2023 Spring Newsletter

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Spring Newsletter — 2023

1910 Declaration of the Tahltan Tribe

WE THE

UNDERSIGNED MEMBERS OF THE TAHLTAN TRIBE,

speaking for ourselves, and our entire tribe, hereby make known to all whom it may concern, that we have heard of the Indian Rights movement among the Indian tribes of the Coast, and of the southern interior of B.C. Also, we have read the Declaration made by the chiefs of the southern interior tribes at Spences Bridge on the 16th July last, and we hereby declare our complete agreement with the demands of same, and with the position taken by the said chiefs, and their people on all the questions stated in the said Declaration, and we furthermore make known that it is our desire and intention to join with them in the fight for our mutual rights, and that we will assist in the furtherance of this object in every way we can, until such time as all these matters of moment to us are finally settled. We further declare as follows:

FIRSTLY – We claim the sovereign right to all the country of our tribe—this country of ours which we have held intact from the encroachments of other tribes, from time immemorial, at the cost of our own blood. We have done this because our lives depended on our country. To lose it meant we would lose our means of living, and therefore our lives. We are still, as heretofore, dependent for our living on our country, and we do not intend to give away the title to any part of same without adequate compensation. We deny the B.C. government has any title or right of ownership in our country. We have never treatied with them, nor given them any such title. (We have only very lately learned the B.C. government makes this claim, and that it has for long considered as its property all the territories of the Indian tribes in B.C.)

SECONDLY – We desire that a part of our country, consisting of one or more large areas (to be selected by us), be retained by us for our own use, said lands and all thereon to be acknowledged by the government as our absolute property. The rest of our tribal land we are willing to relinquish to the B.C. government for adequate compensation.

THIRDLY – We wish it known that a small portion of our lands at the mouth of the Tahltan river, was set apart a few years ago by Mr. Vowell as an Indian reservation. These few acres are the only reservation made for our tribe. We may state we never applied for the reservation of this piece of land, and we had no knowledge why the government set it apart for us, nor do we know exactly yet.

FOURTHLY – We desire that all questions regarding our lands, hunting, fishing, etc., and every matter concerning our welfare, be settled by treaty between us and the Dominion and B.C. governments.

FIFTHLY – We are of the opinion it will be better for ourselves, also better for the governments and all concerned, if these treaties are made with us at a very early date, so all friction, and misunderstanding between us and the whites may be avoided, for we hear lately much talk of white settlements in the region and the building of railways, etc., in the near future.

Signed at Telegraph Creek, B.C., this eighteenth day of October, nineteen hundred and ten, by NANOK, Chief of the Tahltans NASTULTA, alias Little Jackson GEORGE ASSADZA, KENETL, alias Big Jackson And eighty other members of our tribe.

Message from the President

am proud of all of those who attended for contributing to the success of the experience and participating actively and enthusiastically. Similar to the Association for Mineral Exploration (AME) Roundup, I will advocate to have TCG continue to attend this event and hope to work with outfitters to make it bigger and better for more Tahltan Youth and others in future years.

Chad Norman Day President, Tahltan Central Government

Tahltan Nation,

I hope all of you are enjoying the warmer weather and longer days as we transition to the new season. Like many of you, I am deeply enjoying time out on our land and am looking forward to enjoying time with family and friends in territory in the coming months. The Tahltan Central Government (TCG) team has been busy over the past few months working to bring new opportunities to the Tahltan Nation, to advance our collective rights and title, and to keep building TCG’s capacity.

In late February, we were extremely pleased to host a In late February, TCG’s Wildlife Department, Tourism Department, and I were pleased to host a group of Tahltan Youth on our government’s trip to attend the Safari Club International Convention in Nashville, Tennessee. The convention brings together thousands of guide outfitters, hunters and other vendors associated with the industry from around the world. Tahltan Youth had a chance to learn about the business and marketing side of guide outfitting up close and were able to meet up to fifteen active guide outfitters working in Tahltan Territory. The Youth worked at various outfitters’ booths, sat in on meetings with clients, and discussed work opportunities available in the upcoming fall. Many new collaborative initiatives came from this trip, including a free wrangler course which will be attended by at least ten Tahltans this coming July. I

Improving wildlife management throughout Tahltan Territory remains a huge passion of mine and one of the top priorities of the TCG. The more that we understand the guide outfitting industry and collaborate with these owners and operators in the future, the more successful we will become with many of our wildlife and land use planning initiatives into the future. Similar to mineral exploration companies in the past, some guide outfitters do not have a good understanding of our Tahltan culture, communities, governance and all the work being completed throughout Tahltan Territory. The trip to Nashville was not just about exposing our Tahltan Youth to employment opportunities - it was about getting to know more outfitters and understanding how their industry will impact Tahltan Territory and our wildlife into the future. We must work together, and guide outfitters must respect Tahltan title and rights if their industry aims to continue in Tahltan Territory for years to come.

Our TCG departments remain busy, and many have been holding community engagement sessions to support their ongoing work. The Tahltan Stewardship Initiative (TSI) will be holding engagements in the weeks and months to come. Through the TSI, we will work to establish Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) through the Tahltan Land Stewardship Plan. IPCAs are areas where Indigenous governments have the primary role in protecting and conserving ecosystems through Indigenous laws, governance, and knowledge systems.

Our Lands Department has been conducting engagement sessions to assist with their ongoing projects, which includes facilitating meetings with industry proponents including Newcrest regarding the Red Chris Mine and Skeena Resources for the Eskay Creek Revitalization Project. The department is also leading the development of a Tahltan Land Use Occupancy Study which will support the future

Tahltan Environmental Assessment process for the proposed Giga Metals’ Turnagain Project. Our Wildlife Department has held engagement sessions in Dease Lake, Telegraph Creek, and Iskut to provide updates on a number of projects, including the TCG – BC Accord on Wildlife Management, and look for community input. We are grateful to members who join and offer their insight and guidance at these sessions. I encourage all of you to participate, when possible, both to share your experience and knowledge and to stay informed about the work going on in Tahltan Territory and the TCG.

Our Language Department has continued their invaluable work on the Tāłtān Dictionary Project, bringing Tahltan Elders and Knowledge Holders together to document and preserve our beautiful and unique language. While there is still more work to be done, they are in the later stages of the project, and I look forward to the outcomes of this work which we will launch in the months ahead. Upon completion, they will have produced an incredible resource that will serve all Tahltans now and in the future.

The TCG was pleased to partner with the Tahltan Nation Development Corporation (TNDC), the Province of British Columbia, Newcrest Mining, and other partners to launch the Tahltan Heavy Equipment Operators (HEO) program in Tahltan Territory. This incredible opportunity allowed Tahltans to train as heavy equipment operators without requiring them to travel great distances to do so. It paired experienced men and women as mentors with participants so that they could become more comfortable on site and ask questions in a safe and supportive environment. I was thrilled to see the number of participants that joined in the interest of advancing their careers and I hope to see continued interest in the program.

Our annual Dease Lake Career Fair & Resource Forum was once again a huge success, despite the eruption of the Shiveluch volcano in Russia which caused flight cancellations across the province and prevented some intended participants from attending. The event brought employers together in one place to allow Tahltan community members to learn about current and future employment and training opportunities in-territory and how to apply for them. Mēduh to everyone who joined us. We hope you found it beneficial, and we look forward to hosting it again next year.

Josie Osborne, Minister of BC’s Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation visited Tahltan Territory in late March, where she met with me and Iskut Band Chief Marie Quock. She toured the Red Chris Mine and our communities of Dease Lake and Iskut after an invitation was extend to Minister Osborne following a discussion

at Tahltan Night in January during AME Roundup. I shared some of the issues of concern for Tahltans and emphasized the importance of her experiencing our concerns first-hand. We travelled Highway 37 together and she was able to witness and learn about many issues in Tahltan Territory during our time together. This in-person visit was a critical step in relationship building and allowed us to demonstrate areas where we require greater support. Red Chris Mine was the first active mine site which Minister Osborne visited following her appointment to her new role.

As always, our TCG team continues to grow. We have seen several TCG employees move up into new positions, taking on greater responsibilities as their skills develop within the organization. I am proud to watch the team take on new challenges that support both their professional and personal growth. I would also like to extend a warm welcome to the new Dekama (Quock) Family Representative, Richard “Rocky” Jackson who was elected to serve on the TCG Board of Directors in late March. Rocky has taken over for Natasha Callbreath who we thank for her support during her time with the TCG.

In closing, I share my condolences with those who have lost loved ones over the past months. You are not alone in your grief, and I encourage you to accept support from those around you as you journey through the grieving process. As always, I would also like to welcome all of the new Tahltans born this season, including my own daughter, Zatahlia, who my Wife and I welcomed in April.

I look forward to gathering with many of you at the Annual General Assembly (AGA) this summer and providing in-person updates on the incredible work being done here and at the TCG.

Klane Nedischā.

Check out page 19 to read more about the Dease Lake Career Fair & Resource Forum.

Above: President Day at the Safari Club International (SCI) Convention in Nashville.

Message from the Vice President

We have met with the TCG Board of Directors on several occasions to provide good governance for our membership. I encourage you to reach out to your Family Representatives to be informed on all the important decisions that have passed our table. If you are unsure of which family you belong to, you can reach out to our Membership & Genealogy Director, Shannon Frank. Her email is membershipdirector@tahltan.org. She can help guide you to the family you belong to.

Heather Hawkins

Vice President, Tahltan Central Government

Greetings Tahltans,

As always, it is so beautiful to watch the leaves and plants begin to bud with new growth. Telegraph Creek highway had minimal freshet impacts this year. Mēduh, Ahdigi dene ti’e.

I have been focusing much of my energy and time on building capacity within the Tahltan Central Government (TCG) team. I participate on numerous committees and the Human Resources Committee is one of them. This spring, we gained six new team members. I am very excited for our TCG family and how we will continue to serve our Tahltan citizens.

