The Sinixt Nation's Struggle for Recognition

[Cliffy]

On Oct. 9, 2006, a baby born in Vallican, British Columbia, an ancient village and burial ground of the Sinixt Nation, made tribal history. Agnice Sophia Campbell was the first Sinixt (pronounced sin-eyekst) descendant born in traditional tribal territory in nearly 100 years. Although the Campbell family was able to submit proof of Agnice’s Sinixt lineage, the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs in Ottawa denied their application to register the baby as a Status Native Indian. For the Sinixt, who have struggled for 150 years for recognition, respect and legal rights associated with their ancestral cultural and lands, that decision was painfully familiar. Not only have the Sinixt lost ancestral lands, sacred sites and burial grounds, but the tribe has also been officially categorized as “extinct” by the Canadian government.

Sacred Land Film Project Sinixt Lands

 

[Bcool]

On Oct. 9, 2006, a baby born in Vallican, British Columbia, an ancient village and burial ground of the Sinixt Nation, made tribal history. Agnice Sophia Campbell was the first Sinixt (pronounced sin-eyekst) descendant born in traditional tribal territory in nearly 100 years. Although the Campbell family was able to submit proof of Agnice’s Sinixt lineage, the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs in Ottawa denied their application to register the baby as a Status Native Indian. For the Sinixt, who have struggled for 150 years for recognition, respect and legal rights associated with their ancestral cultural and lands, that decision was painfully familiar. Not only have the Sinixt lost ancestral lands, sacred sites and burial grounds, but the tribe has also been officially categorized as “extinct” by the Canadian government.

Sacred Land Film Project Sinixt Lands

Very interesting site, Cliffy. Sure hits the anger button, doesn't it? :angry1: I haven't seen mention on either PBS sites we get of the "Sacred Land" film. Think an email to them as well as our Knowledge Network might give them a nudge? As far as the Sinixt Nation's battle with the Canadian gov, and I assume the B.C. mob as well?, I'll get as many Can folk as I can to email as many politico's as possible. Are they getting a lot of support from the other First Nation's? I'm pretty sure that would be a yes, but just asking. Damn it! There are things that are just not right and there's outright criminal injustice and this is the latter. We've had dealings of one sort or another with Indian Affairs since the sixties, a more vicious bunch of bureacrats I've yet to encounter! :disgust:

 

[Cliffy]

This is such a localized issue that very few Canadians even know what is going on here. Those that do, don't know what to do about it. I would like to see someone organize a writing campaign to set the bureaucrats pants on fire. But I have brought this subject up here before but with little interest. I just keep plugging along. Artifacts have been found at Deer Park at the south end of Arrow Lakes that date back 9000 years ago, so I think this is a very important part of Canada's pre-history. That they were arbitrarily declared extinct in '56 just when the negotiations for the Columbia River Treaty began smacks of political expediency.

These people have every right to be part of Canada and yet they are being refused entry. The local chief had to go down to Kettle falls on tribal business, and they tried to refuse him re-entry into Canada. Because of the road block in '89 trying to protect their burial ground at Valican, many of the participants are still not allowed into the country.

Some of the other nations support their efforts while some, like the Kootenay and West Bank Okanagans are trying to lay claim to parts of their territory. I believe it is part of the government's plan to confuse the issue because contested land will never be settled in the lands claims. The government is embarrassed by the Sinixt presence here and probably asked the Kootenay and West Bank bands to lay claim just so the government doesn't have to face the real issue of the arbitrary extinction. It is trying every trick in the book to avoid recognizing the Sinixt, because then they would have to admit making a mistake. How childish is that?

 

[Bcool]

This is such a localized issue that very few Canadians even know what is going on here. Those that do, don't know what to do about it. I would like to see someone organize a writing campaign to set the bureaucrats pants on fire. But I have brought this subject up here before but with little interest. I just keep plugging along. Artifacts have been found at Deer Park at the south end of Arrow Lakes that date back 9000 years ago, so I think this is a very important part of Canada's pre-history. That they were arbitrarily declared extinct in '56 just when the negotiations for the Columbia River Treaty began smacks of political expediency.

These people have every right to be part of Canada and yet they are being refused entry. The local chief had to go down to Kettle falls on tribal business, and they tried to refuse him re-entry into Canada. Because of the road block in '89 trying to protect their burial ground at Valican, many of the participants are still not allowed into the country.

Some of the other nations support their efforts while some, like the Kootenay and West Bank Okanagans are trying to lay claim to parts of their territory. I believe it is part of the government's plan to confuse the issue because contested land will never be settled in the lands claims. The government is embarrassed by the Sinixt presence here and probably asked the Kootenay and West Bank bands to lay claim just so the government doesn't have to face the real issue of the arbitrary extinction. It is trying every trick in the book to avoid recognizing the Sinixt, because then they would have to admit making a mistake. How childish is that?

