Periodical
Indian World - volume 4, number 3 (Special Fall Issue 1981)
- Title
- Indian World - volume 4, number 3 (Special Fall Issue 1981)
- Is Part Of
- 1.06-01.04 Indian World
- 1.06.-01 Newsletters and bulletins sub-series
- Date
- September 1981
- volume
- 4
- issue
- 3
- Language
- english
- Identifier
- 1.06-01.04-03.06
- pages
- 16
- Table Of Contents
-
Tribute to Chief Dan George.....................2
Indian Legal Case on the Constitution...........4,5
Updates......................................6
President's Message........................... .7
Constitution Express Potlatches 8888888888888888888
I Think, Debbie Nyce...........................9
Indian Fall Fair...............................10
Our Resources................................11
Concerned Aboriginal Women's Occupation......12
Book Review by Bess Brown....................13
Editorial.....................................14
Brother Bear.................................15 - Contributor
- Lorna Bob
- Wayne Christian
-
Bess Brown
Debbie Nyce - Jeanette Fortin
- Louise Mandell
-
Val
Dudoward - Lillian Basil
- Type
- periodical
- Transcription (Hover to view)
-
INDIAN WORLD
S P E C I A L F A L L ISSUE 1981
" T H E C H O I C E IS
OURS"
ONE DOLLAR
CONSTITUTION EXPRE
Concerned Aboriginal
"We will fight until we
Our Resources
OUR WORLD
There is a longing in the heart of my people
to reach out and grasp that which is needed
for our survival. There is a longing among
the young of my nation to secure for themselves and their people the skills that will
provide them with a sense of worth and
purpose. They will be our new warriors.
Their training will be much longer and
more demanding than it was in olden days.
The long years of study will demand more
determination, separation from home and
family will demand endurance. But they
will emerge with their hand held forward,
not to receive welfare, but to grasp the
place in society that is rightly ours.
I am a chief, but my power to make war
is gone, and the only weapon left to me
is speech. It is only with tongue and speech
that I can fight my people's war.
(Excerpt from " M y Heart Soars"
by Chief Dan George)
The words of chief Dan George
reached the hearts and minds of
our people, and they helped others
to understand us as people of our
own Nations.
The
passing of Chief Dan
George into the Spirit World on
September 23, 1981 at the age of 82
caused us all to reflect on this
man's positive work for his people.
A n d so we pay respect to the
family of Chief Dan George, to the
people of the Burrard Reserve, and
to his friends who loved him.
INDIAN WORLD 2
The strength of our Nations
comes from the work we do and
the love we give as individuals.
Chief Dan George, through his
individual efforts, led us to
appreciate his efforts as an actor,
author, logger, longshoreman and
leader.
We close our eyes and still hear
your soft husky voice. We see your
silver hair shitting in the sun. Your
laughter is a song on the wind.
Thank you. Chief Dan George.
Our hearts soar.
INDIAN
WORLD
V O L U M E FOUR NUMBER T H R E E
I N D I A N 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.
Before we begin our important diplomatic journey, we must look deep inside ourselves, and touch our strength and
truth. From this Great Circle we will draw on the power of our ancestors.
Contributors
Editor: L o r n a Bob
Written Contributors: Wayne Christian, Bess Brown
Debbie Nyce, Jeanette Fortin, Louise Mandell, V a l
Dudoward, Lillian Basil
To Our Readers: The people from the Indian W o r l d
would like to apologize for the delays in publishing the
magazine. It was delayed because of the recent postal
strike and lack of funding commitments.
Table of Contents
Tribute to Chief Dan George
2
Indian Legal Case on the Constitution
4,5
Updates
6
President's Message
.7
Constitution Express Potlatches 8888888888888888888
I Think, Debbie Nyce
9
Indian Fall Fair
10
Our Resources
11
Concerned Aboriginal Women's Occupation
12
Book Review by Bess Brown
13
Editorial
14
Brother Bear
15
OUR COVER: The symbol of the Constitution Express is what is going to help keep our people strong. It holds
within the spirit power of our ancestors.
INDIAN WORLD 3
SUMMARY OF T H E L E G A L A R G U M E N T
For over 100 years now, the Indian Nations have
persisted in asking for a reference to the Judicial
Committee o f the Privy Council to settle the question
of Crown obligations to the Indian Nations. The
Canadian Government persisted in blocking the
representation o f the petitions to the Imperial C r o w n ,
to the extent that, in 1927, the Canadian Indian A c t
was amended to ban the raising o f money in defense of
Indian land claims, making it an offense punishable by
imprisonment.
The Indian Nations o f British Columbia, Alberta
and Manitoba presented a Memorandum o f L a w to
the offices o f Sir Michael Havers, Attorney-General,
stating that the Judicial Committee o f the Privy
Council, finally, examine the question o f Crown
obligations.
The occasion is made especially urgent today
because the Trudeau resolution to patriate a new
Canadian constitution will eliminate those Crown
obligations that protect the integrity, indentity and the
very survival of the Indian Nations.
The Crown obligations arise from the initial
compacts in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries where
Britain, as a matter of law, was required to obtain the
consent of the Indian Nations to the alienation of
Indian territory or to the change o f Indian institutions
within their territory. This principal was enacted in the
Royal Proclamation of 1763, which was the first constitutional instrument of Canada. The proclamation
has been held to have the force o f law in Canada and
has never been repealed. Pursuant to the proclamation, over 100 treaties were concluded between various
Indian Nations and the C r o w n . They created binding
obligations which were to endure the passage of time,
and exist notwithstanding the development of Canada
into full statehood.
INDIAN WORLD 4
Now the Canadian government is asking Great Britain to ignore those Crown obligations and give total
power to Canada to redefine those obligations without
Indian consent and to eliminate them without Indian
consent.
This has been Canadian practice in administering
Crown obligations to the Indian Nations throughout
the last 100 years. It is because of this that the Indian
Nations have relied upon the British Parliament to
enforce the protection promised by the treaties and by
the Royal Proclamation.
The British government has supervisory jurisdiction
to protect C r o w n obligations within Canadian
federalism through its power to amend the British
North America A c t . Trudeau proposes that the
supervisory jurisdiction be transferee! to the federal
and provincial governments. The Memorandum o f
Law that was presented documents the legal position
of the Indian Nations that by allowing such a move,
Great Britain's decision would amount to an
unprincipled breach o f Crown obligations to the
Indian lands. The position of the Indian Nations is
thus very clear; that the Canadian constitution cannot
be patriated until the C r o w n obligations have been
further protected; the Indian Nations of British C o lumbia, Alberta and Manitoba are asking in our
memorandum that the British Government not
undermine the Imperial C r o w n and that can be done
through not patriating Prime Minister Trudeau's
Canada A c t until our most sacred C r o w n obligations
be fulfilled; finally, that the Indian Nations are
prepared to facilitate the fulfillment of C r o w n obligations through trilateral talks with the British and
Canadian governments to negotiate the mechanism by
which this can be achieved.
Such an agreement could then be placed in the
Canadian constitution and Westminster could, then,
legally and in good conscience, grant to Canada the
independent status that it seeks.
FISH DEPLETION:
WHO'S TO BLAME?
It seems ridiculous that the
government and the general public
always blame the Indians for the
depletion of the salmon. Our
people only take enough fish to
feed their families. But, the
fisheries who are supposed to be
taking care of the fish have twisted
priorities. Just as we find in many
other departments of the government. Money is always the key
problem to the breakdown in our
food supplies. It is not food to the
government—each salmon means
dollars. Look at the licenced fisherman—these licences are under
the control of the Federal fisheries
who issue them and buy and sell
the fish to other countries. Just as
the government does with our
great cedars and other trees.
A l l these things that have been
food and shelter to our people are
dollar bills to the government.
Everything is disappearing but the
government doesn't mind as long
as the dollars keep rolling i n . Our
people are just a scapegoat for the
government
and the
general
public. Naturally, they don't want
to blame themselves so they find
someone else to blame and that is
us. But, do they ever realize that
before they ever set food on these
lands it was a land of plenty. A
land of plenty that our generous
and caring ancestors were willing
to share with these lost souls.
These people who take thousand
dollar vacation trips so they can
see the nice landscape and clean
waters —do they realize that this is
how our lands all looked before
the arrival of foreigners? Foreigners who plastered and suffocated
our mother earth with their concrete. We are lucky that these lands
are not wholly cold and concrete.
This is always what our people are
fighting for. Fighting for our life.
Our right to live as we always have
in our own homelands. This is
what the whole constitutional fight
is
about.
Look at our brothers in Restigouche, Quebec being beaten and
clubbed for just going out and
getting their food as they always
have. Just as our grandparents
taught us, to fish and to appreciate
the salmon for giving up its life in
order for other beings to live.
There were even headlines in newspapers saying that Indians were
turning into savages again. Is it
being savage to go down to a river
or lake to get food for your
family? O r is it being savage to
club and hit other human beings
with huge sticks—other human
beings who don't even have
weapons to defend themselves?
A n y human that can actually hit
other humans so brutally is the
savage. This must mean the
fisheries warden and the police
who took part in these beatings are
the savages. These are the representatives o f the government?
Trudeau's representatives!
Look at the sports fishermen
who take salmon just for the sport
of it. I have heard some o f these
people
complain
because
they
caught a salmon. They complain
because they don't want to clean
the salmon and they don't want to
eat the salmon. They just wanted
to catch it for the sake of catching
so they can have a fish tale to tell
around the campfire as they drink
their beer. We never hear the
fisheries talking about these people
who fish in this fashion. O f course,
they have money to spend, these
rich
sports
fishermen,
that
explains the silence in recognizing
this problem.
Look at all the money poured
into sports fishing. Companies
spend a lot o f money reinforcing
these people to go out sports
fishing. Y o u can bet the government is getting some cut out of this
action diminishing the fish stocks.
Yet this government has the nerve
to try and blame our people for the
depletion of salmon.
We can be thankful for those
people
like
the
Restigouche
Indians who are standing up
against this government. Standing
for our aboriginal rights. We
cannot let them take our food
away or our right to gather our
food. For i f we let this happen we
are sayin they can have our life
and our children's lives.
Arrests made at Fountain Band's Fishing Grounds
INDIAN WORLD 5
UP-DATE
CONSTITUTION EXPRESS
The Advance Team left on October 8th, at 5:10 p.m. for L o n d o n ,
England and the four European
Countries we are planning to travel
through on November 1, 1981
through till November 17,1981.
Friends and family all gathered
at the Vancouver International
Airport to send them off in good
spirits but tears were shed after the
drumming and singing started for
we realized that they are going into
unknown countries to do the
groundwork for the Indian people
of Canada and that whatever they
do will be for our future generations to follow.
The M a i n Express group will
leave on November 1, 1981 after
the U . B . C . I . C . 15th General A s sembly which will be held on
October 18,29, and 30th.
the departure time is yet to be
worked out but the whole Express
will be leaving from the Vancouver
International
Airport.
Our
destination
is
Hannover,
Germany, where we will be met by
one of the Advance Team with
buses ready to drive the people to
the first stop in Germany. We will
then travel to Holland, France and
Belgium. One of the main events
will be a Ceremony to be held in
Bruxxelles, Belgium on November
11, for the Indian M e n and
Women who died in the Second
World War.
