Message from CAO

TITLE AND RIGHTS DEPARTMENT

The Title and Rights (T&R) department at WLFN has had a very successful year. Through a combination of trips funded by the department and work completed by the staff, the department managed to demonstrate why the pursuit of Title and Rights initiatives in WLFN territory are so important.

2021 ELK HUNTING TRIP

» Nation to Nation Relationship Building » Community meat distribution » Teaching hunting skills to youth and less experienced hunters

In September of 2021, the T&R Department organized a hunting trip to the Kootenays and four WLFN community members participated in the trip. The hunt was led by several members of the Akiskqnuk Nation in the Kootenays. The trip was funded by Title and Rights department, and although the hunters came back empty handed it was a good networking opportunity and a chance for WLFN members to engage in critical traditional subsistence hunting. Hopefully next year the trip can be organized for a longer time period, or two trips at various times in the hunting season to ensure a more successful hunt.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

» Successful in obtaining $100,000 from Terrestrial

Cumulative Effects Initiative » Successful in obtaining $150,000 from Aquatic Habitat

Restoration Fund » Major restoration in the WL River Valley

T&R is always pursuing grants and funding opportunities to allow WLFN to continue to be active in its territory and to engage in initiatives that advance WLFN’s aboriginal rights. Trans Mountain Pipeline (TMX) has several grants for environmental protection and stewardship that T&R has been successful in applying to for the 2021-2022, and 2022-2023 year. T&R was successful in obtaining two of these grants, totaling $400,00 over two years. The Terrestrial Cumulative Effects Initiative and the Aquatic Habitat Restoration Fund were earmarked to fund in the restoration of the Williams Lake River Valley after the devastating floods of 2020. The restoration works are still ongoing, with the installation of permanent bridges taking place, and the restoration of Tillion IR#4. One extremely positive result of this restoration work is that Salmon have returned to spawn in the lower reaches of Williams Lake Creek. Hopefully, with increased restoration, we can reestablish a spawning ground in this area, so that fish will move into higher reaches of the stream.

PUBLIC EDUCATION

» Partnership with SD27 Outdoor Educational Classrooms at Columneezta » Archaeology days with all ages of youth from SD27 » Archaeology days with Little Chiefs primary School and daycare

Public Education is a priority for T&R, as we firmly believe that education is key in asserting First Nations Title and Rights. The T&R Department has partnered with Sugar Cane Archaeology in facilitating over 10 days of public and community education, including various classrooms from SD27 in the 2021 year. The feedback from these days has been extremely positive. Public education initiatives will continue in the School District in 2022, and we have several classes already scheduled to attend. In addition, T&R is working directly with the Scout Island Field Naturalist Society to develop educational material for Scout Island. The T&R Department is in final stages of designing signage for the trails at Scout Island. These signs with have information about the area, and translations in both English and Secwepemctsin. The signs will contain photographs of WLFN members doing traditional activities and may in future become an audio tour of Scout Island.

CULTURE CAMP

» Re-affirmed partnership with WL Community Forest » Taught traditional skills to youth » Re-established community use in traditional use areas

In August of 2021, Title and Rights, in partnership with Social Development and Sugar Cane Archaeology, hosted a Summer Culture Camp. The culture camp took place in the Williams Lake Community Forest in a location called “Flat Rock”, near the Fraser River areas traditionally used by WLFN members. The camp was a huge success, and the kids enjoyed themselves. Youth got to participate in activities such as hide scraping, ribbon skirt making and fish cutting. In 2022, T&R will be arranging to take the Culture Camp to a waterside location to manage potential hot weather, and the kids will be able to do some swimming in between stations. The Culture Camp was pivotal moment in WLFN history, as traditional use of the Flat Rock area has been almost non-existent in the last 50 years, due to increased ranching activity. T&R is looking to re-establish the community use of these areas, for generations to come.

TUS DIGITIZATION

» Transcription of all tapes from existing TUS Data » Creation of Traditional Use Study Map » Started Traditional Place Name Map for the Nation

Throughout the winter of 2021, T&R reviewed hundreds of WLFN Traditional Use Study interview transcriptions. Ultimately the goal for T&R is to have all the documents digitized, word searchable, and accessible for use in WLFN assertion of Title and Rights. Many documents were transcribed over the winter, and the Traditional Use Information Database has been updated to contain thousands more points of information. In 2021, this transcription became a key piece of information used to inform the St. Joseph’s Mission investigation, and all the hard work and long hours of transcription were essential in defining areas of interest in that investigation. In 2022, T&R will be looking to use the information to name several places throughout Southern Secwepemc Territory in the geographic database of British Columbia, with their traditional Secwepemctsin names.

REMOTE AREA ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY

» Travelled to remote areas where Pre-colonial First

Nations use and habitation was questioned. » Confirmation and mapping of First Nation inhabitation in those remote areas » Collection of artifacts found to be stored in university grade lab in new WLFN band office

In the past 3 years Title and Rights has taken several trips to remote areas throughout Williams Lake First Nation Traditional Territory for ground truthing of archaeological survey, and mapping of traditional use sites. Several areas which had not previously been surveyed were targeted to gain protections for several village sites in the Bowron Lakes and Quesnel Lake area. T&R is working jointly with SCA to further delineate areas of study, for boundary research and assertion of Title and Rights over the Quesnel Watershed. These works are anticipated to continue in 2022, with support provided by the BC Capacity Initiative funding envelope.