April, 2014 Newsletter
Roger Patrick - Indigenous Planning Facilitator Report
Lake Babine Nation Treaty has over 1300 VHS tapes that are stored at the U.N.B.C ( University of Northern British Columbia) These Tapes are to be digitized in the near future.
March 20th,2014 we travelled to Fort Babine to attend Fort Babine community meeting. It was a nice evening for the drive into Babine. As I left the next day I can not believe the amount to logging roads been developed along the way. It’s sad to see that, but what can be done when it’s all the infested by pine beetles. It was especially hard for me to see that as it was my late father’s trap line area. Old Fort and Fort Babine have a lot of history within our Lake Babine Nation. We were all amalgamated from the two main mother reserves if any Lake Babine Nation member is to discover why we’re amalgamated into one nation, as documents been researched our ancestor’s have settled down in those mother lands due to the salmon. There was plentiful not just in Babine Lake, but thru out the creeks, streams, and other lakes within the Babine Lake area
In 1799 when the railroad was being built thru the Fraser cannon so much dynamite was used to blast a right of way for the railroad it blocked the Fraser river, salmons couldn’t get through the Fraser river, First nations along the river made their was to Babine Lake and came to the village (where Babine fence is today was where our village was) . Today we have knowledge of trails that run from Babine Lake to Quesnel, BC.
Last Month in March newsletter our office has created a Lake Babine Treaty activity book at first it was for the youth session but it was so interesting we decided to give it out these activity booklets to all the LBN members *Hint some of the answers are with our website http://www.lbntreaty.com*
Our elders that help us with creating maps for our land have told us that we have not only grease trails, but we also have “War Trails”. Some of the grease trails turns into “war trails” our ancestor fought hard to protect our lands. I still have the knowledge of where our LBN elders have taken us out on the land to show us where the boundary's are. It’s quite amazing to bring the elders out to our traditional territories and listen to their stories of how our land came to be.
On March 24,2014 we had a youth planning session for in June. The suggestions were amazing especially how the young generation wanting to know our traditional territories, potlatch system, and traditional food.
On March 26, 2014 Lake Babine Nation has signed the ITA (Incremental Treaty Agreement) lands. This has been in the process since 2011, these lands were identified as reserve lands. Signing of this means we can create businesses on these lands and only businesses that are developed will be paying taxes. As an example if your wanting to build a residence onto these ITA lands still tax exempt if you wish to do so.
Treaty Related Measures (TRM)
This T.R.M is another avenue where LBNT is working towards in sitting out in getting additional staff for GIS to setup globalize information system for LBN Traditional territory and find ways to protect lands based on buried sites, trails and also to work on expanding SOI (Statement of Intent). An example of this is how are places like Burns Lake will be setup to be included within our SOI another example is when in 2009 one of our elders said that hereditary chief use to live at a location which that area isn’t within our SOI all of this of information is available here at the treaty office when were amalgamated to Burns Lake in 1959. These type of oral history is very important and only our true LBN elders have that knowledge, as of April 24,25 once we meet with our lawyers we can start up our community meetings to talk about these until then, Please take care of your families, yourself, and keep up the good work.
