited by
everyone associated with the project
that made it a success. Especially
those sturdy souls who literally hand
INDIAN WORLD 22
Pride
and
Alfalfa
Growing
on the
Penticton
Indian
Band
Farm
Ernest Lezard and Vic Hulley
picked tons of rock from forty acres
of what looked like a giant’s rock gar-
den. Never let it be said that you can‘t
grow alfalfa in rocks. The Penticton
Indian Band Farm has proved that it
can be done!
The Band had heard of Thor al-
falfa and decided to try ff and so far
haven’t been sorry. It’s been a proli-
fic producer. Soil samples were taken
beforehand and analyzed by the
Department of Agriculture soils
testing lab in Kelowna. Following
their recommendations we had a
special fertilizer mix made up and
have applied it to the 40 acres 2 years
running.
The first year’s crops were late and
average. The second year’s were ex-
cellent and the third year’s average
‘was running two to two and a half
tons to the acre.
The new irrigation line provides
about 120 lbs. of working pressure
gravity flow to the sprinkler systems.
This services 40 acres of Band land
and 30 acres of private land with
another 30 acres of private land avail-
able for development.
Farm workers have had to harrow
the alfalfa field each spring to help
level the ground and fill in shallow
depressions. This has loosened more
large rock and rock picking has
become an annual spring event. The
harrowing has not been detrimental
to the alfalfa and has actually seemed
to stimulate an even more vigorous
growth.
The application of fertilizer takes
place after harrowing and rock pick-
ing are complete.
The Band has also found that sub-
sequent growth is more rapid and
heavier if cut when new shoots at the
base of the plant have appeared and
are about two inches in length. This is
done whether the plants have begun
to bloom or not. Farm Managers
have found that it they waited for the
whole field to bloom that the new side
shoots that form at the base of the
plant have grown to six or seven
inches. Consequently, when moving
takes place these are cut off and the
plant is set back and growth retarded.
In the final analysis the project fos-
tered many new swear words, dusted
off old ones, developed new skills,
provided a new source of income for
Band members, and protected a valu-
able water license.
The DIA Engineering Department
was quite megative towards the
Band’s belief that they could
complete the project for less than
they estimated and without Depart-
mental help. The Band has done both
and now would like to see the DIA
transfer one of their man years to the
Penticton Band. .
No attempt has been made here to
quote costs, length of pipeline—fer-
tilizer types, water application rates,
etc. Farm managers feel that any
project of this nature has its own
unique qualities, problems and solu-
tions. Anyone wishing to write and
ask questions about the Penticton
Indian Band Farm should write to:
Penticton Indian Band
RR #1, Green Mountain Road
Penticton, B.C.
V2A 637
INDIAN HOTEL
There’s a new hotel in East End Vancouver, open
since January, 1980, which caters only to Indian people.
The New World Hotel, located at 396 Powell St., came
under the control of the Vancouver Indian Housing
Society and now employees nine people, all Indian.
Robert Romero, manager, said that all but a few of the
120 rooms have been filled, at rates ranging from $117 to
$166 per month. Daily and weekly rates are also
available.
Robert said that the hotel idea came about because of
the situation in the East End. The hotel gives Indian
people a place to stay where they won’t have to worry
about the violence in that part of the city. The New World
Hotel is considered to be the safest in the area.
It is more than just a hotel, Robert explained. When
people are in need of help, food or clothes, the staff tries
to help out as much as possible.
UR WORLD
SKATEBOARD CHAMPION
Trevor Adolph, 12 years old, of Vancouver (from
Fountain Band), made his mark in the sports world
during the Canadian Amateur Skateboard Champion-
ships, held in Burnaby and North Vancouver, August 25- —
29.
Although he missed the first day of the competition, he
made up for it during the last four days. Trevor skate-
boarded his way to win three events. He took first in the
half-pipe ramp riding event, second in the downhill
slalom, and third in freestyle bowl riding.
Trevor has been skateboarding for three years for East
Vancouver Skates. His older brother is also a skate-—
boarder. To round out the fast moving group is Trevor’s
| younger brother, who at the ripe old age of four years,
has decided to take up the sport as well.
INDIAN WORLD 23
STONEY CREEK 4H CLUB
Stoney Creek is an Indian Reserve
situated 9 miles south of Vanderhoof
in the Central Interior. It has three 4
H Clubs—Beef, Crafts and Outdoor
Trappers. They are the only Indian 4
H Clubs in the Northern area and
were formed in May of this year with
money funded through Department
of Indian Affairs using District
Development monies. Our Group
Leaders from the Reserve work well
with their groups.
The Beef Club consists of 15
members, 6 boys and 9 girls ranging
in ages from 10 to 18 years. Much
interest has been shown by other 4 H
groups in Vanderhoof area in helping
in organizing and assisting in getting
our club going. The first project for
the Beef Club was to make a rope
halter for their animals. Each
youngster also must keep records of
the daily progress of the calves.