On November 13th the Express
will cross the English Channel over
to London, England, where again
a member of the Advance Team
will have set up meetings and
Conferences with the British M P s
and Lords. A Potlatch will be organized so as the Indian people can
share the Indian Culture with
Europeans to show how proud we
are of our Country and Culture.
THE CEDAR
Our people have always highly
respected our grandfather the
Cedar. It is used to medicine us,
house us, warm us and transport
us around from village to village,
fishing grounds to fishing grounds
or hunting grounds to hunting
grounds.
Today our history lives on
through our close relationship to
the Cedar. Our traditional, spiritual and mythical masks and
carvings are still carved from this.
The dug out and war canoes still
skirt our waterways, whether it is
in recreation or work.
This shows our close relationship to all living things on our
Mother Earth. If these start to
disappear and die so does our culture and we as a people. This is
why we are taught from childhood
to respect all things. This is why
our people struggle to keep our ties
with the land and all things that
were handed down to us by the
creator.
These are only a few reasons for
the fight against the Canadian
government's proposal to patriate
the Canadian Constitution. It is
not only a political fight. It is a
fight to save our cultural, spiritual
and traditional ways. A s one of
our elders said, "The government
has been civilizing us for too long.
What good has their civilizing
done us? It has only taught a lot o f
our
people
to
drink
their
poisonous alcohol. Is this what
they call being civilized? We were
happy before they started to try
and run our lives."
This patriation package is just
another strategy on the Canadian
government, Trudeau to take away
our rights to Self Determination
and to live as we always have as
Indian Nations. With the strength
handed down from our ancestors
and our Elders of today we will not
let this happen to us. There will be
no compromise because as our political leaders say, 'Our ancestors
never compromise and we are not
about to begin compromising our
culture and lives away or of those
yet unborn.'
CHIEF COUNCIL MEETING
The Chiefs Council o f the U n i o n of B . C . Indian Chiefs
met in Vancouver on June 23rd to discuss the Constitution, the U B C I C A u d i t , the A n n u a l General Assembly,
and Fishing and Hunting.
The Chiefs' Council was provided with reports on the
legal and political actions regarding the patriation of the
Canadian Constitution. What is happening now is the
Legal Task Force has sent a Memorandum addressed to
Sir Michael Havers, the British Attorney-General, by the
U B C I C and the Indian Association of Alberta concerning the Canadian Constitutional crises as it relates to the
British Government. Chief Ray Hance, who had been in
London, England gave a report on his findings and left
some recommendations to the Chiefs Council. One was
for Chiefs to participate by going to London and assisting in Lobbying.
A n up-date was given regarding the Hunting Permits
which are in the form o f a lottery-system this year. Indian people reject the new hunting regulations because
Indian people should not have to fill in any forms to hunt
for food-gathering purposes.
PRESIDENT'S
MESSAGE
the decisions of the Secretary of State for the
Colonies." This means that her Majesty the Queen still
has a legal obligation to the Indians.
The British Parliament has many obligations to the
Indians, that have to be discharged, before it can
patriate the Canadian Constitution. The fact that 40%
of Canada's land base is Indian lands illegally held and
were lands stolen from us, suggests that we have
serious problems that must be concluded with Great
Britain befor the Indian part of the patriation can take
place. Our people must go to Britain to force her to
fulfill her obligation to the Indian Nations. We do not
consent to the Trust being forgotten, as Canada
proposes or delegated to Canada as Britain suggests.
'We demand that the Trust be discharged on terms,
that will restore our political authority to our Indian
Nations. We do not consent to patriation of the Constitution, until Canada acknowledges our Aboriginal
Rights position as defined in our ''Aboriginal Rights
Positions Paper''.'
A powerful message was brought to Ottawa and
New York last year by the people of the Constitution
Express. A message of truth which stated and is maintained that an immoral and illegal action is once again
being perpetrated upon Indian Nations in Canada.
Our message was and still is strong. These injustices
were brought before the Russell Tribunal which
recognized and ratifies our argument. The findings of
the Russel Tribunal have not been ceased upon across
by the public media or else they have been muzzled.
We have to go forward ourselves and impress upon all
who would listen and understand that Great Britain
has Crown obligations through Treaties and the Royal
Proclamation of 1763 to Indian Nations and that these
obligations through convention and law have never
been repealed by the British Crown.
The Royal Proclamation of 1763 confirmed that all
Indian lands were reserved for Indians, until we were
willing to surrender our lands as Indian Nations, to her
majesty, the Queen of England. The B N A A c t under
section 91 (24) gave the Federal Government the
responsibilities to administer the Trust. Under section
109 the Provinces were given the resources, subject to
the Indians Aboriginal Rights in surrendered Indian
Territory. Under Article 13 of the terms of the union
between
British
Columbia and
the
Federal
Government, in respect to Indian lands in British
Columbia, " I n case of disagreement, between the two
Government's respecting the quantity of such tracts of
land, to be so granted, the matter shall be referred, for
Indian rights to land, resources, language, culture, a
livelihood and our right to self-government are not
something conferred by Treaties or offered to Indians,
as concessions by a beneficient government. These are
the rights, which Indian Nations enjoyed from time
immemorial. These rights are pre-existing and are
sacred values of the Indian Nations. A Canadian Constitution can accomodate Indian rights, it cannot
decrease, alter or eliminate this Indian tradition.
Therefore, as successful as we were in Ottawa and
New Y o r k , our mandate now take our people to other
lands. For, despite the ruling brought down by the
Supreme Court of Canada the Trudeau government is
determined to pursue patriation of his constitutional
package which spells impending genocidal doom. It is
more important now that we clearly deliver our
message to Great Britain and have it understand that
to comply with the patriation package it would certainly pull Great Britain in as an accomplice in this
atrocious act on the Indian Nations.
The message of truth has been developed by us and
Ian Bronnley, a professor of International Law in
England.
Furthermore,
this truth
has
been
strengthened by the Supreme Court decision of
September 28, 1981. Now it must be delivered. The
truth, not only to be delivered to the government in
Great Britain, Canada and other Nations, but to
citizens of those countries, that is our job. A job only
begun to be carried out at the international, national
and local levels. N o one will do it but us, for it is our
responsibility to our uncompromising forefathers of
yesterday, our children of today and for their children
of tomorrow.
Yours in the struggle for our Indian Nations
Saul Terry, VicePresident
CONSTITUTION EXPRESS
POTLATCHES
There have been many Constitution Express Potlatches held at
different nations
: Kamloops,
Port Hardy, Lytton, Williams
Lake, and Bella Coola. Through
these potlatches the strength of our
nations grows."
Our people are reminded that
our right to self-determination is
being threatened. That Pierre's
patriation package is a higher-scale
white paper policy that he tried to
implement in 1969. A s George
Manuel said at Kamloops, "The
Constitutional fight is on and the
showdown is coming. The Canadian government wants to break
their relations with Great Britain
so they can run this country the
way they want to and that includes
us."
The heartbeat of our Nations
can be heard at the potlatches
through the beat of the drums. We
are all reminded that we have to be
of one mind and work together.
Similar to the potlatches held in
the past by our ancestors, our
strength grows more and more by
our unity.
Our ancestors values shines
through by the sharing that takes
place at the potlatches. The
sharing of words, food, shelter and
most of all love, caring and friendINDIAN WORLD 8
ship. Indian Law is practiced by
having the men take the responsibility of being security and watching the people so that no harm
would come to them. The meetings
are opened up with prayers by our
Elders and Spiritual Leaders.
Other spiritual ceremonies take
place; the people are taught to be
disciplined; no drugs or alcohol are
allowed at the gatherings. The
young people are reminded of their
responsibilities to their people; the
responsibilities of caring for the
children and the elders, helping in
the preparation of meals, clean-up,
and most of all, the responsibility
of learning our ways and Indian
values by the example of our
Elders.
The Constitution Express Pot-
latch in Lytton was a camp-out
gathering with a good number of
tents and teepees set up. It rained a
lot but that didn't wet our people's
spirits. There was much traditional food cooked and served here
The people were reminded
again that our rights were on the
line and that another attempt was
being made by the government to
terminate
us as
independent
nations.
In
Williams
Lake
the
Constitution Express gained a
greater
strength
with
the
Concerned Aboriginal Women
joining in their fight The Express
had the opportunity to hear from
some of the Chiefs from the
Caribou who had already made a
trip to England. The people were
informed on some of the differences in that country.
The Constitution Express Potlatch followed immediately after a
traditional Potlatch held in Bella
Coola by the hereditary Chief of
Nuhalk
Nation,
Lawrence
Pootlass. For most of the visitors,
it was their first time in Nuhalk
Nation territory. The hospitality
was once again warm and welcoming. The importance of having the
people stand and support the
leaders was stressed. There was
lots of traditional coastal food;
salmon, oolichan, herring eggs,
and of course, Indian steak
(balogna). Nuhalk Nation peoples'
homes were open to all the visitors.
The final plans for the trip to
England leaving November 1st
were discussed. The spirit of the
Constitution Express was once
again strong.
A t Tsulquate Nation in Port
Hardy Chief Paddy Walkus spoke
on the encouragement he gained
through the Constitution Express
Potlatch held in his community.
He explained, "What we are
fighting for is our nationhood, our
land and ourselves as Indian
people." He warned that as we go
along the government is going to
try to discourage us in every way
they can. A n Elder at that same
gathering, Louise Roberts, said, "I
admire these young people who
have guts enough to stand up to
the government and say nobody is
going to take our rights away.
Young as our leaders may be, they
may know a lot more than you or
I."
I THINK...
By: Debbie Nyce
Recently, the A m a x mine began dumping 90 million
tons of waste into the Kitsault inlet. Minerals which are
included in the dumping are mercury, radium, lead,
cadium, and several others. The Nishga people found
this to be a major threat to them, because the minerals
will eventually poison the fish that they depend on. H o w
does the company get away with it?
In M a y 1979 the Liberal party approved the permit just
six weeks before the election was won by the
Conservatives. I think there should have been a public inquiry, because this not only affects the Nishga people but
also the entire west coast fishing industry. The main
reason the Nishga people have been against the dumping
is because of what happened to the Indian people i n
Northern Ontario. They suffered from Minimata disease
after eating mercury-poisoned fish.
as important to the Nishga people, as it is to the A m a x
Mining Company.
The fisheries officials claim that the mine's by-products
like arsenic and radium will sink to the bottom of the
inlet, sending marine life such as halibut, and king crabs
searching for new homes. That has happened already
The king crab can now be caught at the point of
Kincolith, where it has never been caught before. They
also catch more halibut than usual. Doesn't this explain
something to the company? Don't they know that sea
creatures know when the area is contaminated and that
they have already fled to a safer environment? They also
state that the minerals will not affect the salmon. H o w do
we know that? It is their word against our lives. H o w
would like the company i f they were in our position? I
am sure they would put up a fight to try and stop what
will happen to them.
A t the time the permit was issued, the Fisheries
Minister Romeo LeBlanc kept insisting that he couldn't
revoke the permit without "just cause". What does he
mean by "just cause"? Aren't the lives o f the Nishga people good enough? Is the money so important to them?
Why can't they understand that in the long run it will be
the Nishga people who will suffer the most?
A scientist was also quoted as saying, "who ever heard
of such a thing as a safe level of radium?" The company
must know that minerals intensify as they traverse the
food chain from plants to fish to people. It is the most
carcinogenic substance known.
