Spring Newsletter — Dāne2022
INTRODUCTION
Tahltan Stewardship Initiative (TSI) 39
Language – Pamela Labonte 29
Culture & Heritage – Sandra Marion 17
Tourism – Alex Buri 36 Wildlife – Westin Creyke 37
. . . . . . . . . . .
Message from the President 1
Membership & Genealogy – Shannon Frank 35
Message from the Vice President 3
TCG Brand Identity & Newsletter Awards 7
Culture – Felix Jackson 47
Dease Lake Community – Christina Callbreath 18 Education & Training – Cassandra Puckett 19
Inspiring Young Tahltans – Jaelie Young 49
DIRECTORS’ REPORTS
Save the Dates 4
TAHLTAN STEWARDSHIP INITIATIVE
Fisheries – Cheri Frocklage 25
Employment & Business – Ann Ball 23
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Tahltan Exploration Industry Training (TEIT) 9 New Tahltans / Condolences 11 Tahltan OnTrack 14
TSI Website 41
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
Inspiring Young Tahltans – Blaine Lindstrom 51
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Contents
PERSONAL PROFILES
TSI & Tahltan Stewardship Plan Update 43 Earth Mother & Tahltan Stewardship Planning 44
Lands – Nalaine Morin 27
Elder – Mona Carpentier 46
d Declaration1910 TribeTahltantheof
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.
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.
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:
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.
A number of other training and education opportunities were also offered to members including a Tahltan Wildfire Mini-Bootcamp for members in Dease Lake and those who were able to come from other locations, and a Canadian Firearms Safety Course in Dease Lake. Our team works hard to arrange these opportunities for Tahltans and will continue to do so.
Message from the President
The Tahltan Central Government (TCG) launched our sixth annual Industry Review designed to inform Tahltans about industry activities taking place in our homeland. The Industry Review was created to ensure that Tahltans benefit from the numerous economic opportunities happening in our territory, while holding companies accountable and providing transparency in their operations. Companies that have signed a Communications & Engagement Agreement with us contribute to this annual Newsletter. Through these Agreements, proponents must acknowledge, respect, and recognize Tahltan Title and Rights, communicate with us on our terms and make annual contributions to the TCG to support our operations and growth.
Meetings were held in Vancouver, Prince George, Smithers, Terrace, Prince Rupert, Red Chris, Dease Lake, Telegraph Creek, Iskut, Whitehorse, Watson Lake, Fort Nelson, Fort St. John, Kamloops, and Kelowna from February through April. Attendees had the opportunity to gather together and learn about all of the news and activities from our government. It was so nice to be able to connect with Tahltans far and wide and I can’t wait until next year’s meetings.
As we move forward and approach our Annual General Assembly, and look forward to time spent together with family, friends, and loved ones, we have much to share and celebrate as a Nation.
For the first time in several years, we were able to continue with our in-person Annual Update Meetings which were paused due to COVID. These meetings are a key part of our ongoing efforts to keep Tahltans engaged and informed, regardless of their location.
For the first time ever, the TCG held Exploration Industry Training for Tahltans who were interested in coming home and reconnecting with their roots.
1 TAHLTAN CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – SPRING NEWSLETTER 2022
Chad Norman Day President, Tahltan Central Government
Tahltans in attendance learned about some of the numerous opportunities available to them in the mineral exploration industry, such as core-cutting and drilling. They also participated in archaeological standards training while being on the land and experiencing the beauty that is Tahltan Territory. Participants learned alongside TCG staff and Directors including those from the Lands, Wildlife, Language, Employment & Business, and Education & Training Departments to name a few. One of the things I am super passionate about is contributing to the success of our people. Tahltans are blessed and it is a privilege to watch our Nation succeed. Mēduh to everyone who participated and coordinated this event. I look forward to offering it again to our members next year.
Tahltan Nation,
Visit the
onDepartment’sLanguagereportpage45formoreregardingtheDictionaryProjectandinterviews.LearnmoreaboutTSIanditscurrentplanupdatesonpage53.Visitpages23and24formoreinformationontheTCGbrandingandnewsletterawards,aswellaspage21toreadmoreaboutNalaineMorin’sleadershipawardfordiversityandinclusion.
Łan Nedischā.
The Communications & External Relations Department was awarded with two Gold Quill Awards which recognize strategic communications initiatives on a global platform. One for brand identity under the marketing, advertising, and brand communications category, and an Award of Merit in the publications category for work on the 2020 Fish and Wildlife Newsletter.
TCG’s Language Department has had several notable achievements with the launch of their Dictionary Project to develop a multi-modal Tāłtān Dictionary that builds on the foundations of the existing Tahltan Children’s Illustrated Dictionary created in the 1990s. The Dictionary Project Team and Elders were featured on APTN-HD, and the Language Department was interviewed by CFTK TV News Terrace about the project work as well as being featured in the Terrace Standard. Way to go, team!
The Culture & Heritage Department has also shone and appeared in the media on CBC Radio One Daybreak North where Sandra Marion was interviewed about the Tahltan Stewardship initiative (TSI) Archives Project Elder Interviews. I encourage all Tahltans to check out the work of the TSI through our Newsletters and the amazing TSI website: tsi.tahltan.org
Our Lands Director, Nalaine Morin, won a leadership award, the 2022 Canadian Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Award, organized by the Women’s Executive Network. At the 2022 Association for Mineral Exploration Awards Gala, The Tahltan Emergency Management Team were celebrated with the David Barr Award for their leadership and innovation in mineral exploration. Congratulations, and Mēduh to all of the team members who have been recognized for their contributions to the Tahltan Nation.
Industry Training. 2 MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Let us take a moment to celebrate the little ones who have been born and welcome them warmly into this world we share together. They are the future of our strong Nation. As always, I grieve alongside all the families who have lost loved ones over the past months. My heart is with you all, every day as we journey forward together.
Above: Tahltan Exploration
In the past, our people lived a communal type of lifestyle and required a common understanding of how we worked together for protection and survival.
When you build a long-house you have supporting walls or key pillars that create the structure. All of this needs to be built on a solid foundation or footprint so that everything is aligned.
There is no difference between a traditional house and today’s house other than the new technological advancements like electricity, indoor plumbing, and heating. This new technology requires new skills and knowledge and the people who have them.
Over the past years, since our Elders created the Declaration of Independence of the Tahltan people, things have changed. Not only has the structure of our house changed, but also the language to describe it.
TSI is being built on historical knowledge (evidencebased) starting with the Tahltan Declaration. The team is tasked with collecting all the historical documentation from the many years of Tahltan community engagement to begin shaping the policies and procedures. Policies and procedures are like teachings and protocols – the same as pillars or supporting walls, using our house metaphor.
It is important to recognize that the policies and procedures are going to be the pillars of the government house and if it is important to you to have your say, please join the conversation with the TSI team.
The Team is building out and is already holding engagement meetings for our citizens to provide their input.
3 TAHLTAN CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – SPRING NEWSLETTER 2022
As the Tahltan Central Government transitions into what our people want, a government that serves its citizens, it does not come without its challenges. Currently, our government is working on the Tahltan Stewardship Initiative (TSI). Instead of using technical uninteresting organizational language to talk about this, I will use the metaphor of building a house or long-house to describe it.
Message from the Vice President
“The Youth might move and walk faster but it’s the Elders who know the road.”
Ken Edzerza Vice President, Tahltan Central Government
SAVE DATESTHE Upcoming holidays and Tahltan events Ȗ MAY 23: Victoria Day – TCG Closed Ȗ JUNE 28–30: TCG Elders Council Meeting Ȗ JULY 1: Canada Day – TCG Closed Ȗ JULY 1–4: Annual General Assembly, Dease Lake Ȗ JUNE 21: National Indigenous Peoples Day – TCG Closed Ȗ AUGUST 1: BC Day – TCG Closed Ȗ SEPTEMBER 5: Labour Day – TCG Closed
Announcements 7 TCG Brand Identity & Newsletter Awards 9 Tahltan Exploration Industry Training (TEIT) 11 New Tahltans / Condolences 14 Tahltan OnTrack 6
The Gold Quill Awards will be presented at the IABC World Conference Gala event in New York City on June 28.
Standard |
TCG’s 2020 Fish & Wildlife newsletter recognized on an international platform.
Last year, the same Fish & Wildlife Newsletter also won the Canadian Public Relations Society’s National Awards of Excellence 2021 under the best publication category. TCG also won several national and international awards for its branding initiatives including the Platinum PR Awards and 2021 Silver Leaf Awards among others.
Tahltan Central Government snags two Gold Quill Awards for its branding initiatives
7 TAHLTAN CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – SPRING NEWSLETTER 2022
Tahltan Central Government (TCG) continues its winning streak with two Gold Quill PresentedAwards.by the International Association of Business Communicators, Gold Quill Awards recognize strategic communication initiatives on a global platform.
Standard Staff | Published May 4, 2022
TCG won an Award of Excellence for its ‘brand identity’ under the Marketing Advertising and Brand Communications category. The First Nation government also shared an Award of Merit with Roodenburg Design Consultants in the publications category for their work on the 2020 Fish and Wildlife newsletter.
Article from Terrace Terrace
In April, the Tahltan Central Government (TCG) held the first ever Tahltan Exploration Industry Training (TEIT), open to Tahltans nineteen and older that were interested in connecting with their roots and learning about opportunities available in the mineral exploration industry, such as in-territory core cutting, drilling, and archaeological standards training.