The Crafts Club has 8 girl
members. They have been busy
making leather vests for the Beef
Club members to wear at the Fall Fair
in Kamloops in October.
The third group is an Outdoor
Trapping Club consisting of 8 male
members. This group was formed
since it takes in a wide variety of
outdoor activities relating to our area
such as wilderness survival, trapping,
guiding and others.
The boys and girls are looking
forward to attending the Fall Fair in
Kamloops in October to show their
skills and display their animals. A car
wash was held to raise funds and a
dance is also being planned to help
with expenses.
As we are newly formed, we have
not been able to attend 4 H functions
this year, so the Fall Fair in Kamloops
will be the first. We look forward to
joining the rest of our 4 H groups in
. the province next year whenever
possible. Stoney Creek hopes to
double membership in our 3 clubs
next year and also form a 4 H
Garden Club.
INDIAN WORLD 24
POLE SITTING FOR CANCER RESEARCH
Willie Chapman, an Indian from near Laidlaw, pushed
himself to the limit to help fight a disease that has taken
the lives of many Indian people.
Willie sat on top of a more than 100 foot pole near
Hope September 6-13, to raise money for the Terry Fox
Cancer Fund. During the week-long ordeal, he raised
about $9,000 for the fund and says he plans to do it again
soon.
“It just shows how far you can push your body when
you want to,’’ he said. ;
By the end of the week, Willie had lost 24 pounds and 7
braved such weather conditions as rain, cold, frost and
winds of 50 to 60 miles per hour. All he allowed himself
to eat was the occasional candy and sips of a milkshake.
He said that the town of Hope altogether raised only
about $3,000, so his featewas quite a major task. Besides
helping cancer research, Willie said he also hoped the
ordeal would bring him publicity. After being injured
while logging, and now being unable to work, he said he’s
having trouble getting workers’ compensation.
OUR CHILDREN—
OURHOMES ==
One of the new homes was visited
Our Native children have been
taken away from us for years. The
white society, from the time the
whiteman first came to Indian land,
have been trying to mold us into
white Indian people. A few may have
succeeded, but no more. Indian
people are tired of being treated as
though we don’t have an identity of
our own. Now, with all the Indian
organizations, we are starting to do
something about keeping our children
within our own culture.
Recently, two new homes for
Native children were opened in
Vancouver. One is located at 1796
West 15th in Vancouver, for children
of ages from infancy to twelve years.
The house is a 2 level, 4 bedroom
home with a large dining room,
kitchen and living room. There is also
a large backyard for the children to
play in. The other home is located at
1334 East Georgia St., Vancouver.
Jeannie Carter, Social Worker, is
supervising the home located at West
15th. Bee oy.
The two homes are run by Native
people. By keeping it operated by
only Indian people, they are kept
within our culture. The children who
are brought there will no longer be
confused by moving from the Indian
society into the white society. The
homes are for Indian children who
need foster homes.
by Chief Dan George when it
‘officially opened. Seeing Chief Dan
George at the home, I knew he was
proud knowing the Indian people
were not going to be lost to the white
society. He was there to show the
younger generation that the Elders
have not given up hope on Indian
people to regain our true identity.
Chief Dan George’s grandchildren
were also there, showing their
beautiful Indian dances. A couple of
the dances they performed were the
Eagle Dance and the Maidens Dance.
The costumes were very beautiful
with wooden beads hanging from the
girls’ dresses, making sounds to the
beat of the drum as they sang and
danced.
The opening of these two homes is
a small event to the world, but to us,
the Indian people, is a great victory.
We are no longer sitting back
watching and letting the white society
take our children away. We will fight
to keep them and show all people that
we are a proud nation.
INDIAN WORLD 25
The Story of Chehalis
by Ed Leon
A long time ago, Chehalis was
not an Indian ‘‘reserve’’. Only
Indian people lived here and at that
time, all the land belonged to them
-and they were free to live wherever
they chose.
Also at that time, many of the
people lived south-west of today’s
Chehalis reserve. The old village
smokehouses were closer to the
mouth of the Chehalis River and
closer to the Harrison River than
today’s reserve.
There are several families in
Chehalis today whose people
originally came from up at Chehalis
Lake. Alex Joseph’s family were
regular Chehalis people and a long
time ago, they lived right at the
mouth of Chehalis Creek.
Now, back then, the people
whose home was at Chehalis Lake
didn’t know about the people who
lived at the mouth of the Creek and
vice versa.
One day, Alex Joseph’s family,
- decided to build a fish-trap at the
mouth of the Chehalis. Long ago,
fish traps were used to catch a lot of
fish, and Alex Joseph’s family knew
this would be good for their people.
