A 48 page report has been presented to representatives of the Port of Prince Rupert, outlining the Gitxaala Nation’s use and occupancy by its people of the Prince Rupert harbour area that has been identified as the expansion site for Phase Two of the Fairview container port.
The Gitxaala provided their report, compiled by UBC Associate Professor of Anthropology Charles Meznies as part of their efforts to engage the Port and Federal Government in further discussions about Phase Two of the container port.
The Wednesday Daily News outlined the background of the report and the process involved in putting it together.
Gitxaala nation celebrates Bax Lansk
The Gitxaala provided their report, compiled by UBC Associate Professor of Anthropology Charles Meznies as part of their efforts to engage the Port and Federal Government in further discussions about Phase Two of the container port.
The Wednesday Daily News outlined the background of the report and the process involved in putting it together.
Gitxaala nation celebrates Bax Lansk
Community ready to present their report to Fairview
By Monica Lamb-Yorski
The Daily News
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Pages one and two
The community of Gitxaala recently presented a report to the Prince Rupert Port Authority and the Government of Canada substantiating use and occupancy by its people of the Prince Rupert Harbour with specific reference to the site of the Prince Rupert Container Port.
During a traditional feast held on September 27 in Kitkatla, a remote First Nations community south of Prince Rupert, almost 400 community members, including 23 hereditary chiefs, some from other communities, and 18 invited guests witnessed the event.
“Protocol has established for normal delivery of history and story as the feast process,” said elected Chief Elmer Moody in Prince Rupert last Friday. “We felt it was important to deliver the report to the Port and Canada in that manner.”
The feast was named Bax Lansk, derived from the saying dm Bax lansk – the ability to complete an action in unison, as a means and measure of lessening the load/task carried by all.
“We name this feast today, Bax Lansk, to acknowledge the combined effort and contributions of the many individuals in defining Gitxaala’s territorial rights, and to demonstrate our support – wan dm bax landsk, of this ongoing effort,“ noted Moody in the feast program.
Over the last few years, Gitxaala has been trying to engage the federal government and Prince Rupert Port Authority in discussions about Phase 2 of the container port.
Gitxaala’s report was developed in response to a request made by the Port that the community substantiate its claims of traditional use of the area.
UBC Associate Professor of Anthropology Charles Menzies prepared the 48-page report.
Menzies has conducted anthropological research on the north coast since 1988 and with the Gitxaala Nation since 1998.
His research for the report involved individual interviews with community elders and hereditary leaders, community workshops, a boat tour of the harbour review of archival materials and archeological data.
In the introduction of the report Menzies stated:
“Throughout this document I refer to the people now living in Lax Kw’alaams and Metlakalta as Tsimshian and/or Ts’msyen and the people who are part of the Gitxaala Nation as Gitxaala.
“Academic and public writing has often grouped all of the people living from the headwaters of the Skeena and Nass and out along the coast as Tsimshian using linguistic categories as a gloss for social groupings. However, the people themselves use different names to self-identify.
“In my opinion Gitxaala was an aboriginal community prior to, and at the time of contact in 1778. Further, Gitxaala (variant Kitkatla) has continued as a community and a people up to the present day.”
Moody said the report process has been a positive one for the people of his community.
There were a few apprehensions among the hereditary chiefs and matriarchs at first about sharing stories and history but with a bit more understanding they began to work with Meznies.
“What was stressed was the history we’ve put forward is just a small portion of who we are as a people,” Moody said.
And while an immediate response to the report isn’t expected, Kitkatla is hoping it will solidify a relationship of mutual respect with both parties.
Douglas Eyford, the Vancouver based lawyer appointed as Chief Federal Negotiator working with First Nations to resolve outstanding concerns with the Prince Rupert Port Authority’s Fairview container terminal concerns attend the feast and said he is presently reviewing the project.
“I’m engaged with five First Nations and the report is obviously important to Kitkatla. I will continue my negotiations with Chief Moody and other communities,” Eyford said.
Barry Bartlett, Communications Manager for the Prince Rupert Port Authority, confirmed the port is also reviewing the report in conjunction with the federal government.
Earlier in the summer Moody met with leaders from Metlakatla and Lax Kw’alaams and told them the report would be shared with them as well.