This first-of-its-kind training program was enthusiastically supported by Industry Partners and Tahltan Businesses. It offered not only an overview of the mineral exploration industry, but teachings on Tahltan culture and the land from Tahltan Elders. It gave participants a sense of pride, belonging, and confidence.
We had tremendously positive feedback from students involved in the program which would not have been successful without the support of all of the TCG departments involved in its planning and delivery.
9 TAHLTAN CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – SPRING NEWSLETTER 2022
A huge thank you to our industry partners, including; Tahltech Drilling, Norad (Rugged Edge), Dylan Hunko from Enduro Metals for his expertise and teaching in geotechnical drilling and core cutting; Northern Labour Services Occupational First Aid (OFA) 3; and to Newcrest for taking the students and TCG representatives on a tour of the Red Chris Mine. Mēduh!
Eight adult students, who had not previously been involved in the mineral or mining industry, or who may not have been back to territory, were taken on a tour of the Red Chris Mine to gain a more in-depth understanding of the industry and different opportunities offered within. The students were generously provided accommodation by Newmont at their Bear Paw Camp, which included full catering and janitorial services over the duration of the 5-day program. TCG’s Language Department worked to develop the unique opportunity for students to become more aware of their own culture and identity with respected Elders Pat and Theresa Etzerza, who eased students from the beginning and started them off on the right foot.
Attendees learned first-hand from the TCG Culture & Heritage, Education & Training, Employment & Business, Fisheries, Lands, Language, and Wildlife Departments. Members received all flights, meals, accommodation, transportation, and training provided by the TCG.
TahltanIndustryExploration Training
“It’s nice to be home. I want to come back. Corecutting or drilling, either/or. One of those things that I’ll be comfortable with. It’s good to be home, I want to come back a month from now. It’s nice country. It’s nice up here, nice people. Options, options are endless.”
10 TAHLTAN EXPLORATION INDUSTRY TRAINING
NIKITA JADE QUOCK Chilliwack, BC
JADE SLYK
BENJAMIN GUSHLACK Edmonton, AB
NATASHA KOOTENHAYOO Edmonton, AB
“I’ve never been to Telegraph or Dease Lake or Iskut, so this is... amazing!.” JADE or Lake this
“I was last here about fourteen years ago. All the exploration, mining, all the opportunities that are offered up here by the Tahltan Nation, so many opportunities, it’s really exciting. Hopefully I can make a future up here. The drilling looks really cool.”
“I have never been here, first time. It’s pretty exciting. Pretty long days packed full of a lot of stuff to learn and see. Kind of exhausting but worth it.”
BRYN KIRKPATRICK Halifax,
DARIUS MCCOOK
ADAM GREENWAY Nanaimo, BC
NS
“The core cutting, I liked that. And family, meeting a lot of new family. I didn’t realize how long I was out of here. I got nephews that are full grown.”
Kwadacha (Fort Ware), BC
“It feels good [to be back]. This experience showed me that there are so many opportunities available for us within our Nation. With the information and experience we gained on this trip I can say for certain that I am incredibly motivated to make the transition into mining and exploration. I will be able to provide my family with a stability that is hard to find in other sectors.”
SHANE DENNIS Terrace, BC
Terrace, BC
New Tahltans
LYLE QUOCK SR.
December 1993–February 2022
HAROLD DENNIS
MARIE (CONNIE) QUASH
March 7, 2022 9lbs 2oz
July 2001–February 2022
September 1977–February 2022
December 1945–February 2022
April 25, 2022 8lbs 9oz
CHRISTEN SHAWNEEKJEREMYVANCE
FELICIA QUOCK
Chris Vance & Katelyn Callbreath
October 1940–April 2022
PHILIP LOUIE
March 2004–March 2022
12 NEW TAHLTANS CONDOLENCES
Ezra Crystal & Alice Jackson
November 1966–March 2022
June 1944–February 2022
ELLEN (NOLE) DENNIS
LUCY REID
Christine Creyke & Lance Nagwan
BRIAN LINDSTROM JR.
June 1925–April 2022
January 1937–March 2022
KELLI MCLEAN
DENNY CARLICK
GUGÈH ZHÙU NAGWAN
CAROL EDZERZA
CRYSTAL JACKSON
March 23, 2022 9lbs 6oz
Condolences
March 1965–March 2022
Visit Tahltan OnTrack to learn more and match your skill set with current employment opportunities. ontrack.tahltan.org
Ready to test your skills?
TahltanOnTrack
The Tahltan Central Government is working hard to connect Tahltans–no matter where you live, your education, or your job experience–with the vast array of job opportunities in Tahltan Territory!
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Directors’Reports
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16 TAHLTAN CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – SPRING NEWSLETTER 2022
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17 Culture & Heritage, Sandra Marion Dease Lake Community, Christina Callbreath Education & Training, Cassandra Puckett Employment & Business, Ann Ball Fisheries, Cheri Frocklage Lands, Nalaine Morin Language, Pamela Labonte Membership & Genealogy, Shannon Frank Tourism, Alex Buri Wildlife, Westin Creyke
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Sandra Marion Culture & Heritage Director
With all the loss we have been experiencing, it has been difficult to navigate our cultural protocols and balance the need for singing and dance practices. I partnered with our Dease Lake Community Director, Christina Callbreath, and our Tatl’ah Language Coordinator to start supporting the students at the Dease Lake School in forming a dance group. Following this process, we will be developing guidelines and a step-by-step procedure that can be handed over to our Cultural Liaisons in their respective communities to build out their dance groups. While we wait for the appropriate time to launch our practices and possible sewing groups, we are steadily working in the background to build out a repository of sewing supplies that will be offered to groups for regalia-making. We made our first donation of melton and other small supplies to the dance group at the Dease Lake School and we look forward to firing back up in the fall.
Culture & Heritage Director Report
We have been plugging along with processing in the archives and have successfully cataloged and filed approximately 8,000 items, all of which are studies conducted about Tahltan people by Tahltan people, with some assistance. We have now moved on to sorting out our ethnographic materials. We are organizing, filing, and processing each ethnographer, while attempting to identify any possible gaps with a list of resources known to exist out there in the world. We will be building a budget, a schedule, and a list of names once we are ready to collect more information.
Grief can be described as love with no physical being to express it to. Make sure to meditate and dig deep. You will always find your loved ones with you, guiding you and your heart.
17 TAHLTAN CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – SPRING NEWSLETTER 2022 17
Dẕenēs hoti’e Tahltan members. We had quite the beginning of 2022. We have experienced a lot of loss in our Nation, and our hearts grieve with all of you during the months and years ahead.
18 CULTURE & HERITAGE – SANDRA MARION • DEASE LAKE COMMUNITY – CHRISTINA CALLBREATH
Bottom right: Painting at the Ladies’ paint night.
Hello! I think everyone is happy to finally enjoy the warm days, I know I sure am! The last few months were a time to start coming together as a community now that we are looking at the other side of the pandemic, and everyone is more comfortable with gathering. I have had a few chances to organize events and group meetings.
There was a Winter Wellness Photo contest I held with help from the First Nations Health Authority. Congratulations to our winner, Cindy Dennis!
Dease Lake Community Director Report
With the Youth, I have had great fun holding Youth meetings and, with the approval of the School Board, had a few days of cooking classes at the school kitchen where we made French toast, chicken soup, spaghetti, pizza, and chocolate chip cookies. Other activities included holding Ladies’ paint nights, a PAL course, and just recently, taking Dease Lake Ladies to attend the Women’s Retreat in Telegraph Creek.
Christina Callbreath Dease Lake Community Director
I held a BC Family Day Fishing Derby and a hotdog BBQ where there were a few bites, but no fish caught. All participants had their names put in a draw and the big winner of the day was Art Nole, who won an ice fishing tent.
Top-right: Winter Wellness photo winner.
I am looking forward to planning more fun activities that include enjoying the outdoors! Be sure to watch for posts and posters for events and I hope you all can join in when you are in Dease Lake.
Education & Training Director Report
Cassandra Puckett Education & Training Director
As students begin to look forward to wrapping up the January to April semester, we are excited to continue to receive applications for the upcoming 2022/2023 academic year. It is always exciting to see students working diligently towards their goals and aspirations. And as always, the Tahltan Central Government (TCG) education team is honoured to be a small part of that journey.
The TCG Education Department was excited to partner with the University of British Columbia to organize a Youth visit during the 2022 Association for Mineral Exploration (AME) Roundup conference. The Youth were able to spend an entire day at UBC, where they participated in a walking tour of the campus with Tahltan, Kody Penner. Additionally, they toured the UBC Mining Lab, Earth Sciences, Pacific Museum of Earth (Gem Collection) and the Pacific Center for Isotopic and Geochemical Research. They rounded out the day with an engineering tour.
19 TAHLTAN CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – SPRING NEWSLETTER 2022
Dzēnēs hoti’e! With spring comes a renewed sense of hope and future possibilities. With new possibilities comes the opportunity to set an intention to build one’s personal and /or professional capacity – however that may look for you. We hope that education will be a part of your journey forward.
Our amazing team at Contact North BC has had a very busy in March and April registering and supporting community members with the April 2022 Mini Boot Camp courses. Since January 2022, the Telegraph Creek Learning Center has been operating with an open house happening soon. You can access the Contact North Facebook sites in Dease Lake and Telegraph Creek for more information.
Above and Left: Images from the Tahltan Exploration Industry Training Day.
We continue to be available to support people to get the training and education they need in Tahltan Territory. If you are interested in upgrading, training, or post-secondary, contact the CNBC staff via their Facebook sites or drop in for a chat. The CNBC staff are phenomenal at supporting Tahltans to find what works for them!