They went to work and split some
cedar
stakes which they stood .
upright in the water. The trap
looked kind of like a picket fence,
except that it was shaped like a
corral. The fish swan through a
' small opening, right into the trap.
Something else the people did
which helped was to put white rocks
on the bottom of the trap. That
way, when the fish came along at
night, they could be easily speared
because they were more visible
against the white rocks.
That particular season was not a
good one for the salmon. All the
fish that came into the creek were
caught. This meant that the people
who lived up at Chehalis Lake got
very few fish. The people were used
to having salmon and they missed
the taste of it, so much so, that they
felt as though they were starving,
even though they had other food to
eat.
They missed their salmon so
much that their chief finally decided
to send a footrunner down to the
mouth of the creek to find out what
was wrong. He wondered if maybe
there had been a big slide which had
stopped the fish from coming into
the Lake.
These footrunners had the job of
carrying messages or doing errands
which required great speed. Their
training began very early in life.
They would cut'their legs with flint.
After the cuts had healed, a shaman
would put medicine on them. This
strengthened their legs, they would
become good runners. Alex
Jospeh’s footrunner was so fast, he
could catch a bird.
When the people up at Chehalis
Lake were starving for the taste of
fish, the fastest way to find out why
there were none was to send a
footrunner down to the mouth of
the Chehalis Creek.
The runner set out while it was
still daylight. It was a long journey
so he took along a dried sockeye
head torch. The dried fish head was
stuck onto a certain kind of wood
that doesn’t burn. In the Indian
language, this wood is called
sth’elhp, and in English it is called
mock orange. This torch made a
good light.
When the footrunner reached the
mouth of the creek, it was dark. He
saw the fish trap in the water. As he
sat quietly in the darkness, he saw
men spearing the trapped fish. The
footrunner was surprised, he had
never heard of people living down
there.
INDIAN WORLD 26
~ seen,
After awhile, the footrunner set
out for his home. When he was far
enough away from the men at the
fish-trap, he lit his torch. When
home, he told his chief what he had
The chief was surprised
because he too hadn’t known of the
people at Chehalis Creek.
Soon after this, the footrunner
returned to the mouth of the creek.
He took-his sockeye head torch with
him. He lit the torch and hid in a
hollow cedar tree. His plan was to
destroy the fish-trap, and he knew
that after destroying it he wouldn’t
have time to make another fire for
his torch, so he left it burning,
hidden in the tree.
He jumped into the water and
split the cedar pickets that made the _
fish-trap. He then returned to his
home at Chehalis Lake.
The fishermen at Chehalis Creek
were not aware of the runner’s deed,
and for several days the fish swam
untouched, through their trap.
Finally, they checked the pickets
and found where the trad had been
broken. Repairs were quickly made.
Some fish did get through, and
the people up at the Lake were
happy to have salmon. But soon
after the repairs, the fish stopped
and the Lake people were hungry
for fish once again.
Once more, the footrunner made
the trip down to the mouth of
Chehalis Creek. ‘‘I know how to do
it now,”’’ he said as he jumped into
the water and broke up the cedar
pickets. This time however, the men
sitting on the fish-trap caught a
glimpse of him as he ran. But they
didn’t know what it was they had
seen, or that the running object was
related to their broken fish-trap.
The next day, they realized that
the fish were again getting through
the trap. The Creek fishermen
remembered the quick flash they
had seen by the river the day before.
They called all their people together
to find out if it had been one of
them. None of the people had been
in the water and no one knew
anything about the broken fish-
trap. It was a real mystery. All the
peoplecould do was repair the trap
again. It wasn’t long after that the
people at Chehalis Lake were
starving for the taste of fish.
For the third time, the footrunner
was sent to break the fish-trap. The
Creek people, thought that whoever
had broken it before would be back
to do it again. So they had their own
footrunner sitting there every night
on the trap. He waited at the very
same place where the Lake foot-
runner had been spotted.
But this time, the footrunner
from Chehalis Lake took a different
course. He was not seen by the
watchman. Once again, he dived
and broke the trap.
This time, as he climbed out of
the water and ran off, the
footrunner who had been watching
for him, spotted him! Away he went,
chasing after the Chehalis
footrunner.
i
Now the Chehalis. Lake
footrunner had _ been trained
specially to run up steep hills and
mountains, while Alex Joseph’s
footrunner had been trained as a
flat ground runner. So, by the time
the Lake runner reached Pa:lexel,
the steep canyon, Alex Joseph’s
footrunner had almost caught up
with him. But once the Chehalis
jLake runner got to the mountains he
quickly left Alex Joseph’s foot-
runner behind.
Much the same thing happened
this time as before and the foot-
runner made the trip to Chehalis
Creek again.
This time Alex Joseph’s people
were ready for him. They had him
surrounded and they caught him
even before he landed in the water.