I am looking forward to the upcoming Annual General Assembly (AGA). We have a lot of information that we would like to share with you. I will reiterate what our Fisheries Department has been advising to our public: that the Chinook (king) salmon fishing is closed this year. I know we all love our łuwe, however, we want and need to be responsible harvesters. We can achieve this by allowing the numbers of our king salmon to replenish and by not harvesting them this year. Another important note is that the opening for sockeye fishing will be pushed back to July 12, 2023. Mēduh for abstaining.

I look forward to seeing all your beautiful faces this summer.

Mēduh Cho.

SAVE THE DATES

Upcoming holidays and Tahltan events

Ȗ JUNE 21: National Indigenous Peoples Day – TCG Closed

Ȗ JULY 1: Canada Day – TCG Closed

Ȗ JULY 1–5: Annual General Assembly, Dease Lake

Ȗ JULY 12: Food, Social, and Ceremonial (FSC) New Date

Ȗ AUGUST 7: BC Day – TCG Closed

Ȗ SEPTEMBER 4: Labour Day – TCG Closed

Ȗ SEPTEMBER 30: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Ȗ OCTOBER 9: Thanksgiving Day – TCG Closed

Ȗ OCTOBER 11: Tahltan Day

New Tahltans

KIENNA RAE CARLICK-BECK

Hailey Carlick-Beck

April 8, 2023 6lbs 7oz

CASH GAGNON

Jesse Gagnon & Tara Losier

March 28, 2023 7lbs 5oz

BLAKE SOPHIE LLEWELLYN

Sascha & Shawn Llewellyn

March 9, 2023 8lbs 2oz

HOPE AURORA ECCO WATSON-NOLE

Dreanne Watson & Dustin Nole April 11, 2023 7lbs 9oz

ZATAHLIA NAHLIN DIESTA DAY

Chad Norman Day & Sharmaine Diesta-Day April 20, 2023 7lbs 2oz

Condolences

DONNIE (DONALD) MCPHEE

August 1936 – March 2023

CRYSTAL NOLE

March 1975 – March 2023

Food, Social, and Ceremonial (FSC) Date Change Notification

ATTENTION ALL TAHLTAN MEMBERS

In an effort to address the ongoing low returns of Stikine River Chinook stocks and increase the number of spawners on the grounds, extra Chinook (King) salmon conservation measures are being applied to our Tahltan Nation Food Fishery. Additional action from TCG’s Fisheries Department was undertaken over the winter months, and approval was provided by the TCG Board of Directors to make the requested changes.

Our Food Fishery opening date has been changed from July 1 to July 12 to address the observed changes and later sockeye run timing. Over the course of the first two weeks of our food fishing, we are intercepting almost exclusively Chinook salmon migrating to the Tahltan River to their spawning grounds. Our catch records and data indicate that the Tahltan Lake sockeye salmon presence in our Food Fishery does not start building in numbers until around July 12-15.

In an effort to conserve the struggling Chinook populations, we are directing our members to hold off on setting their nets until July 12 to specifically target our sockeye salmon and minimize the incidental catches of Chinook even further. Your cooperation would be greatly appreciated. For our Tahltan members coming home to participate in the Food Fishery, please align your vacation requests and timing of arrival to coincide with the new opening date.

We are excited and looking forward to welcoming home all of our families and friends to participate in the annual soul-filling camping, visiting, and cultural harvesting activities on the Land.

Tahltan Central Government Tāłtān Signage Project Receives Million Dollar Funding

DEASE LAKE, BRITISH COLUMBIA, April 25, 2023, – The Tahltan Central Government (TCG) has announced that it has been selected as recipient of $1 million in funding for its Tāłtān Signage Project through the Province of British Columbia’s Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, and Sport under the Destination Development Fund.

A collaboratively developed application was submitted by a number of TCG’s departments who have been involved in the Tāłtān Signage Project. Through this project, TCG has been working to address gaps in signage in Tahltan Territory to ensure that interpretive, wayfinding, and tourism signage includes Tahltan worldview and the Tāłtān language to educate visitors and residents of Tahltan Territory

on our unique culture and beautiful land. The Tahltan Nation is having discussions on the diversification of our economy and this project supports a key step forward in that process.

“Tahltans have never ceded or surrendered our lands and much of the current signage within Tahltan Territory is not representative of our identity, culture, and language. The Tāłtān Signage Project will allow our people to collaboratively implement a signage masterplan for Tahltan Territory to include our language, oral history, storytelling, and worldview. Mēduh to those who have contributed to this work so far and others who will continue to support us in the journey ahead.” Chad Norman Day, President, Tahltan Central Government.

PRESS RELEASE

Tahltan Central Government Strongly Asserts Tahltan Territory Borders, Opposes Neighbouring Nations Claims

DEASE LAKE, BRITISH COLUMBIA, February 14, 2023 – The Tahltan Central Government (TCG) is actively managing recent and ongoing actions by neighbouring Nations that relate to lands within the boundaries of Tahltan Territory, including recent announcements by the Taku River Tlingit First Nation (TRTFN) and the Treaty 8 Nations.

Most recently, on January 20, 2023, TRTFN announced the Taku River Tlingit First Nation Declaration of the T’aku Tlatsini Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (Taku IPCA). TRTFN included the Sheslay area within Tahltan Territory in its Taku IPCA. TRTFN did not seek or obtain Tahltan consent prior to including any of Tahltan Territory in the Taku IPCA, and it appears that TRTFN did not have the support of the Province of British Columbia (Province) prior to declaring the

Taku

The

denies that TRTFN has the right to govern Sheslay or any other area of Tahltan Territory and opposes this type of unilateral assertion of governance rights by any Nation within Tahltan Territory.

The TCG is committed to taking every step necessary to assert Tahltan jurisdiction and protect Tahltan Territory from encroachment by third parties and we are in active communication with the Province regarding these issues. At the same time, the TCG recognizes the value in maintaining positive relationships with our neighbouring Nations, to the extent possible. Accordingly, the TCG will be working to engage in respectful dialogue with our neighbours while diligently ensuring that Tahltan rights, lands, and resources are safeguarded.

IPCA.1

TCG

SCI Convention Nashville Youth Trip

Tahltan Youth and Tahltan Central Government (TCG) staff enjoyed a trip to Nashville where they attended the Safari Club International (SCI) Convention, North America’s largest hunting convention. The convention brought together thousands of guide outfitters and prospective clients from around the world.

This was TCG’s first Youth trip to an international destination and first attendance at a hunting/ tourism convention. The goal was to expose Youth to employment opportunities in outfitting and they spent three days working at various outfitter’s booths, sitting in on meetings with clients, and getting one-on-one time with outfitters to discuss work opportunities this fall.

The convention was also a valuable opportunity for TCG staff to meet numerous outfitters in person, build relationships, and discuss our commitment to wildlife management and preservation.

We are very proud of the four Youth who joined us this year: Jena Callbreath, Brayden Gleason-Frost, Shenoa Asp, and Kai Payne who all come from hunting backgrounds. The Youth did an amazing job at the booths, helping bring in clients, and contributing to the overall success of the experience.

We also want to extend our gratitude to all the outfitters who hosted Tahltan Youth at their booth and shared their insights with them about the industry. A special thanks to Scott Ellis and Michael Young from the Guide Outfitters Association of BC for putting together a great presentation for the Youth on the first day.

Above and Right: TCG staff and Tahltan Youth attend SCI Convention in Nashville.

SCI Nashville Post-Trip Q&A

Why did you want to join this trip?

I’ve always loved being outdoors, I just recently started getting into hunting in the past few years. Although I don’t have an insane amount of knowledge, I’m very eager to learn! I am my own boss as a hairdresser and my goal is to eventually have my own hunting outfit. I have a horse and love horseback riding; I find being in nature and away from cell service very healing and freeing and would love to share that with others eventually.

What would you tell other Youth who are considering going on a similar trip in the future?

Go – it’s worth a trip and experience!

JENA CALLBREATH

BRAYDEN GLEASON

Why is hunting important to you?

Hunting helps me find myself almost, being out on the land, connecting to it, and just being away from other people and just pretty much the world feels like. My family has hunted for years. It’s just a tradition that we have to keep doing and it helps bring food on the table.

Please tell us about your most memorable hunting experience.

I have had many hunting/hiking trips and have been going out on the land since I was young. Every summer, I go to my Papa Doyle’s camp in the Klappan mountains for a couple of weeks. It’s where I learned to hunt, pack and bring home big game wildlife. In August, I harvested my first caribou and brought the meat home, and following cultural protocols, I gave my first kill to all the Elders in the community. I also have taken part in TCG’s Predator Management Program by harvesting two black bears. In the winter, I trap when I get the chance, and I hunt as needed. I am confident in saying that I have a lot of hunting experience and I am very passionate about following our traditional cultural practices when I hunt.

SHENOA ASP

KAI PAYNE

Dease Lake Career Fair & Resource Forum

This year’s Dease Lake Career Fair & Resource Forum was held in April and was tremendously successful thanks to the support of all those involved. TCG brought employers to territory to share information on training and employment opportunities. Many community members and students took advantage of the opportunity to come learn more about career prospects within Tahltan Territory. We are grateful to all of those who participated in the event, both as presenters and attendees. Mēduh.

Above and Right: Career Fair & Resource Forum at the Dease Lake School gym.

Tahltan OnTrack

Culture & Heritage Director Report

the conversations with our Tahltan people. We will be asking questions such as: Where do we want to share our history? What signs in the community do we want to see changed? Do we want to include more signage for backcountry trails? I am humbled to be a part of the discussion and excited to see how far we can take the work.

Sandra Marion Culture & Heritage Director

We are excited here in the Culture & Heritage Department for the warmer months to be upon us. Time for us to get out of our homes, stretch, and collect some medicine as it becomes available, and our time for harvesting fish and berries is just around the corner.