20 EDUCATION & TRAINING – CASSANDRA PUCKETT
“It is always exciting to see students working diligently towards their goals and aspirations. And as always, the Tahltan Central Government (TCG) education team is honoured to be a small part of that journey.”
The Iskut Learning Centre is close to opening; the setup is complete, and Contact North BC (CNBC) is recruiting staff so the learning center can be open full time for the community. There are currently five people registered for Education Assistant Programs and four people now registering for Early Childhood Education programs for September 2022. We are also organizing a Wildfire Boot Camp and a PAL course during May 2022.
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Graeson Lounsbury Health Science Diploma
Ocean Van Mierlo Faculty of Social Science
Erich Mostad Welder Foundation
Lena Jackson Advanced GIS Certificate
Destiny McPhee Carpentry
Agneslyn Dennis Safety, Health & Environmental Mgmt.
SEABRIDGE GOLD BURSARY AWARDS
Post-Secondary Recipients & Area or Program of Study
The 2022 Seabridge Gold Bursary opportunity closed on January 23, 2022, with a total of 35 applicants in Post-Secondary, Skills Development/Trades, and Community Developments.
Merissa Gallup Early Childhood Education
Amber-Lynn May Bachelor of Science, Forensic Science
Melia Hudgin Music Business Professional Prog., Arts Mgmt. & Audio Engineering
Alysha Hawkins Bachelor of Visual Arts
Cagney Etzerza Welder Foundation
Shesley Callison-Hanna Master of Science, Environmental Science
Early Childhood Education Diploma
Keegan Zubek Heavy Mechanical
forward, we continue to work hard at enhancing and fine-tuning our TCG Education & Training processes and programs. We continue to look towards a fulsome and comprehensive understanding of education overall, inclusive of our partnerships across the Tahltan Governance structure.
Seeing the vast array of fields of study and educational pursuits is an incredible inspiration to all.
Community Capacity Development & Area or Program of Study
Levi Sladen Bachelor of Engineering, Mining & Mineral Resource Eng.
Kudat Shorty-Henyu Associates of Arts, Tlingit Language
Chantel Quock Master of Science, Environmental & Management
Jasmine Netsena Bachelor of Business
Heather Hawkins Bachelor of Commerce, Entrepreneurial Mgmt.
Kyle Risby Juris Doctor/Juris Indigenous Doctor of Law
The following Tahltans received Seabridge Gold Bursary Awards totaling $40,000.
Trades & Area or Program of Study
Jedrek Dendys Bachelor Social Sciences, Political Science
Taylor Peterson Bachelor of Science, Nursing
Ashton Nole
Andrade Louie Commercial Pilot License
It is exciting to see the implementation of the $5,000 maximum allowable bursary allocation translate into more Tahltans recipients of these funds.
22 EDUCATION & TRAINING – CASSANDRA PUCKETT
Dylan Chapdelaine Bachelor of Arts
I encourage students to apply for all available bursary opportunities. Kelli is available to provide support if you require help with your letter of intent or how to demonstrate financial need best. I encourage you to access the support mechanisms available to give you the best chance possible at being a Asrecipient.wemove
• Red Chris Mine for taking the students along with TCG participants (sixteen in total) on a tour of the mine;
• Newmont for allowing us to utilize their Bear Paw Camp and including full catering/janitorial services as part of this five day program;
23 TAHLTAN CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – SPRING NEWSLETTER 2022
It is ramping up to be a whirlwind of an exploration season in Tahltan Territory, with the highest projected activity in history. One of the mandates of the Employment and Business Department is to maximize Tahltan employment on all sites, including supervisory roles and apprenticeships.
• Special thanks to all of the TCG Departments that participated in helping the students with this learning experience, especially our Language Department with Elders Pat and Theresa Etzerza who put our students at ease and started them all off having fun.
Norad (partnered with Rugged Edge) for the utilization of their property by Iskut for the training program to occur;
• Northern Labour Services for donating a qualified Tahltan to assist with Geotech, Core cutting, and Occupational First Aid Level 3;
Ann Ball Employment & Business Director
• Dylan Hunko (Enduro Metals) for donating his expertise to teach Geotech and Core cutting;
A huge shout out to the partners who made this happen:
Additionally, we have been focusing on Tahltan businesses. A policy is being developed to ensure that Tahltan businesses are represented from our TCG level.
Employment & Business Director Report
We have been working to maximize Tahltan employment on all sites, whether through Tahltan businesses or directly with mines. We are currently reaching out to all Tahltans who want to work within our territory to register with OnTrack and see what opportunities there are for you right now. In the past few months, we have been offered apprenticeships within our territory. This is an opportunity to move forward with a career in mining which will offer transferable skills for many sectors of the workforce.
There is a simple registry in place right now and the link will be listed further down in this article. A new addition to our department is collective bargaining with the Steel Workers Union at the Red Chris Mine.
As part of our efforts to bring Tahltans back to territory in the exploration industry, we’ve developed an introductory training program, Tahltan Exploration Industry Training (TEIT), in which we have had great support from industry and Tahltan businesses. We had eight students in the program which was not entirely about exploration but included their own cultural and identity awareness. We had great feedback from the participants.
Tahltech Drilling (a Tahltan Nation Development Corporation partnership) for providing the drill and driller/helper to explain the drilling process;
We are using OnTrack to ensure our Tahltan Central Government (TCG) membership has preferential hire via postings to our OnTrack platforms, using our OnTrack database where we ask that all Tahltan members fourteen years and older register as it is our overall Tahltan Human Resources Database. You must be a registered TCG member or associate to be accepted to OnTrack and our Tahltan OnTrack Facebook group.
24 EMPLOYMENT & BUSINESS – ANN BALL
businesses and what specific services or products they can provide. Please ensure you have your business registered via the online application on the OnTrack business section to ensure you have representation and support from this department.
If you require assistance with updating your resume or anything OnTrack-related, please contact Lily Sembsmoen at: otspecialist@tahltan.org
This is the first program where a learning platform combined the exploration industry and local Tahltan culture and land. The sense of pride and confidence we have seen in the students in attendance has been worth all the planning efforts and participation from our team that made it materialize.
PREFERENTIAL HIRE AS PER IMPACT BENEFIT AGREEMENTS
At this time, we are also dealing with two of our active Impact Benefit Agreement (IBA) projects having unions being brought forth to their sites. Coast Mountain Hydro has completed a collective bargaining agreement without any Tahltan input whatsoever. We have our lawyer currently reviewing this agreement. With the Red Chris collective agreement, we are working with a specialized union lawyer to ensure our Rights and Title are protected within the current IBA.
We will also be looking for a third-party organization to assist our Tahltan entrepreneurs in moving forward with their business plans. A few of the industry partners are working with this department to ensure that future entrepreneurial opportunities are available to Tahltan businesses. I believe that if starting your own business is something that you are interested in, then now is the time.
Please feel free to reach out to me any time regarding both employment, contracting, or anything else I can assist with. Help your fellow Tahltans and have them register for OnTrack to have access to preferential hiring, at: ontrack.tahltan.org, by emailing me at: employmentdirector@tahltan.org, or by phoning me at 778 772 6355.
We are always striving to increase our OnTrack membership, which is available to both TCG members and associates who are registered with the TCG. This will maximize their access to available opportunities as per our preferential treatment via our Impact Benefit Agreements, as postings for the mines will be available on this site prior to being released openly. Visit ontrack.tahltan.org to register. Approval takes a few business days and as stated, requires membership with the TCG. Note – you do not have to be a status member to gain TCG membership as it is based on your Tahltan Ancestry! TCG membership registration can be found on our tahltan.org website.
Tahltan businesses can register their companies via our Ontrack.tahltan.org website under business (ontrack.tahltan.org/tahltan-businesses). A Tahltan business can put its basic information forward so we can better understand the services and products it provides and share that with our industry partners. At ontrack.tahltan.org there is a business tab, and in the future, the OnTrack site will also have a database of all Tahltan businesses and all the companies working with us. The mining and exploration companies will put their Request for Proposals (RFPs) and vendor requirements on the platform and Tahltan businesses can review and see which they are qualified to bid on, so all opportunities are available fairly. This department is working with all registered Tahltan companies to ensure that industry partners are aware of their
2022 Terminal Run Forecast: 7,400
Ten Year Average: 99,000
Escapement Goal Range: 20,000 – 40,000
Stikine River Chinook (Large)
Tahltan Wild Sockeye: 12,000
Management Objective: 17,400
Cheri Frocklage Fisheries Director
2022 Terminal Run Forecast: 21,000
Stikine River Sockeye
Escapement Goal Range: 18,000 – 30,000
Tahltan
Tahltan Enhanced Sockeye: 30,000
Management Objective: 30,000
The spring is well underway in Tahltan Territory. Snow is slowly melting under warmer temperatures and intermittent splashes of rain. The creeks and rivers are rising, the landscape awakens after a long winter slumber, pussy willows are out, and green grass is poking through receding snow patches.
2022 Terminal Run Forecast: 42,000
Ten Year Average: 61,000
Ten Year Average: 39,000
Fisheries Director Report
Management objectives in place for Tahltan Lake and Mainstem stocks
MainstemLake
Our Fisheries Department field staff are trained up, pumped up, and have been deployed to the field to kick off the Chinook and coho juvenile coded wire tagging program on the Lower Stikine.