When captured, the footrunner
was terrified. ‘‘Oh my brothers,’ he
said, ‘‘don’t kill me! I came here
because your brothers are starving.
That’s why I did this!’’
Alex Joseph’s people were
surprised to hear of people living up
at Chehalis Lake. They released the
footrunner and the chief told him
this, ‘‘Go back up to your chief and
tell him that we’ll meet him halfway
between our two places.’’ The chief
named a day for the meeting to take
place. The spot was to be what is
now called Westfork. In Indian it is
called ‘ts’amxwelgs’.
When the meeting day came, both
tribes went to ts’amxwelqs. They
‘met at that place and it was there
that each learned of the other.
Both chiefs decided that the two
groups of people should join
together. The people from Chehalis
Lake and Alex Joseph’s people all
came into one. The chief from Alex
Joseph’s people became the chief of
all the tribe. A man named
Symyem, who was the richest, put
up a big potlatch to celebrate the
joining of the two villages.
And that is the story of how
Chehalis came to be. 8
INDIAN WORLD 27
RESOURCE CENTRE
- INFORMATION IS THE KEY
By Reg Percival
- tT
roles - i
i £ eae
Be <a ure
The term Indian Government to many non-Indian
people and Indian people is a relatively new expression. It
is also, unfortunately, to most people a very frightening
term.
For the people who understand it not as a term of our
people’s movement, it is a reality. It is a reality that has
existed since time immemorial. Indian tribes throughout
North America have gone to war over-it. For Indian
Government encompasses more than land claims. It is the
very root of our existence. It is the laws which govern the
land, whether it is education, economic development or
health. It is the ability to have foresight, the strength to
fight multinational corporations and governments at all
“three levels; Federal, Provincial, and Municipal.
While the tasks of running and managing Indian
government is monumental, the information to help keep
it running is also monumental and just as important as
the upkeep of Indian Government. For, information is
power, power which is useless unless utilized and
distributed properly. The information to the power you
seek are available.
INDIAN WORLD 28
q | : Ss erry en
While the Resource Centre is presently well used by
UBCIC staff, students, teachers and researchers for
’ various Indian bands throughout the province, we would
like to extend to the Chiefs attending their annual
assembly in Vancouver to come and see first hand their
Resource Centre, a tour not only of the entire office but
an extensive tour of the Library, in which the Resource
Centre staff would be more than willing to answer any
specific questions that you may have regarding materials
that may be related to your band.
The Resource Centre contains materials covering a
large variety of topics relevent to the Indian people of
British Columbia. They include: Indian Education,
Housing, Economic Development, Aboriginal Rights,
Land Claims, Government Relations, Communications,
The Environment, Criminal Justice, and B.C. Indian
history.
Schedules of the tours of the UBCIC office and
Resource Centre will be announced throughout the
conference. Transportation will also be made available
from the Assembly to your office.
as of September 5, 1980
Saddle Bronc:
1, Lawrence Elkins $2187.50
2. Guy Gottfriedson 1456.11
3. Oliver Louis 1201.49
4. Charley Montgomery 1162.32
5. Gus Gottfriedsom 834.97
6. Wayne Andrews 784.70
7. Dave Best 690.65
8. Cecil Louis 495.90
9. Richard Louis 467.87
10. Billy Richter 323.00.
Bareback Riding:
1. Dennis Sampson $1738.02
2. Clint Morin 1599.33
3, Richard Louis 1425.71
4. Wayne Andrews 816.53
5. Dave Best 332.02
6. Bucky Ned 316.35
7. Charlie Harry 292.60
8. Rene Larochelle 209.00
9, Shawn Best 192,37
10. Casey Cawston 169.81
Bull Riding:
1. Burt Williams $1904.65
2. Ernie Thomas 1783.69
3. Russ Arnouse _ 1415.50
4. Alexis Harry _ 1252.80
5. Henry Johnson 963.10
6. Rene Larochelle 953.37
7. Benji Buffalo §65.25
8. Calvin Nelson 547.1]
9, Glenn Gottfriedson 508.82
10. Dave Best 488.15
Boys Steer Riding:
1. Troy Dan $464.08
2. Shane Johnson 386.65
3. Frank Antoine 380.95
4. Faron Tonasket 356.25
5. Snyder Holloway 252.22
6. Eddie Johnson 143.92
7. Hank Johnson 66.50
8. Eddie Hunt 64.60
9, Duane Christopher 27.55
10. Richard Louis Jr. 22.80
Calf Roping:
1. Chester Labelle $1748.96
- 2. Terry Rider 1506.23
3. Vern Benjamin 1026.00
4, Eugene Creighton 809.40
5, George McLean 643.15
6. Fred Mussell 420.38
7. Harvey Labelle 419.90
8. Maurice McLean 313.50
9. Andrew Hunt 297.35
10. Eldon McLean 231.80
Steer Wrestling:
1. Lawrence Elkins
2. Chester Labelle
3. Clarence Hunt
4, Clint Morin
5. Floyd Grinder
Team Roping:
. Oliver Louis
. Blane Louis
. Mike Benjamin
. Eldon McLean
. Vaughn Louis
6. Keith Johnson
Saddle Bronc Riding:
Lawrence Elkins
Gus Gottfriedson
Charlie Louis
Oliver Louis
Bareback Riding:
Dennis Sampson
Bucky Ned
Richard Louis
Clint Morin
eee
Bull Riding:
Henry Johnson
Ernie Thomas
Glenn Gottfriedson
Gary Houle
Sonny Clegg
Boys Steer Riding:
Troy Dan
Shane Johnston
Ed Hunt
Frank Antoine
Steer Wrestling:
Lawrence Elkins
Clint Morin
Clarence Hunt
70 pts.