Tahltan representation in the communities and territory has been very minimal. It has been an ongoing struggle for many decades to share our information with our neighbours and visitors who stroll through. We have had some major key players in the past who have had some major foresight and have launched many beautiful signage projects, and for them we are truly grateful for their hard work and dedication. Mēduh cho!

At the Tahltan Central Government (TCG) department director level, we have been discussing the need for a broader approach to signage in Tahltan Territory for some time. We need a full scan of what we want, what is possible, and timelines associated with both. We also needed to include participation on the Province’s side to ensure smooth transitions once the “rubber started to hit the pavement” on the work. Our first steps will be conducting a thorough inventory of available signage we can change to include Tahltan perspective and worldviews, and then we will start

Here at the TCG Archives, we assembled a small team (including members from the Lands Department) to issue a letter to the BC Archaeology Branch to request that we be recognized as a qualified repository under the provincial Branch, and we were approved!

We will be sending out letters of notification to consultant companies and proponents to inform them that any artifacts found in Tahltan Territory that must be removed from their home, can be brought to the office in Dease Lake. We will be partnering with the schools in the area to set up secure display cases, so that the Youth can learn about each belonging. Students will be able to learn about them and study their history. This is very exciting for us, as this is a step in the right direction towards repatriation and the creation of our own cultural centre where we can bring home further belongings.

Dẕenēs hoti’e, Tahltans,

Dease Lake Community Director Report

The Tahltan Dancers had an opportunity to attend Hobiyee in Laxgalts’ap. It was truly an inspirational sight to be among all the dancers and watch them perform. We have also done a drum-making workshop as we think the dancers should have their own drums.

Working with Tsēmā Igharas, we held a cultural activity filled week leading up to Dease Daze. The cultural activities and fun winter games were definitely a highlight of the spring season. There are so many people to thank for their support, hard work, and knowledge that contributed to the success of the events.

I have held a couple movie nights where we showed the new Avatar and Thor movies. These were exciting and enjoyable - nothing is better than pizza and a movie.

Christina Callbreath Dease Lake Community Director

Hello everyone and hello spring,

I have applied for a few grants for community events and cultural projects which were approved. The first was from First Peoples’ Cultural Council (FPCC). It is for traditional crafts, such as sewing nights, and for projects like rattle making and drum making. I have scheduled these evenings on Fridays and started with making octopus bags and tuslas, which were very well attended. We will be making rattles soon and having some art nights.

I received one grant for our Family Day Sliding Party and one for a baseball program. The baseball gear is starting to arrive now and will be available to be signed out from the Tahltan Building as the weather gets better. I have included a t-ball portion in the program and look forward to seeing our little ones enjoy the sport.

We are well into a six-week Zoom ballet course that was arranged with the assistance of Jenn Wonder. There are fifteen children enrolled.

Finally, I would like to congratulate the winners of the Easter coloring contest. Chesney Marion, Alaia Asp, and Makinley Dennis. You all did a great job and there were many beautiful submissions.

If you have any ideas of activities I can bring in or arrange, I am always willing to visit or chat.

Thank you to everyone who participates!

Education & Training Director Report

The Tahltan HEO Training Program has three distinct components:

• Driver’s License Program

• HEO Mentor Program

• HEO Development Program

DRIVER’S LICENSE PROGRAM

Stacey Hanik Education & Training Director

They say that spring signifies new beginnings, full of growth, renewal, and transformation. This statement is also true for the Tahltan Central Government (TCG) Education & Training Department.

In January, the Education & Training Department bid farewell to Kellie Louie. We would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation for her dedication and hard work during her time with the TCG. We wish Kellie all the best in her future endeavors.

Numerous exciting projects had already begun and are still ongoing prior to my appointment to this position on March 6, 2023.

Through our partnership with the Tahltan Nation Development Corporation (TNDC), Newcrest, and the BC Government, we were pleased to see the Tahltan Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO) Training Program launched in mid-January this year.

We understand how hard it is to get a driver’s license living in Tahltan Territory. We also know how critical it is to hold a driver’s license – it is the key to employment, travelling for education and health care, and being self-sufficient. The driver’s license initiative has been wildly successful, with over forty-six people applying to take their Class 7L, 7N and Class 5 instruction with Dease Lake Pro Driving School. Classes occurred in Dease Lake, Telegraph Creek, and Iskut, and it was great to see the support in each community. We also had twenty-four people participate in an online Class 4 learner’s course with All Nations Driving School. Stay tuned for more driving programs this summer and fall.

HEO MENTOR PROGRAM

A key cornerstone of the Tahltan HEO Training Program is the involvement of existing senior heavy equipment operator mentors. As mentors, these skilled, experienced women and men play an important role, working alongside our HEO instructor on-site at Red Chris and helping the HEO program participants stay safe and build new skills. Mentors work directly with participants to help them get comfortable on-site, and serve to be a generally safe and engaging presence. Twenty-nine senior equipment operator mentors successfully completed their Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MiHR) Workplace Assessor and Industry Trainer courses in Smithers in early February, which were hosted and facilitated by Centre of Training Excellence in Mining (CTEM) and MiHR. These mentors are critical for the growth of the HEO Training Program in the coming years.

HEO DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

The first-ever Tahltan HEO Program Camp Life Orientation week – held at the Newcrest Red Chris Mine – ran from March 16 to 23, with the first four participants experiencing first-hand what life is like working and living at a remote operating mine. Their twelve-hour shifts (6 am to 6 pm) included learning, training, and hands-on operating experience. The group, supported by TNDC Mentors, completed the MiHR Common Competency Curriculum and the SkilledTradesBC (STBC) Roadbuilder Curriculum, learned about different mining jobs and opportunities from industry experts, and spent time in the field riding in an articulated haul truck and learning how to drive a compactor roller.

Participants were back on-site March 30 to April 6 and April 27 to May 10 working with the HEO instructor and mentors to gain experience operating compactor rollers and articulated haul trucks, which prepares them for placement as HEO apprentices with an industry partner in Tahltan Territory starting mid-May.

TCG is grateful to TNDC, the Government of British Columbia, Newcrest Mining, Thompson Rivers University, Finning, Contact North BC, CTEM, MiHR, and STBC for their partnership in support of this program. More information can be found at www.tahltanheo.com

At the end of May, the second annual Tahltan Exploration and Industry Training (TEIT) session began. This was a great opportunity for Tahltans to return to territory and learn about core-cutting, drilling and overall industry standards. Successful applicants received flights, meals, accommodation, transportation, training, and compensation for their time.

We are excited to share that we have another exciting training opportunity for our Youth Outfitter program. Thanks to a generous donation from Miller’s Outdoor Ltd., we will be hosting a six-day training session in July. Those who attended the Nashville trip, as well as those who have applied to attend, will have the chance to participate in a variety of learning sessions, including basic horse skills

and saddling, horse trimming and shoeing, packing and tying diamonds, and skinning and caping. We will be releasing more details soon, but we would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to Miller’s for providing our Youth with such an incredible opportunity to learn and grow. In the years ahead, our goal is to establish a similar program within our territory that will allow us to engage the expertise of the many outfitters and guides in our Nation, who can serve as mentors and leaders for our Youth.

As the academic year ends, we want to offer our congratulations to all those who have completed another year of post-secondary education or have reached the end of their educational journey. The TCG is honored to have played a role in some of your progress and success, and we look forward to seeing all that you will achieve in the future.

Moving forward, we will remain dedicated to improving and refining our TCG Education & Training processes and programs. This will include building strong partnerships across the Tahltan governance structure, within industry, and in and out of the territory.

Below: Garry Coates (Instructor), Stacey Hanik, Salina Gray, Jazmyn Etzerza, May Quock, Tony Bob, Keenan Russell (Program Support) at Red Chris Mine for the HEO class.

Employment & Business Director Report

competition among them is increasing. Despite the anticipated slow pace of the exploration industry due to the economic downturn, it is essential to ensure that our industry partners hold a pre-season meeting to introduce them to the growing list of Tahltan businesses.

The Employment & Business Department acknowledges that publicly traded companies in the industry have stringent guidelines to adhere to, ensuring a fair selection process for their contractors. It is essential to emphasize that our department has no influence on the selection process of contractors for industry projects. Ensuring the accuracy of provided services and company email addresses is crucial. It is recommended that this information is updated via the Tahltan registration form or by sending an email to ontrack@tahltan.org, especially when additional services are added to an organization.

Ann Ball Employment & Business Director

In the first quarter of 2023, the Tahltan Central Government (TCG) Board of Directors approved the Tahltan Business Registry Policy after a two-month feedback period. The updated policy includes the feedback received and ensures a fair and transparent process for validating Tahltan businesses and their tiers. To validate businesses, MNP, a professional accountancy and business advisory firm, will use a secure portal email for confidential documents. To be clear, the TCG will not be part of the vetting process other than ensuring that registered businesses are registered TCG members. Choosing of the tier allocation of Tahltan businesses will be done solely by the third-party firm.

During the spring season, our organization receives inquiries from industry partners regarding Tahltan businesses and their compatibility with the program proposed by the partners. Our role includes promoting all Tahltan businesses that offer services in the areas requested by the industry partners. Many of the businesses have established credibility in their respective fields, and have Tahltan employees that are desired back on projects by name request. With over eighty-seven registered Tahltan businesses,

Lily Sembsmoen is available to assist Tahltans with updating their resumes. If you need assistance updating resumes, please contact otspecialist@tahltan.org. Tahltans and Associate Tahltans can register at OnTrack.tahltan.org to view job postings, giving Tahltans preferential hiring. Even if someone is not a status member, anyone with Tahltan ancestry can register for TCG membership at tahltan.org.

