“We regret to say that nearly everything the so-called Wet’suwet’en land defenders and their supporters have been doing is in direct conflict with these traditional laws and protocols… The protesters have also taken it upon themselves to invite violent people {Mohawks and Vancouver ‘anarchists’} into ‘our territories’… Many are also afraid to speak up because of bullying and alienation by aggressive and confrontational people on social media, who do not know the facts.”
For any of you interested in the Wet’suwet’en and gas pipeline protests, here are two excellent Aboriginal sources that cut through the B.S.:
https://www.jlsreport.com/
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
“The following was authored by members of the Gidimt’en Clan and released by Wet’suwet’en ‘First Nation’ council at their request.
“We regret to say that nearly everything the so-called Wet’suwet’en land defenders and their supporters have been doing is in direct conflict with these traditional laws and protocols… The protesters have also taken it upon themselves to invite violent people {Mohawks and Vancouver ‘anarchists’} into ‘our territories’… Many are also afraid to speak up because of bullying and alienation by aggressive and confrontational people on social media, who do not know the facts.”
“We are members of the Gidimt’en Clan of the Wet’suwet’en ‘Nation’, together with extended family members from other Wet’suwet’en house groups and communities, both on- and off-reserve. Our {claimed} clan territories include the area where the Coastal GasLink pipeline crosses the river we call Wedzin Kwa. We are deeply hurt and angered by the conduct and statements of some of our community members and others who claim to be defending our lands and laws against the pipeline.
“Our concerns are not about the pipeline itself. Some of us support it, some of us do not and some are neutral. Our issue is that our traditions and way of life are being misrepresented and dishonoured by a small group of protesters, many of whom are neither Gidimt’en nor Wet’suwet’en, but nonetheless claim to be acting in our name to protest natural gas development. On Nov. 20 and 21, we convened a virtual meeting to discuss these issues and the recent RCMP raid that was carried out on our {claimed} ancestral lands.
“The first thing to understand is that the collective rights of the Wet’suwet’en people to use the land and resources within Wet’suwet’en territory have for hundreds of years been managed through a system of five family-based clans led by a hierarchy of leaders who hold hereditary names that have existed since ‘time immemorial’ (‘As far back as they can remember’}. These names are connected to specific areas within our ‘territorial lands’, called “nowh yintah”, and have been handed down for generations in a complex governing system we call “Bahlats”, or “the feast hall”.
“The names and the powers of those who hold them are conferred on the basis of merit and recognition and, in our Wet’suwet’en law, follow hereditary lines. Traditionally, leaders are groomed for many years by those holding higher rank in the feast hall before progressing to greater responsibilities. Proper conduct and “wiggus” (respect) are among the many valuable lessons passed on during the grooming.
“This process and the conduct of other business in our traditional system is governed by strict laws and protocols that the leaders are expected to uphold. It is very sad that so many Wet’suwet’en women who supported the pipeline were stripped of their hereditary titles to which they were entitled and the names were passed on to those who oppose the pipeline. Unfortunately, the hereditary system has been disrupted due to disagreements over the pipeline. We hope we can move past this and come together in unity and peace. After all, whether hereditary or elected, the care and concern for the collective is central to everyone involved, even though they take different approaches.
“The second important thing to understand is that our internal laws are based on a foundational principle of respect that we call “wiggus”. This basically means respect for all things: respect for ourselves and for each other, respect for other people, respect for the feast system, respect for our ‘territorial land’ and clan boundaries, and respect for all the resources of the land. We reserve the highest levels of respect for our matriarchs, the wise older women who hold a special place in our affairs, as well as for the integrity of lands and resources that are held by other clans.
“We regret to say that nearly everything the so-called Wet’suwet’en land defenders and their supporters have been doing is in direct conflict with these traditional laws and protocols. Their main public spokesperson holds a minor name and is very new to our feast hall. She cannot claim expert knowledge about our culture, ‘yintah’ and feast hall. She is new to our ‘nation’ and is not in any way a matriarch, as some have claimed. Nor has she, her supporters or any supporting head chief ever consulted any of us about what they are doing and saying on our behalf.
“This rift originally stems from an internal dispute that took place in the feast hall and, although we do not wish to discuss clan business publicly, we will say that our matriarchs have been disrespected, bullied, marginalized and mistreated by those who are enabling the spokesperson’s influence on ‘nowh yintah’.
“The protesters have also taken it upon themselves to invite violent people into ‘our territories’. We are not violent people. We settle our issues with dialogue and respect. We do not need “warriors” from other ‘First Nations’ or non-Wet’suwet’en protesters to protect us or speak for us, especially when so many Gidimt’en and so many Wet’suwet’en do not support them. This adversarial approach places our community members at risk, and increases the risk to Wet’suwet’en women, including those who are hereditary chiefs. Remember, we live along the “Highway of Tears”.
“Many are also afraid to speak up because of bullying and alienation by aggressive and confrontational people on social media, who do not know the facts. While we understand that many strive to support our perceived struggles through social media, the fact is that many of them have no idea about the history, culture and dynamics at play here, and are doing a grave disservice to many grassroots Gidimt’en, whose ancestors have thrived on ‘nowh yintah’ since time immemorial.
