Madison Terbasket grew up learning about syilx title and rights from her culture香蕉视频直播檚 worldview as a member of the Lower Similkameen Indian Band (LSIB).
Since childhood, the 25-year-old has been deeply rooted in her homelands of nk史rulaux史 () in sm菨lqm铆x (Similkameen, Eagle Valley) territory.
As she got older, she said she began to realize that the nearby Copper Mountain Mine was violating not just her First Nation香蕉视频直播檚 ancestral laws governing water, but other syilx laws, too.
Located south of 香蕉视频直播淧rinceton, B.C.,香蕉视频直播� in sm蓹qm铆x homelands in syilx Okanagan territory, the site now known as Copper Mountain Mine has seen operations since 1923. While the mine香蕉视频直播檚 owners , many are concerned about .
Terbasket said the sm菨lqm铆x香蕉视频直播檚 香蕉视频直播渆ntire identity comes from that river.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e the valley of the eagles 香蕉视频直播� how can you feed the eagles if there香蕉视频直播檚 no river?香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 our identity. It香蕉视频直播檚 also very much the lifeblood of our land.香蕉视频直播�
No access to medicines at mine site: knowledge keeper
In an interview, cewel香蕉视频直播檔a Leon Louis 香蕉视频直播� a knowledge keeper from LSIB 香蕉视频直播� explained that sm菨lqm铆x translates to Eagle Valley, from the nsyilxc蓹n language.
香蕉视频直播淲e are the eagle people, famous for eagle feathers and ochre,香蕉视频直播� Louis told IndigiNews. 香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 what we used to paint our faces and paint our rock paintings. That香蕉视频直播檚 what our people are known for.香蕉视频直播�
sknir虛mn (Buttercup) Anona Kampe, a syilx Okanagan knowledge keeper, that the rock paintings found throughout the territory range from hundreds to thousands of years old.
香蕉视频直播淲hen anthropologists were first making their journey throughout our territory, they came to the false conclusion that this was our first attempt at a written language. And we knew that wasn香蕉视频直播檛 true,香蕉视频直播� said Kampe.
An published by a local settler historian in 1958 details how the Similkameen Valley between 香蕉视频直播淧rinceton香蕉视频直播� and Hedley香蕉视频直播� features 20 sets of red ochre paintings.
香蕉视频直播淪ome of the paintings have to do with tribal rites and initiation ceremonies, some are guides for hunters and travelers, others are historical records,香蕉视频直播� says John Goodfellow香蕉视频直播檚 The Story of Similkameen.
Goodfellow details how Indigenous people in the valley dug for bitterroot, gathered wild potato and wild onions, picked huckleberries, seeds and much more.
香蕉视频直播淔ishing in lakes and rivers supplied much of the Indian diet. Basket traps were used, also horsehair lines to which thorns, or cactus hooks were attached,香蕉视频直播� the account states.
香蕉视频直播淣ative women made the baskets, and homemade twine. Before they were able to obtain rifles for hunting the natives used bows and arrows, lariats and snares. Even deer were snared.
香蕉视频直播淎t other times a whole tribe, with the help of their dogs, would herd deer into a natural corral, where they were quickly killed with bows and arrows.香蕉视频直播�
This same historical account details how settlement led to a deliberate attempted extinction of syilx ways of knowing in favour of 香蕉视频直播渢he white men香蕉视频直播檚 civilization.香蕉视频直播� This began with the fur trade, then evolved into mining and the search for gold, copper and coal.
Under settler colonialism, the Copper Mountain Mine香蕉视频直播檚 location saw its first operations a century ago. Several companies have acquired ownership of the project over the last century, as the mine saw intervals of activity and inactivity.
Louis said the mine site itself bars sm菨lqm铆x members from practicing culture and ceremony in that area, as they had done in the past.
香蕉视频直播淲e would go hunt, fish. Picking our roots, our berries, gathering our medicines,香蕉视频直播� he said.
The mine not only infringes on their title to land and their right to practice culture and conduct ceremonies, Louis said. Both Terbasket and Louis spoke of how the mining operation also interferes with the sm菨lqm铆x香蕉视频直播檚 responsibilities to uphold their rights in taking care of the tmx史ulax史 (the land), siw涩k史 (water) and tmix史 (all living things) for the next seven generations to come.
香蕉视频直播淭hese are our laws that take care of the land. Because if we take care of the land, the land takes care of us,香蕉视频直播� he said.
香蕉视频直播淲e think about seven generations yet to come. They香蕉视频直播檙e not yet born. They need to have clean water, clean air, have access to our foods and medicines. That香蕉视频直播檚 what seven generations before us did so that we would have access to that. Now, it香蕉视频直播檚 our responsibility.香蕉视频直播�
The problem with Copper Mountain Mine and all of its owners throughout its history is that they only care about profit and have no connection to the land, Louis said.
香蕉视频直播淐ontaminating the land, contaminating the water, contaminating our medicines, our foods. All that affects us. When we eat that, it香蕉视频直播檚 going to make us sick,香蕉视频直播� he said.
香蕉视频直播淲e have a prophecy about that. Eventually, we won香蕉视频直播檛 have any access to any of our foods, our medicines, the water.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播業s a syilx law not being broken every day by that mine?香蕉视频直播�
In July, staff at Hudbay Minerals, the current co-owners of Copper Mountain Mine, hosted a meeting with the sm菨lqm铆x community.
The band members-only gathering was for the company to share its plans to extend the mine香蕉视频直播檚 life by 14 years, by reviving the mine香蕉视频直播檚 former Ingerbelle Pit. IndigiNews obtained an audio recording of the meeting.