The Nishga representative was not allowed to attend
the meeting when the A m a x . mining company sought
permission to dump waste into Kitsault. W h y was this so?
Don't they think that the president should at least have
attended the meeting. They say it was because of the confidential nature of business. What is so confidential when
the tailings may affect a major community? After all, it is
I think that the government and company have taken
advantage of the Native Indians and, as usual, they are
having their own way. W h y is it so difficult for them to
understand that the waste will affect the four
communities along the Nass River? Fishing has always
been a way of life for the Native people. The Nishga
people have not given up hope for fair justice. They will
continue to fight for their rights.
Pappas Furs and Indian Traders
specialists in
North American Indian Materials,
Artifacts, Rare Old Collectors Items,
Jewellery, Baskets, Carvings, etc.
WE BUY, SELL, AND TRADE
FREE APPRAISALS
459 Hamilton St. at Victory Square Vancouver, B . C .
V6B 2P9
681-6391
INDIAN WORLD 9
NEWS NEWS NEWS
2ND
ANNUAL
FALL
FAIR
A
SUCCESS
INDIAN
GREAT
The 2nd Annual Indian Fall Fair
in Kamloops is behind us and it
can be called nothing but a
SUCCESS.
From a small beginning in 1980
at
the
Kamloops Residential
School, it grew into a beutiful
show held during September 26
and 27, 1981 at the K X A grounds.
More than 4,000 people visited
Arts & Crafts exhibits and cheered
when the dancers from A l k a l i Lake
or the musicians from the Mission
A l l Boys Drum and Bugle Corps
entertained.
The Fashion Show featured traditional and contemporary clothing modelled by various people
attracted well oer 300 people.
Especially traditional cedarbark
and buckskin garments aroused
great interest.
There were 68 exhibitors in
categories such as wood carving,
weaving, beadwork and buckskin,
jewellery,
basketweaving,
and
others.
While all this took place in the
auditorium,
the
barn
was
humming with 4 H activity. In
1980, only two 4 H Clubs took part
in the fair and it is with pride that
this year nearly 140 youngsters
from various 4 H Clubs were
present.
Most of these young people had
only been in 4 H for one year and it
was a pleasure to see how interested everyone was in learning new
skills and methods to show their
project.
There were five 4 H Beef Clubs
represented from all over the province — Alkali Lake, Nicola Native,
Westside, Sookinchute, Barriere,
and Cheam.
Activities started with stabling
and weighting of calves on Friday
night. Saturday, early morning
4H'ers were washing and grooming
their calves in preparation for
judging and achievement.
David Moses was the exhibitor
of the Reserve Grand Champion
steer and already is aiming for #1
spot in 1982.
In the Heifer class, Lance
Marchard and Chris Goble led
their heifers out to be winners.
A l l the first and second place
winners then competed on Sunday
afternoon
for
the
Grand
Champion Steer Trophy and a
cheque for $250 donated by Don
Moses Herefords of Merritt.
A l l the 4 H Beef Clubs are
competing in the Provincial Winter
Fair this week, September 28 to
October 2 and lets wish them lots
of luck.
GRANDFATHER KILLER W H A L E
See our grandfather plunge
through the big waters
Along with the porpoise
seal and the otters
Someday, maybe we will be
lucky enough
to enter the sea that can
be so calm and yet so rough
In the form of our grandfather
the whale
To travel in the sea wind
gale
Our cries for survival will continue through
this new life
In the sound of the
whales chilling strife.
OUR RESOURCES
By: Lillian Basil
For 100 years we have been stating,
declaring and demonstrating that
B . C . is Indian Land. During that time
Europeans have been exploring,
expropriating and exploiting our
lands, waters and resources such as in
the fishery, marine resources, gold,
copper, silver, coal, molybdenum,
uranium, oil and gas and freshwater
for dams. Today, Indian people are
still fighting to protect our lands,
water and resources and ourselves as
Indian Nations from Government
and corporate genocide as they try
and get absolute control of our resources.
We are laughed at and mocked for
stating B . C . is our land and for
maintaining the position that we are
sovereign nations. A s Nations, we still
have our language, laws, religion,
culture and tradition—the basic
foundation
of a
nation.
The
governments and its parallel powers
are still trying to destroy the basic
foundation of our nations. This is
what the constitutional issue is all
about.
A s a result of the Federal and
Provincial Government policies in
preventing Indian people
from
achieving self-determination we are
the poorest people in Canada. A n d
with the massive projects taking place
in our traditional lands and waters,
our way of life is attacked the most.
We will not give up our great reliance
on hunting, fishing, trapping, food
and root gathering, which all require
protection o f the land and water.
Trans Mountain Pipeline
The National Energy Board on
June 3 approved Trans Mountain's
application to build a pipeline from
Sumas, Washington to Edmonton, to
carry oil shipped by tanker from
Alaska down the B . C . Coast to
L o w Point, Washington.
Alaska Highway Gas Pipeline:
The Federal Government on M a y
21 approved the construction of the
Pipeline. The Northeast Bands are
working hard to put in place their
alternatives and mechanisms
to
protect their way of life before heavy
construction takes place in the
pipeline, coal and Site C developments.
Off-Shore Resources:
One June 2, the Provincial Government claimed jurisdiction over offshore oil and gas exploration and is
inviting exploration companies to
begin oil exploration. However, the
Federal and Provincial Governments
are in a fight over who has jurisdiction of off-shore resources. Indian
Nations along the B . C . Coast also
claim their off-shore. Bill C-48, the
Canada O i l and Gas A c t is to be
debated in the House of Commons in
early July.
Unfortunately, Governments and
Corporations have become the highest power in resource development.
When projects are approved where
Indian
Bands
have
de-clared
opposition, it is crucial for Bands to
maintain firm opposition in order to
avoid watered down compensation or
nothing at all for the destruction of
their lands and resources.
In the Northeast, the Indian Bands
are still faced with large scale project
construction after three and a half
years of total opposition. Rather than
to allow themselves to become victims
of genocide, Indian people put the
onus on the Federal Government
Northern Pipeline A c t
The U B C I C and the Northeast
Bands have been meeting with
government agencies for the past
three years on the basis that the
Governments have responsibility to
assist the Bands in fulfilling their
plans in securing a guaranteed
hunting and trapping territory and
developing an economy based on
their traditional lifestyle.
The U B C I C has agreed to prepare
a Compensation Plan, and come up
with a plan to protect Indian
Harvesting areas and
also
to
participate in consultation with
Foothills Pipeline Company L t d . and
the Northern Pipeline Agency on
route alignment.
The D I A has responsibility for
dealing with the impact of pipeline
construction by assisting the Bands
financially.
Bands
have
been
seriously handicapped as a result of
the department's inability to follow
up on its financial committment.
For the past year we have met
several times with the Ministry o f Secretary of State for Economic
Development in following up on a
committment Senator Bud Olsen
made to contract the Union to
prepare a paper on traditional
economy, based on the principle of
parallel
development
in
the
Northeast.
Despite the shut
out, the Indian people in the north
are determined to avoid genocide.
The government
cannot
ignore
George Manuel's statement when he
told them, "it is the basis of the
Indian economy and the survival of a
valuable but dangerously threatened
way o f life. In the past, Indian people
have coped with development by
moving away from it. Logging,
agricultural settlement, oil and gas
and other forms of development in
the northeast, have left the people no
place to move. When you corner a
grizzly bear, you have a fight. The
Beaver, Slavey and Cree of the
northeast have been backed into that
corner.
CONCERNED ABORIGINAL
WOMEN'S OCCUPATION
The whole idea o f occupying the
D I A Regional office in Vancouver
became a reality when the women
had a casual meeting at the Lytton
Constitution Express Potlatch. It
was a dull, cool day in July. The
fire was aflame and the women sat
around the fire discussing different
happenings in their communities.
Pretty soon the women started
talking about deep historical problems of our people. Then the
womens' hearts were aflame with
anger and frustration.
Many o f them had stories o f
their children dying by suicide
because o f the injustices done
upon our people. Others talked of
parents, grandparents and children
dying in house fires because o f
D I A poor quality houses. Others
talked of the boarding schools and
their experiences there. Some
talked of alcoholism and the paternalistic attitude o f the government.
The next day it was announced
over the news that the D I A had
been taken over by a bunch o f
angry, frustrated Indian women.
The women Went up to the 15th
floor
and went
directly to
Walchi's-the director
general's
office.
permission
from
their
band
councils to take this action. H e
could not accept the fact that this
was a group o f independent
women making a stand and not an
organization, but the actual people
those organizations, band councils and tribal councils ate
supposed to represent. If these
women didn't belong to an organization or weren't representing
band councils or tribal councils
there were no purse strings he
could pull. He couldn't blackmail
these women into backing down
because there was nothing he could
take away Or threaten to take away
from them. These people were the
band level people who had nothing
so they had nothing to lose.
A s more women came pouring
in Walchli paced the floor ner-
vously, all the while being counselled by another beauracrat. The
women began hanging their Indian
Government flag on the window in
Walchli's office. The other bureaucrat got very upset at this point. He
grabbed the scotch tape from one
of the women and said very
business-like, "We don't issue tape
here." The girl grabbed it back and
it became very humorous because
he grabbed' it away from her
furiously and a tug of war took
place. He finally got it and went
running out to the secretary's desk
and threw it at her and told her to
put it away. It looked funny to see
the stuffy old bureaucrat pretending he was playing football with a
spool o f scotch tape, making a
right-hand pass in his three-piece
suit.
The women informed Walchi to
tell his employees to clear out. A t
first he would not listen —instead,
he wanted to take 2 or 3 women i n
one office to sit down and discuss
the grievances. The women would
not agree because this would make
a division in the group and the
government's tactics are always
divide-and-conquer.
The women told Walchli what
they felt about him and that they
would stay in the office and wait it
out until M u n r o came directly to
B . C . to talk to them. Walchli
asked what organization they were
from or if the women had
NO C O U R T HAS
H E A R D OUR L E G A L A R G U M E N T S .
TRADITIONS OF THE
GITSKAN
Gathering What the Great Nature Provided: Food
Traditions of the Gitskan
Vancouver: Douglas and Mclntyre, 1980,127 p: 111.
By: Bess Brown
This book is the second i n a series that the 'Ksan have
written, the first being We-Gyet Wanders O n : Legends of
the Northwest. The purpose o f this series is to ensure that
their "young people can know the stature of their heritage
and share it with the world." Gathering what the Great
Nature Provided encompasses many aspects o f the food
gathering, preservation and preparation techniques o f the
Gitskan people. Through the examination o f food
gathering techniques we get an excellent over view o f the
Gitskan culture.
During the pre-contact period food was so plentiful
that it was not necessary for them to have either gardens
or farms. This is not to say, however, that life was easy
for the Gitskan people. They worked extremely hard to
store enough food to last the long winters. The only food
gathering activities to take place during the winter were
hunting, trapping and fishing, so the spring and summer
days were spent gathering and storing the necessary
amount o f food.
cont. from pg. 12
The frenzied man seated himself
on the sofa in Walchli's office
trying to look very professional
and businesslike after his ridiculous action o f fighting over a 50 cent
spool o f scotch tape. One o f the
women picked up that scotch tape
from the secretary's desk. Two o f
the women taped the Indian
Government flag on the window in
walchli's office. The old bureaucrat stayed calm this time instead
of throwing a mad fit.