69 pts.
65 pts.
61 pts.
67 pts.
62 pis.
62 pls.
60 pts.
72 pts.
69 pts.
69 pts.
66 pls,
66 pts.
64 pls.
63 pts:
62 pts.
61 pts.
18.67
38.38
I min. 16,23
Ground Money/B.C.I.R.A.
$1046.90
1006.60
991.33
600.88
$06.35
$1792.94
1592.06
1312.94
1212.77
1044.86
1020.92
$210.80
158.10
105.40
52.70
190.00
118.75
118.75
47.50
387.40
242.12
242.12
48.42
48.42
129.20
96.90
64.60
32.30
$159.60
119.70
79.80
Calf Roping:
Andrew Hunt
Chester Labelle
Oliver Louis
Clarence Wesley
Ladies Barrel Racing:
Joan Perry
Sandy Pasco
Laurie Peters
Joan Gentiles
Team Roping:
Vaughn & Frank Louis
Willie Wilson/Gil Bowe
Vaughn & Mike Louis
Vern Benjamin/Terry Rider
Andrew & Clarence Hunt
Gil Bowe/Charlie Louis
Ladies Barrel Racing:
. Fay Nelson
. Joan Perry
. Sandy Pasco
. Joan Gentiles
. Becky Palmantier
. Tracey Crawler
. Carla Peirro
. Della Perry
. Kim Perry
. Margaret Crawler
owmsas Aw &w Ne
=
All Around:
. Lawrence Elkins
. Oliver Louis
. Clint Morin
. Richard Louis
. Dave Best *
ne le he
Rockie of the Year:
|. Darrell Eustache
2. Glenn Gottfriedson
3. Willie Johnson
4. Nick-o Andrews
12.44 $190.00
12.50 142.50
44.81 95.00
47.15 47.50
17.89 $129.20
17.90 96.90
18.18 64.60
18.25 32,30
$287.47 ea
219.83 ea
152.19 ea
84.55 ca
59.18 ea
42.27 ea
$1520.00
1492.92
1403.63
666.90
393.78
331.07
233.70
173.80
116.85
112,10
$3234.40
2681.93
2608.58
2071.58
2038.50
745.27
508.82.
380.00
121.90
INDIAN WORLD 29:
NATIVE EMPLOYMENT
LEGAL OPPORTUNITY
AID
CLINIC LANDS, MEMBER— ager Okanagan, Indian
SHIP and ESTATE Band Pr#7, Site B,
A Legal Aid Clinic specifically CLERK Comp. 20 Vernon B.C.
for Indian people has been estab- VIT 723 ‘
lished by an Indian law student. Okanagan Band Council
The clinic deals with criminal is accepting applications PHONE: 542-4328
matters, landlord and t t . =
problems, drafting of wile Sf or a Lands, Member- LE ERs seid
debtor assistance, small claims, Ship and Estates Clerk.
unemployment insurance, em-
ployer-employee relations and
other areas. Record keeping exper-
| | lence isa must.
WHEN: Pe a 7:00 CLOSING DATE:
ace a oe OCT 15, 1980
| WHERE: THE NATIVE | | FOR INFORMATION
REFERRAL OFFICE CONTACT:
52 BLOOD ALLEY
VANCOUVER, B.C. Lyle Brewer, Band Man-
—————-y
| Anindian-
Bs owned general “
iS development poe CARVED SLATE DISH, HAIDA
consulting fis , —— mr
_ (Indian Consulting Group) Ltd.
Economic feasibility studies
Preparation of funding proposals
Project planning/implementation
Socio-economic impact analysis
Negotiations with government/industry
Band organization and training
225-744 West Hastings Street
Vancouver V6C 1A5
(604) 682-7615
INDIAN WORLD 30
UNDERSTAND, OLD ONE
This come after I had visited an old burial ground in Kisgegas. A vacated village where a tribe of Gitksan
people lived before they moved to what is known as Hazelton today.