“The multitude of outside voices on social media has also served to overshadow the voices of the Gidimt’en and Wet’suwet’en. It has left a majority of Gidimt’en matriarchs, Gidimt’en clan members and Wet’suwet’en voices overlooked, marginalized and disrespected. We are hopeful that those on social media will consider these points and allow all Gidimt’en and Wet’suwet’en to work through these issues in a peaceful and respectful manner that does not put anyone in danger.
“It is very unfortunate that the conflict has escalated the way it has. Even though we strongly disagree with the militant actions of those claiming to act and speak on our behalf, we seek a peaceful resolution, and we sincerely hope that nobody gets hurt or killed.
“There are other issues with these protests. Their campsites are environmentally disgraceful and the road that they excavated did not just block pipeline workers, it also blocked our members who use it to access territory and resources to which they are entitled.
“We also very much understand climate change and the importance of caring for our communities and future generations, but we do not support the conduct of those who are harming the Canadian economy and encouraging supporters to “shut down Canada” during this time of pandemic and crises throughout British Columbia. This is not our way.
“Then, there is the money. In our culture, money that is raised in the clan’s name is accounted for through the feast system. However, we have received no accounting for the many thousands of dollars in donations that are being collected by protesters in our name.
“Worst of all, and what causes us to come forward at this time, is that the protesters who claim to respect Wet’suwet’en law showed no respect whatsoever for two of our leading matriarchs who died in recent weeks, or for their families. It is a basic rule in our culture that non-essential activities must cease during a period of mourning; however, protests and public activities carried on as if nothing had happened.
“The daughter of one of the late matriarchs stated that,
“While we brought mom home on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021, a concert was held at Bovill Square in Smithers by an acquaintance who assists with activities at Gidimt’en Checkpoint. Two of the protesting head chiefs also marched down Main Street in Smithers on the same day”.
“The grieving families are devastated by this cruel and shameful misconduct toward their own people and feel marginalized from their ancestral lands, language and oral histories.
“Clan chiefs are responsible to their clan members, but their current governance model makes it impossible for hereditary chiefs to fulfill their cultural responsibilities. To make things worse, these hereditary chiefs and some others are secretly negotiating agreements about our rights and title with the federal and provincial governments, according to a memorandum of understanding that was signed to end last year’s protests over the pipeline. All of these circumstances leave us questioning how we can move beyond the conflict and take a more unified approach for the good of all Wet’suwet’en.
“We want the protesters to cease their blockades and for them to stop misleading people and making false claims about our laws. This letter arises from the voices and concerns of a number of Wet’suwet’en matriarchs, Gidimt’en matriarchs, Gidimt’en clan members and members of other clans. We have the right to share our thoughts and concerns about ‘our territory’ without backlash from those within our ‘nation’, but also from non-Wet’suwet’en people who have little or no understanding of our culture, our history, our internal dynamics or our ancestral ways…”
–‘We are Wet’suwet’en and the Coastal GasLink pipeline protesters do not represent us’,
National Post, Dec. 07, 2021
“The Office Chiefs or Office of Wet’suwet’en are in reality just another anti pipeline protest group, they do not speak for the people or the Wet’suwet’en ‘Nation’.”
“The Office Chiefs have bitterly failed to lead as both elders and Hereditary Chiefs. You keep hearing them speak about tradition, about how the Wet’suwet’en fought for their land in a Supreme Court landmark ruling, that ruling was known as ‘Delgamuukw v. British Columbia’.
“So who is Delgamuukw? 80-year-old Muldon is also known by another name: Delgamuukw. That name is a symbolic ancestral chief name passed down from generation to generation of Gitxsan people; it is also one of the most well-known chief names in the rest of Canada. Delgamuukw was the lead plaintiff in a historic court case that confirmed that Aboriginal title, ownership of traditional lands had not been extinguished by any colonial government of the past.
“Chief Delgamuukw is also one of the primary signatures supporting the LNG pipelines in their territory. Odd, considering how the Office Chiefs make so much noise about the need to protect the environment.
“The very same chiefs that protest the LNG the loudest also claim ‘First Nations’ people are the protectors of the land and waters. So what gives? You have this group of Office Protesters telling every ‘nation’ from Alberta to the coast that only the Office Chiefs are following ‘First Nations’ tradition of protecting the lands and waters.
“Or is this a case of not understanding LNG? Ignorance?
“The essence of that question divides completely two opinions regarding the virtues of LNG, to the point that the Office can only maintain its authority by brute force as in the case of the ‘Wet’suwet’en Matrilineal Coalition’.
“There are just over half a dozen Wet’suwet’en Office Chiefs that claim to protect the land and water. There are roughly 65 chiefs in the neighboring Gitxsan territory alone; then take into account the number of chiefs from all of the other ‘nations’ between Alberta and the coast and you have well over 100 chiefs who are being told by the Office of Wet’suwet’en that their desire to see the pipeline through is being denied.
