Spirit of Warrior Harriet Nahanee

NATIVE 2010 RESISTANCE!

Five females from the N2010R and also repping other groups/Nations traveled to Coast Salish Territory (colonial Victoria) on March 1st, 2008, for an event put on by the Camas Center to honor Pacheedaht Warrior and Elder Harriet Nahanee.

A Nuu-chah-nulth women who was speaking for a family from the Pacheedaht Nation said that due to cultural protocol speakers were not allowed to mention Harriet's name or show pictures of her for another 4 years until the family has had their own memorial. But the bulk of Indigenous speakers (including a comrade of hers for at least 10 years who had brought Harriet back home, and numerous Indigenous people from all across "BC" who had immense respect and admiration for Harriet's Life, Struggle and Commitment) got up and talked about how last year the family had said it was one year and not four years. The speakers also talked about how the efforts to silence Harriet's voice through the exploitation of culture were concerning. The event still served as a place where all voices were freed and able to speak about our comrade in struggle. One of the indigenous speakers donated a picture of Harriet to the Camas Center - the bookstore that the event was held in.

The event was also a place to discuss land reclamations, and talk about the destruction of Indigenous lands due to Crown and corporate development and industrialization.


The Complacent Faces of the Fortress


SPAET (BEAR) MOUNTAIN
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Cheryl Bryce of the Songhees First Nation talked about Spaet (Bear in English) Mountain (the colonial name is Skirt Mountain). She explained how caves on this mountain were being destroyed by resort development. A number of us visited the area and witnessed how Spaet mountain is being destroyed by golf course, condo (many which sit empty half the year when it is 'off season'), and parkway development. The destruction is the result of a Crown land grant of 44 Hectares to 'Bear Mountain' for 1.05 million. According to Ben Isitt, "The outstanding issue of protecting sites on SPAET Mountain considered sacred by Indigenous people must be addressed. Many sites continue to be at risk and damaged. Songhees Lands Manager Cheryl Bryce is banned from the Bear Mountain Property. In December, Bryce was prevented from taking part in an impact assessment of the cave."


Hungry Visitors (Tourists) enjoying stolen land.

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Ski resort development in Nlaka'Pamux territory was also discussed. A Nlaka'Pamux woman spoke about the mess that the development has made on her territory. Westscapes Development Inc. has made a preliminary application to the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office for a resort between Hope and Merritt. It's described as a "comprehensive resort and village development" with ski runs, an 18-hole golf course, conference facilities, a spa and aquatic centre. The new application was submitted under the name Coquihalla Pass Resort and the Nlaka'Pamux woman explained how development of the highway has already disrupted Juliet Creek berry picking and hunting grounds.




According to a Merritt Herald article published on February 18, 2008:

The resort is also to include parking for 2,000 vehicles, an on-site road system and 3,300 dwelling units including hotel rooms, condos, townhouses, single family houses and staff accommodation. The proposal also includes 60,000 square feet of commercial space, including skier services, food and beverage and retail space".

This speaker also discussed in depth Tuchone Warrior John Graham, and his illegal extradition. This issue was talked about a lot throughout the evening by numerous people. It is a topic many people have interest in learning more about and organizing around. For more information see: http://www.grahamdefense.org/. The criminalization of dissent especially of Indigenous people resisting corporate invasion is being accelerated by the 2010 Olympics.



FISH FARM DEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION
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A woman from the Heiltsuk First Nation talked about fish farm expansion in her territory and the resistance in her and other Indigenous territories.
The Nine Allied Tsimshian Tribes of Lax Kw'alaams (NATT) rejected salmon farms in 2000. They believe this industry is the latest disaster in a long history of fisheries mismanagement that destroyed cod in the Atlantic and is now threatening B.C.'s salmon.

Small-scale netcage salmon farming in BC began in the early 1970s. Today, farmed salmon has become BC's largest legal agricultural export. Salmon farms are found throughout the coast of British Columbia, with the heaviest concentration in the Broughton Archipelago off northern Vancouver Island. Most salmon farm expansion is occurring in the Great Bear Rainforest, directly threatening this fragile ecosystem.
http://www.turtleisland.org/news/news-fishfarms.htm



SIX NATIONS LAND RECLAMATION
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The Six Nations Land Reclamation was discussed poignantly by a Onondaga Woman. She talked about the lack of "canada" to act legally as a Nation and thus the inability to claim legitimacy to rule the people and treat Indigenous people as wards of the court. For more information about the site, check out: http://www.reclamationinfo.com/phpBB2/index.php

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Indigenous Resistance to the 2010 Olympic Games was discussed, its history and what is happening now.

A discussion with the audience ensued about how imperative it is to unite with the grassroots people. One woman from Ireland explained that colonizers have 'one bag of tricks': to divide and conquer the people and thus stressed the need for us to come together...