25 TAHLTAN CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – SPRING NEWSLETTER 2022
The 2022 Stikine River Salmon Forecasts were presented to the Pacific Salmon Commission – Transboundary River Panel at the pre-season meeting in February. Run projections for Chinook/King salmon remain low. The Tahltan Lake sockeye projection is good, while the Mainstem sockeye run projection is below average.
Escapement Goal Range: 14,000 – 28,000
Ten Year Average: 17,400
2022 Terminal Run Forecast: 63,000
Management Objective: 24,000
• Ichthyology Course: March 21-22
The TCG Fisheries Manager, Kerry Carlick, pulled together the 2022 Fisheries Department staff training schedule 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.
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.
2022 MANAGEMENT ACTIONS
• Our Aquatic Protections Officer, Naia, also attended and received her OFA Level 3 First Aid Certification in Dease Lake: April 12-22
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
• One staff also took a PAL Course in February
The TCG Fisheries Department strongly encourages our members to continue the practice of conserving our declining Chinook salmon stocks by not directly fishing for them.
26 FISHERIES – CHERI FROCKLAGE
• Bear Awareness/ Shotgun Defense Course: March 23-24
“We must adjust our way of thinking if the Tahltan River Chinook stocks are to ever stand a chance at rebuilding.”
• More Course (wellness training): March 18-20
FISHERIES STAFF SPRING TRAINING BOOTCAMP
We must adjust our way of thinking if the Tahltan River Chinook stocks are to ever stand a chance at rebuilding. 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 our future generations are provided with 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 release any healthy King salmon from your net, allowing them to continue on their journey to the spawning grounds.
Above: TCG Fisheries Crew – March 2022.
Canada and the USA have both been allocated their 2022 Stikine River sockeye salmon Total Allowable Catch (TAC) under the Pacific Salmon Treaty provisions: 47% to Canada = 8,460 – 53% to USA = 9,540. Each country will allocate their domestic TAC amongst their fisheries as they choose. The mainstem sockeye projection is too low to provide for any directed fisheries opportunities on these stocks. Fishers will be provided fishing opportunities for Tahltan Lake-bound sockeye only.
The development of operating procedures and policies for the Lands Department.
• Research and development of environmental and Tahltan studies.
Tahltan Territory is vast and the successful stewardship of Tahltan lands and resources takes the careful planning and commitment of many people.
How is this different than previous mining projects reviewed by the Tahltan Central Government (TCG) and the Tahltan Heritage Resources Environmental Assessment Team (THREAT)?
Now, under the new Section 7 Agreement for the Eskay Revitalization Project, the TCG will decide on the project based on community input and other decision-making tools designed by the Lands Department and based on Tahltan knowledge and governance that will help to guide the decisions of our Tahltan Leadership. This is a positive step in our work towards fulfilling our responsibilities of governing Tahltan lands and ensuring our lands are sustainably managed for future generations.
Negotiation and implementation of Exploration Agreements.
Congratulations to the Tahltan team of technicians and Directors with the support of Tahltan Leadership on the development and approval of the first-ever consent-based decision-making agreement in the Province of British Columbia. The agreement was signed at a ceremony in Victoria on June 6, 2022.
• Negotiation and implementation of environmental management frameworks for Impact Benefit Agreements.
Nalaine Morin Lands Director
Previously, technical reviews of projects were completed by THREAT and recommendations were then provided to Tahltan Leadership, the Province and the Tahltan negotiations team. These reviews were considered by the provincial government and work was done by both the Province and the proponent to address any concerns identified by the TCG and THREAT. These concerns were summarized and shared with the provincial decision-makers as part of the materials to consider when deciding on a project. There was no consideration for a Tahltan decision at that time.
What does it mean for Tahltan to have the first consent-based decision-making agreement for a proposed mining project in our territory?
Lands Director Report
• Preparation and participation in virtual community engagement sessions.
It means that we will be reviewing and analyzing the proposed mining project, developing a recommendations report, and providing the report to Tahltan Leadership who will then decide on whether they will issue a declaration of consent for the project. The Tahltan Central Government would only make this decision by following our internal process of attaining informed consent by the Tahltan people following a series of meetings with urban and local Tahltan communities, followed by a successful ratification vote by Tahltan members. The project being considered is the Skeena Eskay Creek Revitalization Project which is currently in the provincial Environmental Assessment process.
• Reviews of permit applications for exploration projects, major mines, and lands activities.
I would like to thank all the people in the Lands Department including the technicians and contractors who have supported the work of the department over the past year to ensure that we are able to engage in:
27 TAHLTAN CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – SPRING NEWSLETTER 2022
• The Lands Department has also been working with several contractors to ensure we have enough resources for both the TSI and THREAT teams. We now have expertise in block cave mining, hydrogeology, social science, and reclamation to support our review of projects in Tahltan Territory.
• The Red Chris Mine is developing plans for an underground mining operation. The Tahltan technical team has been reviewing a number of permit amendment applications for the proposed updated project, including changes to the Mines Act Permit, Effluent Permit, and Environmental Assessment Certificate for the mine. The team participates in technical working group meetings and meetings with the Province to design a permitting strategy for the project and to review proposed mitigation options to address Tahltan concerns.
• Tahltan land use and occupancy studies have been completed for several projects including Red Chris, Eskay Creek Revitalization and GT.
28
In the past several months, the Lands Department has been focused on the following projects:
• Development of interim land management and protection strategies for Tahltan areas of interest in Tahltan Territory. This work is being done as part of the larger joint land use planning with the Province and the Tahltan Stewardship Plan. Community engagement is being planned for each of these draft strategies to ensure that the communities are informed and have input into these activities.
• Participation in the Environmental Assessment process for the Eskay Creek Revitalization Project which has included a detailed review of the project description and application information requirements. The team is also reviewing several permit applications for the project as well including amendments to the mine permitting area, a landfill/sewage amendment, Heritage Inspection Permit, and quarry applications. The Tahltan team participates in both government technical meetings and workshops with Skeena to review the proposed activities, discuss concerns, and identify possible mitigation options to manage potential impacts to Tahltan interests.
• A significant number of joint inspections with the Province have been carried out over the past couple of months. Joint inspections have occurred at Red Chris, Silvertip, KSM and the Brucejack mine sites.
“Our language identifies who we are as Tahltan people. It is reconciliation in my terms. Because it is bringing people back together.”
– Pat Etzerza
29 TAHLTAN CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – SPRING NEWSLETTER 2022
Language Director Report
The Tāłtān Dictionary Project is a massive, Nationwide undertaking of highly coordinated efforts involving many moving parts and pieces. The Rapid Word Collection (RWC) process for Phase 1 began with a staggered documentation approach in each of the three Communities in territory (Tatl’ah – Dease Lake, Tlēgōhīn – Telegraph Creek, and Łuwechōn – Iskut). Documentation workstations were set up in each location with on-the-ground community coordinators overseeing each location’s RWC event.
As described in previous newsletters, we partnered with TLC, a not-for-profit organization, because of their specialization in dictionary development in this context. We deliberately chose to collaborate with TLC because of their specialized documentation software and the background support they offer that will enable us to develop a dictionary in approximately one year from the time of documentation as opposed to the several years it typically takes when working on it alone with internal resources.
A multi-modal dictionary means the dictionary will include the written and spoken forms of each entry or word. The final version will include audio of fluent speakers for each word (for accurate pronunciation) and the written form in each dialect as documented. Important to note is that the dictionary and work being done now will build on the foundations of the existing Tahltan Children’s Illustrated Dictionary.
for working with Tāłtān speakers to transcribe the oral language being documented. We were also very fortunate to have two Tahltan scribes working virtually with speakers in each of the communities through the innovative technology set in place by The Language Conservancy (TLC).
DICTIONARY
Pamela Labonte Language Director
Developing a dictionary embodies so much more than just making a comprehensive repository of Tāłtān words and sentences available to everyone, although that is an amazing initiative in and of itself.
This dictionary is about connection – connection at a Nationwide level. It is about connecting the generations through language.
Coordinators had dual roles – they ensured each RWC went smoothly, and logistics were taken care of, while also working directly with the Tāłtān speakers as scribes for the project. Scribes were responsible
Spring 2022 has been one of the busiest seasons yet for the Tahltan Central Government (TCG) Language Department. After much planning, preparation, stopping, starting, pausing, and rolling with every challenge that came our way this past year, we are thrilled to report we have now completed Phase 1 of The Tāłtān Dictionary Project. Wow!
There are many phases to developing a dictionary and the work will continue throughout the years. We consider this dictionary to be a living project, meaning that while the initial work now focuses on basic word collection, documentation will continue in the years to come. The Tāłtān Dictionary will always be growing and evolving – just like language. Those working on it from the back-end will have the ability to add new entries or words including new words as they are created that may not yet exist in Tāłtān, add alternate recordings or dialects with other speakers, add example sentences to accompany each entry, and continue to edit as needed – the list goes on!
We still get the common question, “Who owns the materials in the end?” The Tāłtān Dictionary and all documented language through this process will belong to the Tahltan Nation/Tahltan people via development through this TCG initiative. Once complete, the web-based dictionary will be hosted on the TCG’s website, and an App will be available for download. There will also be print copies available for those who prefer a paperback version once the team has determined the dictionary is ready to go to print.
involved and contribute. We plan to continue to work with speakers from in the territory and include those who live outside of the territory. If any Tāłtān speaker would like to be involved in these next phases, or if anyone knows of a speaker – in or outside of the territory who would like to participate, please reach out to Pamela Labonte, TCG Language Director.
Left: TCG DepartmentLanguageTeamMembers.