ONTRACK UPDATE

We had a member of the team go up to the Red Chris Mine during the Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO) training course that was put forth by the TCG and the Tahltan Nation Development Corporation (TNDC) to assist members in registration with OnTrack. Keenan Russell also participated in the HEO mentorship program and became a certified mentor. We are continually promoting our OnTrack platform as our site for preferential hire of Tahltans over the coming years. So, please encourage all Tahltans and Associate Tahltans to register at ontrack.tahltan.org, and remember, approval takes a few business days.

The Employment & Business Director advocates for the Tahltan workforce on any of the sites within Tahltan Territory. If any member feels they have been treated unfairly, require assistance, or are not fairly being given supervisory opportunities, they can send an email to employmentdirector@tahltan.org.

Please feel free to reach out regarding anything employment and business related. Send an email to employmentdirector@tahltan.org, or phone at 778-772-6355 for anything with which I can assist.

Above: Raffling a prize at the Career Fair & Resource Forum.

Fisheries Director Report

projections for Chinook/king salmon are predicting some improvement, but overall, remain low. The Tahltan Lake sockeye projection is good, while the mainstem sockeye run projection remains below average.

Stikine River Chinook (Large)

Escapement Goal Range: 14,000 – 28,000

Management Objective: 17,400

Ten Year Average: 15,400

2023 Terminal Run Forecast: 11,700

2023 CHINOOK MANAGEMENT ACTIONS

Cheri Frocklage Fisheries Director

The land is awakening from its long winter slumber, shedding its heavy blanket of snow to reveal the long-anticipated promise of another summer season that lays before us. Songbirds have appeared, joyfully singing out from their perches on branches ladened with pussy willows, announcing the arrival of spring and the rejuvenation of the land, plants, and animals.

Conservation measures will remain in effect for Stikine Chinook/king salmon:

• No Allowable Catch and No Directed Fisheries in Canada or the USA.

• Closure of the Tahltan River for angling/rod fishing.

See page 9 for more information on the Food, Social and Ceremonial (FSC) Date Change Notification.

Our Tahltan Central Government (TCG) Fisheries Department field staff were deployed to the field on April 13 to 14 to open camp and prepare gear for the Chinook and Coho Salmon Juvenile Coded Wire Tagging (CWT) program on the Lower Stikine. We have modified the delivery of the field operations on the Lower Stikine River for the 2023 season. The TCG and Fisheries & Oceans Canada (DFO) crew will be conducting a CWT project on the Canadian side of the border and the US will be operating their own independent CWT project on their side of the border. TCG field staff will not be participating in the Chinook Adult Mark-Recapture Program conducted at Kakwan Point near the mouth of the Stikine. This will be the first time since the project was initiated in 1996 that Tahltans will not be lending our expertise to this Transboundary Rivers (TBR) international field project.

The 2023 Stikine River salmon forecasts were presented to the Pacific Salmon Commission – Transboundary River Panel at the pre-season meeting in February. Run

Additional action from TCG Fisheries Department was undertaken and received TCG Board of Director approval to make the requested changes.

Our Food Fishery opening date has been moved from July 1 to July 12 to address the observed changes and later sockeye run timing. Over the course of the first two weeks of our food fishing, we are intercepting almost exclusively Chinook salmon migrating to the Tahltan River to their spawning grounds. Our catch records and data indicate that the Tahltan Lake sockeye salmon presence in our food fishery does not start building in numbers until around July 12 to 15. In an effort to conserve the struggling Chinook populations, we are directing our members to hold off setting their nets until July 12 to specifically target our sockeye salmon and minimize the incidental catches of Chinook even further. Your cooperation would be greatly appreciated. For our Tahltan members coming home to participate in the food fishery, please align your vacation requests and

timing of arrival to coincide with the new opening date. We are excited and looking forward to welcoming all our families and friends home to participate in the annual soul-filling camping, visiting, and harvesting activities on the Land.

Stikine River Sockeye

Harvest Share Allocations: 47% to Canada = 16,168; 53% to USA = 18,232. Each country will allocate their domestic TAC amongst their fisheries as they choose. The mainstem sockeye projection is low, therefore, there will be no directed fishery opportunities on these stocks. Commercial fishers will be provided harvest opportunity on Tahltan Lake bound sockeye only.

Mainstem

2023 SOCKEYE MANAGEMENT ACTIONS

Conservation measures will remain in effect for Stikine Chinook/king salmon:

• No Allowable Catch and No Directed Fisheries in Canada or the USA.

• Closure of the Tahltan River for angling/rod fishing.

• Delayed start to sockeye fisheries in both countries to allow for more chinook conservation and reduce incidental catches.

2023 Stikine River sockeye salmon Total Allowable Catch (TAC) under the Pacific Salmon Treaty provisions is 34,400 pieces.

Your TCG Fisheries Department strongly encourages our members to continue the practice of conserving our declining Chinook salmon stocks by not directly fishing for them. Along with our Aboriginal rights to harvest is the inherent obligation to conserve and protect these salmon, even at the cost of forgoing our harvest. It is OUR responsibility as a Nation to ensure that future generations are provided the opportunity to continue to practice our Tahltan culture in the harvest and preservation of Stikine River salmon resources. Over the course of conducting our sockeye fishery, we intercept migrating Chinook salmon, so we ask that our members record and release any healthy king salmon from your net, allowing them to continue with their journey to the spawning grounds.

FISHERIES STAFF SPRING TRAINING BOOTCAMP

The TCG Fisheries Manager, Kerry Carlick, works diligently to design and provide our Fisheries Department staff the appropriate training to ensure the health and safety of our field staff while they conduct their various stock assessment duties. The following is a summary of the courses attended and certifications received.

Bear Awareness/ Shotgun Defense Course –March 21-22

Wilderness First Aid – March 23-24

• Food Safe – Our cook, Raina Feldman, updated her certification.

If you are interested in seeking employment with the TCG Fisheries Department as a Field Technician, please send your resume to our Fisheries Manager, Kerry Carlick, at fisheries@tahltan.org

If you have not already checked out the Fisheries Department “Fishing for a Living” recruitment video, it is well worth the watch, and I highly recommend that you take a moment to view it.

Health & Wellness Director Report

experiences from early childhood to my late teens. These experiences shaped how my brain developed and created not-so-healthy coping strategies that carried on into adulthood. It was not until I participated in cultural ceremonies that I could look within to find my strength to address trauma and addiction. Having just passed my sixteenth year of recovery, I would not be where I am today without my life being rooted in ceremony and traditional values. Every day I commit to living my values to the best of my ability and to give thanks to the Creator and ancestors for allowing me to continue to walk in the best way I know how. These values and teachings guide me in all aspects of life, including my work as the Health & Wellness Director with the TCG.

Cassandra

Health & Wellness Director

As the snow melts and the leaves start to bud, we once again learn to embrace the changes of the seasons. As an organization, the Tahltan Central Government (TCG) continues to change and evolve to the best of its ability in accordance with the Tahltan Nation’s guidance and direction. The announcement of the TCG Health & Wellness Department in January 2023 exemplifies our continued commitment to the future of the Tahltan Nation and to supporting health and wellness.

As the TCG Health & Wellness first newsletter installment, I would like to introduce myself and tell you a bit about who I am, where I come from, and my background in health and wellness. My name is Cassandra Puckett, and I am a Tahltan member of the Dekama family and belong to the Tsesk’iye (Crow) Clan. My grandparents were Una Mary Campbell (Dease) and Richard (Dick) Campbell, and my mother is Lillian Campbell. Some of my fondest memories are travelling to Telegraph to visit my Grandma Una. I remember always being excited about her apple cake, soup, bannock, pilot biscuit, and tea. I always smile thinking about how she would cup my hands in hers and slip a two-dollar bill into my palm so I could go to the store. I miss my Grandma Una and love hearing people’s memories, including how she supported many women through the birthing process. It warms my heart to know Grandma Una played a role in the health and wellness of our Tahltan people.

My life journey, or story, is not unlike many First Nations peoples. I experienced numerous adverse

The TCG Health & Wellness Department is in its formative stage, where building relationships and understanding historical data is critical to formulating a pathway to understanding the best way to advance a department in alignment with our Nation’s governance structure, while also drawing upon the opportunities presented in the TCG’s partnership with industry, health organizations, and service providers. A vital component of the formation of the TCG Health & Wellness Department is to ensure all historical engagements, frameworks, and strategic plans are reviewed and utilized as foundational in work moving forward. This is an important task that will ensure the TCG is not asking the same questions that have been asked in previous engagement sessions. Honouring the words shared by the Nation and the solid work already published and documented is essential. As many Elders have shared, you need to know where you have been to see where you want to go. With this in mind, I will be spending a significant amount of time researching and exploring how First Nations across Turtle Island have been able to address health concerns and gaps within their respective Nations. I genuinely believe that we know what we need to be healthy and well, and I am committed to working with our Nation to create a department that reflects the Nation as a whole.

In the coming months, I would love to connect with as many Tahltan members in Telegraph, Iskut, and Dease Lake as possible to hear and learn what you think is needed in the territory and how you feel this can be achieved. I welcome anyone who would like to reach out to please do so at healthdirector@tahltan.org or 250-771-3274. I travel occasionally, but if you want to visit, my office is in the Tahltan Nation Development Corporation (TNDC) building on the upper floor. I am committed to approaching my work with the TCG and the Tahltan Nation with humility and respect.

Puckett

Lands Director Report

engagements over the coming year to ensure that Tahltan knowledge, values, and direction are collected to inform the Tahltan-led Risk Assessment, which will form the basis for assessing the project’s impacts on Tahltan rights and title, the health of Tahltan lands, and the project’s influence on the continuation of the Tahltan way of life for current and future generations.

Connor Pritty Lands Director

GOVERNMENT TO GOVERNMENT

Eskay Creek Section 7 Agreement: The Lands Department is continuing to successfully implement the provincial consent-based decision-making agreement, which acknowledges Tahltan Nation’s decision-making authority concerning the Eskay Creek Revitalization project.