Understand, old one,
I mean no desecration
Starting here
At your grave.
Deeply moved am I.
Understand, old one,
I mean no lack of reverence
I mean no lack of reverence.
It is with love
I think of you so long ago laid here
with tears and wailing.
Strongly I feel your presence very near
Haunting the old spot, watching
As I disturb your deep sleep. Poor Chost,
As I disturb your deep sleep. Poor Ghost,
I know, I know you will understand.
What if you came back now
To our new world, the city roaring
There on the old peaceful camping place
Of your red fires along the quiet water,
How you would wonder
At towering stone buildings high in the air
Immense, incredible;
Planes in the sky over swarms of cars
Like things frantic in flight.
What if you came at night upon these miles
Of clustered neon lights of all colors
Like Christian newly come to his Heaven or Hell
And your own people gone?
Old one of the long ago,
So many generations lie between us.
But cannot estrange. Your duty to your race
Was with the simple past, mine
Lies in the present and the coming days.
by: Simon Danes
INDIAN WORLD 31
CONSULTATION FUNDS ARRIVE
Health Fieldworkers Hired
On September 3, 1980, the
National Indian Brotherhood re-
ceived the first quarter of the
Consultation Funds for 1980 and
began distributing them to the organi-
zations across the country.
Last October, 1979, the Health and
Social Development Portfolio learned
through the National Commission
Inquiry meetings hosted by the
National Indian Brotherhood, that
National Health and Welfare had set
aside $950,000 yearly for Consulta-
tions on Indian Health.
It wasn’t until March, 1979, that
the money was made available to the
Provincial and Territorial Organiza-
tions. This gave the Provincial and
Territorial Organizations a full three
weeks to do Province-wide and Terri-
torial consultations. These were then
submitted to National Health and
Welfare by March 31, 1980, the end
of the fiscal year.
The submission our Portfolio
handed in was made into a brief from
some of the material gathered at the
Indian Health Conference in March,
1980, and research on Provincial
Health Services. This brief was
presented by a _ delegation in
Edmonton, Alberta, to the Health
Services Review ’79.
The Health and Social Develop-:
ment Portfolio has hired four
consultation fieldworkers to start the
consultation process with people in
the communities. The consultation
fieldworkers will consult with the
Chief and Council, or whomever they
recommend, on their concerns on
health-related problems. Their re-
commendations will then be recorded
and sent to
ordinator. At the end of the fieldwork
period, the material will be put into a
report and presented to the communi-
ties for approval.
The fieldworkers spent a few days
in the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs
INDIAN WORLD 32
office for training and briefing before
returning to their communities to
commence their work. One field-
worker was chose from the four
different regions in B.C., so as they
can cover as many Bands in B.C. as
possible, and have as much input
from the people in the communities as
possible.
Herb Russell from Kitsequkla will
cover the N.W. zone; Romeo Edwards,
from Spallumcheen, the NE; Lora
McCoy from Grasmere, the South
Mainland; and Theresa Thorne from
Cowichan, the Vancouver Island
zone.
National Native Alcohol Abuse Program
the fieldwork co-.
From the beginning of our involve-
ment with the evaluation we have
stressed the need for direct Band par-
ticipation. Through the NIB/NCI,
resolutions have been passed and
given to the government and our
portfolio has lobbied directly with the
government to ensure Band involve-
ment.
In June a 5-day meeting was held in
Williams Lake to discuss the
evaluation with chiefs and council-
lors, the NNAAP, project workers
. and other concerned Band members.
The meeting was originally inten-
ded to serve as the basis for the evalu-
ation adhering to the government’s
July deadline.
NIB Calls for Proper Band
Evaluation of Program
But a resolution passed at the
NIB/NCI meeting calling for the
extension of the evaluation for at
least a year changed the nature of the
meeting. The resolution was passed
because it was felt by all the PTO’s
that to conduct a proper evaluation,
representative of the people’s views,
would require more time and
coordination than the government’s
allotted one month. The extension
would also allow the possible place-
ment of a data system into NNAAP
projects to provide _ statistical
information for the evaluation. The
resolution was supported at the
meeting and an Action Plan called for
the formation of a coordinating com-
mittee made up of NNAAP Zone
Consultants, Tribal District Council
_representatives, and the UBCIC as
technical supporters. Each committee
member would be responsible for the
evaluation in their region obtaining as
much input as possible from all Band
members, and resources from outside
the Band such as other alcohol agen-
cies and the RCMP, would also be
called upon.
Regional Advisory Board
Evaluation from Workers Only
Following the Williams Lake
meeting the Regional Advisory Board
7
held a meeting in Vancouver to evalu-
ate NNAAP projects. Our under-
standing of how this section of the
evaluation was to work is that
NNAAP project workers were asked
to fill out a questionnaire on their
projects. The questions concentrated
on the administration of their
projects but also touched on the
effectiveness of their work on
changing the alcohol abuse problem
in their area. Some examples of the
questions included ‘‘Is there a written
financial policy manual (for your
project) and “‘Is there a noticeable
community change in visible inebri-
ated Indians in community?”’