“Let’s pin the tail on the donkey. To be precise, its only the ‘Gil_seyhu Clan’ that opposes the LNG pipeline, and even more precisely, it’s only one house within the ‘Dark House’ that opposes LNG and have named themselves ‘Unistoten’. So we have really one family holding both the aboriginal and non-aboriginal ‘nations’ hostage to their selfish demands.
“In fact, when it comes to LNG, almost every ‘First Nations’ Chief supports the pipeline as a means to bring long overdue prosperity to their ‘nations’, inclusive of close to 50% of all Wet’suwet’en chiefs, and most certainly a vast majority of Wet’suwet’en people. So do the Office Chiefs know something about LNG that escapes the rest of us, or is this a case of a smaller circle of ignorance?
“The Wet’suwet’en ‘nation’ has more hereditary chiefs than the Office Chiefs are willing to admit to; likewise, they have never been able to do much more than verbally challenge the chiefs they so-called stripped of authority. The sad fact is they do not have the authority to strip anyone’s title but that of one of their own clan, and only once they have followed a said set of protocols.
“The Supreme Court ruling included proof that the Office Chiefs are not the final say in aboriginal matters. The closing comment by the chief justice ruled that aboriginal title is held communally, so it’s the people not the chiefs who have the final say.
“Aboriginal title is ‘sui generis’, and so distinguished from other proprietary interests, and characterized by several dimensions. It is inalienable and cannot be transferred, sold or surrendered to anyone other than the Crown. Another dimension of aboriginal title is its sources: its recognition by the ‘Royal Proclamation, 1763’ {before Canada was formed} and the relationship between the common law which recognizes occupation as proof of possession {Most of Canada was UNoccupied land when Europeans arrived} and systems of aboriginal law pre-existing assertion of British sovereignty. Finally, aboriginal title is held communally.”
“Take that to your lawyers and learn the meaning of the words “aboriginal title is held communally”.
“The Wet’suwet’en ‘nation’ as a whole do not support the local Office Chiefs. Repeatedly, the same gang of anti-pipeline protesters have run for positions in Band councils and lost. Despite claims made by the Office Chiefs, the ruling clearly shows aboriginal title is held at the community level, not at the Chiefs’ level.
“We see ourselves as simply Canadian; however, it is the radical aboriginals that make so much hay of half-breed bloodlines. They show complete disrespect for their own blood unless it has a DNA cash-in value.
“Somehow, the mainstream media is infatuated with the Office Chiefs and what they say, so for the record we will run another correction on a new video starring a ‘settler/immigrant/colonizer’ {‘white’ person} by the name of Molly Wickham. As radical protesters love to make an issue of Canadian birthright, we felt it our duty to let you know Molly gets to play both sides of the fence with the other half of her genetics coming from – no, NOT Wet’suwet’en — but again from ¼ Stellat’en and ¼ Gitxsan.
“We needed to mention the above in order for you to understand the following, In speaking with a number of Wet’suwet’en elders, we see there are some firm rules in place in regards to adoption, a category that Molly falls into.
“Molly Wickham is not a Wet’suwet’ten.”
“Molly Wickham is not a Wet’suwet’ten”, she is just a professional protester.”
“Molly Wickham may not even speak for the Gitdumden clan.”
“The first rule is: they can never inherit title to land or otherwise known as a position as hereditary chief. The second is they can never become the spokesman for their clan, or be involved in decision making for the clan. The Office Chiefs have positioned Molly to violate both those rules; in addition, these is one more breach of rules — she cannot jump from one clan to another clan by way of someone’s request.
“Molly Wickham not a Wet’suwet’en at all, Molly is part Gixsan and Stellat’en, and has a husband who is Haida. She comes from the House of Spoox — a Gitxan house in Hagwilget. Her ‘settler/immigrant/colonizer’ {Aboriginals are also ‘settler/immigrant/colonizers’} and 100% ‘white’ father still lives in our area, and goes by the name of Don Dusty Wickham, who fully supports his daughter’s actions.
“So whatever Molly says on behalf of the Wet’suwet’en or on behalf of the Gitdumden clan is just token comments made by an outsider that has been elevated by the Office Chiefs. She does not and may not speak on behalf of a ‘nation’ she is not part of...”
–‘The Office Chiefs have lost their Wet’suwet’en way’,
JLS Report, September 20, 2019
https://www.jlsreport.com/2019/09/20/the-office-chiefs-have-lost-their-wetsuweten-way/
“The very same anti-Canada, anti-society and very racist aboriginal individuals run for the very same office they condemn when they lose in the elections, then referring to them as government institutions designed to divide them.
“What they fail to say is they do not work for a living, and expect to live as a wealthy Canadian simply because they have some aboriginal blood in them. It’s time Chiefs stopped thinking of their own dynasties and submitted themselves to serve their people, as opposed to expecting to be served…”
https://www.jlsreport.com/2019/10/01/hiding-behind-a-chiefs-name-adam-gagnon/
“Scott Fraser, B.C. minister of ‘Indigenous’ {sic, they mean ‘Aboriginal’} relations and reconciliation, and Carolyn Bennett, federal minister of Crown-‘Indigenous’ relations, invited hereditary chiefs of the Office of the Wet’suwet’en to a Feb. 20 meeting in Smithers. It was the second invitation they had sent. They were rebuffed again on Thursday.