Walchli finally told his staff to
leave. The women immediately
held a meeting these were held all
throughout the occupation. Our
Indian Provisional Government
was set up right away.
Many women felt that the Department of Indian Affairs was set
up years ago to help our people,
but instead things have worsened
in our communities. The only ones
who have prospered are the ones
who accept assimilation because
these are the ones the D I A can be
proud of and call their successes.
During the winter the Gitskan people held feasts which
sometimes lasted more than a month. Everyone i n the
village took part in this activity. N o one was excluded.
So, they needed a tremendous amount o f food to last
through not only the winter but also a feast in which they
provided food for a large number of guests.
The book includes different methods o f food
preparation the Gitskan utilized. They include boiling,
toasting, barbecueing, aging and oven baking. Bent
boxes were used for boiling food. They filled the boxes
with water and added heated stones to bring the water to
a boil. B y the early 1800's they were using iron and brass
pots believed to have come from Russian explorers.
A l s o discussed are methods o f preservation, such as
smoking, drying and the use o f oolichan grease as a preservative. In the latter part o f the book they discuss the
different kinds o f foods they ate and a few hints on how
to prepare such things as bannock, salted fish, roasted
porcupine and many other dishes. Throughout the book
the cultural importance o f food is emphasized by the
stories told by the Gitksan Elders.
The Gitksan people, through Gathering What the
Great Nature Provided, have ensured that their children
will have the opportunity to learn about their ancestors
and culture. In the future, Bands and organizations may
come to realize that by sharing information we may reach
our goal o f self-determination much more quickly.
OUR FIGHT IS
FOR THE FUTURE
The ones who hang on to our culture and traditional ways are the
poorest because the D I A is
ashamed o f them. In the D I A eyes
these people may seem the poorest
in white society's values but in
Indian values and in the Indian
people's eyes they are the richest in
our communities. They are the
richest because they contain within
them the knowledge of our ancestors which can never be bought or
sold.
The
Concerned
Aboriginal
Women are still fighting despite
the legal action taken against them
by the government. They don't feel
like criminals because they betrayed the government for they have
kept their loyalty to their people.
Imprisonment for the short period
of time for these mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters and women
of the First Nations is felt to be the
least to p a y compared to the
imprisonment o f our people for
the rest o f their lives in the government's paternalistic system.
EDITORIAL
The past year has been an interesting year. It has
been a time for People's movements. Our People have
been taking upon themselves leadership roles. This
action has helped our leaders by the people's strong
support.
We have heard o f the Indian C h i l d Caravan which
was protesting the apprehension o f our children by the
Ministry o f H u m a n Resources—how the placing of
our children in non-Indian homes harms that child's
life because of big cultural differences. They may love
the child while he/she is small but when they become
adults they don't want to be responsible anymore.
Whereas in the traditional way, a child is taken in by a
family member or i f there is no family, he/she is taken
in by a band member. This family bond is carried on
all the way through the individual's life and not just
while they are children.
Then there is the Constitution Express—a
movement of people who are protesting Trudeau's
plans to patriate the Canadian Constitution. There
was the travel across to Ottawa last October and this
year, the journey across the waters to England. The
patriation on the Constitution is being done by the
Federal government without the Indian people's consent. They have included us in the Constitution but
have not consulted with us. The Constitution Express
do not want this paper brought back to Canada from
England until they have had their say-especially to
the sections relating to our people. They are saying,
'We don't want the courts or the government to define
what Aboriginal Rights are because to them A b o r i ginal Rights are the rights to sing and dance and make
bannock. But, that is not our definition o f Aboriginal
Rights or title. Aboriginal Rights is our right to our
livelihood; to live the way we want on our Mother the
Earth. T o carry on our responsibility that we were
given since we were first put here by our creator to be
keepers and watch over our Mother the Earth and all
our brothers and sisters the plants and the animals.
The Constitution Express is taking this plea to
England in hopes that the Queen and the British
government will listen and not hand the constitution to
Canada until Canada agrees to sit down with us before
entrenchment. Our relationship to the Canadian
government has been one big struggle and with a highscale move like patriation, we can even expect a greater
struggle.
I N D I A N W O R L D 14
Another strong force joined the Indian struggle and
that was the Concerned Aboriginal Women who occupied the Regional office in Vancouver in August. They
publically voiced their protest to the government's
paternalistic attitude towards our People. They
exposed publicly that the Department o f Indian
Affairs was set up to work i n the best interest of Indian
people. Instead it is working in the best interest of the
federal bureaucrats. These bureaucrats are all lining
their pockets well with money from our resources.
They are also doing their job well which the federal
government is proud of and that is to assimilate the
Indian people. Anyone who doesn't adhere to their
assimilation process, like the Aboriginal Women, are
treated like criminals. The Department of Indian
Affairs is ashamed o f them because they are standing
up for their rights to keep their identity as Indian
people. They are trying to humiliate the women and
weaken them to keep them quiet. But, it seems the
bigger the fight is for our women, the stronger they
seem to get. So, bureaucrats beware because these
women know they aren't criminals and are still moving
ahead in their fight.
The future still holds a lot i n store for us. Our
people are getting strong and are taking the fight into
their own hands. These people do not need big, highpaying jobs i n an organization, band office, or government office in order to fight for their People. We all
can learn from them and especially the Elders that
counsel them.
BROTHER BEAR
Short Story by: Jeannette Fortin
A young girl shuffled through the forest towards the
tent. She was carrying a bowl of stew for Light Cloud,
grandfather. She had done this many times before but she
didn't mind as she loved him very much and looked
forward to the many stories he would tell her. She swept
aside the tent flaps and ran to his side.
"Grandfather,"
she said, "will you tell me the story of Brother Bear
again.?"
It made him sad that he had to refuse her but he didn't
feel in a story telling mood, so the disappointed young
girl went back through the forest to her mother's fire.
A s the night came, the winds blew colder. The tired old
man sat on this faded, threadbare blanket gazing at the
dancing figures in the flames of his campfire. A smile
broke through his wrinkled, timeworn face as he remembered his youthful days when he was highly respected by
the people of his village.
He thought of the time when Mother Earth was thickly
covered by a blanket of snow; the winds screamed, the
wolves cried of hunger, and food was scarce.
Light Cloud, being the most capable and proficient
hunter in the village, had set out in the forbidding barren
land.
Light Cloud turned toward the voice and found
himself face to face with the mighty form of Brother
Bear. As he stared in, bewilderment, the bear spoke to
him once saying, "Your people have always respected the
ways of Brother Bear, so I have come to help." " G o back
to your people," he said, "and when the moon has passed
above you three times, take four of your strongest braves
and go north 'til you come to Eagle Mountain; there you
will find a valley. In this valley you will find enough deer
to satisfy the hunger of your people."
When Light Cloud returned to his village, he related
;
the words of the bear to his people.
After returning from the valley with enough deer for
everyone, they rejoiced and gave thanks to Brother Bear.
After that, the village was always known as the bear clan,
and this is how Light Cloud became highly respected by
his
people.
Although the fire had slowly diminished, the old man
did not notice as his reminiscence of past days brought a
warmth and glow to this weary body; and he was weary no
Speaking aloud in the darkness, he said, "I have lived a
good life Brother <Bear, I am now ready. Will you come
and meet me?".
He had travelled for many days without seeing a trace
of any wildlife when he came upon some fresh bear
tracks. A s he followed the tracks, he prayed to The Great
Spirit of Brother Bear, asking him to understand the help
him provide the meat his people so badly needed.
The bear tracks seemed to become fainter and fainter
until they disappeared like a breath in the wind. He stood
there in astonishment. The snow had not been falling for
many hours, so he couldn't understand the way they
disappeared so fast.
Suddenly a gruff voice from behind him said, " D o not
be afraid my little brother, I have heard your prayers."
As the rays of, sunshine burst through the early
morning mist, a young girl runs happily towards the tent.
In her hands she carries a blanket that she had woven for
her grandfather, as the, nights were getting colder. When
she was nearing the tent she noticed there were bear
tracks coming out of the tent.
A s she buried her face in the blanket she cried,
"Brother Bear, I know grandfather is with you and his
restless heart is now at peace."
I N D I A N W O R L D 15
THIS MONTH:
Chairman, Constitution Express
Chief Wayne Christian
To all the Citizens of all the Indian Nations
The time is close for our journey across the waters to
the homelands of the Europeans. We must prepare
ourselves, mentally, physically and spiritually.
Remember that we will be telling the world our story,
through our own words, and with our voices. We must
be strong.
We must tell of the danger that the patriation of the
constitution holds for our future, our children's future
and the future of the generations not yet born. We
must become teachers to our people, for when we
return our experiences must be taught to all our people. This journey is only the beginning of our people's
exodus throughout the world to gain support from the
nations of the international community.
The Constitution Express to Ottawa was a clear indication of the desire and the will of the community
people to fight for their heriditary rights. The long and
tiresome trip to Ottawa was an example of the
sacrifices our people are prepared to make to fight and
protect our land, our rights and all the things that our
ancestors have fought for generation after generation.
Once again the people have decided to come together
as one strong voice to tell the world that our struggle as
a nation of people to determine our future will and
shall not be legally oppressed by Trudeau's resolution
to decolonize Canada from Britain. Our legal and
political ties are with the British Crown, our ancestors
made agreements with the great white mother that
have to be honoured in international law. Our job is to
educate the European people so that they understand
the danger of Trudeau's plan to legally assimilate our
people and to legally steal our land from us.
For many generations now our chiefs, our leaders
have been constantly blaming the non-Indian government,whether it be the federal or provincial government, for the problems that exist in our communities. I
have heard time after time that the government is to
blame for our problems and the government should
help us solve our problems, but we must not be fooled
into believing that they will solve the problems for us.
We as a nation of people must create our own solutions: for there is no non-Indian government that will
give us what is rightfully ours by way of our aboriginal
rights. We must not be fooled into thinking that simply because we ask the governments to recognize our
rights that they will. We must demand and assert our
rights for we have been fooled long enough and now
the people realize that our rights have not been lost but
have never been exercised by the nations of people.
We must be prepared to present our solutions to our
problems to the world. We must be able to answer this
critical question: "what have you done to help yourself
and your people?" W e have to show the world that we
as a nation of people are capable of caring for each
other, in the Indian way. We must show that we are
moving off the dependancy on the state.
Our job as the ambassadors of our nations is to
speak the truth of the subtle oppression of our people
by the Trudeau patriation of the constitution. It
should be clearly shown that the patriation resolution
leaves our aboriginal and treaty rights to be defined by
the Canadian court system. We all know that there is
nothing in federal law or provinvial law that can define
our rights. H o w can the oppressive government agents
define something that their leader, Trudeau, insisted
does not exist.
Our job is immense but the creator and all our
ancestors in the spirit world will be with us, for we
speak the truth and our job is to protect mother earth
for our children and the generations not yet born. We
must remember that upon our return to our homelands
we shall continue the work that has taken place in
"Europe and London. Our job is to be teachers to our
people to explain the experiences in Europe, so that the
future children may benefit from our historic journey.
We must follow through on the hard work so that we
can prepare our people for the struggle that will follow
when we return to our communities.