In a conversation Mary Quock had with her grandson he asked her, “Grandma why do you want to work? We do not need the money?” She replied, “It is for the future generations I am doing this so that they can learn from it. We need to gather as many words as we can.”
Mēduh chō to all those who were a part of this exciting first phase. This is a group effort and a legacy project that will be available for Tahltans for years to come. There are many individuals to thank including the Elders, speakers, coordinators, caterers, and everyone else who has had a helping hand in making Phase 1 a success. We are very grateful for such a wonderful team and the support of Leadership and the Board of Directors in making this project a reality and a success. We are actively planning Phase 2 for the latter part of spring. Throughout all the next phases, we want to provide the opportunity for all Tāłtān speakers to be
Below: TCG Language Department Team, Rapid Word Collection Session.
30 LANGUAGE – PAMELA LABONTE
We look forward to continuing to share in the journey during each milestone of these exciting next steps. Stay tuned for incremental progress reports on the TCG Language Facebook Page at: facebook.com/ TCGLanguageDepartment
The connection starts with those who are working directly on the project and eventually will connect everyone through access to Tāłtān through the digital platform once the work is complete. Many Tahltans do not have access to the language – meaning it is not visible or accessible to them where they are and/or they may not have relationships with Elders or speakers. The Tāłtān Dictionary will provide that missing connection. The user can simply press a button and hear the language being spoken by a fluent speaker. It is an experience like no other and it has been a true honour to lead and facilitate such a special project for the Nation.
We have had foundational lessons teaching participants how to introduce themselves, basic greetings and pleasantries, simple commands, and more! Each lesson begins with a review of the previous lesson before learning new concepts and language. Mēduh to all those who have joined each session.
Lessons have been full of joy, connecting, and learning and it has been a pleasure being a part of something so special. This initiative has been a success because of all those who participated, asked questions, and came with good spirits and open hearts. Each lesson is recorded and available to Tahltans in the TCG website Members Only Section.
She has been documenting Elders in the territory as well as travelling to those outside of the territory who have expressed interest in working with her through this very important position. Julia has begun creating her summer schedule to work with speakers and Elders to document Tāłtān and important cultural aspects.
In other department news, we continued to deliver Tāłtān language lessons via Zoom. Each lesson is carefully curated by the Elders and speakers and facilitated by Hayle Gallup. The motto for each lesson is, “if you don’t use it, you lose it” and use it we do!
DOCUMENTATION SPECIALIST UPDATE – JULIA PAYNE
Julia’s main focus during the latter parts of winter and early spring was to work on the Dictionary Project. She has now redirected efforts to working with Tāłtān speakers and Elders to document important aspects of language and culture. A part of her role also includes supporting the Culture and Heritage Department by documenting important cultural initiatives where our mandates intersect between Language and Culture.
31 TAHLTAN CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – SPRING NEWSLETTER 2022
TĀŁTĀN ZOOM LESSONS – IF YOU DON’T USE IT, YOU LOSE IT!
Again, if any Tāłtān speakers or Elders would like to meet with Julia, or if a member knows of anyone who would like to work with her, in or outside of the territory, please reach out to Pamela Labonte, TCG Language Director.
“I really enjoyed working with Hayle and the Language Department! This has been a dream of mine for so long; to learn and speak my language, Didene keh, and to be a part of an amazing team. I cannot wait to see what we can gather in knowledge and teachings of our language and culture. This makes me so happy!
Mēduh chō”. – Lesli Louie
Additionally, in collaboration with the school, the Culture and Heritage Director, Dease Lake Community Director, and I have officially launched our Youth Tahltan dance group. I am amazed at the interest from the Youth, their respect, and their dedication to showing up. Our group is currently practicing for their first performance, which will be the 2022 graduation ceremony. Brian Manning and the Administrative team at the School District level have also provided us with a space to officially call the Tatl’ah Language Centre. I will be setting up this language centre as my office, classroom, and space for Elders and the community to engage in future language initiatives.
Throughout the spring, I have been attending committee meetings for the building of Cultural Centres within our territory. Through this work, I assisted in hosting community visioning workshops and dinners in both Telegraph and Dease Lake. Our communities have incredible visions for what should be included in a Cultural Centre. I look forward to contributing to this incredible initiative spearheaded by the Tahltan Band and Obsidian Architecture Ltd.
32 LANGUAGE – PAMELA LABONTE
I am honoured to be in this position as the Tatl’ah Language Programming Coordinator and am looking forward to the growth in relationships and language programs and initiatives in our community.
Dhakāle Hayle Gallup
The Dictionary Project was an incredible experience. The Tatl’ah (Dease Lake) team worked full-time for almost a month collecting words for the dictionary. I think of myself as a helper and a learner first and am honoured to have been the coordinator on the ground for the Tatl’ah location. Working with the Elders every day, visiting, and eating incredible locally catered food, we really became a language family.
DhakāleMēduh, Hayle Gallup
Tatl’ah Language Programming Coordinator
Tatl’ah Language Programming Coordinator Updates
Over the spring months, the fluent speakers and I have continued to offer Nationwide Zoom language lessons. We, for the most part, have a consistent engagement of approximately 50 members from near and far joining us. It is touching to meet new relatives from different parts of the world and to be able to support them in connecting to their language. COVID prevented many gatherings from happening, but that did not stop our Elder engagement. For the first part of spring, I started meeting with the Elders virtually from Dease Lake and beyond. Every Wednesday night I delivered delicious locally baked goods to our Tatl’ah Elders then met them online to visit in the language together with other Elders from the Nation. The Elders love these meetings! During the first one, Mary Quock stated, “COVID can’t keep us apart!” Our Wednesday evenings were placed on hold during the Dictionary Project, but we are hoping to kickstart them back up again very soon.
The reopening of the Tatl’ah Language Nest or K’asbā’e T’oh (Ptarmigan’s Nest) has officially begun. TCG was a successful grant applicant of the Pathways to Language Vitality Grant through the First Peoples’ Cultural Council (FPCC) which will support the K’asbā’e T’oh with funding and very critical operational support. Planning, hiring, and training are next on the agenda. I look forward to sharing the progress on its reopening!
My relationship with the school district and local community school has been meaningful and successful. The administration and teachers are committed to making space for the Tāłtān language and culture to be at the epicentre of what they do. The principal, Brian Manning, continues to invite me into the building and is committed to having a positive and collaborative relationship with our team. This spring, I collaborated with Tahltan/Tlingit artist Una Ann to design an eagle feather which incorporates language as a gift for the school. The feather will be utilized in the school’s feather ceremonies and given to students who are being recognized /honoured in those ceremonies.
33 TAHLTAN CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – SPRING NEWSLETTER 2022
A group of Tahltan Elders and linguists are working toward revitalizing and preserving their traditional language through a dictionary project.
The team is building on an existing Tahltan children’s illustrated dictionary from the 1990s. They are also adapting to include new modern-day words, said Dhakāle (Hayle Gallup), from TCG’s language department.
“Our language didn’t get the opportunity to grow with the new world, it didn’t get the opportunity to transform or build on the vocabulary so we’re creating new words as we go,” said Dhakāle.
The modern-day dictionary will include more than 10,000 words and will be available on an app.
This is done through a method called ‘rapid word collection’ where scenarios and subjects are played out for Elders who then come up with words to describe them.
“If we have the dictionary, there’s no excuse for individuals to not learn the language,” said Pat. “They are giving tools to Tahltans who wish to take the step to learn.”
The project brought together younger generations as well as Tahltans spread across other countries to help build words, a scenario that Pat describes as a “true form of reconciliation.”
34 LANGUAGE – PAMELA LABONTE
The process has been challenging owing to historic setbacks faced by Indigenous people across Canada during the era of assimilation at residential schools when they were not allowed to speak and practice their first languages.
“We almost lost our language by not teaching it to our children,” said Theresa, adding that mentoring people as an Elder now is her way of ensuring there is a continuity process in reviving the language. “If we don’t practice it, we will lose it, we lose our identity,” she said.
6, 2022
Tahltan Elders, Pat and Theresa Etzerza, who are working on the project in Dease Lake said it has been a fulfilling process for them to be able to build resources to help guide future generations of Tahltans living across the world.
also included setting up ‘language nests’, an immersive educative program for infants and children between the ages of zero and four. The dictionary will complement all these existing projects, the team said.
Pat recounted his own personal experience of reconnecting with his culture through language as a residential school survivor and said projects like these will better equip Tahltans living outside the First Nation’s territory in northwest B.C. to help them discover their own identities.
Revitalizing the Tahltan language has been an ongoing program for several years in the communities and efforts have seen students who benefited from these programs come back to Outreachteach.efforts
The Tahltan Dictionary Project that began mid-March is aiming for a lexicon of 10,000 words and has collaborated with The Language Conservancy, a North American non-profit, who are providing the technology for this project. Once complete, the dictionary will also be available to download through a website and an app.
Article from Terrace Standard | Binny Paul | Published May
The team will be travelling to Terrace from May 16–20 for the next phase of the project to work with fluent language speakers who will be gathering in the city.
“Our language identifies who we are as Tahltan people,” said Pat. “It just about got extinct but we are trying our best through technology to revive it.”
A dictionary project is underway to revive and make language more accessible for Tahltans
Tahltan Central Government’s (TCG) language department has been working with Elders and fluent speakers in Iskut, Telegraph Creek and Dease Lake to collect words.
4 Fill out and click Submit
3 Scroll down to the Contact Update Form section and click on Contact Update Form.
Are there any other reasons to update my information?