“But some Wet’suwet’en members, including at least one hereditary chief, are questioning the authority of the Office of the Wet’suwet’en to speak for them. They describe the chiefs who run the Office of the Wet’suwet’en as operating a fiefdom of sorts that has not followed Wet’suwet’en customs for decision-making. There are even allegations of hereditary titles being appropriated contrary to Wet’suwet’en custom.
“Those are some of the findings of Stewart Muir and Margareta Dovgal of the energy industry advocacy group ‘Resource Works’, who have spent the last couple of weeks travelling throughout the territory, from Prince George to New Hazelton, interviewing Wet’suwet’en people. Some of them say the Office of the Wet’suwet’en is not following proper protocols.
“It is interesting that some of our chiefs are choosing to do everything via the media and not following proper protocols, and it’s somewhat concerning for me”,
Troy Young, a Wet’suwet’en entrepreneur with the ‘Moricetown Band’s Kyah Resources Ltd.’, said in one of the video interviews conducted by Muir and Dovgal.
“Looking at how this has blown up into a national media event … it would be appreciated and respectful to our culture if people would leave us to our own devices.”
{‘Leaving you to your own devices’ is precisely the problem!}
“There’s one chief that talks for the whole nation and that’s not our way”,
said Gary Naziel, a hereditary chief.
“In our feast hall, each chief gets up and talks for their own clan. And this one chief goes around saying he speaks for all the chiefs. And it’s not the Wet’suwet’en way. We need to include all the other house chiefs, all the wing chiefs, in the decision-making. Democracy is in our feast halls. That’s where decisions are made. We need to restructure the office [of the Wet’suwet’en].”
“The Wet’suwet’en ‘Nation’ {sic} being publicized in the media right now, it’s only a small group that does not represent the ‘nation’ {‘tribe’},”
said Bonnie George of the Witset ‘First Nation’ (Moricetown) {a ‘nation’ of 2,067 people}, one of five Wet’suwet’en bands.
“Traditional law is clear and it’s not being respected”,
Dovgal said.
“That’s coming through universally. Every single person we’ve spoken to, whether they are named chiefs … all the way through to children of house chiefs, the traditional laws – the unwritten constitution that exists in this community – has just been flagrantly disregarded. There has been this confusion that has been created about who has the rightful claim to a name.”
“Hereditary chief titles are not automatically conferred on someone as a birthright. Recipients are groomed for the title and must earn it. It is given to them at a feast, at which the members of that house confirm the title.
“Three female hereditary chiefs who support the pipeline project and tried to form a coalition that would bring the Office of the Wet’suwet’en and elected band councils together, were stripped of their hereditary chief titles for their efforts.
“Those titles were then given to male members who oppose the pipeline. So, whereas only five of 13 hereditary chiefs originally opposed the project, a majority of hereditary chiefs now oppose it.
{It’s called ‘stacking the vote’…}
“I think that if they were to hold a Wet’suwet’en-wide referendum, I think that they would have a ‘yes’ vote”,
said Karen Ogen-Toews, a former elected Wet’suwet’en chief and current CEO of the
‘First Nations’ LNG Alliance.”
–‘Some Wet’suwet’en members not happy with hereditary chiefs’,
Nelson Bennett, Alaska Highway News, Feb. 25, 2020
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
‘Wet’suwet’en Clans’
–Gilseyhu (Big Frog)
–Laksilyu (Small Frog)
–Gitdumden (Wolf/Bear)
–Laksamshu (Fireweed)
–Tsayu (Beaver clan)
–‘Office of the Wet’suwet’en’,
“In late 2019, a short video appeared online, one of many that have helped bring a B.C. pipeline dispute to international attention. In the video, Warner Naziel – identified as a Wet’suwet’en ‘Nation’ {a ‘nation’ of 256 people} chief with the hereditary name of ‘Smogelgem’ – is shown building a cabin near what is now known as Parrott Lake. It’s about a two-hour drive from a bridge in Northern British Columbia, where people opposed to the $6.6-billion ‘Coastal GasLink’ pipeline project had blocked a logging road, citing Wet’suwet’en law.
{In Canada, we follow Canadian law!}
“Mr. Naziel, who is among the hereditary chiefs opposing the pipeline’s construction, said he and others were in the process of ‘reoccupying’ a {claimed} former Wet’suwet’en village site and invited supporters to join them.
“For Candice George, those remarks stung. In a ‘Facebook’ post in January, Ms. George said the name ‘Smogelgem’ rightfully belongs to her great-aunt, Gloria George, and that her family has ties to the area shown in the video.
“They broke our Wet’suwet’en laws”,
she said.
“I have no respect for those who bully and steal names to gain power and territory. Gloria George is the true matriarch of the Sun House. She is ‘Smogelgem’ because she is actually born to the hereditary lineage.”
“Mr. Naziel, however, has said in court documents that Gloria George didn’t follow Wet’suwet’en law in taking the ‘Smogelgem’ name, while he did.