We must become of one mind, one heart, one spirit
and one body to be strong so that we can fight for our
children and the generations not vet born.
SECOND CLASS M A I L
R E G I S T R A T I O N N U M B E R 4983
VANCOUVER, B.C.
F R O M : U N I O N O F B . C . Indian Chiefs
4 4 0 West Hastings St.,
Vancouver, B . C . V 6 B 1 L 1
INDIAN©WORLD
“THE CHOICE IS OURS” ONE DOLLAR
OUR WORLD
INDIAN WORLD 2
a uw
=. -
oy ‘ '
There is a ma in the heart of my people
the young of
selves and t 1
provide thenwith a a sense ‘oF wo
purpose. Tey will be our new Wi
{INDIAN
_ VOLUME FOUR NUMBER THREE
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 atrecung the Indians of
British Columbia.
Signed articles.and opinions are the views of the
individuals concerned and not necessarily those of the
UBCIC,
Before we begin our important diplomatic journey, we must look deep inside ourselves, and touch our strength and
truth. From this Great Circle we will draw on the power of our ancestors.
Contributors
Editor: Lorna Bob
Written Contributors: Wayne Christian, Bess Brown
Debbie Nyce, Jeanette Fortin, Louise Mandell, Val
Dudoward, Lillian Basil
To Our Readers: The people from the Indian World
would like to apologize for the delays in publishing the
magazine. It was delayed because of the recent postal
strike and lack of funding commitments.
Table of Contents
Tribute to Chief Dan George............-.--5-5-- 2
Indian Legal Case on the Constitution...........4,5
Mbp abess clssecats sear e iss ate we aro teas tern atore ey Gem > noe 6
President: 6 MGssage@ rn ic ject ace 4 sas cere ela ss A
Constitution Express Potlatches BBSRRSSESE8RSER8ESE
BPhink Debbie Nyce)... 2 wee dats oe cele 5 eae 9
Pridian Palate oem... css so-s0eer ose pies wise eal eim were 10°
iT RESOUICES 65. ices cites a 8 Fk e/f wows seed wale as 11
Concerned Aboriginal Women’s Occupation ape eae 12
Book Review by Bess Brown ........-....6+0550: 13
Editorial......... Bea piso eee eae a avalia\e beeohes satesets 14
BROTH BOAT ic cleats = tele ee iene 64 = sowcecscs sree tigre 15
OUR COVER: The symbol of the Constitution Express is what is going to help keep our people strong. It holds
within the spirit power of our ancestors.
="
INDIAN WORLD 3
SUMMARY OF THE LEGAL ARGUMENT
For over 100 years now, the Indian Nations have
persisted in asking for a reference to the Judicial
Committee of the Privy Council to settle the question
of Crown obligations to the Indian Nations. The
Canadian Government persisted in blocking the
representation of the petitions to the Imperial Crown,
to the extent that, in 1927, the Canadian Indian Act
was amended to ban the raising of money in defense of
Indian land claims, making it an offense punishable by
imprisonment.
The Indian Nations of British Columbia, Alberta
and Manitoba presented a Memorandum of Law to
the offices of Sir Michael Havers, Attorney-General,
Stating that the Judicial Committee of the Privy
Council, finally, examine the question of Crown
obligations.
The occasion is made especially urgent today
because the Trudeau resolution to patriate a new
Canadian constitution will eliminate those Crown
obligations that protect the integrity, indentity and the
very survival of the Indian Nations.
The Crown obligations arise from the _ initial
compacts in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries where
Britain, as a matter of law, was required to obtain the
consent of the Indian Nations to the alienation of
Indian territory or to the change of Indian institutions
within their territory. This principal was enacted in the
Royal Proclamation of 1763, which was the first con-
stitutional instrument of Canada. The proclamation
has been held to have the force of law in Canada and
has never been repealed. Pursuant to the proclama-
tion, over 100 treaties were concluded between various
Indian Nations and the Crown. They created binding
obligations which were to endure the passage of time,
and exist notwithstanding the development of Canada
into full statehood.
Now the Canadian government is asking Great Bri-
tain to ignore those Crown obligations and give total
power to Canada to redefine those obligations without
Indian consent and to eliminate them without Indian
consent.
This has been Canadian practice in administering
Crown obligations to the Indian Nations throughout
the last 100 years. It is because of this that the Indian
Nations have relied upon the British Parliament to
enforce the protection promised by the treaties and by
the Royal Proclamation.
The British government has supervisory jurisdiction
to protect Crown obligations within’ Canadian
federalism through its power to amend the British
North America Act. Trudeau proposes that the
supervisory jusrisdiction be transfered to the federal
and provincial governments. The Memorandum of
Law that was presented documents the legal position
of the Indian Nations that by allowing such a move,
Great Britain’s decision would amount to an
unprincipled breach of Crown obligations to the
Indian lands. The position of the Indian Nations is
thus very clear; that the Canadian constitution cannot
be patriated until the Crown obligations have been
further protected; the Indian Nations of British Co-
lumbia, Alberta and Manitoba are asking in our
memorandum that the British Government not
undermine the Imperial Crown and that can be done
through not patriating Prime Minister Trudeau’s
Canada Act until our most sacred Crown obligations
be fulfilled; finally, that the Indian Nations are
prepared to facilitate the fulfillment of Crown obli-
gations through trilateral talks with the British and
Canadian governments to negotiate the mechanism by
which this can be achieved.
Such an agreement could then be placed in the
Canadian constitution and Westminster could, then,
legally and in good conscience, grant to Canada the
independent status that it seeks.
INDIAN WORLD 4
FISH DEPLETION:
WHO’S TO BLAME?
It seems ridiculous that the
government ahd the general public
always blame the Indians for the
depletion of the salmon. Our
people only take enough fish to
feed their families. But, the
fisheries who are supposed to be
taking care of the fish have twisted
priorities. Just as we find in many
other departments of the govern-
ment. Money is always the key
problem to the breakdown in our
food supplies. It is not food to the
government—each salmon means
dollars. Look at the licenced fish-
erman—these licences are under
the control of the Federal fisheries
who issue them and buy and sell
the fish to other countries. Just as
the government does with our
great cedars and other trees.
All these things that have been
food and shelter to our people are
dollar bills to the government.
Everything is disappearing but the
government doesn’t mind as long
as the dollars keep rolling in. Our
people are just a scapegoat for the
government and the _ general
public. Naturally, they don’t want
to blame themselves so they find
someone else to blame and that is ©
us. But, do they ever realize that
before they ever set food on these
lands it was a land of plenty. A
land of plenty that our generous
and caring ancestors were willing
to share with these lost souls.
These people who take thousand
dollar vacation trips so they can
see the nice landscape and clean
waters —do they realize that this is
how our lands all looked before
the arrival of foreigners? Foreign-
ers who plastered and suffocated
our mother earth with their con-'
crete. We are lucky that these lands
are not wholly cold and concrete.
This is always what our people are
fighting for. Fighting for our life.
Our right to live as we always have
in our own homelands. This is
what the whole constitutional fight
is about.
‘Look at our brothers in Resti-
gouche, Quebec being beaten and
clubbed for just going out and
getting their food as they always
have. Just as our grandparents
taught us, to fish and to appreciate
the salmon for giving up its life in
order for other beings to live.
There were even headlines in news-
papers saying that Indians were
turning into savages again. Is it
being savage to go down to a river
or lake to get food for your
family? Or is it being savage to
club and hit other human beings
with huge sticks—other human
beings who don’t even have
weapons to defend themselves?
Any human that can actually hit
other humans so brutally is the
savage. This must mean the
fisheries warden and the police
who took part in these beatings are
the savages. These are the repre-
sentatives of the government?
Trudeau’s representatives!
Look at the sports fishermen
who take salmon just for the sport
of it. I have heard some of these
w 7 .
ah —_ “
*
+ :
ae P " a
a \ “=e
' " 4 * j = ‘
, F BL ‘ |
A
c " * a
= 7. is ‘ a ~ lg
‘ yl _"
Arrests made at Fountain Band’s Fishing Grounds,
people complain because they
caught a salmon. They complain
because they don’t want to clean
the salmon and they don’t want to
eat the salmon. They just wanted
to catch it for the sake of catching
so they can have a fish tale to tell
around the campfire as they drink
their beer. We never hear the
fisheries talking about these people
who fish in this fashion. Of course,
they have money to spend, these
rich sports fishermen, that
explains the silence in recognizing
this problem.
Look at all the money poured
into sports fishing. Companies
spend a lot of money reinforcing
these people to go out sports
fishing. You can bet the govern-
ment is getting some cut out of this
action diminishing the fish stocks.
Yet this government has the nerve
to try and blame our people for the
depletion of salmon.
We can be thankful for those
people like the Restigouche
Indians who are standing up
against this government. Standing
for our aboriginal rights. We
cannot let them take our food
away or our right to gather our
food. For if we let this happen we
are sayin they can have our life
and our children’s lives.
INDIAN WORLD 5
UP-DATE
CONSTITUTION EXPRESS
The Advance Team left on Octo-
ber 8th, at 5:10 p.m. for London,
England and the four European
Countries we are planning to travel
through on November 1, 1981
through till November 17, 1981.
Friends and family all gathered
at the Vancouver International
Airport to send them off in good
spirits but tears were shed after the
drumming and singing started for
we realized that they are going into
unknown countries to do the
groundwork for the Indian people
of Canada and that whatever they
do will be for our future genera-
tions to follow.
The Main Express group will
leave on November 1, 1981 after
the U.B.C.I.C. 15th General As-
sembly which will be held on
October 18, 29, and 30th.
the departure time is yet to be
worked out but the whole Express
will be leaving from the Vancouver
International Airport. Our
destination is Hannover,
Germany, where we will be met by
one of the Advance Team with
buses ready to drive the people to
the first stop in Germany. We will
then travel to Holland, France and
Belgium. One of the main events
will be a Ceremony to be held in
Bruxxelles, Belgium on November
11, for the Indian Men and
Women who died in the Second
World War.
On November 13th the Express
will cross the English Channel over
to London, England, where again
a member of the Advance Team
will have set up meetings and
Conferences with the British MPs
and Lords. A Potlatch will be or-
ganized so as the Indian people can
share the Indian Culture with
Europeans to show how proud we
are of our Country and Culture.
THE CEDAR
Our people have always highly
respected our grandfather the
Cedar. It is used to medicine us, .
house us, warm us and transport
-us around from village to village,
fishing grounds to fishing grounds
or hunting grounds to hunting
grounds.
Today our history lives on
through our close relationship to
the Cedar. Our traditional, spiri-
tual and mythical masks and
carvings are still carved from this.
The dug out and war canoes still
skirt our waterways, whether it is
in recreation or work.
This shows our close relation-
ship to all living things on our
Mother Earth. If these start to
disappear and die so does our cul-
ture and we as a people. This is
why we are taught from childhood
to respect all things. This is why
our people struggle to keep our ties
with the land and all things that
were handed down to us by the
creator.
These are only a few reasons for
the fight against the Canadian:
government’s proposal to patriate
the Canadian Constitution. It is
not only a political fight. It is a
fight to save our cultural, spiritual
and traditional ways. As one of
our elders said, “The government
has been civilizing us for too long.