Terbasket, one of the youngest members to speak at the community gathering, shared her concerns about the proposed Ingerbelle Pit expansion, and the mine as a whole.
She told the meeting香蕉视频直播檚 participants that the mine has repeatedly violated syilx laws, and has a history of harming the water.
This year, the provincial Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy issued six fines to Copper Mountain Mine totalling $105,348, with all of the offences related to the pollution of nearby waters. In 2021, the mine at one point exceeded the legal limit of copper waste discharged from its tailings pond into Wolfe Creek by more than
香蕉视频直播淒oes that mine treat our water with respect that we have been taught? How much have they abused that water? And if that is true, then is a syilx law not being broken every day by that mine?香蕉视频直播� Terbasket said during the meeting. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 really terrifying.香蕉视频直播�
She acknowledged that in today香蕉视频直播檚 world, corporate profits often 香蕉视频直播渙utweigh the impact香蕉视频直播� of resource extraction.
香蕉视频直播淏ut right now as it stands, I see this as a clear attack on our title and rights,香蕉视频直播� she said, 香蕉视频直播渁nd threatening our water 香蕉视频直播� the lifeblood of our land.香蕉视频直播�
A syilx Elder and knowledge keeper also spoke up during the meeting, saying they are worried for future generations. IndigiNews did not receive permission to publish their name.
香蕉视频直播淚 sit in this room and see a few of the young ones, the kids. I worry about them 香蕉视频直播� what香蕉视频直播檚 going to be their future? By the time that child is grown up, some of you that香蕉视频直播檚 making a deal (on the Ingerbelle pit) will be in a bone yard,香蕉视频直播� the Elder said.
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 worried about my valley here, where I grew up. Too much damage 香蕉视频直播� I don香蕉视频直播檛 want to see any more of it.香蕉视频直播�
At one point during the meeting, a child from the community approached the mic and said she has something to say about the Similkameen River.
香蕉视频直播淚 just like the river, and you all like the river, do you?香蕉视频直播� she asked, to which many in the community enthusiastically responded, 香蕉视频直播淵eah! We love the river.香蕉视频直播�
syilx Okanagan laws about water 香蕉视频直播榓ll intertwined香蕉视频直播�
In their , the Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) recognized water as a 香蕉视频直播渞elation香蕉视频直播� of people 香蕉视频直播� a sacred entity to be treated with reverence and respect.
香蕉视频直播淎ny use of water should be an act of reverence and a commitment to our responsibilities,香蕉视频直播� the declaration states.
As well, the ONA香蕉视频直播檚 outlines that the laws related to their territory, lands, water and resources are held in their nsyilxc蓹n language.
香蕉视频直播淭he Creator has stood us, the nsyilxc蓹n-speaking people, up here as keepers of our territory, lands, water and resources for the good of all time,香蕉视频直播� the declaration states in its first clause.
Meanwhile, the ONA香蕉视频直播檚 states that Creator gave syilx people 香蕉视频直播渢he responsibility to be keepers of their waters, territory, lands, foods, and resources,香蕉视频直播� its seventh article says, 香蕉视频直播渁nd we continue to do so.香蕉视频直播�
Terbasket, who works for Penticton Indian Band香蕉视频直播檚 natural resources department, told IndigiNews her nation香蕉视频直播檚 numerous official documents governing water are interconnected.
香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檙e all intertwined,香蕉视频直播� she explained. 香蕉视频直播淓ven though you香蕉视频直播檙e breaking the water declaration, you香蕉视频直播檙e still going to break the family [and] still breaking the language declarations.
In 2022, LSIB y虛ilmix史m (Chief) kal蕯l霉pa蓩使n Keith Crow told by a number of factors, including mining contamination, forestry, and climate change.
香蕉视频直播淚f we lose the Similkameen, which is the lifeblood of our valley 香蕉视频直播� we lose our identity,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淲e lose who we are.香蕉视频直播�
In November, Crow and Upper Similkameen Indian Band (USIB) Chief Bonnie Jacobsen were among the vowing with other regional leaders to work together to protect the Okanagan and Similkameen watersheds.
Both Jacobsen and Crow declined IndigiNews香蕉视频直播� requests to speak about the mine, the proposed Ingerbelle pit expansion, and the contents of the community meeting from July.
In 2019, LSIB and USIB entered 香蕉视频直播減articipation agreements香蕉视频直播� with then mine-owners Copper Mountain Mining Corporation. That same year, the application for the New Ingerbelle project had been applied for.
sm蓹qm铆x leadership has not yet made a decision on the New Ingerbelle Expansion project. It香蕉视频直播檚 unclear how much revenue the two bands themselves generate from the mining operations.
A from LSIB and USIB released in 2023 said both First Nations 香蕉视频直播渉ave been frustrated with the mine for years and the relationship has become increasingly strained.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淔irst Nations governments are joint decision makers, and we expect companies on our land to treat us with fairness and respect as the caretakers of our lands and waters since time immemorial,香蕉视频直播� said a statement from Jacobsen at the time.
香蕉视频直播淥ur lands have never been ceded, surrendered, or sold.香蕉视频直播�
IndigiNews also reached out to Hudbay Minerals but did not receive a response.
Louis said that even in the face of environmental injustice and corporate greed, the community should never lose their hope and their strength in pushing back against the mine香蕉视频直播檚 expansion.
香蕉视频直播淲e should always try. Never give up. It香蕉视频直播檚 like trying to push a big boulder up a hill,香蕉视频直播� he said.
香蕉视频直播淵ou can香蕉视频直播檛 lose hope. You always gotta keep going. Everything I do is to help my people. I cannot get discouraged.香蕉视频直播�
