Kelly Lake Cree Nation

5/15/2014
As’in’a’wa’chi Ni’yawak:
The Historic Rocky Mountain Indians: Cree customs and culture
Kelly Lake Cree Nation
May 1, 2014
OUTLINE
• Welcome to Kelly Lake Cree Nation
• Ethnohistorical Overview
• Managing Lands and Resources • Impact Assessment
• Working with our Neighbours
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KELLY LAKE CREE NATION TODAY
• 800 Member Nation who follow Cree customs and culture
• 250 Members at Kelly Lake, others living throughout Traditional Territory and Beyond
• Mixed Economy: Traditional & Energy Sector
• Chief & Headman Governance System
Gauthier Family
Lawrence Gauthier
Knott Family
Campbell Family
Kathy Stephens
Kenny Campbell
Calliou Family
Belcourt Family
Charles Calliou
Jack Belcourt
Chief Cliff Calliou
Hambler Family
Letendre Family
Faron Hambler
Marlene Letendre
Desjarlais Family
Gladue Family
Archie Desjarlais
Margaret Gladue
Savard Family
Tony Savard
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KLCN ETHNOHISTORY
• Rocky Mountain Indian people descended from Cree, Iroquois & Beaver Ancestors
• Extensive History of Land and Resource Use & Management Across the Traditional Territory
•Today you will see many of the Lakes, Creeks, Mountains are named after our ancestors throughout the territory
WESTERN MIGRATION
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DOCUMENTING OUR TERRITORY
Cree use and occupancy on the territory, as documented by ethnohistorian
James Teit in the early 19th
century.
Location of Cree use and occupancy in relation to other First Nations.
(Teit, early 19th century)
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ARRIVING IN THE JASPER AREA
Jasper House was a key trading location for the Northwest and Hudson’s Bay Companies.
• Iroquois voyageurs and traders intermarried with local Cree and Beaver peoples who had lived in the area for time immemorial.
•
LIVING AT JASPER HOUSE
• KLCN genealogy database documents numerous births, deaths and marriages in the Jasper House area.
• 18th century traders, explorers, railroaders and colonial governments reference KLCN ancestors living at Jasper House.
• Oral histories tell of our Cree ancestors trading with Secwepmc and Ktunaxa peoples at Tete
Jeune Cache (Mt. Robson area). 5
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TRAVELLING ACROSS THE LAND
Our Ancestors Followed the Seasonal Round
Archaeological and Oral History evidence tells us that Snake Indian Pass and Athabasca Pass were important travel corridors for our ancestors. THE SEASONAL ROUND
• Our ancestors exercised exclusive management of the lands and resources within the Traditional Territory.
• Management followed the Seasonal Round and avoided over‐exploitation.
• Hunting, trapping, fishing and plant gathering sustained our ancestors.
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FROM JASPER TO KELLY LAKE
• By the early 1900s, new settlers flooded into the Grande Prairie. • With the creation of Jasper National Park, our ancestors were pushed westward and settled in areas like Flyingshot Lake, and eventually, Kelly Lake.
• They never ceded, sold or surrendered their rights to any part of the Traditional Territory.
MANAGING LANDS & RESOURCES
• KLCN members continue to use resources across the territory.
• Some lands and resources have become more difficult to access.
• Management approaches are rooted in cultural and spiritual values and knowledge.
• KLCN filed a Land Claim with the Federal Government in 1996.
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PRESSURE ON LANDS & RESOURCES
• Large‐scale energy development has changed the landscape dramatically since the 1950s.
• There have been many negative impacts on KLCN members’ traditional use activities.
Oil well in Doig River territory. Image courtesy Doig River First Nation. Catalog # DSC00107‐VH. Virtualmuseum.ca
DOCUMENTING TRADITIONAL USE
• KLCN is undertaking a Traditional Land Use (TLU) Study involving:
• Interviews with Knowledge Holders;
• Traditional Land Use & GIS Mapping;
• Historical and Legal Research;
• Ground Truthing
• Database • Document use and Knowledge
• Assess Changes and Impacts
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WHAT ARE WE WORKING TOWARD?
• Document our presence on the territory
• Ensure traditional knowledge is preserved
• Strengthen our land claim
• Secure work for community members
• Achieve economic stability
THE Big Picture
Land Claim Settled
Strong Community and Cultural Pride
Land Use Plan Based on Local Knowledge Fulfilling Work Close to Home
and Values
Sensitive Areas Safe, Reliable Services Protected from and Infrastructure
Destruction
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WHAT IS THE Traditional Land Use Study? The TLU Study documents traditional land and resource use in our Traditional Territory through:
Interviews
Map‐
Making
Ground‐
Truthing
WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION COMES FROM A TLU STUDY?
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TLUS INFORMATION…
• Belongs to the people and communities who hold that knowledge.
• Is sensitive, privileged information that shouldn’t be shared without community permission.
• Is a powerful tool to document and legitimize aboriginal rights!
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE TLU DATA? • Information shared during the TLUS is kept by KLCN and is treated confidentially.
• Hand‐drawn maps are computerized and contribute to a “big picture” map showing traditional use across the territory.
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WORKING WITH ENERGY PROPONENTS
• KLCN recognizes that development proponents are here to stay.
• These proponents have the potential to do great harm to the lands, resources and people of our territory.
• They also have the potential to act as good neighbours, respecting our rights and the territory.
• We have engaged in a number of environmental and socio‐economic impact assessments for development projects.
SEMCAMS REDWILLOW PIPELINE
• Sour gas (H2S) pipeline planned within KLCN traditional territory.
• Slated to cross two traplines owned by KLCN families.
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ASSESSING INTERESTS & CONCERNS
• Maintaining Access to Traplines
• Quality and Amount of Berries and Medicinal Plants
• Water and Air Quality
• Emergency Response
• Traffic Concerns
• Economic Impacts
• Cumulative Impacts MITIGATION AND PLANNING: SEMCAMS REDWILLOW PIPELINE
• Work with trapline holders to minimize impacts.
• Work with traditional knowledge holders to avoid or minimize impacts on plant and animal habitats and other significant sites. • Support training for KLCN members.
• Work to minimize negative traffic impacts. • Ongoing communication about emergency planning.
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NORTHERN GATEWAY PIPELINE
• 2 petroleum and condensate pipelines running from Bruderheim, AB to Kitimat, BC.
• 10 pump stations along the route.
• 325 km of the pipeline passes through KLCN territory; within 50 km of Kelly Lake.
Northerngateway.ca
LIQUID OIL AND GAS PIPELINES
• NGP would be buried, except at some sensitive water crossings.
• Over 2,700 km of liquid oil and natural gas pipelines in BC.
• Pipelines often go through aboriginal peoples’ territories. o
o
Many documented negative impacts.
KLCN working with proponents to maximize positive opportunities.
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ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING
Trans Canada Pipelines
• KLCN participation in fish study.
PEACE RIVER COAL
ROMAN MTN COAL PROJECT
Coal mine project at the Trend mine site.
•
Approximately 75 km from Kelly Lake, within traditional territory.
•
Impacts of coal mining: environmental, economic, social, cultural
•
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GROUND TRUTHING
• Traditional knowledge holders and TLUS interviewers go out on the land to visit and verify the locations of important places.
MANAGEMENT PARTNERSHIPS
• KLCN is interested in partnering with energy development proponents to:
• Conduct TLU, biophysical and archaeological impact assessments.
• Participate fully in planning processes.
• Implement and enforce land use plans. • Reclaim and manage altered landscapes.
• Teach others about the rich history of the lands, resources and peoples in our Traditional Territory.
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THANK YOU
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