ABORIGINAL VALUES, SACRED LANDSCAPES, and RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT in the CARIBOO CHILCOTIN REGION of BC by Titilope I. Kunkel B.Sc
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ABORIGINAL VALUES, SACRED LANDSCAPES, AND RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT IN THE CARIBOO CHILCOTIN REGION OF BC by Titilope I. Kunkel B.Sc., University of Lagos, Nigeria, 1989 MBA, University of West London, England, 1994 MNRES, University of Northern British Columbia, 2008 DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA May 2014 © Titilope Kunkel, 2014 UMI Number: 3663185 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Di!ss0?t&Ciori Piiblist’Mlg UMI 3663185 Published by ProQuest LLC 2015. Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Abstract The Aboriginal values and epistemologies of Indigenous people in the Cariboo and Chilcotin region of British Columbia are nested within one of the province’s resource development hinterlands. These geographic locations are the birthplace of various cultures, legends, and stories of Indigenous groups. Resource developments at these locations continue to highlight the collision of values arising from urban-remote interactions. Using a hybrid approach of grounded theory and Indigenous research methodology, this dissertation uses two case studies to capture (1) the struggles and resistance of the Indigenous Tsilhqot’in communities as they defend their land against an incumbent mining company; and (2) insights into Aboriginal community planning through documenting the Nazko First Nation’s Comprehensive Community Planning process. Major themes addressed in this study are (1) Aboriginal values expressed during a Federal Panel Assessment of a proposed mine development in the Cariboo Chilcotin region; (2) the contemporary culture of the Tsilhqot’in people including how some women continue to survive on the land; and (3) geothermal energy as a potential primary resource. Outcomes of this research study highlight the critical Aboriginal values within the Cariboo Chilcotin region, and how these values are important considerations in resource development decisions. These outcomes provide new insights into how cultural values are embedded within traditional activities and landscapes. Furthermore, the findings show that despite contemporary challenges, community values continue to influence resource development considerations and choices made by the Aboriginal people. This research concludes with new theory propositions about Native Space and why the location and ecological footprint of resource development within the traditional territories of Aboriginal people are important in meeting the needs of their daily lives. Table of Contents A bstract.......................................................................................................................................... ii List of Tables .................................................................................................................................vii List of Figures ...............................................................................................................................viii Glossary of acronyms ......................................................................................................................x Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................... xii Chapter 1 Thesis introduction ......................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Aboriginal rights and title in BC ..................................................................................... 2 1.2 Resource development and meeting the needs of daily life ...........................................3 1.3 Research goal and obj ectives ...........................................................................................5 1.4 Thesis overview................................................................................................................9 Chapter 2 History and context ...................................................................................................... 14 2.1 Stages of Aboriginal people and Settler relationships in Canada .................................14 2.1.1 Stage 1: Stories of resource usage pre European contact .....................................15 2.1.2 Stage 2: Contact and cooperation .......................................................................... 21 2.1.3 Stage 3: Displacement and assimilation ................................................................22 2.1.4 History of resource development in the Cariboo Chilcotin region - fur trade, gold rush, railway ................................................................................................................. 23 2.2 Negotiation and renewal ................................................................................................ 26 2.3 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 28 Chapter 3 A review of contemporary issues facing Aboriginal communities ..........................29 3.1 Historical context for the lack of infrastructure development .................................... 30 3.2 Aboriginal rights and title, and failed treaty settlements .............................................35 3.3 Factors that make Aboriginal communities vulnerable ...............................................40 3.3.1 The legacy of the residential school system ......................................................... 42 3.3.2 Indigenous women and their relationship to the land ...........................................45 3.4 Failure to build capacity ................................................................................................. 47 3.5 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 57 Chapter 4 Methodology and methods .......................................................................................... 58 4.1 Hybrid Indigenous research: Situating my Afrocentric position ................................ 58 4.2 Critical race feminist, Black feminist and Indigenous research .................................. 62 4.3 Using mixed methods and community participation ................................................... 64 4.4 Research ethics and community participation ..............................................................69 4.5 Research focus: Action and participation ..................................................................... 71 4.6 Collaboration, support and cooperation ........................................................................ 73 4.7 Primary data collection: Immersion, chats, focus group meetings, and field trips...74 4.8 Primary data collection: Extant text ...............................................................................79 4.8.1 Extant text: Content analysis of 2010 CEAA Panel Hearings ............................. 80 4.8.2 Extant text: Court case document, Tsilhqot’in v. British Columbia....................83 4.8.3 Extant data: Learning from the Tsilhqot’in Language Group members ..............84 4.9 Participant observation and semi structured interviews with Tsilhqot’in women ....85 4.10 Data coding and analysis................................................................................................86 4.11 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................91 Chapter 5 Cariboo Chilcotin resource development and impacts .............................................93 5.1 Regional strategy development ......................................................................................93 5.2 Southern Carrier beetle action plan ................................................................................99 5.3 Tsilhqot ’ in Nation beetle action plan ...........................................................................101 5.4 Regional economic development plan ........................................................................103 5.5 Regional energy sector ..................................................................................................106 5.6 Options and constraints for First Nations communities ............................................. 109 5.7 Conclusion .....................................................................................................................114 Chapter 6 The ongoing negotiation and renewal stage: Community case studies .................115 6.1 The Nazko people: An introduction ............................................................................. 116 6.1.1 Nazko community and logging activities ............................................................ 118 6.1.2 Nazko economic development activities: From 2002 to date .............................127 6.1.3 The Nazko people: History of community planning ......................................... 133 6.2