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
Fellow Tahltans. A call out to update.
For additional information please contact: Shannon Frank
Roxanne Ball Membership Clerk roxanne ball@tahltan org
1 Go to the TCG website.
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.
How often should I update my information?
35 TAHLTAN CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – SPRING NEWSLETTER 2022
Shannon Frank Membership & Genealogy Director
Transparency is very important to us. Therefore, please register and update your information regularly to stay current on all things affecting Tahltans.
Director of Membership & Genealogy membershipdirector@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.
Membership & Genealogy Director Report
2 At the top of the home page (upper right) click on Tahltan Membership.
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.
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.
What do I need to do exactly? Simple.
As we head into summer, we have started to see the familiar annual increase in migratory travellers passing through the Nation. Accommodation providers have reported a healthy jump in occupancy rates for April (compared to last year) and we are looking forward to seeing how far tourism rebounds to pre-COVID levels.
I am looking forward to hearing your feedback on these topics and to sharing our vision for ecotourism at the upcoming Annual General Assembly (AGA).
Tourism Director Report
36 MEMBERSHIP & GENEALOGY – SHANNON FRANK · TOURISM – ALEX BURI
Throughout the spring, we have also been evaluating the purchase of numerous businesses that would serve as strategic tourism investments for the Nation. While the process of due diligence and evaluation takes time, we are looking forward to sharing future announcements with you. We are also on the hunt for a 12–15 passenger shuttle van which we will use to create new tourism products aimed at keeping visitors in the territory longer.
“I have been inspired by all the conversations I’ve had with both Tahltan entrepreneurs as well as ecotourism leaders from other First Nations who are already seeing the positive benefits of a sustainable ecotourism economy.”
Our continued focus this year is on creating a strategy that will guide the next three years of ecotourism development, built on a strong foundation backed by community buy-in. With that in mind, the past few months have seen the research component of that strategy largely completed. This has included a survey of current tourism infrastructure and potential tourism products ranging from new accommodation options to cultural tours to trail rides — with a focus on sharing Tahltan culture and ways of life. I have been inspired by all the conversations I’ve had with both Tahltan entrepreneurs as well as ecotourism leaders from other First Nations who are already seeing the positive benefits of a sustainable ecotourism economy.
Alex Buri Tourism Director
Starting this May, my focus will switch to visiting highpotential ecotourism regions in-person and assessing the viability of potential products. In parallel, we will also begin a series of community and member engagement sessions to gather input and feedback to guide the strategic decisions we make going forward. This will help us understand what kind of tourism we want to see, how many visitors we can safely sustain, and which areas may or may not be off-limits for tourism.
Wildlife Director Report
TAHLTAN PREDATOR PROGRAM
37 TAHLTAN CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – SPRING NEWSLETTER 2022
Westin Creyke
The Guardians were able to trap a total of nineteen wolves from Klappan, Tseneglode, Willow Creek, Muddy Lake Road, Burnt Trailer, and Dease River throughout winter and early spring. During that time, community members utilized the incentivized harvesting program to hunt and trap fourteen wolves from various locations. The harvest incentive remains for wolves and grizzlies but is no longer in place for black bears.
I am excited to be transitioning into my new role as Interim Wildlife Director after spending one year as the Guardian Coordinator. The Wildlife Department has been busy throughout the late winter and into the spring with multiple projects.
Additionally, we were able to deploy collars on wolf packs at Dease Lake, Level Mountain, and Klappan. We had planned on deploying two more collars, but poor snow conditions forced us to postpone our final day of wolf captures until November. This is in addition to collars on wolf packs in Edziza, Telegraph, Creek, Iskut, and Spatsizi. The information gained from these collars will be used to plan further predator management actions and support changes in caribou and moose management. Our team in the Wildlife Department encourages everybody to get out and enjoy the arrival of spring. While doing so, please be mindful that bears come with it so proper garbage and food management is encouraged. Without a Conservation Officer currently stationed in Dease Lake, problem bears are likely to be the Guardians’ problem.
Interim Wildlife Director
We deployed additional caribou collars on the LevelKawdy, Tseneglode, and Spatsizi herds and deployed our first round of collars on the Edziza. Caribou collars had not been deployed on the Edziza herd until now as the low population total made capturing riskier, so we needed to wait for ideal capturing conditions. The collar information, with Tahltan monitoring surveys, is being summarized, then will be reviewed with Tahltan Knowledge and community members. The review will support mapping the ancient and historic ranges with current trends. This information will support Tahltan recovery of caribou herds in the Nation.
TAHLTAN COLLARINGCARIBOUPROJECT
38 WILDLIFE – WESTIN CREYKE
HARVEST SURVEY
This spring and summer, the Wildlife Department will be looking to set up community updates, workshops, and interviews to gather community wildlife directions and knowledge on caribou, moose, sheep, goats, and other wildlife. This will support Tahltan Knowledge of habitat mapping, community-based wildlife management planning, and further Tahltan governance of wildlife.
The information gained from these surveys is required for joint decision-making authority in wildlife management and provides proof of our sustenance needs. By participating in the survey, you are entered into a chance to win one of three hunting-related prizes.
The Guardians went door to door in each of the three communities to conduct harvest surveys. As expected, we were unable to reach all in-territory Tahltans due to work and other commitments. If you did not talk with a Guardian regarding the survey, you will be receiving a survey in the mail or by phone. Going forward, please use your TCG Wildlife Calendar to record your harvests throughout the year. This will make it much easier to recall your harvests during the following year’s round of surveys.
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTSCOMMUNITY
THIS IS OUR LAND. WETHEARELAND. SPRING 2022 39
The Tahltan Stewardship Initiative (TSI) is our opportunity for transformative change based on the recognition of Tahltan Title and Rights.
Vision Statement
A Stewardship Planning Advisory Committee will be started very soon, and we encourage those interested in joining this group to reach out to get involved. Through this group, Tahltans with on the land experience and technical expertise will be reviewing and collaborating with us. This group will make recommendations and advise on how to look after Tahltan Territory now and into the future.
40 TAHLTAN STEWARDSHIP INITIATIVE
TSI means Tahltans working together to transform how things are done. Through TSI, the rules are changing. And we are shaping the process.
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.
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.
Interested in learning more or getting involved?
us: communications@
Ȗ Reach out to tahltan.or
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 project team leads and members, complete project surveys and mapping exercises, watch previous engagement sessions, and more – whenever it works for you!
41 TAHLTAN CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – SPRING NEWSLETTER 2022
TAHLTAN INITIATIVESTEWARDSHIPWEBSITE
g
Get Involved!
2005
Fisheries Department formed within the TCG
The Collaborative Stewardship Framework with the 3 Nations and the Province of British Columbia
The Klappan Plan and the Klappan Management Board
Wildlife Department formed within the TCG
Lands Department formed within the Tahltan Central Government
2018–2021202020162013
1980s
The Shared Decision-Making Agreement with the Province of British Columbia
Out of Respect Report
201520192017
The Tahltan Ancestral Study with Elders 1987 Resource Development Policy 2003
Culture & Heritage Department formed within the TCG
Formation of the Tahltan Heritage Resources Environmental Assessment Team (THREAT)
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.
42 TAHLTAN STEWARDSHIP INITIATIVE
» Using technical data to highlight relationships and connections.
PLAN UPDATES
» Tahltan participation: Tahltans sharing their knowledge, deepening their relationships with the land and community through opportunities for engagement, involvement, and collaboration.
» Guiding the incorporation of current best practices of western knowledge to support Tahltan knowledge and values for a holistic approach.
» Our work is founded on Tahltan knowledge, culture, and language including Tahltan Ancestral Study and other data, Tahltan stories from the past and present, and Tahltan language.
TSI & TAHLTAN STEWARDSHIP
Ȗ Maintain a focus on the health of the land as a whole – earth, air, water, living beings, spirits, and connections between them .
There are two areas of focus to our planning approach:
43 TAHLTAN CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – SPRING NEWSLETTER 2022
» Tahltan relationships: Maintaining the Tahltan ways of being, including spiritual, physical, and emotional connections with and within the land, and with one another – exercising Tahltan collective rights and title.
Ȗ Maintain terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem health
Ȗ Provide guidelines for land use
2 A technical approach that centers on Tahltan knowledge supported by current best practices of western knowledge which are aligned and support our work:
Our collaborative efforts are guided by the work of the Tahltan Central Government Lands, Fisheries, Wildlife, and Culture & Heritage Departments.
» Setting goals to maintain land and water ecosystem health and the Tahltan way of life at the territory, regional, and site-specific levels while guiding development in the territory.
1 A relationships-based approach that is grounded in the Tahltan way of being:
Our approach is supported by the Tahltan Stewardship Plan Methodology which has four priorities:
Ȗ Ensure the land can continue to support the Tahltan way of life .
» Guided by set core principles including the 1910 Tahltan Declaration, 1987 Resource Development Policy, and Tahltan Law and Values.
Two key components of the methodology are:
As spring changes to summer, Tahltan’s Stewardship planning is ready to blossom. Our sacred Mother Earth relates to our methodology because, “Tahltan recognize that everything has a spirit and Tahltan have obligations to take care of the spirit of everything within our territory, Tahltan have our own way of stewardship and decisionmaking.” Our collective spirits and love of Mother Earth will use Tahltan laws and worldview to guide our planning process.
1 This is a Tahltan-led process, grounded in a relational approach. This means it is a process driven by all Tahltans and their relations to Mother Earth.
