Last year I wrote about federal government revisionism and it's affects upon my family. A man with the name of Michael (Meandering Michael) commented on the blog post I wrote. Please go to the bottom of the blog post to see what Michael wrote. What made me sit up and take notice was the parallel between Michael's short family story and mine. Is it too late for Michael's family? I recall reading Michael's comment to my blog post feeling a sense of urgency with regards to ensuring that what happened to his family doesn't happen to mine.
The Indian Act of Canada and the attitudes surrounding the poorly worded and significantly discriminatory document have been a chain around the necks of all the native peoples of Canada for way too long. If you are unaware of what I'm writing about or want to brush up on this document please read about it here. The Indian Act has been modified to suit the federal government's needs time and time again. The native peoples of Canada had nothing to do with the develop or enactment of the Indian Act but, we've all suffered because of it! Colonization of the native peoples of Canada was and still is wrong. Yet, here we sit, with the Indian Act of Canada.
The Canadian government's revisionism continues to this day. Just as the Indian Act has been and is revised so has the behaviour(s) of the federal government department that is charged with overseeing the government's view. That being the recently changed name of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development. Revisionist policy is even undertaken by First Nations governments if you can believe it. Some significant wrongs are being addressed but, the time taken to right past wrongs is, sadly, ridiculously slow! The good news is native human rights have finally caught up with other Canadians human rights. I believe this has finally put my family on even footing with those we have grievances against and we'll be able to address outstanding issues without fear of further discrimination or recrimination.
How does this affect my family? I'll answer this question shortly.
Hello to the Kwiakah tribe of the Laichkwiltach Nation! I choose to use the Kwiakah tibe of the Laichkwiltach Nation as an example because they are the smallest tribe. Please understand that I do not have a problem with the Kwiakah tribe or it's members. I don't have a problem with where the Kwiakah tribe live. They live on land that belonged to my family and as far as I am concerned still does belong to my family, the Kwawkseestahla, Kwaksista, Kwaksistala, Kwakseestahla, Quocksister family. Again, I don't have a problem with that. There are 29 Kwiakah tribe members and they are represented and respected as members of the Laichkwiltach Nation. Go Kwiakah! All 29 of you be strong and live long.
My family members and I are people of the Ahwahoo tribe of the Laichkwiltach Nation. There are over 250 Ahwahoo tribe members. My cousin, Ritchie Quocksister, believes that we are more than 300 members. I'm hoping that Ritchie's estimate is the accurate one. The Ahwahoo tribe is not properly represented or recognized as the nobles that we were and still are! We are not recognized as being legitimate members of the Laichkwiltach Nation even though our ancestors were the leaders of the Laichkwiltach Nation. Can you believe it? 29 people of the Kwaikah tribe are fully represented and nearly or over 300 people of the Ahwahoo tribe are not. Go figure.
Today, the concerns of the Ahwahoo tribe go unaddressed or under addressed for various reasons. People call my family squatters on the very land that was our ancestors even though all sorts of people, native and non-native alike, from Victoria to Port Hardy will tell you the land belongs to the Kwawkseestahla, Kwaksista, Kwaksistala, Kwakseestahla, Quocksister family. Members of my family have been poorly treated in the past because of the lack of human rights protection(s) that all other Canadians and landed immigrants have enjoyed for a long time. Thankfully that has changed. The problem is the amount of misinformation is staggering! I could go on all day. Instead I'll provide an example of what I'm talking about.
I can prove that my family is the hereditary native family that lived in the Campbell River area the longest. My cousin, Carol Bear, reminded me of this. It's simple and yet now we're being told that we have to prove we're the hereditary family of Campbell River. No one else can prove what my family can very easily. Go to the burial ground located on the Campbell River Indian Band Reserve #11. There you'll find the head stone for my great great grandfather. Need I say more? Few, if any others, have a family member located in the burial ground with the date my great great grandfather has on his headstone. Yet, we are the squatters? Really? Our genealogy is in place. We know different. My family stands the test of time and again, we can prove it.
Indian Agents of the past have done nothing but harm to the names of my family and to the character and reputations of the forefathers of the Kwawkseestahla, Kwaksista, Kwaksistala, Kwakseestahla, Quocksister family names. The Ahwahoo tribe of the Laichkwiltach Nation under the leadership of Captain George Quocksister seek recognition and restoration of title to the Ahwahoo tribe and it's descendants.
Gilakasla.