“The purpose of the meeting was to establish relationships,” Moody said.
Moody noted it has been rewarding to see the work that was put forward and see his community come together.
“Passing of law, history and stories is part of our tradition, but it does carry with it an excitement of passing it on to the Port and Canada,” he said.
The struggles weren’t in the story gathering but in the process. It all centered around the history of the Gitxaala Nation and whether the leaders are comfortable. The stories are part of their inheritance.”
The community of Gitxaala recently presented a report to the Prince Rupert Port Authority and the Government of Canada substantiating use and occupancy by its people of the Prince Rupert Harbour with specific reference to the site of the Prince Rupert Container Port.
During a traditional feast held on September 27 in Kitkatla, a remote First Nations community south of Prince Rupert, almost 400 community members, including 23 hereditary chiefs, some from other communities, and 18 invited guests witnessed the event.
“Protocol has established for normal delivery of history and story as the feast process,” said elected Chief Elmer Moody in Prince Rupert last Friday. “We felt it was important to deliver the report to the Port and Canada in that manner.”
The feast was named Bax Lansk, derived from the saying dm Bax lansk – the ability to complete an action in unison, as a means and measure of lessening the load/task carried by all.
“We name this feast today, Bax Lansk, to acknowledge the combined effort and contributions of the many individuals in defining Gitxaala’s territorial rights, and to demonstrate our support – wan dm bax landsk, of this ongoing effort,“ noted Moody in the feast program.
Over the last few years, Gitxaala has been trying to engage the federal government and Prince Rupert Port Authority in discussions about Phase 2 of the container port.
Gitxaala’s report was developed in response to a request made by the Port that the community substantiate its claims of traditional use of the area.
UBC Associate Professor of Anthropology Charles Menzies prepared the 48-page report.
Menzies has conducted anthropological research on the north coast since 1988 and with the Gitxaala Nation since 1998.
His research for the report involved individual interviews with community elders and hereditary leaders, community workshops, a boat tour of the harbour review of archival materials and archeological data.
In the introduction of the report Menzies stated:
“Throughout this document I refer to the people now living in Lax Kw’alaams and Metlakalta as Tsimshian and/or Ts’msyen and the people who are part of the Gitxaala Nation as Gitxaala.
“Academic and public writing has often grouped all of the people living from the headwaters of the Skeena and Nass and out along the coast as Tsimshian using linguistic categories as a gloss for social groupings. However, the people themselves use different names to self-identify.
“In my opinion Gitxaala was an aboriginal community prior to, and at the time of contact in 1778. Further, Gitxaala (variant Kitkatla) has continued as a community and a people up to the present day.”
Moody said the report process has been a positive one for the people of his community.
There were a few apprehensions among the hereditary chiefs and matriarchs at first about sharing stories and history but with a bit more understanding they began to work with Meznies.
“What was stressed was the history we’ve put forward is just a small portion of who we are as a people,” Moody said.
And while an immediate response to the report isn’t expected, Kitkatla is hoping it will solidify a relationship of mutual respect with both parties.
Douglas Eyford, the Vancouver based lawyer appointed as Chief Federal Negotiator working with First Nations to resolve outstanding concerns with the Prince Rupert Port Authority’s Fairview container terminal concerns attend the feast and said he is presently reviewing the project.
“I’m engaged with five First Nations and the report is obviously important to Kitkatla. I will continue my negotiations with Chief Moody and other communities,” Eyford said.
Barry Bartlett, Communications Manager for the Prince Rupert Port Authority, confirmed the port is also reviewing the report in conjunction with the federal government.
Earlier in the summer Moody met with leaders from Metlakatla and Lax Kw’alaams and told them the report would be shared with them as well.
“The purpose of the meeting was to establish relationships,” Moody said.
Moody noted it has been rewarding to see the work that was put forward and see his community come together.
“Passing of law, history and stories is part of our tradition, but it does carry with it an excitement of passing it on to the Port and Canada,” he said.
The struggles weren’t in the story gathering but in the process. It all centered around the history of the Gitxaala Nation and whether the leaders are comfortable. The stories are part of their inheritance.”
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