Our planning process believes Tahltan land is healthiest when Tahltans are enjoying, exploring, and exercising rights and title on the land. To collectively build a generational stewardship plan we must put our differences aside and hold on to the love and relations we have with the land. Our Earth Mother requires Tahltans to hold up our relations with honour and to act with love and care.
David Rattray TSI Elder Representative
Our planning process believes that the Tahltan Stewardship Plan will directly affect the way that Tahltan people live with the land. Tahltan have obligations which shape the way that they exercise their collective Tahltan rights and title.
By Kyle Risby & David Rattray
2 Indigenous knowledge is centered as the most reliable and primary source of information. This means that Tahltan knowledge will be complemented by all other available information, where appropriate.
Our methodology has the following priorities:
Maintaining a focus on the health of the Earth as a whole – land, air, water, living beings, spirits, and connections between them;
• Ensuring the land can continue to support Tahltan’s way of life; and,
• Providing accessible stewardship demonstrates that Tahltans can plan for shared land uses that third parties can apply to satisfy the objectives and constraints required to maintain ecosystem health and the Tahltan way of life.
Earth Mother is a Tahltan Story that demonstrates Tahltan’s close relationship with Mother Earth and animals. Earth Mother is animate like our mothers, the rocks are her bones, and water is her milk. All animals are born from a woman and therefore, animals are the same as people with the same blood, and they are our relatives. Our Sun Father is a good man who gives us sunshine and warmth and tries to make people happy. When he is sick or sorrowful, he hides his face and then comes clouds and rain.
• Maintaining terrestrial & aquatic ecosystem health;
44 TAHLTAN STEWARDSHIP INITIATIVE
Earth Mother & Tahltan Stewardship Planning Kyle Risby TSI Youth Representative
Our methodology and stories combine with Tahltan citizens’ ideas, perspectives, and experiences to enhance our stewardship. Our plan requires Tahltans to share how their relations to the land and enjoyment can be protected for future generations. Throughout the next months, Tahltans will have the opportunity to share their voice in the planning process. We hope to hear about Tahltan’s recreational land use, hunting, fishing, and other land uses.
45 TAHLTAN CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – SPRING NEWSLETTER 2022 Personal Profiles
Mona worried about her siblings not listening to her, but her dad Archie told her, “You are the boss” and she was known by her siblings as “The Boss.” She grew up fast to ensure the family’s survival which taught Mona life lessons that she brought into raising her own family.
Mona Carpentier is a Tahltan Elder who is part of the Crow Clan and the Cawtoonma family. Her parents are Nina Chief and Archie Nehass and her grandmother is Lucy Nehass. Mona has seven children and a plethora of grandkids and great-grandkids. She currently resides in Whitehorse, Yukon.
Family is everything to Mona. She has been responsible for raising not just her children but her grandchildren too. She teaches them traditional lessons of always helping others, being kind, and about harvesting and using traditional medicines, which she learned from her mother, aunties, and grandmothers. Archie also taught her about potlaches and Tahltan law called Kuwegānh.
“Family is everything to Mona. She has been responsible for raising not just her children but her grandchildren too. She teaches them traditional lessons of always helping others, being kind, and about harvesting and using traditional medicines, which she learned from her mother, aunties, and grandmothers.”
Mona always made regular visits to her home territory to spend time with family and to fish at Tahltan. She still gets out to enjoy a dance, something for which she and Joe were well-known. Through years of travelling and living in remote places, Mona has always kept her family first and passed down the values that were taught to her by her ancestors.
As the eldest in charge of her seven siblings, while her parents were gone, Mona would cook, get wood and water, change the children and everything in between. The family lived off the land, so Mona oversaw making sure the house stayed moving. When she was sixteen years old, the police asked Tahltan families in Dease Lake to go to the residential school in Lower Post, but Mona’s dad said for them to get going and if he wanted to take his kids to school, he would take them himself and they moved to Telegraph Creek after that. Archie also taught his children when the school was shut down in Dease Lake in January 1946.
“Mona worried about her siblings not listening to her, but her dad Archie told her, ‘You are the boss’ and she was known by her siblings as ‘The Boss.’”
Mona Carpentier
In 1962, Mona joined her second husband, Joe Courtoreille, with whom she had a daughter in 1962 and then a son in 1964. They lived together in Hay River, Fort St. John, and Haney for two years where Joe completed a small motor mechanic course, then they moved to Port Moody then Terrace. The family then moved to Kitimat where Joe worked at the mill and stayed there until his three children finished high school. The family then moved to Whitehorse, Yukon in 1985 where Mona has lived ever since.
Raising children is a full-time job with non-stop responsibility. When Mona Carpentier was only twelve years old, she was put in charge of caring for her seven siblings when her mother and father would go trapping and hunting.
ELDER
Mona was born in Dease Lake on December 18, 1928. She spent most of her childhood travelling between her family’s fishing camp operated by her auntie Nellie Nehass and uncle Willie Campbell at Nine Mile and
but had left the priesthood to marry. Mona lived in Dease lake where Claude worked as a cook for the Department of Transportation for fifteen years and had three more children until she moved to Beaton River, BC and then Fort Smith, Northwest Territories.
Dease Lake where they would fish in the summer and trap in the winter. She started school at the church in Tahltan where she was taught reading, writing, and arithmetic. The family would use a dog sled in the winter and horses in the summer to move from Nine Mile to Dease Lake.
46 PERSONAL PROFILES – MONA CARPENTIER
At seventeen years old Mona had her firstborn child, Carl, at their Nine Mile camp. She was then unexpectedly married in 1946 at eighteen years old when she was called to the Indian Agent’s office where an arranged marriage took place to Claude Carpentier, a priest from France who came there to teach
It is hard to know where to start with my memories. So, I will begin with my favourites. A week after Julio and I were married, I had the opportunity to visit Uncle, as usual, he was the first place that I stopped. I got to his blue house across from the store and found him watching the Iraq war news super loud. He was starting to have a hard time hearing and would not wear his hearing aids. He turned off the TV and was really happy to see me.
UNCLE FELIX JACKSON AND ME – A LIFETIME OF STORIES
By Vera Asp
CULTURE
Felix Jackson
47 TAHLTAN CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – SPRING NEWSLETTER 2022
He told me, “me and Charlie Callbreath are the only one hundred percent Tahltans left, even you – you got a bit of Swede in you.” He shared his photographic memory with the research team in the 1980s while researching Tahltan history. George Asp and others were documenting our placenames and rich history to ensure we had documentation to support our sovereignty of our unceded territory. To this day, his information is of great value to the Tahltan Nation and Tahltan worldview. He would come to Whitehorse to stay with Auntie Jean and visit my Mom, Thelma, when we were kids. Once, when I drove him down to “the 98”, he told me of making camp in the Rabbit’s Foot canyon before Porter Creek was there.
Uncle Felix was one of the best friends of my life, I adored him. He lived to be in his nineties. He was Grandpa Big Jackson’s only son. He was Grandma Asp’s brother. He never married and he had one son, Norman Jack. He lived in Telegraph Creek his whole life. He was very strong, funny, loving, and super smart. He had an incredible memory and shared his memories through stories with all of us who visited him. He liked to have a shot of scotch once in a while.
Another time I was driving Auntie Lizzie from Tahltan and of course, we went to see Uncle. She spoke loudly to him saying, “That’s Chaudaquock, Thelma matooaa”. He said, “Gee even the kids are getting old?” She said, “I thought you said you can’t see.” I loved it. On most occasions, I would visit him and make a big pot of soup. We would eat and visit. One day he said, “honey girl, don’t make soup today because when you leave, I have to eat it for three days you make so much.” I laughed and said, “ok I will make a smaller pot next time.”
“He was very strong, funny, loving, and super smart. He had an incredible memory and shared his memories through stories with all of us who visited him.”
I told him, “Uncle, I remarried an Indian from El Salvador.” He replied, “Oh you married one of the old ones, we came up, we never came down. Those white guys are wrong.” As an archaeologist, I loved it and appreciated his memory. I asked him why he never told me this before and he said, “you got to know the real old Indian stories to know this, and you never hang around long enough to tell you.”
When I was fresh out of Trent University in 1976, I owned a little red Vega with white interior. It was a hatchback. I went to visit him, as I always did, in his little house by Edna and Henry’s, and he told me stories and we laughed. He was so proud of me for going to school “way over there in Ontario.” When I left, he filled the back of my hatchback with fresh salmon from the mighty Stikine River. “Oh my,” I thought, “what am I going to do with all this fish?” I went to the store and got some ice and as I travelled back to Whitehorse, I was fortunate to have gifts for friends en route and some fish for my mom and grandmother.
48 PERSONAL PROFILES – FELIX JACKSON
“If there was a meeting at the community hall you would see Uncle Felix. He was well informed for 50 years. He is a great example for us all.”
One day, he asked me if I know Joe Cobern and Dandy Jim. I said yes, I have heard of them. He said, “They were real smart.” I said yes, my grandpa Edzerza told me about them. He said, “Cobern took that declaration to London to the Queen, he was seeking answers. They never answered us.” and “Dandy Jim could speak Tahltan, Tlingit and English. That is why he led the work of that white man, James Teit.”
Uncle always tried to give me money. I, of course, would not take my Elder’s money even with how much he insisted. He would instead give me food; big bags of oranges, dry fish or meat, jarred fish, whatever he had. I could not say no. He was always trying to take care of me, his great-niece. He so loved family, especially my parents, Thelma Norby and Phillip Asp.