The project is currently under a 2018 Environmental Assessment process, which has formally entered into the Application Development Phase of the process. The proponent, Skeena Resources, is now developing the project’s application to assess the project’s potential impacts and interactions of various valued components. This application, once complete, will be assessed and reviewed by the Province of BC and the Tahltan Central Government (TCG) Lands Department and Tahltan Heritage Resources Environmental Assessment Team (THREAT) to ensure that it is aligned with the Tahltan Assessment requirements. The Lands Department will work closely with the Province of BC as joint decision-makers under this Environmental Assessment, as the Tahltan Nation has signed the first-ever consent-based agreement, which requires Tahltan consent before the Eskay Creek Mine Project can proceed. The THREAT and Lands Department are also planning multiple community

Jade Placer Interim Measures: The Lands Department has now finalized the Placer Jade Recommendations Reform Report to the Province of British Columbia. The focus of the recommendations is on transformative change in the areas of permitting, reclamation, legacy impact, and access management. The Province of BC, through the recommendation of the Lands Department, has also recently extended the Order in Council (OIC) to defer all placer and jade permitting another year until May 11, 2024. The Lands Department made this request to support the successful planning and implementation of the TCG Lands Department recommendations over the next calendar year.

Red Chris Environmental Assessment Amendment Negotiations: The Lands Department continues to progress negotiations of a consent-based decisionmaking agreement with respect to the Red Chris Block Cave Environmental Assessment amendment pending submission to the Province and TCG in the fourth quarter of 2023.

MAJOR PROJECTS

Red Chris: The project has been very active over the past year seeking multiple amendments to its Environmental Assessment Certificate alongside its Mines Act and Environmental Management Act permits. The Lands Department has recently focused on the project’s regulatory review of the camp expansion and five-year Mine and Closure Plan. We have also been working with Newcrest to advance our Environmental Oversight Committee operations for project activities while working to negotiate a consent-based agreement for the upcoming Block Cave complex Environmental Assessment amendment procedure.

Brucejack: The Lands Department is continuing to progress through multiple permitting and Environmental/Mines Act permit amendments. Most recently, the Lands Department submitted our comments with respect to the production increase application that Brucejack has proposed for the mine. This production increase relates to further advancing or processing through the mine’s underground operations. A focus on water protection and tailings deposition will be the scope for the TCG Lands Department in the coming months.

Galore Creek: The project intends to re-enter a complex Environmental Assessment amendment process in the fall of 2023 to pursue modernization of the project’s environmental commitments under the 2018 Environmental Assessment Act. The Lands Department and THREAT have been working through a series of technical workshops over the past year to ensure that the project changes continue to align with Tahltan knowledge, values and expectations. The Lands Department will conduct multiple site visits to participate in field environmental and archaeological programs over the upcoming summer season.

Kutcho: The Lands Department has continued to participate in monthly environmental project meetings. The THREAT’s engagement has focused on providing input to ensure that Tahltan knowledge, values, and technical requirements are embodied at the foundation of the project’s plans for any re-entrance into a planned Environmental Assessment.

Giga Metals: The Lands Department and THREAT have been engaging over the past year on various environmental working groups to continue to provide Tahltan direction and input into the project’s various stages as they advance. The past year has been focused on completing the Tahltan Land Use and Occupancy Study, which is intended to be finalized by mid-late summer 2023. This document will be a foundational piece to ensuring the Lands Department has a preliminary understanding in addition to the Tahltan Ancestral Study (TAS) to incorporate Tahltan knowledge and values in the project’s area of influence. The Lands Department and THREAT will continue to participate and guide the project’s activities over the coming year and look forward to hosting future engagements on the project with community members in the second half of 2023.

Coeur Silvertip: This project is currently in care and maintenance and has plans to resume operations in the coming years after pursuing an amendment to increase production of the permitted mine. The Lands Department has been participating over the past year in a monthly Environment Technical Working Group, alongside a Mines Review Committee, focused on a Phase 2 Underground Exploration Program. THREAT’s focus has been on assessing groundwater and surface water impacts and will be expanded to investigations of the tailings facility in the coming year. The Lands Department has also planned to complete an upcoming visit to the site to review project operations and participate in planned environmental and archaeological fieldwork programs.

KSM: The Lands Department has continued to focus on ensuring that construction activities, such as the fishery habitat offsetting and road development, are being constructed to align with Tahltan knowledge and protect all Tahltan values (environmental and cultural) in the project’s area of influence. We have a planned site visit in the spring of 2023 to review project works on the road corridor development and ensure the project has implemented all environmental and cultural protection requirements.

Below: On a lookout near Caribou Pass, researcher Benjamin Jones interviews Calvin Marion for the Turnagain Land Use Study.

Language Director Report

outside of the territory. Tatl’ah (Dease Lake) served as the central work location where language was the impetus for everyone to come together in a sacred and intentional space.

Pamela Labonte Language Director

The Tahltan Central Government (TCG) Language Department continued with our regular programming initiatives, including our Tāłtān Zoom lessons, Mentor Apprentice Program, and of course, continued development on our Tāłtān Dictionary Project. In fact, our team’s primary focus this season was moving the Tāłtān Dictionary Project forward to the final stages of development.

We initiated Phase Four of the Dictionary Project in the early part of the season with another round of documentation plus an added review component –Review and Recording Collection (RRC). The RRC phase continues the project’s progression following the Rapid Word Collection (RWC) components of Phases One and Two and the internal processing stages from Phase Three. We again saw an increase in involvement with new Language Keepers participating from both in and

Phase Four consisted of filling in gaps identified from Phase Three and expanding the dictionary database to ensure both dialects are represented, thus creating a more robust dictionary for all users. We had three locations and four break-out groups tasked with completing the work. In addition, there was also a fourth location in Iskut for those who could not be in Tatl’ah with the main group but could still contribute from their home location. Language Keepers reviewed each entry for accuracy and ensured both dialects were accurately represented. They recorded example sentences accompanying the basic word collection from previous stages and added new entries when possible. The core group continues to work concurrently behind the scenes to process all language collected. The weeks working on the project were productive and heartfelt. Phase Four will continue throughout the summer months, during which time each community will work independently on a consistent and sustainable schedule.

All Photos: Review and Recording Collection (RRC) Phase Four in Tatl’ah (Dease Lake), spring 2023.

Tatl’ah Language Programming Coordinator Updates

I have been providing evening lessons to three Tahltan high school students from Smithers Secondary School as part of a pilot project. Part of the pilot initiative is to see how we could support academic-based Tāłtān programming for Youth residing outside of the territory in the long-term. In the interim, I have been able to deliver language lessons to the Youth via Zoom and we are all learning as we navigate through the pilot course. I am honoured to support these students and our evenings have been quite fun together.

This spring, Christina Callbreath and I were also able to take the Tahltan Youth dancers to the Nisga’a Hobiyee celebrations in Greenville, BC. The Youth learned so much and the event bolstered motivation towards Tahltan dancing. My favourite memory of the trip was

Spring has sprung and the Language team has been busy with each of our team members wearing multiple hats in order to get things done – especially the Elders. They work tirelessly supporting language learning initiatives and programs, really spearheading the work that we do.

Pauline Hawkins recently became the instructor for our Nation-wide Zoom lessons. We are excited to have Pauline on board with this initiative as she has been teaching/learning the language since 2005.

Sonia Dennis continues to offer language lessons to the students at Dease Lake School. Everyone is enjoying this program and is building their vocabulary. Elder Kitty Brown has been supporting Sonia in the classroom as much as she can. Having an Elder in the classes greatly supports the learning as students can listen to conversation in the language. This scaffolds their learning significantly.

Dhakāle Hayle Gallup

Tatl’ah Language Programming Coordinator

Above: Working Group Meeting - Iskut.

witnessing Elders, Youth, and adults dancing together as a Nation. This has inspired us to start up community dance nights in Dease Lake and we have done just that. Our Youth program has turned into a community program. I am looking forward to learning from dancers from previous generations. It is time that our Nation starts singing and dancing again.

Our Language Working Group has undergone some structural changes. Previously, the working group would all try to meet together at the same time. This was very ambitious of us to undertake. We have learned that sometimes there are certain barriers such as road conditions that impact our ability to do this, so we changed gears. Kathy and I will now travel to each community once a month and meet with the language teams and Elders in those communities. This ensures that we are including as many speakers as possible in our projects and initiatives. This working group is essential to the work that we do in the Language Department.

Kathy continues to be the rock that I lean on in our department. Her passion for learning and being involved in all things language is motivating to be around. She has been an incredible asset to our team. She has been busy getting the Language Nest ready

for the reopening in the fall of 2023 through various planning stages and purchasing its furniture and supplies. She has also been working on a Language Nest handbook for both the teachers and parents, and a curriculum guideline for the first year of operation. In addition, she has been assisting Sonia with the language classes once a week to see teaching a second language in action and continues her language learning through the Mentor-Apprentice Program (MAP) program.

To conclude, we have some great news to share regarding funding. We were successful recipients of a grant offered through the First Peoples’ Cultural Council (FPCC) for the amount of $246,840 for the 2023–2024 fiscal year. The grant - the Pathways to Language Vitality Program, will provide funding and operational support for our Language Nest programming. We are grateful not only for the financial support, but also for the guidance FPCC can offer us to ensure our Language Nest program is successful for the long-term.

Mēduh, Dhakāle Hayle Gallup

Left: Hobiyee 2023.

PROGRAMMING COORDINATOR UPDATES — DHAKĀLE HAYLE GALLUP

Tahltan Membership

Not yet registered as a Tahltan member or Associate?

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Need to update your information?

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Membership & Genealogy Director Report

Fellow Tahltans. A call out to update.

Is it easy to do? Yes, it is very easy to do and you can do it anytime by going to our website: www.tahltan.org

What do I need to do exactly? Simple.