What good has their civilizing
done us? It has only taught a lot of
our people to drink their
poisonous alcohol. Is this what
they call being civilized? We were
happy before they started to try
and run our lives.”
This patriation package is just
another strategy on the Canadian
government, Trudeau to take away
our rights to Self Determination
and to live as we always have as
Indian Nations. With the strength
handed down from our ancestors
and our Elders of today we will not
let this happen to us. There will be
no compromise because as our pol-
itical leaders say, ‘Our ancestors
never compromise and we are not
about to begin compromising our
culture and lives away or of those
yet unborn.’
CHIEF COUNCIL MEETING
The Chiefs Council of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs
met in Vancouver on June 23rd to discuss the Constitu-
tion, the UBCIC Audit, the Annual General Assembly,
and Fishing and Hunting.
The Chiefs’ Council was provided with reports on the
legal and political actions regarding the patriation of the
Canadian Constitution. What ‘is happening now is the
Legal Task Force has sent a Memorandum addressed to
Sir Michael Havers, the British Attorney-General, by the
UBCIC and the Indian Association of Alberta concern-
ing the Canadian Constitutional crises as it relates to the
British Government. Chief Ray Hance, who had been in
London, England gave a report on his findings and left
some recommendations to the Chiefs Council. One was
for Chiefs to participate by going to London and assist-
ing in Lobbying.
An up-date was given regarding the Hunting Permits
which are in the form of a lottery-system this year. Ind-
lan people reject the new hunting regulations because
Indian people should not have to fill in any forms to hunt
for food-gathering purposes.
a en
PRESIDENT’S
MESSAGE
A powerful message was brought to Ottawa and
New York last year by the people of the Constitution
Express. A message of truth which stated and is main-
tained that an immoral and illegal action is once again
being perpetrated upon Indian Nations in Canada.
Our message was and still is strong. These injustices
were brought before the Russell Tribunal which
recognized and ratifies our argument. The findings of
the Russel Tribunal have not been ceased upon across
by the public media or else they have been muzzled.
We have to go forward ourselves and impress upon all
who would listen and understand that Great Britain
has Crown obligations through Treaties and the Royal
Proclamation of 1763 to Indian Nations and that these
obligations through convention and law have never
been repealed by the British Crown.
The Royal Proclamation of 1763 confirmed that all
Indian lands were reserved for Indians, until we were
willing to surrender our lands as Indian Nations, to her
majesty, the Queen of England. The BNA Act under
section 91 (24) gave the Federal Government the
responsibilities to administer the Trust. Under section
109 the Provinces were given the resources, subject to
the Indians Aboriginal Rights in surrendered Indian
Territory. Under Article 13 of the terms of the union
between British Columbia and the Federal
Government, in respect to Indian lands in British
Columbia, ‘‘In case of disagreement, between the two
Government’s respecting the quantity of such tracts of
land, to be so granted, the matter shall be referred, for
the decisions of the Secretary of State for the
Colonies.’’ This means that her Majesty the Queen still
has a legal obligation to the Indians.
The British Parliament has many obligations to the
Indians, that have to be discharged, before it can
patriate the Canadian Constitution. The fact that 40%
of Canada’s land base is Indian lands illegally held and
were lands stolen from us, suggests that we have
serious problems that must be concluded with Great
Britain befor the Indian part of the patriation can take
place. Our people must go to Britain to force her to
fulfill her obligation to the Indian Nations. We do not
consent to the Trust being forgotten, as Canada
proposes or delegated to Canada as Britain suggests.
‘We demand that the Trust be discharged on terms,
that will restore our political authority to our Indian
Nations. We do not consent to patriation of the Con-
stitution, until Canada acknowledges our Aboriginal
Rights position as defined in our “‘Aboriginal Rights
7049
Positions Paper’’.
Indian rights to land, resources, language, culture, a
livelihood and our right to self-government are not
something conferred by Treaties or offered to Indians,
as concessions by a beneficient government. These are
the rights, which Indian Nations enjoyed from time
immemorial. These rights are pre-existing and are
sacred values of the Indian Nations. A Canadian Con-
stitution can accomodate Indian rights, it cannot
decrease, alter or eliminate this Indian tradition.
Therefore, as successful as we were in Ottawa and
New York, our mandate now take our people to other
lands. For, despite the ruling brought down by the
Supreme Court of Canada the Trudeau government is
_fetermined to pursue patriation of his constitutional
package which spells impending genocidal doom. It is
more important now that we clearly deliver our
message to Great Britain and have it understand that
to comply with the patriation package it would certain-
ly pull Great Britain in as an accomplice in this
atrocious act on the Indian Nations.
The message of truth has been developed by us and
Jan Bronnley, a professor of International Law in
England. Furthermore, this truth has been
strengthened by the Supreme Court decision of
September 28, 1981. Now it must be delivered. The
truth, not only to be delivered to the government in
Great Britain, Canada and other Nations, but to
citizens of those countries, that is our job. A job only
begun to be carried out at the international, national
and local levels. No one will do it but us, for it is our
responsibility to our uncompromising forefathers of
yesterday, our children of today and for their children
of tomorrow.
Yours in the struggle for our Indian Nations
Saul Terry, VicePresident
CONSTITUTION EXPRESS
There have been many Constitu-
tion Express Potlatches held at
different nations : Kamloops,
Port Hardy, Lytton, Williams
Lake, and Bella Coola. Through
these potlatches the strength of our
nations grows. °
Our people are reminded that
our right to self-determination is
being threatened. That Pierre’s
patriation. package is a higher-scale
white paper policy that he tried to
implement in 1969. As George
Manuel said at Kamloops, “The
Constitutional fight is on and the
showdown is coming. The Canadi-
an government wants to break
their relations with Great Britain
so they can run this country the
way they want to and that includes
us.”
. \
The heartbeat of our Nations
can be heard at the potlatches
through the beat of the drums. We
are all reminded that we have to be
of one mind and work together.
Similar to the potlatches held in
the past by our ancestors, our
strength grows more and more by
our unity.
Our ancestors values shines
through by the sharing that takes
place at the potlatches. The
sharing of words, food, shelter and
most of all love, caring and friend-
INDIAN WORLD 8
ship. Indian Law is practiced by
having the men take the responsi-
bility of being security and watch-
ing the people so that no harm
would come to them. The meetings
are opened up with prayers by our
Elders and Spiritual Leaders.
Other spiritual ceremonies take
place; the people are taught to be
disciplined; no drugs or alcohol are
allowed at the gatherings. The
young people are reminded of their
responsibilities to their people; the
responsibilities of caring for the
children and the elders, helping in
the preparation of meals, clean-up,
and most of all, the responsibility
of learning our ways and Indian
values by the example of our
Elders.
The Constitution Express Pot-
latch in Lytton was a camp-out
gathering with a good number of
tents and teepees set up. It rained a
lot but that didn’t wet our people’s
spirits. There was much tradition-
al food cooked and served here
The people were reminded
again that our rights were on the
line and that another attempt was
being made by the government to
terminate us as _ independent
nations.
In Williams Lake the
Constitution Express gained a
POTLATCHES
greater strength with the
Concerned Aboriginal Women
joining in their fightThe Express
had the opportunity to hear from
some of the Chiefs from the
Caribou who had already made a
trip to England. The people were
informed on some of the differ-
ences in that country.
The Constitution Express Pot-
latch followed immediately after a
traditional Potlatch held in Bella
Coola by the hereditary Chief of
Nuhalk Nation, Lawrence
Pootlass. For most of the visitors,
it was their first time in Nuhalk
Nation territory. The hospitality
was once again warm and welcom-
ing. The importance of having the
people stand and support the
leaders was stressed. There was
lots of traditional coastal food;
salmon, oolichan, herring eggs,
and of course, Indian steak
(balogna). Nuhalk Nation peoples’
homes were open to all the visitors.
The final plans for the trip to
England leaving November Ist
were discussed. The spirit of the
Constitution Express was once
again strong.
At Tsulquate Nation in Port
Hardy Chief Paddy Walkus spoke
on the encouragement he gained
through the Constitution Express
Potlatch held in his community.
He explained, “What we are
fighting for is our nationhood, our
land and ourselves as _ Indian
people.” He warned that ‘as we go
along the government is going to
try to discourage us in every way
they can. An Elder at that same
gathering, Louise Roberts, said, “I
admire these young people who
have guts enough to stand up to
the government and say nobody is
going to take our rights away.
Young as our leaders may be, they
may know a lot more than you or
F.”
I THINK...
Recently, the Amax- mine began dumping 90 million
tons of waste into the Kitsault inlet. Minerals which are
included in the dumping are mercury, radium, lead,
cadium, and several others. The Nishga people found
this to be a major threat to them, because the minerals
will eventually poison the fish that they depend on. How
does the company get away with it?
In May 1979 the Liberal party approved the permit just
six weeks before the election was won by the
Conservatives. I think there should have been a public in-
quiry, because this not only affects the Nishga people but
also the entire west coast fishing industry. The main
reason the Nishga people have been against the dumping
is because of what happened to the Indian people ‘in
Northern Ontario. They suffered from Minimata disease
after eating mercury-poisoned fish.
At the time the permit was issued, the Fisheries
Minister Romeo LeBlanc kept insisting that he couldn’t
revoke the permit without “just cause”. What does he
mean by “just cause”? Aren’t the lives of the Nishga peo-
ple good enough? Is the money so important to them?
Why can’t they understand that in the long run it will be
the Nishga people who will suffer the most?
The Nishga representative was not allowed to attend
the meeting when the-Amax mining company sought
permission to dump waste into Kitsault. Why was this so?
Don’t they think that the president should at least have
attended the meeting. They say it was because of the con-
fidential nature of business. What is so confidential when
the tailings may affect a major community? After all, it is
By: Debbie Nyce
as important to the. Nishga people, as it is to the Amax
Mining Company.
The fisheries officials claim that the mine’s by-products:
like arsenic and radium will sink to the bottom of the
inlet, sending marine life such as halibut, and king crabs
searching for new homes. That has happened already
The king crab can now be caught at the point of
Kincolith; where it has never been caught before. They
also catch more halibut than usual. Doesn’t this explain
something to the company? Don’t they know that sea
creatures know when the area is contaminated and that
they have already fled to a safer environment? They also
state that the minerals will not affect the salmon. How do
we know that? It is their word against our lives. How
would like the company if they were in our position? I
am sure they would put up a fight to try and stop what
will happen to them.
A scientist was also quoted as saying, “who ever heard
of such a thing as a safe level of radium?” The company
must know that minerals intensify as they traverse the
food chain from plants to fish to people. It is the most
carcinogenic substance known.
I think that the government and company have taken
advantage of the Native Indians and, as usual, they are
having their own way. Why is it so difficult for them to
understand that the waste will affect the four
communities along the Nass River? Fishing has always
been a way of life for the Native people. The Nishga
pedple have not given up hope for fair justice. They will
continue to fight for their rights.
Pappas Furs and Indian Traders
specialists in
North American Indian Materials,
Artifacts, Rare Old Collectors Items,
Jewellery, Baskets, Carvings, etc.
WE BUY, SELL, AND TRADE
FREE APPRAISALS
459 Hamilton St. at Victory Square Vancouver, B.C.
V6B 2P9
681-6391
INDIAN WORLD 9
NEWS NEWS NEWS
2ND ANNUAL — INDIAN
FALL FAIR A GREAT
SUCCESS
The 2nd Annual Indian Fall Fair
in Kamloops is behind us and it
can be called .nothing but a
SUCCESS.
