Okanagan Syilx Historical and Contemporary Salmon
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OKANAGAN SYILX HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARY SALMON DISTRIBUTION: UNDERPINNING SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES by Dallas Good Water B.A., Simon Fraser University, 2007 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS in THE COLLEGE OF GRADUATE STUDIES (Interdisciplinary Studies) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Okanagan) April 2018 © Dallas Good Water, 2018 The following individuals certify that they have read, and recommend to the College of Graduate Studies for acceptance, a thesis/dissertation entitled: Okanagan Syilx Historical and Contemporary Salmon Distribution: Underpinning Social and Governance Structures Submitted by _Dallas Good Water_________ in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Arts Dr. Jeannette Armstrong, Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences____________________ Supervisor Dr. Diana French, Emerita, Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences___________________ Supervisory Committee Member Dr. Michael Evans, Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences_________________________ Supervisory Committee Member Dr. Rachelle Hole, Faculty of Health and Social Development____________________________ University Examiner ii Abstract The Okanagan Syilx people reside on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border. The study of Okanagan Syilx salmon distribution practices underpinning social and governance structures is the focus of this research. The purpose is to examine gaps in contemporary management of salmon resources. I argue that historical Okanagan Syilx salmon distribution was reinforced by a complexity of multifaceted social and governance mechanics that provided equity and land sustainability for community, vital to contemporary Syilx management access and distribution. My research questions ask, first: what are the social and governance structures that underpinned and supported Syilx historical resource management and distribution? second: what were the changes that impacted Syilx historic access activities and how did they evolve into modern day governance reservation politics that resulted in governance law and historic tenets now missing? and third, how can understanding both historical and contemporary Syilx distribution methods facilitate and improve contemporary management of Syilx salmon distribution practices? The literature reviewed includes historical, ethnographic, ethnohistorical archival sources as well as contemporary research. A mixed-methods approach incorporates the literature search which focused on the first two research questions. The Enowkinwixw Process, a traditional Syilx analysis procedure, was used as an Indigenous research method to address historical social and governance structures and activities to inform present day management practices. I apply an Okanagan Syilx Nested System (parts-to-whole) analysis lens and the Enowkinwixw Four iii Oppositional Dynamics (of a living system) to examine and privilege historical salmon distribution practices acknowledging earlier social and governance structure. Research findings confirmed that the Okanagan Syilx historical practice of salmon distribution to external neighbouring tribes and internally in the band communities, although different from each other, were focused on equitable procedures and sustainability. Findings related to Syilx contemporary salmon distribution, although intended to be fair, were not and require re-visiting and re-organizing by the Syilx people. Research concludes that historical Syilx salmon distribution was reinforced by ceremonial protocols for community and inter-nation sharing to ensure health and wellbeing for the land and the people. Research also concludes that historical practices will strengthen and inform contemporary social cohesion and sustainable governance mechanics. iv Lay Summary The goal of thesis is to present research relevant to the Okanagan Syilx people in regard to their contemporary governance and in the management of salmon. My main question asked how Syilx governance and management was done traditionally with a particular focus on sharing and distribution methods; I also, asked more specific questions about underpinning social and governance practices to determine how those methods changed, and how they are being done in the present. I used Enowkinwixw, an Okanagan Syilx method, to examine historical information. In the gathering and examination of information I privileged Okanagan Syilx voice over other historical information collected by non-Okanagan Syilx. I found through research that historical distribution methods were equitable and sustainable while contemporary practices although intended to be were not. My overall goal was to help determine how the historical research may inform the present practices. v Table of Contents Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... iii Lay Summary .................................................................................................................................v Table of Contents ......................................................................................................................... vi List of Figures ............................................................................................................................... ix Glossary .......................................................................................................................................... x Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................... xi Dedication .................................................................................................................................... xii Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................1 1.1 Okanagan Syilx historical context ..................................................................................... 3 1.2 Theoretical framework: Situating self as Syilx researcher ................................................ 5 1.3 Literature reviewed: Primary, secondary and oral literature ............................................. 8 1.4 Research approach: How to answer the research questions? ............................................. 9 Chapter 2: Okanagan Syilx Historical Context ........................................................................12 2.1 Okanagan Syilx: Okanagan and Okanogan ..................................................................... 12 2.2 Okanagan Syilx: Territory ............................................................................................... 13 2.3 Language family .............................................................................................................. 14 2.4 Historical and Contemporary governance structure/political organization ..................... 15 2.5 Captikwl in the present .................................................................................................... 16 2.6 Relevant contemporary and historical events .................................................................. 16 2.7 Contributors to salmon decline ........................................................................................ 19 2.8 Salmon revitalization ....................................................................................................... 20 vi Chapter 3: Literature Review .....................................................................................................24 3.1 Captikwl ........................................................................................................................... 24 3.1.1 Captikwl: Four oppositional dynamics ..................................................................... 26 3.1.2 Okanagan Syilx nested system: Parts to whole ......................................................... 27 3.2 Primary sources ................................................................................................................ 28 3.3 Secondary sources ............................................................................................................ 34 Chapter 4: Methodology ..............................................................................................................39 4.1 Enowkinwixw Process as a research framework ............................................................. 42 4.2 Enowkinwixw as inquiry tool .......................................................................................... 44 4.3 Four oppositional dynamics: As research method ........................................................... 45 4.4 Enowkinwixw: Four oppositional dynamics as research guide ....................................... 46 4.5 Okanagan Syilx nested system: Parts to whole ................................................................ 47 4.6 Four oppositional dynamics: Research methodology ...................................................... 48 Chapter 5: Findings and Analysis: Okanagan Syilx Salmon Distribution .............................51 5.1 Research findings: Tradition ............................................................................................ 52 5.2 Research findings: Interdependence ................................................................................ 54 5.2.1 Community cooperation: Okanagan Syilx headmen ..............................................