Declaration of the Lillooet Tribe facts for kids
The Declaration of the Lillooet Tribe is a very important letter from the St'at'imc people (also known as the Lillooet Tribe) to the governments of Canada and British Columbia. It was signed on May 10, 1911, in Spences Bridge. The chiefs of the St'at'imc people wrote it with help from an anthropologist named James Teit.
In this declaration, the St'at'imc people clearly stated that they owned their traditional lands. They also protested against settlers taking their land, especially near Seton Portage, British Columbia. This document shows how First Nations groups were starting to organize and speak up for their rights before World War I.
Today, the Declaration of the Lillooet Tribe is still a key part of the St'at'imc people's efforts to get their land rights recognized. Some St'at'imc groups, like the In-SHUCK-ch Nation, are working with the government through a process called the British Columbia Treaty Process. Other groups, like those in the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, have chosen not to join this process, but they all want their rights respected.
Contents
The Lillooet Tribe's Important Declaration
This section shares the main ideas from the Declaration of the Lillooet Tribe. It's a powerful message from the chiefs about their land and their rights.
Our Land and Our Rights
The chiefs of the Lillooet Tribe, representing about 1400 people at the time, made it clear:
- They are the rightful owners of their traditional lands and everything on them.
- They have always lived in their country and never left it or gave it to others.
- Their ancestors owned these lands for centuries before European settlers arrived.
The chiefs stated that the British Columbia government claimed their land, but they disagreed. They said they never gave or sold their land to the government. The government never got the right to the land from them, either by agreement or by winning it in a fight.
Our Hopes for Justice
The chiefs explained that they used to think white leaders were always honest and wise. But they learned that some could be "cunning, cruel, untruthful and thieving." They felt deeply hurt by the British Columbia government taking their lands and felt helpless.
However, they started to feel hopeful. They thought they might get help from the "greater white chiefs" in the King's Country (meaning United Kingdom) or in Ottawa (the capital of Canada). They began to believe they could get justice.
Joining Other Tribes
The Lillooet chiefs learned about other First Nations tribes, like the Thompson River, Shuswap, and Okanagan, who had made their own declarations. They also heard about the Indian Rights Association of B.C. and that the Ottawa government might help them.
Because they faced the same problems with their lands as other tribes in British Columbia, the Lillooet chiefs decided to join forces with them. They attended meetings with other First Nations leaders.
At a meeting in Lillooet on February 24, 1911, all the Lillooet bands decided:
- To join other tribes connected with the Indian Rights Association.
- To stand with them in demanding their rights and solving the land question.
- To agree with all eight points of the declaration made by other tribes in July 1910.
Our Protests
Finally, the chiefs wanted to protest against new actions by the British Columbia government:
- They protested the recent taking of their lands at "The Short Portage" by white settlers. They said these lands had been theirs and cultivated by them for over thirty years.
- They also protested against plans to build railway stations and tracks on their reservations.
The chiefs decided to send copies of their Declaration to important officials, including the Superintendent of Indian Affairs and leaders of the Indian Rights Association.
The Declaration was signed by many chiefs from different Lillooet bands, including:
- James Nraiteskel, Chief Lillooet Band
- James Stager, Chief Pemberton Band
- Peter Chalal, Chief Mission Band
- James James, Chief Seaton Lake Band
- John Koiustghen, Chief Pasulko Band
- David Eksiepalus, Chief No. 2 Lillooet Band
- Charles Nekaula, Chief Nkempts Band
- James Smith, Chief Tenas Lake Band
- Harry Nkasusa, Chief Samakwa Band
- Paul Koitelamugh, Chief Skookum Chuck Band
- August Akstonkail, Chief Port Douglas Band
- Jean Babtiste, Chief No. 1 Cayuse Creek Band
- David Skwinstwaugh, Chief Bridge River Band
- Thomas Bull, Chief Slahoos Band
- Thomas Jack, Chief Anderson Lake Band
- Chief Francois Thomas Adolph, for La Fountain Indians
The Declaration was signed in Spences Bridge, B.C., on May 10, 1911.
See also