Prior to this meeting the projects
had not received any notice from the
RAB on this or any aspect of the
evaluation. The RAB has forwarded
their report to Ottawa but so far we
have not received a copy.
No True Reflection of B.C.
Situation
It will be a mistake for the govern-
ment to consider what the RAB’s has
produced to be truly representative of
B.C. The RAB made no attempt to
consult with Chiefs and councillors or
Elders or other Band members.
Only two provincial” organizations
have submitted to the government’s
evaluation deadline. All others have
continued to reject it until an exten-
sion is granted and direct Band in-
volvement is ensured. Some Regional
Advisory Boards in other provinces
have also declined the government’s
deadline and terms of reference.
NH & W Gives Agreement in
Principle to Extension
We are continuing to press the gov-
ernment for the extension. The DIA
has agreed to the need for an exten-
sion but so far National Health and
Welfare has only agreed to it in prin-
ciple. We have asked Monique Begin,
Minister of NH & W, to state her
opinion on the extension.
The government cannot expect
Indian people to accept any changes
within NNAAP without complete
and open exchange of expectations
between Indian governments and the
Federal Government.
The threat of termination of
_ project funds is an unfounded one as
LETTER TO THE EDITOR-
the government is fully aware of the
need and importance of this program.
If they had really thought that could
get away with such actions they
would have after NNAAP’s first 3
years of funding was up. @
ce
The article by Chief Wayne Christian in the July, 1980
issue of INDIAN WORLD, reflected on Genocide;
forcing our children to life in the white society, after
apprehension by Social Workers employed by the
Provincial Government. What about the officials
employed by the Federal Government? And our elected
Indian leaders? What are they doing to help lessen acts of
Genocide? Indian women who marry a man of non-status
automatically loses all her rights, heritage, culture and
values. She is given a month at the most to leave her place
of birth and live in a society totally unknown to her. her
children are forced to live in the white society. How can
you tell a child of Indian origin—brown eyes, dark hair
and dark complexion, ‘‘you are white’’? The trouble
starts as soon as they become aware of their status. They
are not fully accepted in the white society, and can never
be really accepted on the Reserve by their blood relatives.
The Indian Act #12 imposed on Native Indian Women,
is discriminatory and against universal declaration of
human rights. While it promotes status for a white
woman, it will never change the color of her skin. White
women can never be Indian in thought, work or deed, |
therefore, their children are not raised in the true Indian |
traditional fashion.
Indian status should not depend on a piece of paper! It
should be determined through blood lines. If our leaders
do not stop this act soon, within the next quarter century |
the majority of status Indians living on the reserve will be
white status Indians. (If this isn’t Genocide, I don’t know
what is!)
Mrs. Irene Bryson
Osoyoos Indian Band oy
INDIAN WORLD 33
EDITORIAL
We, as Indian children, elders, mothers and fathers,
will soon embark on a long and difficult journey.
Although it will be a journey filled with hardships and
temporary setbacks, we will eventually arrive at our
destination strong.
After a quick mental scan at what’s happening across
B.C., it becomes clear to see that we are ready for our -
journey. The route has been agreed upon and carefully
mapped out, the preparations have been made, and our
elders have given us knowledge and strength. We are
ready to implement our Indian Government.
In the past, we’ve talked and dreamed about gaining
control of our own lives once again. Since then, we’ve
sharpened the tools we need to achieve our goal. Now
that we have the skills, knowledge and determination, the
time is right for action.
Weare at acritical point. We must now decide
whether we will stride forward or stop dead in our tracks.
Personally, I cannot see any satisfactory alternative to
Indian Government.
This is an exciting time for our people in B.C. and
across Canada. In the homes, on the street, at gatherings,
and at meetings, our people are saying, ‘‘we want to run
our own lives, we want to regain our dignity we don’t
_ want to be dependent Indian Nations any longer.”
Although the term Indian Government is relatively new
to most Indian people in B.C., the concept is not new.
Indian Government was practiced for centuries before the
white people came to this land. It is an old system that we
are merely trying to put back into place, since the present
systems and conditions are obviously not what our people
either want or can tolerate.
Several years ago, the term Indian Government
began to come into use, but today our people are at a
point where it’s almost a household word’ used by
everyone from elders down to children. In many areas it
has gone further than that: implementing Indian
Government has become a way of life for these Bands.
They didn’t look for outside help to take control over
various aspects of their lives, they pulled together and
practiced their rights, either ignoring or fighting the
obstructive and destructive laws and regulations of the
larger society.