Uncle Felix was so encouraging to me. He loved that I went to university and always told me so. “You got to learn how they think so you can use it to Tahltan benefit,” he would say. When I was doing my doctorial research in Tahltan village he told me to always pray asking the Ancestors to help and I know they did. We excavated and the gifts from the Ancestors were many: obsidian tools, trade items, and more. I was privileged to work in our territory for years and always followed his direction and was always gifted. I never forgot his direction. He is gone now but I know he is still guiding me and would be proud.
He told me that Tahltans are the “boss” of this land. He said, “We have the Declaration of the Tahltan people and never forget that your Grandpa Big Jackson was one of the leaders to sign it in 1910 and you also have the blood of Nannock from your Grandpa George Agouta Edzerza.
If there was a meeting at the community hall you would see Uncle Felix. He was well informed for 50 years. He is a great example for us all. I do not think he ever let his name stand for a political position, he always made his point clear. At the founding meeting of the Association of United Tahltans, which I coordinated in 1976, he spoke strongly of protecting our land title and reminded us of the Declaration. Uncle Benny echoed this message and so did many of the Elders. This was the only purpose of our organization. I believe this to be our mandate still. The young ones were not born at this time and maybe they need to be reminded of this.
That man Teit did good and accurate research about our people. He came to our country from Spences Bridge in the south after his wife passed. He worked as a horseman with the hunts before he even began doing his research. He wanted to know the people first. He interviewed everyone and that is why his research is so good. I think Uncle Felix was also really smart. He never forgot a detail. He was always willing to share his knowledge with me and others.
He shared ancestral knowledge with me, as did Grandma Emma Brown, George Agouta, Grandma Edzerza, my Mom and others and for that, I am eternally grateful. I appreciate the guidance. It led to my life’s work. I have relied on their knowledge that they shared with the 1980s study and when we digitized the study and shared it with the original team, we were grateful for their work and could only imagine the many ways this ancestral knowledge would be there for this generation and future generations. We are truly blessed that George Asp and team had the insight and fortitude to complete the work complete with audio, transcripts, and maps. Uncle Felix has hours of interviews and gave much to the study. In one such case, he was interviewed by Wenda Day, he told her of a multitude number of our place names. The transcript is seven pages in length.
Not sure what else to tell you about Uncle. He was a strong, hard-working man. I heard it said that he worked enough for two men. He worked all his life.
My mother and her cousins; Aunties Doreen, Ann and a couple of others cooked for the 500 plus Tahltans who came to Telegraph Creek, without per diem. They cooked salmon, rice, and Bannock. I had no funds for anything. People came from all over at their own expense. We danced every night until the wee hours to the sounds of great Tahltan musicians, and when it was over, we all worked, sweeping ole dusty storm and mopping and setting the hall back up for the meeting the next day. Times sure have changed.
“That’s our law, Vera,” he would say. “Don’t ever let people forget it.” What a big task I thought, but I have tried my best to live up to my promise to him to this day. I think we all have this responsibility.
No job was too big or too small, he was always game. He hauled his fish up from the river by himself. He supplied many with salmon, including me.
The last time I saw Uncle, age had taken his sight and his hearing. I visited him at the longterm care facility in Smithers. I came into his room and said, “Hello, Uncle,” and he replied, “how’s Vancouver?” He recognized my voice. He was wearing headphones so he could hear. He and I were both happy to be together. He immediately started calling his male nurse, who called him Grandpa. He wanted his wallet because as usual, he wanted to give me money and as usual, I told him “Oh no Uncle, I’m ok,” but he refused to take no for an answer. He said, “I am giving you twenty dollars for cigarette money.” He told me he hated being blind, “everything is black, and I hate it,” he said. I cried then. We visited for a while and then he sent me away. “I need to sleep now,” he said. I left and softly cried all the way back to the hotel knowing I would not see him again. His work on earth was done.
Creativity can be expressed in many ways including music, art, and sport. Developing these skills builds a rounded individual who can balance a busy life. Jaelie Young is a busy young Tahltan who plays soccer and music, runs track and field, paints, and more. Expressing herself in a variety of ways has shaped her into who she is today where she works hard and plays hard to find balance in her life.
Jaelie Young is part of the Etzenlee family and the Wolf Clan. Her parents are Toni Harvey and Chris Young, and her grandparents are Barb and Gerry Harvey. She is currently 15 years old and lives in Calgary, Alberta.
Creativity has been a cornerstone of Jaelie’s life since she can remember. When she was just three years old, she would colour in books with her mother for hours on end and when she was seven, she started playing the guitar and learned the piano. She likes to paint pictures of a variety of things but is inspired by natural landscapes, birds, silhouetted skylines, and mountains. She has won two awards for her artwork including being named the 2017 Indigenous Art and Stories Emerging Artist and she won first place in the 2019 Toyota Dream Car Contest which is a national competition with hundreds of applicants.
Furthermore, she currently works as a face painter where she is mentored by a professional artist who does special effects and body art. Jaelie face paints at big events like the Calgary Stampede, Christmas parties, the Calgary Zoo, and many others. She creates professional works of art that allow her to connect her love of painting with hands-on work experience.
49 TAHLTAN CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – SPRING NEWSLETTER 2022
Jaelie Young
INSPIRING YOUNG TAHLTANS
If Jaelie is not playing soccer five times a week, running track, or practicing art, she is in school where she loves to study biology and math. Next year she will be entering high school which is a big change and a new start where she plans to continue to take art as an elective and develop her style. Art and sport give Jaelie a nice balance; she says she can play soccer to expel energy and practice art to relax. Her art also gives her an outlet to express her feelings constructively. This inspiring young Tahltan stays busy but keeps a balanced life allowing her to stay on top of her academics while practicing art in all its forms.
Aside from creating beautiful art pieces, Jaelie also plays soccer, runs track and field, skis and more. She has been playing indoor and outdoor soccer since she was young and she loves being part of a team. She plays defence and midfielder for the tier 1 outdoor Calgary club team and during the winter of 2022 she competed in provincials with her indoor soccer team and placed 2nd in Alberta. In 2021 she started running track and field where she competes in running events, shot put, and high jump. She enjoys running the most and recently went to the finals in a tournament in Edmonton where she competed in the 60-meter sprint. She says that waiting at the starting line, feet on the blocks, ready to push off is exhilarating as her heart pounds before the race.
“Art and sport give Jaelie a nice balance; she says she can play soccer to expel energy and practice art to relax. Her art also gives her an outlet to express her feelings constructively.“
50 PERSONAL PROFILES – INSPIRING YOUNG TAHLTANS
Blaine was born in Edmonton, Alberta where he spent a few years while his mom studied accounting. Growing up he found himself moving across BC living in Vancouver, Chilliwack, and Dease Lake. Upon graduating high school, he worked with his grandpa in Dease Lake helping with construction projects, home repair and general renovations. Looking for his next steps, Blaine realized that he was always interested in art, so he enrolled in Capilano University’s two-year traditional animation diploma and then their one-year digital animation course. Here he refined his artistic skills and in the summers he worked for Rescan in Tahltan Territory as an environmental monitor.
“Hard work and dedication have gotten Blaine to where he is today. He says that there is nothing wrong with taking your time to find your passion or changing careers if things are not working the way you want.“
51 TAHLTAN CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – SPRING NEWSLETTER 2022
Blaine Lindstrom is part of the Cawtooma family and the Crow Clan. His grandparents are Fannie and Brian Lindstrom, and his parents are Vivian Lindstrom and Don Reimer. He is thirty-three years old and currently lives in Vancouver, BC.
Blaine Lindstrom
INSPIRING YOUNG TAHLTANS
Out of high school, Blaine Lindstrom explored his artistic side and studied digital animation where he soon found it was not his calling. After navigating life, he found himself back in school studying ecological restoration where he makes positive impacts in Tahltan Territory daily working for Environmental Resource Management (ERM) Consultants as an environmental monitor. His life experiences accumulated to help him protect the environment by implementing skills learned through education.
Working for Rescan gave Blaine diverse experience in how environmental monitoring works. He would inspect work zones, work to prevent environmental incidents and report incidents that occurred.
Upon graduating from BCIT in April of 2021, Blaine joined ERM Consultants where he completes environmental work in Tahltan Territory. Utilizing his past education in digital animation software and his environmental studies, he operates highlevel environmental monitoring software and data management systems to complete hydrology work and more. He works on a variety of projects in Tahltan Territory including Eskay Creek, Kutcho Copper, and KSM. Maintaining the pristine Tahltan environment is his passion and being able to return to the territory and connect with the land makes this his dream job.
Hard work and dedication have gotten Blaine to where he is today. He says that there is nothing wrong with taking your time to find your passion or changing careers if things are not working the way you want. Take your time, and things will unfold as they should. This inspiring young Tahltan has levelled up his education multiple times so he can have the skills and abilities to protect Tahltan land for years to come.
He loved working in Tahltan Territory and after graduating from Capilano University, he had difficulty finding work in digital animation. Instead, he landed a full-time job with Rescan working on the Northwest Transmission Line, returning to the environmental monitoring field, and after a year he transitioned to working full-time at Red Chris Mine as an environmental monitor/technician.Blainespentthreeyears
working at Red Chris for Imperial Metals until he felt his career was plateauing, so he decided to return to school. He attended the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) to study for a two-year diploma in Fish, Wildlife, and
52 PERSONAL PROFILES – INSPIRING YOUNG TAHLTANS
Recreation followed by a two-year Bachelor of Science in Ecological Restoration. He says this was the most challenging four years of his life, full of ups and downs, but he had a great cohort of classmates and they all pulled through together.
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