1 Go to the TCG website.

2 At the top of the home page (upper right) click on Tahltan Membership.

3 Scroll down to the Contact Update Form section and click on Contact Update Form.

4 Fill out and click Submit

How often should I update my information?

Shannon Frank

Membership & Genealogy Director

For additional information please contact:

Shannon Frank

Director of Membership & Genealogy membershipdirector@tahltan org

Darcie Louie

Membership Specialist

membershipspecialist@tahltan org

We need you to update your contact information regularly so we can keep you informed. We distribute updates not only regarding elections, but also with critical information for you and your family, such as Impact Benefit Agreement (IBA) votes, employment and training opportunities, scholarships, education, and much more.

Are there any other reasons to update my information?

Yes! And this is especially true for:

Teenagers and Young Adults – When registering children, parents use their own email addresses and phone numbers. As those children grow older and begin to think about future education and training opportunities, they need to update their email, phone number, and address to stay current and to receive information.

Married Recently/Name Change – If you have decided to change your legal name you must update your information and report your name change.

Babies and Children – If you have a new baby, or if you have children that may or may not be registered, please complete and submit a new membership form on their behalf. This ensures their registration and their eligibility for TCG programming.

Moved/Moving – If you have moved it is very important to update your information.

Passings – It is important for our vital statics to be accurate. Please register the passing of any Tahltan members with us to guarantee our information is correct.

Transparency is very important to us. Therefore, please register and update your information regularly to stay current on all things affecting Tahltans.

Tourism Director Report

YOUTH TRIP TO NASHVILLE

In late February, we took a group of four Tahltan Youth to the Safari Club International Hunting Convention (SCI) in Nashville. Our objective was to expose more Tahltan Youth to the outfitting industry as an opportunity for employment and learning on the land, which has a rich heritage in Tahltan Territory. The Youth were given the opportunity to work at outfitters’ booths (fifteen guide outfitters from Tahltan Territory were in attendance) and attend seminars on the outfitting industry and the various jobs and career paths available.

Alex Buri Tourism Director

This past spring was focused on conducting due diligence on potential tourism investments for the Nation and developing a structure for potential future investments. I also started working more closely with current tourism operators in Tahltan Territory, especially guide outfitters, to formalize ways that we can collaborate and work together to grow and foster tourism in the future.

SIGNAGE PROJECT

I am excited to announce that we secured a one-million-dollar tourism-related development grant from the Province of BC this spring, which will be used to enhance and install interpretive and wayfinding signage across the territory. In collaboration with other Tahltan Central Government (TCG) departments, we have established a steering committee and working group to initiate the process, interact with key stakeholders, and establish a work plan to implement the project over the next two years. The main objective of the project is to communicate Tahltan stories, cultural significance, and important locations to visitors so they can gain a better understanding of Tahltan culture and our territory. This initiative will build on previous signage projects completed in the past.

This summer, in conjunction with the Education & Training and Wildlife Departments, we will support Tahltan Youth in attending a wrangler school before the outfitting season, providing them with relevant training. We will also facilitate work opportunities with outfitters in the fall to enable them to put their new skills and knowledge into practice.

CONFERENCES

Winter and early spring are the busiest times of the year for tourism-related conferences and meetings. I attended the BC Tourism and Hospitality Conference in Prince George, the International Indigenous Tourism Conference in Winnipeg, and the Indigenous Tourism Association of BC’s Annual General Assembly in Vancouver. Attending these conferences provided an opportunity to learn about the latest developments and opportunities in the tourism industry, as well as ways to collaborate on future projects. For example, how we can collaborate with neighbouring destinations to create tourism corridors and heritage tourism opportunities. These conferences offer a platform for networking, sharing ideas, and creating new partnerships in the tourism industry that can support our tourism development in the years ahead.

STRATEGIC GOALS

As part of the TCG’s three-year strategic planning cycle, I developed and submitted the strategic goals and objectives for the Tourism Department. These goals aim to align tourism with community values, establish strong management policies, build capacity for future workers with outdoor experience and skills, and make strategic investments in tourism businesses and infrastructure.

Visit the SCI Convention Nashville Youth Trip section on page 13 for more information.

Wildlife Director Report

mortalities or collar battery failures, dropping the total number of active collars to eighteen.

GPS wolf collars allow us to track seasonal movements, distribution of pack movements, prey mortality sites, and home ranges, while comparing and evaluating population, habitat, and movement trends over time with the assessment of historic and current climate data in Tahltan Territory.

The TCG Predator Management program once again had a successful trapping season. The Predator Management Technicians and Wildlife Guardians were able to trap twenty-six wolves though the winter.

Lance Nagwan Wildlife Director Spring is slowly coming to the territory but winter has been resistant to relinquish its grip. The beautiful sound of songbirds is a welcome melody to hear in the mornings; the beavers are starting to appear and are already busy at work along the rivers and lakes. Leaves are appearing on the willows and are a delightful treat of lush forage for the moose. Bears are emerging from their long winter hibernation and are beginning their search for food. New life is beginning as animals are set to have their young of the year.

TCG’s Wildlife Department is looking forward to a beautiful spring and summer.

Here are some of the initiatives and projects that we have worked on in the past couple of months:

In early March 2023, the TCG Wildlife Department was able to conduct some aerial wolf captures and deployed four new GPS collars out in Tahltan Territory.

This brings our total wolf captures to twentythree; however, we lost five over the winter due to

The Tahltan Predator Management Plan incentivized membership harvest removed twelve wolves from the landscape throughout different locations within the territory, bringing a total of thirty-eight wolves removed from the land between November 1 to April 1 2022/2023.

Tahltan people have identified increasing and high numbers of wolves for several decades.

Based off local Tahltan and capture information from each collared wolf, there are an estimated fifteen to twenty-four wolves per 1,000 km².

The combined efforts of the TCG Wildlife Department along with the continued Tahltan members participation in predator management should provide some much needed alleviation of pressure off the moose and caribou populations, who in recent years are showing signs of decline.

• Tahltan people consistently express concerns that fewer moose are being seen, and in areas where moose were frequent, they are not being seen as in the past.

• Fewer moose are reported around the communities and in key hunting areas.

TCG Wildlife Department Predator Management Technicians and Guardians completed a Klappan Moose Survey of Population Management Unit (PMU) 6-20A and 6-20B in March 2023.

• 56 Bulls, 188 Cows, 42 Calves for a population estimate of 290

• + 52 Moose (90% Confidence Interval)

Monitoring has been infrequent and led by BC in the past resulting in long periods between monitoring. Conducting a moose population estimate survey (stratified random block) allows us to compare to surveys completed in 2016, and 2001 (600 moose) to address this information gap.

Another initiative that the TCG Wildlife Department and Guardians led was a modified. Dease Lake/Tanzilla River moose population estimate survey. This allows us to provide current population and density estimates for the area.

• 50 bulls, 176 cows, 41 calves for a population estimate of 268.

• + 8 moose (90% confidence interval)

• 29 bulls/100 cows

• 23 calves/100 cows

March 2023 caribou calf survival counts were then done for Tseneglode, Level Mountain/Kawdy Plateau, and Edziza herds to complete three-year seasonal survey results for the territory.

• Tseneglode – population estimate: 500-700 caribou

• Level Mountain/Kawdy Plateau – population estimate: 700-1,000 caribou

• Edziza – population estimate: 20-40 caribou

2020/2021 27 bulls/100 cows 18 calves/100 cows

2021/2022 29 bulls/100 cows 17 calves/100 cows

2022/2023 26 bulls/100 cows 20 calves/100 cows

Tahltan traditional knowledge, along with local community members contributing real time information combined with the Tahltan Predator Management Plan allow us to protect Tahltan food security, sustenance needs, and cultural way of life. The TCG Wildlife Department will continuously strive to improve ongoing efforts to collaborate with industrial activities and guide outfitters to minimize potential impacts to moose, caribou, sheep, and goat populations within the territory. We are working closely and diligently with the TCG Lands Department, Tahltan Band and Iskut Band, and community members to design habitat protection measures and land use management strategies. We look forward to hearing your input in our upcoming community engagement sessions and throughout the summer months.

Above: Successful recovery of slipped collar using GPS.

THIS IS OUR LAND. WE ARE THE LAND.

The Tahltan Stewardship Initiative (TSI) will support our Nation in asserting self-determination and fulfilling our inherent stewardship responsibilities for Tahltan Territory. The TSI will help us to build our engagement, governance, and stewardship plans.

This vital work is needed to ensure we take care of our territory now and for future generations.

The Tahltan Stewardship Initiative (TSI) is our opportunity for transformative change based on the recognition of Tahltan Title and Rights.

Now, we have a say in decisions that matter for our people in accordance with our values and knowledge. We decide how to protect our culture, care for our lands, water, air, fish, and wildlife. We decide how to sustainably manage our territory.

TSI means Tahltans working together to transform how things are done. Through TSI, the rules are changing, and we are shaping the process.

Vision Statement

The vision of the Tahltan Stewardship Initiative is for the Tahltan Nation to fulfill its inherent stewardship responsibilities for all lands, water, air, wildlife, fish, and natural resources within Tahltan Territory. We will accomplish this vision through the work being done on our projects including the Tahltan Stewardship Plan (TSP) and direction from Tahltan membership. The TSP is being developed for Tahltan Territory and will be based on Tahltan knowledge and worldview on how to properly care for our land.

TAHLTAN STEWARDSHIP INITIATIVE WEBSITE

Get Involved!

If you do not have a lot of time to commit but would like to contribute – you can. There are many ways for you to stay informed and be a part of this important work. Visit: tsi.tahltan.org at any time to learn about each of our projects, connect with our project team, complete project surveys and mapping exercises, watch previous engagement sessions, and more – whenever it works for you!

Interested in learning more or getting involved?

