Haida Laas - News of the Haida Nation May 2008 A CANOE BEYOND THE NEW HE CALLED EDEN MATH LOO TAAS page 17 page 22 LAUNCHED page 5 HAIDAHAIDANews of the Haida Nation LAASLAASMAY 2010 Photo: Tyler Bellis Photo: Tyler Chief Matthews Elementary School ambassadors left to right are Brannon Bell, Marissa Abrahams, Darius Alfred and Caylene Bell. See big how.aa page 3. Part 2: More Energy Project Questions Answered 1 Haida Laas - News of the Haida Nation Haida Laas, Around the world, the pattern of colonialism shows itself and its ways. The pattern is clear, first, killing off or taking steps to break people from the land. Then it begins the business of looting the lands and impoverishing the people who remain. Eventually the people become shackled by a cycle of dependency and some people were relocated to lands away from their homes. Like many other places, we have had our lands alienated and the seas around us depleted, our culture has been threatened. While we were never conquered we were swept up in the great race of expansionism and colonialism. Along with all indigenous people around the world, we have watched as colonial powers helped themselves to the riches of our land. There are many stories similar to ours while some people have made it through colonization with HAIDA LAAS remarkable success and others have fared not as well. NEWS of the HAIDA NATION published by the In recent times, we have seen the people of Palau—a small island in the Pacific Council of the Haida Nation Ocean—regain their freedom. They hold a seat at the United Nations and on other international organizations. These people however, found that while Managing Editor they had their freedom, they didn’t have the means to support themselves Simon Davies and so the rich countries bought the fishing rights because the Palau people were not able to build a fleet. To maintain their “foreign investment,” they Writers voted with the USA to invade Iraq and with the Japanese to allow whaling: Florence Lockyer - Old Massett Kwiaahwah Jones - Skidegate essentially, freedom in this instance was freedom to sell a vote. [email protected] The Haida Nation has fought through the courts, made it’s stands where nec- p.250.559.8755 essary, created alliances and negotiated all to the objective of restoring our Title and influence on Haida Gwaii. Council of the Haida Nation As our people directed, our first steps were to look after our lands and culture. Administrator Over the past 30 years or so our people have determined which lands must Box 589, Old Massett be protected in order to provide the essentials for our culture, such as cedar, Haida Gwaii V0T 1M0 medicines and food. We have also taken steps to keep offshore drilling and p.250.626.5252 oil tanker traffic out. All this work will have to be kept going as new Canadian f.250.626.3403 and provincial governments search for revenues. 1.888.638.7778 [email protected] To a large degree the Haida Nation has been able to determine the uses to which our lands will be put. First Nations across the continent have been kept Council of the Haida Nation out of the economies and witnessed the depletion of the resources of their President lands. The marine environment is facing great challenges here as around the Box 98, Queen Charlotte world where climate change and over fishing is threatening our life-source. Haida Gwaii Over the past few of years we have amassed better information than the de- V0T 1S0 partment of fisheries and have moved our Nation into a role of leadership in p.250.559.4468 determining the use of our waters as we have on the land. f.250.559.8951 1.877.559.4468 [email protected] As we move to Title, it is also necessary that we break the dependency and are able to look after ourselves. As such, we will explore every possibility to build an economy that is acceptable to our people. We expect that as early as this www.haidanation.ca summer, the forests will make up a part of our economy. We are also looking at how the fisheries will again be a part of our lives. While the resources are less than what we have known, we can do more with less and treat the re- APRIL 2010 sources as the precious commodities that they are. We will look at the possibil- ities of generating revenues through the production of electricity, tourism, and services. Freedom comes when we are self-sufficient and able to look haidanation.ca after ourselves. program reports : haida laas links : diplomacy : agreements government : working groups - it’s all good - 2 Haida Laas - News of the Haida Nation May 2008 News from the Big Smoke News from the CHN Vancouver Regional Representatvies, Sandra