From a small beginning in 1980
at the Kamloops Residential
School, it grew into a beutiful
show held during September 26
and 27, 1981 at the KXA grounds.
More than 4,000 people visited
Arts & Crafts exhibits and cheered
when the dancers from Alkali Lake
or the musicians from the Mission
All Boys Drum and Bugle Corps
entertained.
The Fashion Show featured tra-
ditional and contemporary cloth-
ing modelled by various people
attracted well oer 300 people.
Especially traditional cedarbark
and buckskin garments aroused
great interest,
There were 68 exhibitors in
categories such as wood carving,
weaving, beadwork and buckskin,
jewellery, basketweaving, and
others.
While all this took place in the
auditorium, the barn was
humming with 4H activity. In
1980, only two 4H Clubs took part
in the fair and it is with pride that
this year nearly 140 youngsters
from various 4H Clubs were
present.
Most of these young people had
only been in 4H for one year and it
was a pleasure to see how interes-
ted everyone was in learning new
skills and methods to show their
project.
There were five 4H Beef Clubs
represented from all over the prov-
ince —Alkali Lake, Nicola Native,
Westside, Sookinchute, Barriere,
and Cheam.
Activities started with stabling
and weighting of calves on Friday
night. Saturday, early morning ;
4H’ers were washing and grooming
their calves in preparation for
judging and achievement.
David Moses was the exhibitor ,
of the Reserve Grand Champion
steer and already is aiming for #1
spot in 1982.
In the Heifer class, Lance
Marchard and Chris Goble led
their heifers out to be winners.
All the first and second place
winners then competed on Sunday
afternoon for the Grand
Champion Steer Trophy and a
cheque’ for $250 donated by Don
Moses Herefords of Merritt.
All the 4H Beef Clubs are
competing in the Provincial Winter
Fair this week, September 28 to
October 2 and lets wish them lots
of luck. ase
GRANDFATHER KILLER WHALE
See our grandfather plunge
through the big waters
Along with the porpoise
seal and the otters
Someday, maybe we will be
lucky enough
to enter the sea that can
be so calm and yet so rough
In the form of our grandfather
the whale
To travel in the sea wind
gale
Our cries for survival will continue through
this new life
In the sound of the
whales chilling strife.
iS
VF M
For 100 years we have been stating,
declaring and demonstrating that
B.C. is Indian Land. During that time
Europeans have been exploring,
expropriating and exploiting our
lands, waters and resources such as in
the fishery, marine resources, gold,
copper, silver, coal, molybdenum,
uranium, oil and gas and freshwater
for dams. Today, Indian people are
still fighting to protect our lands,
water and resources and ourselves as
Indian Nations from Government
and corporate genocide as they try
and get absolute control of our re-
sources.
We are laughed at and mocked for
stating B.C. is our land and for
maintaining the position that we are
sovereign nations. As Nations, we still
have our language, laws, religion,
culture and tradition—the basic
foundation of a nation. The
governments and its parallel powers
are still trying to destroy the basic
foundation of our nations. This is
what the constitutional issue is all
about.
As a result of the Federal and
Provincial Government policies in
preventing Indian people from
achieving self-determination we are
the poorest people in Canada. And
with the massive projects taking place
in our traditional lands and waters,
our way of life is attacked the most.
We will not give up our great reliance
on hunting, fishing, trapping, food
and root gathering, which all require
protection of the land and water.
Trans Mountain Pipeline
The National Energy Board on
June 3 approved Trans Mountain’s
application to build a pipeline from
Sumas, Washington to Edmonton, to
carry oil shipped by tanker from
Alaska down the B.C. Coast to
Low Point, Washington.
OUR RESOURCES
By: Lillian Basil
ae
Alaska Highway Gas Pipeline:
The Federal Government on May
21 approved the construction of the
Pipeline. The Northeast Bands are
working hard to put in place their
alternatives and mechanisms to
protect their way of life before heavy
construction takes place in the
pipeline, coal and Site C develop-
ments.
Off-Shore Resources:
One June 2, the Provincial Govern-
ment claimed jurisdiction over off-
shore oil and gas exploration and is
inviting exploration companies to
begin oil exploration. However, the
Federal and Provincial Governments
are in a fight over who has jurisdic-
tion of off-shore resources. Indian
Nations along the B.C. Coast also
claim their off-shore. Bill C-48, the
Canada Oil and Gas Act is to be
debated in the House of Commons in
early July.
Unfortunately, Governments and
Corporations have beCome the high-
est power in resource development.
When projects are approved where
Indian Bands have _ de-clared
opposition, it is crucial for Bands to
maintain firm opposition in order to
avoid watered down compensation or
nothing at all for the destruction of
their lands and resources.
In the Northeast, the Indian Bands
are still faced with large scale project
construction after three and a half
years of total opposition. Rather than
to allow themselves to become victims
of genocide, Indian people put the
onus on the Federal Government
Northern Pipeline Act
The UBCIC and the Northeast
Bands have been meeting with
government agencies for the past
three years on the basis that the
Governments have responsibility to
assist the Bands in fulfilling their
plans in securing a guaranteed
hunting and trapping territory and
developing an economy based on
their traditional lifestyle.
The UBCIC has agreed to prepare
a Compensation Plan, and come up
with a plan to protect Indian
Harvesting areas and also to
Participate in consultation with
Foothills Pipeline Company Ltd. and
the Northern Pipeline Agency on
route alignment.
The DIA has responsibility for
dealing with the impact of pipeline
construction by assisting the Bands
financially. Bands have been
seriously handicapped as a result of
the department’s inability to follow
up on its financial committment.
For the past year we have met
several times with the Ministry of Sec-
retary of State for Ec6énomic
Development in following up on a
committment Senator Bud Olsen
made to contract the Union to
prepare a paper on_ traditional
economy, based on the principle of
parallel development in the
Northeast.
Despite the shut
out, the Indian people in the north
are determined to avoid genocide.
The government cannot ignore
George Manuel’s statement when he
told them, “it is the basis of the
Indian economy and the survival of a
valuable but dangerously threatened
way of life. In the past, Indian people
have coped with development by
moving away from it. Logging,
agricultural settlement, oil and gas
and other forms of development in
the northeast, have left the people no
place to move. When you corner a
grizzly bear, you have a fight. The
Beaver, Slavey and Cree of the
northeast have been backed into that
corner.
CONCERNED ABORIGINAL
WOMEN’S OCCUPATION
The whole idea of occupying the
DIA Regional office in Vancouver
became a reality when the women
had a casual meeting at the Lytton
Constitution Express Potlatch. It
was a dull, cool day in July. The
fire was aflame and the women sat
around the fire discussing different
happenings in their communities.
Pretty soon the women started
talking about deep historical pro-
blems of our people. Then the
womens’ hearts were aflame with
anger and frustration.
Many of them had stories of
their children dying by suicide
because of the injustices done
upon our people. Others talked of
parents, grandparents and children
dying in house fires because of
DIA poor quality houses. Others
talked of the boarding schools and
their experiences there. Some
talked of alcoholism and the pater-
nalistic attitude of the government.
The next day it was announced
over the news that the DIA had
been taken over by a bunch of
angry, frustrated Indian women.
The women Went up to the 15th
floor and went directly to
Walchi’s-the director general’s
office.
The women informed Walchi to
tell his employees to clear out. At
first he would not listen — instead,
he wanted to take 2 or 3 women in
one office to sit down and discuss
the grievances. The women would
not agree because this would make
a division in the group and the
government’s tactics are always
divide-and-conquer.
The women told Walchli what
they felt about him and that they
would stay in the office and wait it
out until Munro came directly to
B.C. to talk to them. Walchli -
asked what organization they were
from or if the women had
permission from their band °
councils to take this action. He
could not accept the fact that this
‘was a group of independent
women making a stand and not an
organization, but the actual people
those organizations, band coun-
cils and tribal . councils are
supposed to represent. If these
women didn’t belong to an organi-
zation of weren't representing
band councils or tribal councils
there were no purse strings he
could pull. He couldn’t blackmail
these women into backing down
because there was nothing he could
take away or threaten to take away
from them. These people were the
band ievel people who had nothing
so they had nothing to lose.
AS more women came pouring
in Walchli paced the floor ner-
vously, all the while being coun-
selled by another beauracrat. The
women began hanging their Indian
Government flag on the window in
Walchli’s office. The other bureau-
crat got very upset at this point. He
grabbed the scotch tape from one
of the women and said very
business-like, “We don’t issue tape
here.” The girl grabbed it back and
it became very humorous because
he grabbed’ it away from her
furiously and a tug of war took
place. He finally got it and went
running out to the secretary’s desk
and threw it at her and told her to
put it away. It looked funny to see
the stuffy old bureaucrat pretend-
ing he was playing football with a
spool of scotch tape, making a
right-hand pass in his three-piece
suit.
NO COURT HAS HEARD OUR LEGAL ARGUMENTS.
TRADITIONS OF THE
GITSKAN
Gathering What the Great Nature Provided: Food
Traditions of the Gitskan
Vancouver: Douglas and Mcintyre, 1980, 127 p: 111.
By: Bess Brown _
This book is the second in a series that the ‘Ksan have
written, the first being We-Gyet Wanders On: Legends of
the Northwest. The purpose of this series is to ensure that
their “young people can know the stature of their heritage
and share it with the world.” Gathering what the Great
Nature Provided encompasses many aspects of the food
gathering, preservation and preparation techniques of the
Gitskan people. Through the examination of food
gathering techniques we get an excellent over view of the
Gitskan culture.
During the pre-contact period food was so plentiful
that it was not necessary for them to have either gardens
or farms. This is not to say, however, that life was easy
for the Gitskan people. They worked extremely hard to
store enough food to last the long winters. The only food
gathering activities to take place during the winter were
hunting, trapping and fishing, so the spring and summer
days were spent gathering and storing the necessary
amount of food.
During the winter the Gitskan people held feasts which
sometimes lasted more than a month. Everyone in the
village took part in this activity. No one was excluded.
So, they needed a tremendous amount of food to last
through not only the winter but also a feast in which they
provided food for a large number of guests.
The boak includes different methods of food
preparation the Gitskan utilized. They include boiling,
toasting, barbecueing, aging and oven baking. Bent
boxes were used for boiling food. They filled the boxes
with water and added heated stones to bring the water to
a boil. By the early 1800’s they were using iron and brass
pots believed to have come from Russian explorers.
Also discussed are methods of preservation, such as
smoking, drying and the use of oolichan grease as a pre-
servative. In the latter part of the book they discuss the
different kinds of foods they ate and a few hints on how
to prepare such things as bannock, salted fish, roasted
porcupine and many other dishes. Throughout the book
the cultural importance of food is emphasized by the —
stories told by the Gitksan Elders.
The Gitksan people, through Gathering What the
Great Nature Provided, have ensured that their children
will have the opportunity to learn about their ancestors
and culture. In the future, Bands and organizations may
come to realize that by sharing information we may reach
our goal of self-determination much more quickly.
cont. from pg. 12
The trenzied man seated himself
on the sofa in Walchli’s office
trying to look very professional
and businesslike after his ridicu-
lous action of fighting over a S0¢
spool of scotch tape. One of the
women picked up that scotch tape
from the secretary’s desk. Two of
the women taped the Indian
Government flag on the window in
walchli’s office. The old bureau-
crat stayed calm this time instead
of throwing a mad fit.