Ȗ Reach out to us: communications@tahltan.org

1980s

The Tahltan Ancestral Study with Elders

2003

Out of Respect Report

2013

The Shared Decision-Making Agreement with the Province of British Columbia

2016

Wildlife Department formed within the TCG

2018–2021

The Collaborative Stewardship Framework with the 3 Nations and the Province of British Columbia

2020

Fisheries Department formed within the TCG

1987

Resource Development Policy

2005

Formation of the Tahltan Heritage Resources Environmental Assessment Team (THREAT)

2015

Lands Department formed within the Tahltan Central Government

2017

The Klappan Plan and the Klappan Management Board

2019

Culture & Heritage Department formed within the TCG

Each of these projects and efforts has helped to advance our Nation and support our unified goals founded on the principles of mutual respect, recognition, and reconciliation of Tahltan title and rights. Together, we work to protect the environment, safeguard our culture and heritage, ensure shared revenues and other benefits from sustainable development, and strengthen the well-being of our Tahltan Nation family.

TAHLTAN TERRITORY OVERVIEW

The Tahltan Territory spans 95,933 square km of Northwest British Columbia or the equivalent of 11% of the province. The territory is rich in natural resources and continues to garner international atttention for its mineral potential and diverse, iconic wildlife.

TAHLTAN TERRITORY IS HOME TO:

Ȗ Approximately 70% of BC’s resource rich Golden Triangle;

Ȗ Two of BC’s 10 operating mines or their shared footprint;

Ȗ Approximately 53% of BC’s exploration activities by expenditure, 14% of Canada’sand 3% of the world;

Ȗ Annual exploration expenditures on projects is currently estimated at approximately $295 million, with production values for active mines estimated to be approximately $1 .05 billion

LEGEND

COMMUNITIES EXPENDITURES

Personal Profiles

Chris Gleason

it tastes pretty good!” Being in territory as a young man, he remembers kids at Cassiar telling him they were going on vacation to Disneyland and to other warm southern places. All Chris wanted to do was go on vacation to Telegraph to enjoy Tahltan country and fish camp.

graduated, and likely the gifted cowboy boots and stories that followed.

Chris Gleason was born in Fort St. John in 1955, and his parents were Francis Gleason and Anne Gleason. Chris recently retired from his long career as a heavy-duty mechanic and now the Elder is finding new ways to keep himself busy by participating in the Elders’ Council and supporting our Nation.

Shortly after Chris was born, his family moved to Mile 101 on the Alaska Highway where his dad was a heavy-duty mechanic, and his mom ran the local restaurant. Mile 101 is where Chris’s interest in machines began. He started off helping around the shop, like many young people do today, sweeping floors, organising toolboxes, and helping the journeymen as directed. Chris’s dad was a self-taught mechanic that built a strong reputation and was hired to work at Cassiar Mine in the parking lot of his Mile 101 shop as a heavyduty mechanic, forever changing Chris’s life.

The change in Chris’s life was not related to work, but where he was going, home. Chris remembers his parents talking about his cousins, aunties, and uncles before they moved back home. When Chris moved to Tahltan Territory he was able to meet his Tahltan family for the first time. Being home meant Chris built meaningful connections with family at fish camp, and reconnected with Tahltan land, and culture. Chris loves Tahltan land and the work related to harvesting. He said “fish camp isn’t a job, you just have to do it and in the winter time,

Chris remembers there was a time at fish camp when there were not many people around and Chris was willing to help whoever needed a hand. Chris spent as much time as he could with his family out on the land and learning the Tahltan way of life. Being on the land was the only place he wanted to be until his final years of high school where to attend he had to move down south to Vancouver.

Chris went to Watson Lake with a note in his hand from his parents telling him that he was going to go to Vancouver College and that he was going to stay weekends with his parents’ Italian friend. Chris showed up to his first day of school wearing blue jeans and a leather jacket that was quickly swapped out for a blazer, dress shirt, and tie for the rest of his studies. Chris described his first impression of life in Vancouver at school as the biggest culture shock of his life.

Being in the big city of Vancouver, his natural curiosity and desire to learn allowed Chris to experience the power of operas, symphonies, concerts, and volunteering on East Hastings Street. He remembers his parents telling him that he must graduate and obtain an education and remembers his parents saying “if you are going to do anything, you just have to do it” so Chris went on to do things that interested him. Before becoming a heavy-duty mechanic, Chris almost became an RCMP officer. In Vancouver, he did a ride-along with the RCMP in Surrey and decided to move back to Tahltan Territory instead of pursuing a career with the RCMP.

When talking to Chris about his time spent in the city, it is not the adventures, operas, or concerts that stand out, it is the pride and love that he shared with his parents when he

Chris graduated from Vancouver College and had to make a decision that led him to move back home to Tahltan Territory. He worked as a game warden for a little while before accepting a job servicing trucks and equipment at a new mine in the territory. Chris started helping his family with their river tour company spending his weeks off and weekends motoring up and down the Stikine River. His time spent with family travelling down the Stikine to Wrangell, Alaska, provided him the opportunity to learn oral histories and stories about our land. Chris remembers listening to stories and spending time at their camp close to Flood Glacier and that his family were the “taxi of the Stikine.” Chris remembers one of the first lesson his family taught him about the Stikine was not to be scared of the river, but to give it respect and that when you give that river respect it will respect you in return.

Chris relished in the challenges of fixing and maintaining equipment and learning the theory of machines. He believes that you can always learn something from a new job and wanted to make it safer and pass along his knowledge to the six apprentices he oversaw during his career. Chris found great pride in watching his apprentices’ young minds learn and grow while working under him and nothing brings him more pride than seeing his son work as a heavy-duty mechanic. Chris still receives calls from his son who bounces ideas off him and talks about solutions to current work problems.

Chris is now looking for new ways to learn and grow by participating in the Elders’ Council and sharing his knowledge and experiences. Chris says people must learn to slow down and start smelling the coffee in order to ground themselves and reflect on how they are feeling and the decisions that they make. “When we move too fast, we forget to look after our Elders and our land.”

Lesli Louie

Lesli Louie was born in Terrace and grew up in Tahltan Territory spending time in Dease Lake, Iskut, and Telegraph Creek. Lesli Dagay uyeh (her name is Swan) is from the Eth’eni family, is part of the Tsesk’iya (Crow) Clan and is an inspiring Tahltan that radiates good energy and laughter. Lesli grew up spending a lot of time with her great grandparents, Willie and Gracie Williams, helping them at the ranch and learning Tahltan stories and culture.

Lesli is also very proud of her Chinese heritage through Blackburn roots stemming from her great, great, great-grandfather. She remembers helping pack water, helping with chores and spending time with the horses. Lesli is also very proud to be the granddaughter of Chief Louis Louie and Rita Louie who too have inspired her to become the person she is today.

Some of Lesli’s favourite memories are spending time with her grandparents on the land where she learned how to work hard, pack water, set camp, set snares, hunt animals, fish, and harvest medicines and berries. Lesli remembers how some Elders wanted the bum guts to be very clean while some were happy to have

them not so clean. Lesli loves moose meat the most and specifically tripe stew, moose nose soup, crispy bum guts, and the kidney.

Lesli remembers spending time on the land in Klappan where she learned how to hunt and harvest moose, caribou, goats, groundhog and many other animals. As a child, Lesli would spend the summer months up in Klappan right up until it got cold in September. If you gave Lesli the choice between a warm beach in Mexico or the Mountains of Klappan, she would pick Klappan every time.

Lesli remembers Willie showing her obsidian from Mount Edziza and being told that thousands of years ago our people would pack this to turn it into tools, weapons, and trade it with neighbours. Lesli’s dad inspired her curiosity in archaeology because he would go out and help archaeologists dig around and would come home and tell her all about the stuff he found. Our ancestors left things behind for us to find, and Lesli wants to display their gifts and share their story for future generations.

Being on the land with her grandparents was like the classroom for her. It’s where she learned how to harvest, but most importantly it is where she learned the language and listened to stories. There is one story that she remembers as a child, the story of Tenqalatiya where the goat hunter and his dog are turned into stone for mistreating the goats. Lesli recalls that the stone man was able to whistle at people passing by and would tell them his story as a warning that one should always respect animals. Having spent her whole life listening to stories and being on the land, the work she is doing in Culture & Heritage related to placenames and language no longer feels like work to Lesli.

Lesli is currently working in the Culture & Heritage Department where she gets to go through old Tahltan language documents, stories, histories, and culture that allow her to escape into the lives of our ancestors.

INSPIRING YOUNG TAHLTANS

Bria McLean

Bria wrote her first song for her friend Josh who had passed away and she gave it to his mom. Bria acknowledges that songs come out of heart break and grief and that was her first taste for putting feelings into melody. Bria plans to use emotion to write her music, but she accepts that there is a balance that artists need to find to express all the emotions, including happiness, joy, sadness, and grief. Bria also wrote a drum song inspired by her Tahltan and Cree ancestry that she performed at the Globe Theater in Atlin, BC this spring.

After spending time in Whitehorse at the BreakOut West Music Festival where Bria did not perform but had a music pass and was able to go to shows, she attended the Blue Feather Music Festival. There she met Gary Bailey, founder of the festival and was given a backstage pass. Bria ended up at the Blue Feather after party with all the performing artists and was singing for hours. Every time she tried to pass the guitar off, everyone kept telling her she was doing a great job, so she played until she lost her voice.

Bria McLean is an inspiring young Tahltan whose music career is taking off making all Tahltans proud. Bria is a person full of happiness and joy who takes life in stride and jams to the tune of life. Bria recalls that ever since she was a young girl, she wanted to be a performer in the school Christmas concerts in Dease Lake. She is currently the artist in residence in Whitehorse at the Jenni House, while also practicing weekly with her band Bria Rose and The Thornes. Bria recently won a Youth award in Yukon from Youth of Today’s Society for inspiring Youth to pursue their dreams.

Bria’s inspiration for music comes from many places, but she remembers there was a travelling music group when she was in Kindergarten or Grade 1 that was at the Dease Lake School that held music workshops and allowed her to play on stage with them with a toy piano. Ever since then, Bria has believed that “music is the best thing ever!”