“The dispute over the ‘Smogelgem’ name is one thread of a broader controversy that involves pipeline construction, ‘Indigenous’ {sic, they mean ‘Aboriginal’} rights and the B.C. and federal governments. While the pipeline is the symbol of the controversy, the dispute has raised broader issues, including questions related to ‘Indigenous’ governance {They are Canadian citizens. End the Segregation!}. In pursuing its natural gas pipeline, ‘Coastal GasLink’ has reached benefit agreements with all 20 elected Band councils along the route – including five elected Wet’suwet’en councils representing about 2,800 people. Those councils were created under the ‘Indian Act’ and, in general, have authority over federal reserves: small land parcels set aside under the act.
“While the governing principles of the Wet’suwet’en ‘Nation’ and its hereditary chiefs are anchored in their own cultural traditions and {foolishly!} recognized in major court cases, there are disagreements over how those systems work in practice. The Wet’suwet’en ‘Nation’ hereditary chiefs, and their supporters, maintain they have jurisdiction and authority over 22,000 square kilometres of {claimed} ‘traditional territory’: a roughly triangular patch criss-crossed by salmon-bearing rivers that sits in the middle of the pipeline’s path. The territory has never been ‘ceded’ {Not true — https://www.canlii.org/en/bc/bcsc/doc/1991/1991canlii2372/1991canlii2372.html } and is not subject to a treaty.
“On Monday, RCMP arrested seven people, including Wet’suwet’en ‘Nation’ hereditary chief Freda Huson, near the Morice River Bridge in Northern British Columbia. The arrests, capping several days of police enforcement of a B.C. court injunction, triggered a new round of protests across the country. ‘Coastal GasLink’ sought the court order to gain access to a construction site, ‘Camp 9A’, and the final sections of its pipeline route, which had been blocked by a barricade {illegal} on the bridge.
“The arrests were made near the Unist’ot’en camp, which is at the 66-kilometre mark of a B.C. logging road and has become the physical and symbolic focal point for the anti-pipeline campaign.
“In an attempt to understand the hereditary system, the ‘Globe and Mail’ spoke with hereditary leaders and others, while reviewing a wide range of court filings and affidavits. Those records show a complex history that includes {claimed} overlapping territories with neighbouring ‘nations’ {!}, traditions that endured through smallpox, legal bans and dislocation, and a consistent theme: Leaders are linked to the land.
‘BEYOND BLOODLINES’
“A hereditary chief is not necessarily born into his or her role.
“The Wet’suwet’en ‘Nation’ is organized into five hereditary ‘clans’ and 13 ‘houses’, or subgroups. Each of those subgroups has the position of ‘house chief’, also known as ‘head chief’, and secondary leaders known as ‘wing chiefs’.
“While the descendants of head chiefs stand to inherit names, the nomination of someone as an heir is “based on the deportment and merit of the adult candidates, whether or not they have previously held a name”, anthropologist Antonia Mills said in a 2019 affidavit submitted in court proceedings related to the ‘Coastal GasLink’ project.
“There is a misunderstanding about heredity, as though it is some kind of aristocracy, like a British model”,
said John Borrows, a professor who holds the Canada Research Chair in ‘Indigenous’ {sic, ‘Aboriginal’} Law at the University of Victoria.
“Because within these systems, as I understand them, you have to prove yourself worthy, there is not just an automatic assumption of a title or right or land relationship – there’s a lot you have to do in the process”,
said Prof. Borrows, who is Anishinaabe/Ojibwa.
“Each chief is responsible for the lands and resources within her or his territory.
“Rules and rituals have been passed down through songs, stories and dances.
“Prior to colonization, there would have been well-understood mechanisms to resolve disputes such as the proposed pipeline, which crosses multiple {claimed} house territories and has potential impact on fish, game and forests.
“Over time, those mechanisms weakened, under assault from a government-imposed {modern, democratic} Band and council system to which industry and government ‘gravitated’ {‘were forced by gov’t and courts’}, Prof. Borrows said.
“With title unresolved, hereditary chiefs have tried to engage with the federal and B.C. governments on the pipeline issue.
“We have to deal with the people who make decisions, and that means the federal and provincial governments”,
Jeff Brown, who goes by ‘Madeek’ as house chief of ‘Where It Lies Blocking The Trail’, said in an interview.
“They’re both in cahoots {?}, so we have to talk to both.”
{The ones “in cahoots” are the bullying “hereditary chiefs”…}
‘LACK OF MEANINGFUL NEGOTIATIONS’
“‘Coastal GasLink’ maintains it has tried to negotiate with hereditary leaders, even as they have consistently said they will not accept a pipeline through their territories.
“Claire Marshall, an ‘Indigenous’ relations consultant for ‘Coastal GasLink’ from 2012 to early 2019, said in an affidavit that pipeline representatives reached out repeatedly to hereditary leaders.
“Ms. Marshall said ‘Coastal GasLink’ has been thwarted in attempts to consult since 2013 with Warner William, head chief of ‘Dark House’ under the ‘Gilseyhu’ clan. She also said the pipeline project has been stymied since 2014 in attempts to negotiate with Freda Huson, who is Mr. William’s niece and one of the co-founders of the Unist’ot’en camp that opposes the pipeline. Unist’ot’en is affiliated with ‘Dark House’, one of the 13 hereditary house groups.