Economics makes these decisions, always has done, Cliffy, right? And politicians & bureaucrats fight dirty. I'll see how many I can get to go to the site at least and I do know someone who handles a lot of reports and analysis work for Indian Affairs on contract, will see what good sources/names I can get there... Depends on who really wants that land and for what. If its going to make some multinational corp. & consequently a bunch of politicians even richer, it's an uphill battle, that's for sure. :roll:

 

[hermite]

It's interesting that they are recognized by the US. I just read that the Canadian government declared them extinct in order to facilitate the Indian Act. In other words, it's all about saving a dollar. Must be strange to be alive yet have the gov't consider you dead.

They were a very socially and culturally advanced people who got pretty much wiped out by a smallpox epidemic. Hm. Wonder where that came from.

 

[Cliffy]

Another interesting site is: First Nations - Sinixt

A nice history with pictures by a German doctor.

It's interesting that they are recognized by the US. I just read that the Canadian government declared them extinct in order to facilitate the Indian Act. In other words, it's all about saving a dollar. Must be strange to be alive yet have the gov't consider you dead.

They were a very socially and culturally advanced people who got pretty much wiped out by a smallpox epidemic. Hm. Wonder where that came from.

They were hit by several smallpox, measles and dysentery epidemics over a long period, but they were far from wiped out at first contact. They were targeted for extermination by early miners and which is why survivors left the Arrow Lakes and Slocan valleys.

 

[petros]

This sounds like a catch 22. As it stands they are humans with humans rights, becoming recognized as a people and individual persons is a form of suicide to only gain a title.

 

[taxslave]

If a bureaucrat with a computer says they are extinct they must be. After all computers and bureaucrats would not lie.... would they?

 

[Cliffy]

This sounds like a catch 22. As it stands they are humans with humans rights, becoming recognized as a people and individual persons is a form of suicide to only gain a title.

This is true except that being extinct means they don't even have basic human rights. They are basically illegal aliens in their own territory with no access to medical or educational services and no legal rights at all. Marylin James is a Canadian born in the Shuswap of Sinixt and Chinese ancestry but the chief is an American from Colville and has to go to the US for medical treatment and now they don't want to let him back into Canada.

 

[petros]

This is true except that being extinct means they don't even have basic human rights. They are basically illegal aliens in their own territory with no access to medical or educational services and no legal rights at all. Marylin James is a Canadian born in the Shuswap of Sinixt and Chinese ancestry but the chief is an American from Colville and has to go to the US for medical treatment and now they don't want to let him back into Canada.

All of those items you list are the rights of a person not the common law rights of a human being.

 

[Cliffy]

All of those items you list are the rights of a person not the common law rights of a human being.

I am aware of the difference between a person and a human being. I tried not to register my son when he was born (30 years ago) but was threatened with jail if I didn't. The government wants their cut.

I do not understand why the Sinixt are insistent on recognition on a personal level, but on a traditional level, it is important to them. These people take stewardship of the land very seriously. They take caring for their dead very seriously. They started a revolution in 93 when they had the Royal Museum return their bones for repatriation at Valican. Since then just about every native band in the Americas has had their bones returned for repatriation. It was the theft of their bones that brought them back from oblivion and gelled their interest in resurrecting themselves as a distinct people.

 

[petros]

I am aware of the difference between a person and a human being. I tried not to register my son when he was born (30 years ago) but was threatened with jail if I didn't. The government wants their cut.

I do not understand why the Sinixt are insistent on recognition on a personal level, but on a traditional level, it is important to them. These people take stewardship of the land very seriously. They take caring for their dead very seriously. They started a revolution in 93 when they had the Royal Museum return their bones for repatriation at Valican. Since then just about every native band in the Americas has had their bones returned for repatriation. It was the theft of their bones that brought them back from oblivion and gelled their interest in resurrecting themselves as a distinct people.

No other bands will take them on as a subset?
It's done here in SK for once displaced bands from the east and US.

 

[Cliffy]

No other bands will take them on as a subset?
It's done here in SK for once displaced bands from the east and US.

When they were forced from their territory because of persecution and because they had a bounty on their heads by the miners, many of them moved to live among the Okanagans and Shuswap. The Indian Act states that if you live among other people, you automatically give up your heritage and become part of that tribe. They are already a subset of those other tribes. They want their heritage back.

 

[petros]

I am aware of the difference between a person and a human being. I tried not to register my son when he was born (30 years ago) but was threatened with jail if I didn't. The government wants their cut.

I do not understand why the Sinixt are insistent on recognition on a personal level, but on a traditional level, it is important to them. These people take stewardship of the land very seriously. They take caring for their dead very seriously. They started a revolution in 93 when they had the Royal Museum return their bones for repatriation at Valican. Since then just about every native band in the Americas has had their bones returned for repatriation. It was the theft of their bones that brought them back from oblivion and gelled their interest in resurrecting themselves as a distinct people.

When they were forced from their territory because of persecution and because they had a bounty on their heads by the miners, many of them moved to live among the Okanagans and Shuswap. The Indian Act states that if you live among other people, you automatically give up your heritage and become part of that tribe. They are already a subset of those other tribes. They want their heritage back.

Spallumcheen?

 

[Cliffy]

Spallumcheen?

Some maybe but most I know of are closer to Penticton. Marylin James is from Kamloops.

 

[petros]

Make sure you try that contact.

 

[Cliffy]

Make sure you try that contact.

You bet. Thanks