Fallen Feather Productions

The Aboriginal people in Canada and the USA have been fighting for their right to land stewardship and identity since European contact. The war over lands and resources results in devastation and strain on our mother earth. In many cases, First Nation Bands and even entire First Nations have been declared extinct in order to acquire these lands and resources. The nearest ongoing example to us is the fight for recognition of the Sinixt First Nation and Arrow Lakes Band. The Arrow Lakes Band ceased to exist as a band for the purpose of the Indian Act… It does not, however, mean that the Sinixt ceased to exist as a tribal group.” — Minister of Indian Affairs
Ron Irwin,
August 9, 1995 We have a cultural law that says you must, when you are done with this body, go back to the earth. When people go and dig up our ancestors and put them on shelves, in boxes, in macramé wall-hangings, or use them for other types of decoration, it makes my ancestors break their cultural law. They can’t go back. And it is our responsibility, because we are the descendants of those people. They are our ancestors. It is our responsibility to bring our ancestors home and rebury them and protect their resting places.” Marilyn James
Appointed Sinixt SpokespersonRevelstoke is the traditional territory of the Sinixt, Ktunaxa, Secwepemc and Okanagan First Nation aboriginal people. Each of these four First Nation aboriginal groups is unique from one another. Still to this day, the Government of Canada instructs their departments to not erect any signage recognizing this area as the traditional territory of the Sinixt First Nation despite the ongoing requests of historians, educators, and surviving Sinixt people. Healing comes with recognition, please visit the Sinixt First Nation website http://sinixt.kics.bc.ca/. Jannica Hoskins

jannica@fallenfeatherproductions.com

22 January 2008