“Ms. Marshall said ‘Coastal GasLink’ contacted Ms. Huson 40 times and requested to meet with her seven times, to no avail.
“Yet going back to at least 2014, the ‘Office of the Wet’suwet’en’ – a non-profit society governed by hereditary chiefs – warned consultation was flawed because it didn’t take ‘hereditary laws’ into account.
{Hereditary laws’ are not part of the Canadian legal system…}
“Each house group is unique in dealing with their specific house territory, therefore must be reviewed individually”,
said a 2014 report submitted to the province as part of the environmental assessment process.
“This does not fall within the regulatory process, and was never addressed by the Crown nor the proponent.”
“Ron Austin, president of the ‘Office of the Wet’suwet’en’, said elected Band councillors have limited powers.
“They’re only in charge of the reserve area. The hereditary chiefs are in charge of the territories – all through the 22,000 square kilometres”,
{This has been contradicted by the Supreme Court of Canada…}
said Mr. Austin, who goes by the hereditary wing-chief (subchief) name Dzii Ggot.
“If completed, the ‘Coastal GasLink’ pipeline would supply natural gas to ‘LNG Canada’, which is building an $18-billion terminal in Kitimat, B.C., to export liquefied natural gas to Asia. Both B.C. Premier John Horgan and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau back the terminal and the pipeline.
“The BC Environmental Assessment Office approved ‘Coastal GasLink’ in 2014, and preliminary construction work began in early 2019 on the 670-kilometre route from northeast B.C. to Kitimat on the West Coast. About 190 kilometres of the route cross the Wet’suwet’en’s {claimed} territory.
“The high-profile dispute, which has divided families and communities, may provide a window for Wet’suwet’en people to develop governance systems that blend elements of hereditary and elected systems, Prof. Borrows said.
“For the B.C. government, he also sees a potential test run for the principles in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of ‘Indigenous’ Peoples, which B.C. {foolishly} adopted in 2019.
“Under the new legislation, the government can authorize a member of cabinet to seek the consent of an ‘Indigenous’ governing body – including, potentially, hereditary chiefs – before making a statutory decision, such as approving a pipeline…
{‘Balkanizing British Columbia’ {Jan.16, 2020}:
“British Columbia politicians are thoughtlessly embedding Race law, two-tiered ‘rights’, and United Nations influence in all aspects of B.C. legislation:
“Horgan told the chiefs his government has a lot of work ahead {!}, to adapt provincial legislation {to segregate British Columbia} to the dozens of articles of the UN declaration {Some of which are CONTRARY to the Canadian Constitution}…”
https://canadiansforlegalequalityblog.wordpress.com/2020/01/16/balkanizing-british-columbia/ }
‘THE DELGAMUUKW DECISION’
“The Wet’suwet’en hereditary system has been outlined in several court proceedings, including ‘Delgamuukw’. The case, often referred to as “Delgamuukw-Gisday’wa” after the main chiefs in question, involved claims to separate portions of land totalling 58,000 square kilometres in British Columbia.
“The case is renowned for its length, complexity and impact. The trial heard from 61 witnesses, many of whom spoke in their own language and required translators. Seventy-one chiefs claimed 133 separate territories.
{Highlighting how ridiculous it is to have land claims when the tribes have no way of proving their so-called ‘territories’. This is all designed simply to make money for the legal industry, regardless of the harm done to Canada…}
“In 1991, a B.C. Supreme Court judge {B.C.’s Chief Justice and its most respected judge} ruled Gitxsan and Wet’suwet’en rights had been extinguished at the time of Confederation {after two-and-a-half years of hearings…}.
https://www.canlii.org/en/bc/bcsc/doc/1991/1991canlii2372/1991canlii2372.html
“The case went through the B.C. Court of Appeal
{Which upheld the ruling that Aboriginal title HAD BEEN EXTINGUISHED! https://www.canlii.org/en/bc/bcsc/doc/1991/1991canlii2372/1991canlii2372.html }
and ultimately to the {politicized and activist} Supreme Court of Canada, which in a landmark {and shallow} 1997 decision, confirmed ‘Indigenous’ title exists in B.C. but said a new trial would be required to settle the claims…
“But ‘Delgamuukw’ resonates today, underscoring hereditary chiefs’ emphasis that ‘traditional territory’ has never been ceded.
“That case and others have described a governance system that is clan-based and revolves around feasts. The feast is central to Wet’suwet’en culture, Ms. Mills, the anthropologist, said in her 2019 affidavit. Feasts take place when people are given their titles and authority over territory associated with those names, along with their regalia and crests. Feasts may also be held to settle disputes or mark the passing of property from one house to another.
“Titles and land are passed through the mother’s clan, Ms. Mills said. A person born to a Wet’suwet’en woman is considered Wet’suwet’en; people may also be adopted into houses.
‘WHERE ARE THE WOMEN?’