Walchli finally told his staff to
leave. The women immediately
held a meeting these were held all
throughout the occupation. Our
Indian Provisional Government
was Set up right away.
Many women felt that the De-
partment of Indian Affairs was set
up years ago to help our people,
but instead things have worsened
in our communities. The only ones
who have prospered are the ones
who accept assimilation because
these are the ones the DIA can be
proud of and call their successes.
OUR FIGHT IS
FOR THE FUTURE
The ones who hang on to our cul-
ture and traditional ways are the
poorest because the DIA is
ashamed of them. In the DIA eyes
these people may seem the poorest
in white society’s values but in
Indian values and in the Indian
people’s eyes they are the richest in
our communities. They are the
richest because they contain within
them the knowledge of our ances- |
tors which can never be bought or
sold.
The Concerned Aboriginal
Women are still fighting despite
the legal action taken against them
by the government. They don’t feel
like criminals because they betray-
ed the government for they have
kept their loyalty to their people.
Imprisonment for the short period
of time for these mothers, grand-
mothers, aunts, sisters and women
of the First Nations is felt to be the
least to pay compared to the
imprisonment of our people for
the rest of their lives in the govern-
ment’s paternalistic system.
EDITORIAL
The past year has been an interesting year. It has
_been a time for People’s movements. Our People have
been taking upon themselves leadership roles. This
action has helped our leaders by the people’s strong
support.
We have heard of the Indian Child Caravan which
was protesting the apprehension of our children by the
Ministry of Human Resources—how the placing of
our children in non-Indian homes harms that child‘s
life because of big cultural differences. They may love
the child while he/she is small but when they become
adults they don’t want to be responsible anymore.
Whereas in the traditional way, a child is taken in by a
family member or if there is no family, he/she is taken
in by a band member. This family bond is carried on
all the way through the individual’s life and not just
while they are children.
Then there is the Constitution Express—a
movement of people who are protesting Trudeau’s
plans to patriate the Canadian Constitution. There
was the travel across to Ottawa last October and this
year, the journey across the waters to England. The
patriation on the Constitution is being done by the
Federal government without the Indian people’s con-
sent. They have included us in the Constitution but
have not consulted with us. The Constitution Express
do not want this paper brought back to Canada from
England until they have had their say—especially to
the sections relating to our people. They are saying,
‘We don’t want the courts or the government to define
what Aboriginal Rights are because to them Abori-
ginal Rights are the rights to sing and dance and make
| bannock. But, that is not our definition of Aboriginal
Rights or title. Aboriginal Rights is our right to our
livelihood; to live the way we want on our Mother the
Earth. To carry on our responsibility that we were
given since we were first put here by our creator to be
| keepers and watch over our Mother the Earth and all
our brothers and sisters the plants and the animals.
The Constitution Express is taking this plea to
| England in hopes that the Queen and the British
| government will listen and not hand the constitution to
Canada until Canada agrees to sit down with us before
entrenchment. Our relationship to the Canadian
government has been oné big struggle and with a high-
scale move like patriation, we can even expect a greater
struggle.
\
INDIAN WORLD 14
Another strong force joined the Indian struggle and
that was the Concerned Aboriginal Women who occu-
pied the Regional office in Vancouver in August. They
publically voiced their protest to the government’s
paternalistic attitude towards our People. They
exposed publicly that the Department of Indian
Affairs was set up to work in the best interest of Indian
people. Instead it is working in the best interest of the
federal bureaucrats. These bureaucrats are all lining
their pockets well with money from our resources.
They are also doing their job well which the federal
government is proud of and that is to assimilate the
Indian people. Anyone who doesn’t adhere to their
assimilation process, like the Aboriginal Women, are
treated like criminals. The Department of Indian
Affairs is ashamed of them because they are standing
up for their rights to keep their identity as Indian
people. They are trying to humiliate the women and
weaken them to keep them quiet. But, it seems the
bigger the fight is for our women, the stronger they
seem to get. So, bureaucrats beware because these
women know they aren’t criminals and are still moving
ahead in their fight.
The future still holds a lot in store for us. Our
people are getting strong and are taking the fight into
their own hands. These people do not need big, high- —
paying jobs in an organization, band office, or govern-
ment office in order to fight for their People. We all
can learn from them and especially the Elders that
counsel them.
BROTHER BE AR
Short Story by: Jeannette F ortin
FF Pe
smear a8 iw *,7
4
*s,
‘,
Ligh” Cloud famed toward the voice and found
* jmself ’ ‘face to face with the mighty form of Brother
grandfather. She had done this many times Spat butghe Bear. As the stared in bewilderment, the bear spoke to
didn’t mind as she loved-him very mug alooked ..7.* ttm oncefaying, “Your people have always respected the
forward to the many stories he would tell , Way . % ways of Fipther Bear, so I have come to help.” “Go back
aside the tent flaps and ran to his side. atalh ieee F tO YOUr pebple, ” he said, “and when the moon has passed
she said, “will you tell me. the story of = ther B Aten above yout fbree times, take four of your strongest braves
again.?” ..: 4 ‘wees and go north,’ til you come to Eagle Mountain; there you
will find ae js ; this valley you will find enough deer
Perce oe?
A young. 5 girl shuffled through the forests
tent. She was carrying a bowl of stew for; t Cloud,
wer?
Wats ricee
- ‘ we
It made him sad that he had to refus@iger but he didn’t” ™
feel in a story telling mood, so the disappointed Young
girl went back through the forest to her other’ s fire. '
As the night came, the winds blew coler. The tired old
man sat on this faded, threadbare blankgt; gazing at the
dancing figures in the flames of his campfire. A smile
broke through his wrinkled, timeworn face as he remem-
bered his youthful days when he was highly respected byZ
Lr ohgavet with enough deer for
“gave thanks to Brother Bear.
vays known as the bear clan,
became highly respected by
Seng
; andt this «is nove Ligh
the people of his village. Z = ec
J = his geopte. wd =
j . 3 = Pe ‘ 2
? ' a! . = =
2 ~ : =
He thought of the time when Mother Earth was thickly if =
covered by a blanket of snow; the wings screamed, ey
wolves cried of hunger, and food was sc4rce. =
Light Cloud, being the most capabfe, wand ania
hunter in the village, had set out in the forbidding barrgh
land.
gh the Fine hadsipwly diminished, the old man
notice as his reminiscence of past days brought a
th and ae to his weary body; and he was weary no
eaking aloud in the arkness, he said, “I have lived a
opd life Brother: -Bear, [am now ready. Will you come
agd meet me?”.
3
He had travelled for many days without 4 a trace =
of any wildlife when he came upon some;fresh bear Z
tracks. As he followed the tracks, he prayedsto The Great 2
Spirit of Brother Bear, asking him to undgfStand thehelp —
Nyy eA Wage?
As the rays of. supéhine burst through the early
him provide the meat his people so badlyfieeded. =
rs ? morning mist, a young girl runs happily towards the tent.
a . —_ In her hands she carriesa blanket that she had woven for
a —= her grandfather, as thg nights were getting colder. When
- — ‘ a 3
“ a she was nearing thestent she noticed there were bear
The bear tracks seemed to become fainter and fainter tra SON. out ofthe tent.
until they disappeared like a breath in the wind. He stood Ce
there in astonishment. The snow had not been falling for
many hours, so he couldn’t understand the way they
disappeared so fast. As she buried her face in the blanket she cried,
Suddenly a gruff voice from behind him said, “Do not “Brother Bear, I know grandfather is with you and his
be afraid my little brother, I have heard your prayers.” restless heart is now at peace.
INDIAN WORLD I5
THIS MONTH:
Chairman, Constitution Express
Chief Wayne Christian
To all the Citizens of all the Indian Nations
The time is close for our journey across the waters to
the homelands of the Europeans. We must prepare
ourselves, mentally, physically and _ spiritually.
Remember that we will be telling the world our story,
through our own words, and with our voices. We must
be strong.
We must tell of the danger that the patriation of the
constitution holds for our future, our children’s future
and the future of the generations not yet born. We
must become teachers to our people, for when we
return our experiences must be taught to all our peo-
ple. This journey is only the beginning of our people’s
exodus throughout the world to gain support from the
nations of the international community.
The Constitution Express to Ottawa was a clear in-
dication of the desire and the will of the community
people to fight for their heriditary rights. The long and
tiresome trip to Ottawa was an example of the
sacrifices our people are prepared to make to fight and
protect our land, our rights and all the things that our
ancestors have fought for generation after generation.
Once again the people have decided to come together
as one strong voice to tell the world that our struggle as
a nation of people to determine our future will and
shall not be legally oppressed by Trudeau’s resolution
to decolonize Canada from Britain. Our legal and
political ties are with the British Crown, our ancestors
made agreements with the great white mother that
have to be honoured in international law. Our job is to
educate the European people so that they understand
the danger of Trudeau’s plan to legally assimilate our
people and to legally steal our land from us.
For many generations now our chiefs, our leaders
have been constantly blaming the non-Indian govern-
ment,whether it be the federal or provincial govern-
ment, for the problems that exist in our communities. I
have heard time after time that the government is to
blame for our problems and the government should
help us solve our problems, but we must not be fooled
into believing that they will solve the problems for us.
We as a nation of people must create our own solu-
tions: for there is no non-Indian government that will
give us what is rightfully ours by way of our aboriginal
rights. We must not be fooled into thinking that simp-
ly because we ask the governments to recognize our
rights that they will. We must demand and assert our
rights for we have been fooled long enough and now
the people realize that our rights have not been lost but
have never been exercised by the nations of people.
We must be prepared to present our solutions to our
problems to the world. We must be able to answer this
critical question: “what have you done to help yourself
and your people?” We have to show the world that we
as a nation of people are capable of caring for each
other, in the Indian way. We must show that we are
moving off the dependancy on the state.
Our job as the ambassadors of our nations is to
speak the truth of the subtle oppression of our people
by the Trudeau patriation of the constitution. It
should be clearly shown that the patriation resolution
leaves our aboriginal and treaty rights to be defined by
the Canadian court system. We all know that there is
nothing in federal law or provinvial law that can define
our rights. How can the oppressive government agents
define something that their leader, Trudeau, insisted
does not exist.
Our job is immense but the creator and all our
ancestors in the spirit world will be with us, for we
speak the truth and our job is to protect mother earth
for our children and the generations not yet born. We
must remember that upon our return to our homelands
we shall continue the work that has taken place in
“Europe and London. Our job is to be teachers to our
people to explain the experiences in Europe, so that the
future children may benefit from our historic journey.
We must follow through on the hard work so that we
can prepare our people for the struggle that will follow
when we return to our communities.
We must become of one mind, one heart, one spirit
and one body to be strong so that we can fight for our
children and the generations not yet born.
SECOND CLASS MAIL
REGISTRATION NUMBER 4983
VANCOUVER, B.C.
FROM: UNION OF B.C. Indian Chiefs
440 West Hastings St.,
Vancouver, B.C. V6B ILI
Part of Indian World - volume 4, number 3 (Special Fall Issue 1981)