The individuals who’ve pushed to take over various
aspects of their lives are creating a snowball effect, and
other Indian people and Bands are watching their
progress then following their models. During the summer
of 1978, several members of the Bridge River Band were
charged after fishing on days that Federal Fisheries had
imposed a closure. The fishermen had implemented one
portion of the Indian Government by fishing and fighting
the charges. In the end, the court realized and recognized
the fact that Indian people do have the right to fish in
waters next to reserve land at any time of the year.
The entire issue only proves that when Indian people
assume control over certain areas, the outside bodies,
such as Fisheries, can do little to stop us. What it does
take, though, is the courage to take this control, or
power.
The governments have found an easy method in
dealing with the ‘‘Indian problem’’, by delegating our
powers to others thus creating a dependancy on them.
The power we once had in education, health, housing and
other areas, is now in the hands of other bodies. We
cannot leave the task of regaining this power to our
Chiefs and Band Councils. To be successful we will have
to, individually, take control of our own lives. We must
regain the power we have within ourselves and our
communities and utilize it.
At the moment, we are nations dependant on a foreign
power. We now have the choice of either remaining
dependant on others or taking the responsibility of
running our own lives. It is a decision each of us alone
must make.
INDIAN WORLD 34
THE UNION OF B.C. CHIEFS TWELFTH
ANNUAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY = OCTOBER 14-17
—-NOTICE
Due to new conference plans, we will no longer
require the Robson Square Media Center. The whole
conference will be held at the Italian Cultural Center,
3075 Slocan St., October 14-17, 1980.
OUR THEME
Implementing Indian Government...every Indian
Band in British Columbia is a government. Every
Indian Band is exercising its power in different ways.
A good example is the Spallumcheen Indian Band
setting up a by-law to control Child Welfare on their
reserve. There will be other powerful examples during
the assembly.
HIGHLIGHT OF CONFERENCE
Where Are The Children. ..for years the Provincial
Government, through its Child Welfare Act, has taken
away Indian Children from the parents, grandparents
and the community. The Spallumcheen Indian Band
will be making presentations at the assembly on this
heartbreaking issue.
OUR CULTURE
An expression of our Indian Culture will be
witnessed at the traditional form of giving on the
evening of October 16th when the Union of B.C.
Indian Chiefs honour those Indian Leaders who laid
the foundation of Indian Government through dedi-
cation and hard work. Special Guest will be Jacob and
Annie Kruger. Keynote speaker will be Del Riley,
President of the National Indian Brotherhood. We will
alsa-share in the Indian Dancing program and the
Traditional Indian Food Auction on October 15th and
the Annual Amateur Talent Show on th 14th.
J
Ts
Se
2
rs
e
s
ts
.
°
tJ
es
e
e
a
FROM: UNION OF B.C. INDIAN CHIEFS
440 WEST HASTINGS ST.
VANCOUVER, B.C. V6B 1L1
SECOND CLASS MAIL
REGISTRATION NUMBER 4983
VANCOUVER, B.C,
¥y
On this, the eve of our 12th Annual General Assembly,
Indian people across the province will once again make a
united effort to improve the future for our children by
pushing the implementation process of Indian
Government.
To bring the focus to the children, Spallumcheen Band
will spearhead an Indian Caravan just before the
Assembly. It will be a caravan of Indian people from all
across B.C. with the purpose of bringing attention to and
stopping the apprehension of our children, which is
resulting in many ending up in alien environments. Frank
Rivers of the Squamish Band explained the consequences
of the placing of our children in non-Indian homes. Fran
Smith of the Port Simpson Band talks about Indian-
operated support homes as an alternative in cases where
_
parents may not be able to properly raise their children.
As long as we have control of our children, we can
teach them our culture. Lorna Bob of the Cowichan
Band wrote in about the youth project she and 19 others
in B.C. worked on, researching their cultures. From
Kitimaat Village, Mary Green explained programs the
Band provided for young people of the village.
Karen Walkus sent in a profile of the Oweekeno Band.
It told of the problems her people face and how she
would like to see the problems solved with the help and
knowledge of the Elders. To accompany the story,
Gordon Hanuse wrote a strong poem, which stresses a
major concern—alcohol.
On the lighter side, Les Casimir sent a story and
pictures to.show all the fun that was enjoyed during the
Lake Babine Band Indian Days. During that weekend,
Indian dancing was one feature.
Marshal Goulet shared his feelings, as an Indian dancer,
about dancing and why he feels so strongly about it.
For those who toil the soil, we have this month a story
about the Penticton Band farm, which was submitted by
Ernest Lezard and Vie Hulley. Along the same line is a
story by Jimmie Quaw about the Stoney Creek 4H Club.
UNION OF B.C. INDIAN CHIEFS
ANNUAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY
14-17th OCTOBER IN VANCOUVER
Part of Indian World - volume 3, number 6 (September 1980)