“Gloria George, Darlene Glaim and Theresa Tait-Day all support the ‘Coastal GasLink’ project. The three women, who formerly held hereditary titles, helped form the ‘Wet’suwet’en Matrilineal Coalition’ (WMC) in 2015, saying they wanted to bridge the gap between hereditary governance and elected Band councils.
“In 2016, some hereditary chiefs, drumming and singing, entered a community hall in Houston, B.C., to denounce the fledgling coalition. Hereditary leaders refused to recognize the initiative, which was funded by $30,000 from ‘Coastal GasLink’ and $30,000 from the provincial government, and in June, 2016, slammed the province for “divide and conquer” tactics.
{The hereditary chiefs are the ones guilty of “divide and conquer tactics”…}
“Frank Alec replaced Ms. Glaim last year as ‘Woos’, head chief of ‘Grizzly House’, and eventually, the coalition fizzled. All three women have been stripped of their hereditary titles, although they continue to personally use them.
“In a statement issued last month on behalf of the coalition, Ms. Tait-Day said the hereditary chiefs are not acting in the best interests of the Wet’suwet’en people.
“They have gone out of their way to take women out of the decision-making”,
she said.
{All 3 women were replaced by men who oppose the pipeline…}
“The coalition and its supporters believe that economic benefits from the pipeline will help Wet’suwet’en people, who are members of hereditary house groups but are also eligible to vote for elected Band councillors.
“We have to take care of the people, to make sure people are going to survive”,
said Ms. Tait-Day, who still uses the wing-chief name Wi’haliy’te.
“Every Band member, every ‘Nation’ member, must benefit, not just one or two house groups.”
“Mr. Naziel said in an affidavit that “our clan held a feast and formally rescinded the name ‘Smogelgem’,” stripping it from Ms. George. But she countered in an affidavit that hereditary titles “are only removed in the most extreme scenarios such as murder” and not stripped “like bark off a tree”.
“Now, nine of 13 hereditary house chief positions are filled by men. Four of the positions are vacant. Eight of the nine men have said they oppose ‘Coastal GasLink’. One of the house chiefs has taken a neutral position.
“Under hereditary governance, there aren’t any clan chiefs because each of the house groups assume responsibility for their respective {claimed} territories. John Ridsdale, head chief of ‘Rafters on Beaver House’ under the ‘Tsayu’ clan, has become the primary spokesman for a group of house chiefs that has taken the lead in opposing the pipeline.
“Mr. Ridsdale, who goes by the hereditary name ‘Na’Moks’, also denies allegations that hereditary leaders wrongly stripped Ms. George and the other two women of their hereditary names…
‘BAND COUNCILS VS. HEREDITARY GROUPS’
“Justice Marguerite Church of B.C. Supreme Court took note of the gap between hereditary chiefs and elected Band councillors when she extended what had been an interim injunction on Dec. 31, 2019, saying there appears to be “considerable tension” between the two groups.
{Off reserve, these issues would have been resolved through the political process. It’s only because of the Race-based. segregationist Constitution and subsequent court rulings that this anachronistic situation exists. The fix is to legally treat all Canadian citizens equally, regardless of Race or ethnicity, and abide by ONE set of laws…}
“Justice Church’s ruling was the most recent in a case that began in November, 2018, when ‘Coastal GasLink’ went to court to seek an injunction to gain access to pipeline work sites. To obtain that access, the company needs to cross the Morice River Bridge, near the Unist’ot’en camp.
“Ms. Huson and Mr. Naziel, named as defendants in ‘Coastal GasLink’s injunction application, are the co-founders of the Unist’ot’en camp, which was set up in 2010 to {illegally} block pipelines through the territory. By 2015, it had grown to encompass a healing lodge and cultural programs.
“Mr. Naziel, who has served as head chief of ‘Sun House’ since 2016, and Ms. Huson had lived together for nearly a decade as a common-law couple at the camp. They separated in early 2019.
“There is often overlap between the hereditary and elected systems. As a key member of ‘Dark House’, Ms. Huson received the wing-chief name ‘Howihkat’ last year and served what she describes as an eviction notice in early 2020 under Wet’suwet’en law {what arrogance!} to ‘Coastal GasLink’. She had been an elected Band councillor with the Witset ‘First Nation’, one of five ‘Indian Act’ Wet’suwet’en councils along the pipeline route. She ran again last year but was not re-elected {!}.
“Ms. Huson has been leading ‘Dark House’s opposition to ‘Coastal GasLink’, saying repeatedly that the project does not ‘have permission’ to build its pipeline on Wet’suwet’en land.
{Yes, it does…}
“Molly Wickham has also emerged as an influential voice against ‘Coastal GasLink’. She was among 14 people arrested in January, 2019, when RCMP enforced a previous court injunction. Ms. Wickham, who received the wing-chief name ‘Sleydo’ last year as a new member of ‘Grizzly House’, has helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations in campaign drives to ‘defend Wet’suwet’en {claimed} territory’.
{Is there a public accounting of where that money has gone?}
“It remains to be seen whether Ms. Huson and Ms. Wickham will advance to the role of head chiefs of their respective house groups, and it’s an even bigger question whether hereditary leaders and elected Band councillors can find common ground.
