I nearly stood up in front of my computer and clapped when I聽read the letter written by Chief Ron Sam of Songhees Nation and Chief Rob Thomas of Esquimalt Nation that ran on June 15 in the sa国际传媒.
If you did not read it, I highly encourage you to take a moment to do so.
The letter was in response to an act of vandalism the previous week, where the base of a statue of Queen Victoria on the grounds of the sa国际传媒 legislature was covered in red paint during a protest against logging old-growth forests.
One image from the event showed 鈥淟ekwungen鈥� written in paint across the statue. When I聽first saw this, my gut reaction was that I knew it was not the work of either the 颅Songhees or the Esquimalt Nation. 颅Lekwungen is the traditional language of both Nations.
The word 鈥淟ekwungen鈥� 颅written on the statue sent the message that it was written by the First Nations, which it wasn鈥檛.
In the letter, the chiefs explained that this was not the work of their First Nations and they found these actions 颅concerning, particularly from a cultural perspective. They shared how they conduct and carry themselves on the 颅traditional territories of other First Nations, and what is expected from people on their territory.
The chiefs wrote: 鈥淎nyone who participated in this recent act of vandalism has no cultural role or right to act or speak on our behalf.鈥�
It is sad that they had to write an open letter to explain this, as the people who wrote that word on the statue had done so in a way that pointed fingers at these two First Nations.
I know there are people who want to support Indigenous rights and be allies to Indigenous communities and Indigenous people. When offering support, it is important to connect with Indigenous communities and Indigenous people and ask how and if they would like to be 颅supported. Find out what actions would be not only appreciated, but appropriate.
When the actions of others are casting blame on Indigenous communities, it does not help anything. As Sam and Thomas said in their letter, 鈥渢hese 颅misguided assumptions tokenize the understanding of our protocols, of who we are and what we stand for.鈥�
Both chiefs spoke of the importance of partnerships and relationships within the 颅community and the value of them.
It is important that everyone acknowledges that 颅reconciliation has nothing to do with 鈥渦s 颅versus聽them,鈥� and we need to work together.
Indigenous people are strong, smart, resilient people. It is a colonial practice for people to feel the need to step up and speak on behalf of Indigenous people. The lesson from the chiefs is to reach out and ask first.
This is a practice that 颅everyone should follow before speaking on behalf of anyone, regardless of their culture.
This is not this first time local First Nations have spoken publicly about this. In March 2020, Beecher Bay First Nation said members of an 颅anti-pipeline group had breached protocol in not asking permission to enter its territory when they protested outside Premier John Horgan鈥檚 home.
The incident occurred on Feb. 18, 2020, when members of the climate action group Extinction Rebellion claimed solidarity with the Wet鈥檚uwet鈥檈n hereditary chiefs who oppose the Coastal GasLink pipeline in northern sa国际传媒
The point of the statement was to demonstrate that when people are standing up and speaking for Indigenous 颅communities, they need to be educated on Indigenous 颅protocols and practices, such as honouring the traditional 颅territory and asking permission.
It does not help anything when people stand up for 颅Indigenous communities while disrespecting these sacred 颅protocols and practices.
Charla Huber is the director of communications and Indigenous relations for M鈥檃kola Housing Society.