Greene and Allan Davidson. It seems like 2010 just started. This year is flying by! We started out the year with the sign- ing of the Marine Use Agreement at the University of British Columbia and many of our people attended and signed on behalf of our Nation. On the Downtown East Side, Skuun- dal, Bernie Williams hosted a pole raising at the United Church on East Hastings Street in honour of the murdered and missing woman. The biggest thing happening this year was the winter Olympics held here in Vancouver. Before they arrived, I didn’t think much about it, then Vancouver was crowded with people everywhere and from all over the world. Then Canadian Vancouver Reps Sworn In athletes started getting medals and we started seeing so much patriotism that it Vancouver Regional Reps, Sandra Green and Allan Davidson were officially sworn was hard to believe. It was a wonderful in to office at the signing of the Kunst’aa guu - Kust’aayah: The Beginning, the event and was good recognition of our reconciliation protocol December 9, 2009. First Nations’ people and our artwork and culture has been on the world stage!! nal Pavilion; Lori Davis had a table set up How.aa Chief Matthews It’s busy in the city. One of the best at Vancouver Community College show- School Ambassadors events was the opening of the Haida ing her beautiful purses and bags; the Gwaii House. It feels so great to have a Grade 2 and 3 classes from Chief Mat- CHNs Land Use Planning department place that highlights the beauty of our thews School in Massett attended and would like to send a big how.aa to the homeland! They say that almost 1000 performed at the Olympics last week. Chief Matthews Elementary School people were through every day and lots ambassadors for the great school tour of connections were made with Haida There really have been so many things they gave to the university students of people looking to meet up with other going on that it’s hard to keep up with it the Haida Gwaii Education Society on Haidas. It would be a good goal to have all. If I left anything out, it’s not inten- March 30th 2010. a permanent information office set up tional and if you have updates that you down here. Thanks to all the volunteers would like included please let me know. The ambassadors showed us the various that were around to keep it open—much classrooms and activities that they appreciated. With the Olympics there We have started a new Facebook page— participate in. Everything was explained have been thousands of people in the Vancouver Regional Haida Group—to in both Haida and English! streets. It has been quite a festive atmo- post events about what’s going on in the sphere for the most part. city. Until next time, from CHN Vancou- The ambassadors and all students of ver Regional Representatives. • Chief Matthews should be very proud Haida involvement in the Olympics in- themselves for the great work they do- cluded the play Beyond Eden that was ing in keeping Haida culture alive and performed at the Queen Elizabeth Pla- strong today! • house and included some of our people (Raven Ann Potschka and Erica Stocker) Beyond Eden is about the story of the ARE YOU INTERESTED in politics, poles being taken from Ninstints to the culture, people and want to write about it? museums. Some of the young Skidegate people were involved in the Olympic Then, this job is for you. opening; Dorothy Grant had fashion shows with her new creations; the Rain- TURN THE PAGE FOR DETAILS > bow Creek Dancers were at the Aborigi- 3 Haida Laas - News of the Haida Nation New Secretariat of the Haida Nation members and appointments The following appointments were made at the SHN Board of Directors meeting held on March 17, 2010. Photo: Reg Davidson Board Members: • CHN – Cindy Boyko, Robert Davis, Trevor Russ, Shawn Cowpar • OMVC – Ken Rae • SBC – To be appointed at a later date Robert Davidson • HCC – Allan Wilson receives GG and Cindy Boyko was appointed chairperson; Raven keeps Rockin’ Audain Awards secretary, Robert Davis and Ken Rae, Artist/writer Michael Nicoll Yaghula- treasurer. • naas is up for at three book awards this year. Robert Davidson received the 2010 Governor General’s Award in Visual and Red: A Haida Manga is a finalist in the Media Arts this March in Ottawa. David- Doug Wright Best Book awards. The Doug son was acknowledged for his work as a Wright awards honour the best in Canadi- carver, painter, and jeweller. More recent- an comics and in BC. The book was also in ly Davidson received the Audain Prize the list for the 2010 BC Booksellers’ Choice given to recognize lifetime achievement Award in honour of Bill Duthie.