“To Candice George, the Wet’suwet’en’s governance system has become distorted. She recalls her great-aunt’s “naming feast” in 2009, as extended family members packed gifts, served refreshments and sat down for a meal to bestow Gloria George with a long-awaited hereditary name.
“I witnessed the day my great-aunt Gloria George became Smogelgem”,
Candice George said in an e-mail to The Globe.
“Please do share the story of how those who oppose the pipeline are not telling the whole truth.”
–‘Beyond bloodlines: How the Wet’suwet’en hereditary system at the heart of the Coastal GasLink conflict works’,
WENDY STUECK AND BRENT JANG, Toronto Globe & Mail, FEBRUARY 11, 2020
UPDATED FEBRUARY 12, 2020
“While those who created the ‘Office of Wet’suwet’en’ worked very hard to create unity with the residents of the Bulkley Valley with great success, sadly they were followed by a new vision, one where it’s every man for himself, and the doorway to wealth is owning the title of ‘hereditary chief’…
“The object now is not a fair settlement, it is now about selfish greed, and the power of control of other people’s lives. It no longer about negotiation, it’s now all or nothing – sadly, nothing is what they will get. It’s about stealing blankets from brothers and sisters within the Wet’suwet’en ‘Nation’.
“This new generation of chiefs make up the rules as they go along. They deny the rightful heirs of their rights to their lands. They claim to follow the laws of their forefathers; yet, every action proves otherwise.
“These are the same people who now go out of their way to force race-based hate on their own brothers and sisters, to ensure no one does the research on who are legitimate chiefs, or ones who simply paid for feasts as a way to buy their way to “hereditary chief”. They call their own brothers and sisters “apples” for defending unity, only to force you to take their side in a grand theft of title and power.
“The new way for the “Office of Wet’suwet’en” is all about selling race hate, and this brings me to the letter that was sent in by a Bulkley Valley resident, who spent years working with the greatest chiefs of all time, Leonard George (Smogelgem) and Alfred Joseph (Dini ze’ Gisday’way), the two primary leaders behind the Supreme Court of Canada rulings.
“This is a letter in response John Ridsdale’s accusations, when he spoke to the United Nations, insulting all of the residents of the Bulkley Valley who stood side by side with your people for so many generations.
“I am that damned white man.
I am that damned white man that you blame for all your woes.
I am that damned white man that, with my taxes, paid for your medical and dental.
I am that damned white man that married an aboriginal sister.
I am that damned white man you’re related to.
I am that damned white man who has aboriginal kids.
I am that damned white man that helped search for your lost family.
I am that damned white man that helps pay for a potlatch.
I am that damned white man you’re suing.
I am that damned white man that helped fight for the rights of your mother, father and sisters.
I am that damned white man that stood with you to protect OUR salmon.
I am that damned white man that you accuse, based on what some other damned white man did.
I am that damned white man that helped your people acquire white man’s goods like a quad, your diesel truck, white man’s nets, freezers, hospitals, highways and let’s not forget medical care.
I am that damned white man that carried many of your brothers to their final resting place, and mourned their loss with their families.
“And you have the brazen audacity to complain when someone accuses you of something someone else did — be it your brothers, sister uncle father or grandfather. We have as much right to be here as you young kids born here after us, and we’re not leaving.
“That leaves you two choices — continue your racist rants, or accept we’re both here to stay and we can get along if we’re willing to see each other as equal humans.
“I am sick to death of people like you bitching and whining about what people did to you; however, NOT YOU, but to your ancestors. I am neither your ancestor, nor the people who did you wrong.
“I am a fellow human being, like you trying to survive in an ever-increasing world of freeloaders who want everything handed to them on a platter.
“I see you as a brother/sister, but one that needs to get over him/herself and work towards a future we can all live with.
“Written by a damned white man that had enough of racist bashing.”
–‘Racism Exploited – Radical Aboriginals’,
JLS Report, June 5, 2019
https://www.jlsreport.com/2019/06/05/racism-exploited-radical-aboriginals/
See also:
‘Who Owns British Columbia?’ {July 22, 2016}:
“We are the true owners of British Columbia. The Indians across the province own everything — the rivers, the trees, the bugs, the animals. You name it. Subsurface rights, the air, the rain, the whole shot. That’s what we mean when we say we have aboriginal title to the land.”
–James Gosnell, Chairman, Nisga’a Tribal Council, 1984
Quoted in “Our home OR Native Land?” Melvin H. Smith, Crown Western, Victoria (1995)
https://endracebasedlaw.wordpress.com/2016/07/22/who-owns-british-columbia/
‘Pipeline Opponent In Hot Water’ {Apr.8, 2021}:
“According to sources, Chief Na’Mox {John Ridsdale}, most-famously known for being a stalwart opponent of the ‘Coastal GasLink’ pipeline…is in some hot water. The Wet’suwet’en {Hereditary} chief came onto the residence of a Hazelton woman recently while intoxicated and shot her dog, which later died on the way to a clinic…”
https://endracebasedlaw.ca/2021/04/08/pipeline-opponent-in-hot-water/
https://www.minds.com/newsfeed/1227026076379656192
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