Being a performer comes naturally to Bria, she played her heart out at the National Indigenous Peoples’ Day event in Dease Lake in 2022. Before that, Bria had performed at Joshua Tree Saloon open mic where she ran up to the mic without a guitar and told everyone she was from Tahltan Territory in Northern BC. She was then given multiple guitars to pick from and went on to perform and the crowd cheered for an encore.

Bria admits that focusing on her music career came with a steep learning curve with meeting deadlines, writing grants and proposals, and booking her own shows and directing her band’s communication and correspondence for events and other opportunities. Bria Rose and The Thornes’ latest adventure is a community tour in Yukon, visiting Carmacks, Faro, Ross River, and Old Crow, completing a full circle by singing in schools, bringing her back to her days in Dease Lake.

Tahltan students had the opportunity to connect with Bria between May 1–5 in Dease lake where she was an Artist in residence at the school hosting musical workshops and performing. There were opportunities for Youth to collaborate with Bria and witness her musical talent and passion that will hopefully inspired other Tahltan Youth to find their love and passion for music just like Bria.

INSPIRING YOUNG TAHLTANS

Elliott Brown

As an entrepreneur, Elliott is a multimedia content creator for his YouTube Channel, Elliott Outdoors. His channel shares his outdoor adventures in Tahltan Territory and his traditional way of life in our modern world. What does living a traditional lifestyle mean to Elliott? He describes it as “living off grid in a sustainable way on the land by hunting, fishing, collecting berries, and medicines.” This is what he describes as a beautiful life.

Elliott noticed a few years ago that being out on the land was not the ‘cool’ thing to do among Youth and decided that he would organize outdoor activities to inspire Youth to reconnect with the land. How did he do it? He did it by organizing day hikes for Youth and creating opportunities for them to learn Tahltan culture and language in the school with a focus specifically on Tahltan survival skills. He started teaching Youth how to build a proper camp by building tents, making survival shelters, and making fires. He then provided orientation and taught them how to navigate the wilderness without a compass or map, and finally, taught Youth about the water table and how to find drinkable water.

Elliott has been chosen as one of this season’s inspiring young Tahltans for his dedication to sharing Tahltan culture and his commitment to living a healthy life. Elliott was born in Burnaby, BC, and grew up in Telegraph Creek. He is passionate about being out on the land and living a traditional lifestyle. An outdoor enthusiast who lives off grid in a tiny home, Elliott works wearing many hats: one as an entrepreneur and one working in schools teaching Youth. Elliott plays lead guitar for the Outlawz, whom you can catch at local weddings, music festivals, and bars.

Elliott’s passion for the outdoors and sharing Tahltan ways of life led to the start of his YouTube channel. One of the motivators for Elliott’s channel comes from his love of Tahltan culture and acknowledging that it is not popular with the younger generation to be out on the land. Creating content that shares Tahltan land and traditional ways of life was his way of trying to reconnect Youth with the land. Elliott is working on his channel and its direction; he is living off grid in his tiny home after finding housing was a struggle to obtain in Tahltan Territory. He is doing the best he can to live as traditionally as possible in the modern world and he hopes to share his circumstances and connect with others in the same position.

Elliott’s passion for being on the land and film is not just limited to his YouTube channel. He has auditioned for films and helped film pilots for Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN). Companies have also

reached out to Elliott to test their fishhooks and other outdoor-related products. Elliott’s YouTube channel has also introduced him to like-minded people. It is turning into a community and with more subscribers soon, his YouTube channel will be able to become monetized, allowing him to earn ad revenue.

Without a doubt, Elliott’s greatest gift is his daughter and being able to share Tahltan land and culture with her. Elliott is doing his best to raise her in a good way and describes this moment in his life being on the land with his family as “the good times.” He taught his daughter how to fish and she caught her first one when she was three years old. He always tries to include her in the things he does so that she learns from a young age that she is a young matriarch in Tahltan culture. Elliott wants to ensure that gender stereotypes do not limit her, and she grows up confident and capable in the bush.

Blake Asp

representative (rep) team and he made the team. When reminiscing about his time playing rep hockey, he says that it was not always easy and that it was hard at times being the only Indigenous person on the team. He discussed only sharing the locker room with a few others because he felt prejudice and that it was more difficult for him to earn respect from his peers and coaches than it was for others. Blake did not let the negative environment deter him from playing the game he loves, which makes him an inspiring healthy active Tahltan.

Blake remembers playing in a tournament in Kelowna that had strong teams that provided high caliber hockey. Though the tournament in Kelowna was fun, according to Blake, the Youth Jamboree and Men’s Division in the Native Hockey Tournament in Whitehorse is “the best tournament.”

We are pleased to highlight Blake Asp as one of our Healthy Active Tahltans for this spring’s newsletter. Blake’s parents are Margaret and Edward Asp, and his grandparents are Ray and Ann Henyu, and Daisy and Ed Asp. Blake keeps himself active by playing hockey, riding in rodeos, and hunting.

At twenty-three years old, Blake has recently won the third division with the Sawtooth Predators in Whitehorse’s Yukon Native Hockey Tournament. Blake was also named the most valuable player (MVP) of the division playing center being recognized for his offensive and defensive contributions to his team. Blake was born in Whitehorse and lived in Dease Lake for the first nine years of his life before moving to Smithers where his hockey skills began to blossom.

Blake remembers learning how to skate and play hockey on the old outdoor rink in Dease Lake and playing with the older guys around the rink. According to Blake, having the opportunity to learn how to play hockey on the outdoor rink with the older players helped his game develop. After moving to Smithers, Blake had the opportunity to try out for a

While Blake is an excellent hockey player, he is also an accomplished rodeo star having won a few belts and jackets in the wild horse race, where he attempts to put a saddle on a horse that does not want to be touched. Blake got into the rodeo at the age of seventeen and has never looked back. He has competed in rodeos in both BC and Alberta. Blake got into the rodeo through his work experience with guides working as a wrangler in summers. A close friend asked Blake to fill in for riders that were injured and there he began to excel.

Blake believes being a healthy active Tahltan is much more than playing sports. Blake is an avid hunter and outdoorsman and knows the importance of getting outside and being able to see things that few people get to see in their lives, recognizing that Tahltan Territory has some of the most beautiful sites in the world. Blake has hunted moose, sheep, caribou, bear, and loves a good grouse hunt too.

Blake also loves spending time at fish camp because it is a time when he gets to see family that he does not always get to spend time with.

We hope this healthy active Tahltan inspires you to get out on the land this coming summer and enjoy all the season has to offer.

Jorja Creyke

Jorja remembers when she was young that she was not really into hockey. She recalls learning how to skate in Smithers at the public skates with her parents and having to use a cart to balance. Jorja recalls that her parents bought her gear and signed her up for league hockey gently pushing her into the sport. Jorja says that she was a slow learner, and slowly the game of hockey has become her favorite sport.

What was it that helped Jorja fall in love with the game of hockey? It was during her first try out for a rep team and she recalls the feeling experience before the tryouts as “nerve racking”. Jorja did not think that she was good enough to make the team, but the coaches thought otherwise drafting her onto the team and allowing her to have new fun and exciting experiences traveling with her rep team to tournaments.

Jorja Creyke is our Healthy Active Tahltan for this spring’s newsletter. Jorja’s parents are Jessica Michelle and Justin Creyke and her grandparents are Chris and Louise Creyke and Rodger Michelle and Trish Naziel. Jorja was recently playing in the Native Hockey Tournament in Whitehorse lacing up and flying down the left wing with the Tahltan Selects finishing in second place! Jorja is 14 years old and has lived in Smithers, Prince George, Kamloops, Witset, and Dease Lake. Jorja really enjoys playing hockey, soccer, volleyball, and loves the rodeo.

Jorja was crowned Miss Kispiox Valley Rodeo Princess recently competing in barrel racing and pole racing. Like many youth Jorja loves playing sports because it allows her to spend time with her friends and for her to meet new people that share similar interests.

When speaking to Jorja about her experience at the 2023 Native Hockey Tournament she said that she “made friends, and it was a fun experience meeting new people, and that it was fun playing with new people”. Prior to the tournament Jorja was practicing twice a week and playing two games against the Red Chris team.

Jorja believes that she is becoming a better hockey player since living in Dease Lake because she gets to play against the boys! Jorja is competitive when it comes to playing in tournaments and league games but also enjoys playing sports recreationally with friends.

Having the opportunity to play the game competitively has allowed Jorja to make new friends and she hopes one day to have the opportunity to play hockey at the university level and beyond. When asking Jorja about what she must do to achieve those goals she said, “hard work” and recognizes that she too must be a good student as well.

In the summers Jorja really enjoys fish camp, but like many youths sometimes finds that she is stuck in the smoke house! Jorja knows that fish camp is hard work and is teaching her skills that she can apply while chasing her hockey and university dreams. During fish camp you can find Jorja in the drying house cutting fish to be dried and helping her family with fish camp chores.

This summer Jorja is going to apply to work at the literacy camp because she really enjoyed participating in the camp as a youth.

Above: Jorja Creyke (right) and teammate.

Image captions

Cover Page — Elk shed near the old Telegraph Road

Page B — Chicken season

Page D — Stikine Canyon

Page 5/6 — Moose and calf at Ningunsaw

Page 7 — Spring and the Sawtooths

Page 10 — Chinook returning to spawn

Page 15/16 — Broadway Street in Downtown Nashville

Page 21/22 — Youth Training Trip visit to Red Chris (2022)

Page 23 — Camping at Great Glacier, at work on the Cultural Safety project

Page 34 — Horsetails and new growth near Kluachon

Page 43 — Coldfish Lake

Page 47/48 — TSI Youth Representative, Kyle Risby, heads down to the Stikine Canyon

SPRING NEWSLETTER 2023