#sipekne'katik

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Members of the Sipekne'katik First Nation, including Chief Mike Sack, have started a lawsuit against the RCMP and some fishermen in southwestern Nova Scotia over a dispute that erupted into violence two years ago.

The suit filed Oct. 13 in Nova Scotia Supreme Court says the fishermen resorted to intimidation, damage to property and assault against Sipekne'katik band members who had launched a self-regulated lobster fishery in September 2020.

Continue Reading.

Tagging: @politicsofcanada

[tepkunset]

A little bit of history of the Mi’kmaq in Newfoundland

My name is Lydia-Isaac. I was born in Ktaqmkuk, but have spent most of my life in Sipekne'katik and Kespukwitk. As far as most people are concerned, that means I’m a Newfie raised Nova Scotian, but Newfoundland and Nova Scotia are simply built on top of the same territory known as Mi’kma’ki. As far as I’m concerned, despite moving around a lot growing up, I can at least say I’ve never had to leave my people’s homeland.

Pre-Colonization Travel

Evidence says that the Mi’kmaq of Unama’ki (Cape Breton) travelled across the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to Ktaqmkuk (Newfoundland) for seasonal hunting and fishing at least as early as the 16th century. Oral history says this goes back even further.

Relationship with the Beothuk

There are mixed historical analyses on what the relationship between the Beothuk and the Mi’kmaq was like. There is a common myth among settlers that the Mi’kmaq are responsible for the Beothuk genocide, pushing in on their territory and killing them on behalf of French settlers, whom the Mi’kmaq were allied to. This should be highly scrutinized and criticized for what it truly is: Displacement of blame onto another Indigenous Nation as a scapegoat. Most tales of hostilities between the Mi’kmaq and Beothuk come from English accounts. The one explanation we have from a Beothuk source, the captured woman known as Shanawdithit, said to one Bishop Inglis: “Originally they [the Beothuk] had intercourse with the Mi'kmaq and they could partially understand each other, and that the Mi'kmaq who have been visitors here for centuries were formerly on friendly terms but their enmity has been implacable and of the deadliest character for about 150 years.” According to this, hostilities only began after outside colonial pressures were in place. Make no mistake that those responsible for the Beothuk genocide are the settlers who hunted them and their resources, and spread deadly diseases.

Colonial Changes

The relationship between the Mi’kmaq and the land/its other living beings is not just one of harvesting resources, but a spiritual connection and responsibility. The principles of this relationship is known as Netukulimk, which guides the Mi’kmaw way of life. One of the core understandings of Netukulimk is the concept of Msit No’kmaq; the understanding that all spirits are related. (It is also worth mentioning that everything that casts a shadow has a spirit.) Therefore, a person is responsible to respect the life around them—that of the land, of the flora, of the fauna—just as you would respect another family member. When you harvest, you only harvest what you need. When you hunt/fish, you only hunt/fish what you need. And you offer thanks to that which you have taken from, every time. This way of life is one of sustainability!

Unfortunately, that sustainability was catastrophically interrupted by colonizers when Newfoundland came under British control. The caribou herds for example, which were a staple reliance for the Mi’kmaq and originally numbered up to 300,000, went near extinct. With this, so too came the astronomical death of the Mi’kmaq. John G. Millais wrote of Steve Bernard, a Mi’kmaw hunter and wilderness guide: “Steve is the sole survivor of eleven children born to old Joe Bernard, late chief of the Newfoundland Micmacs, all of whom have died from the bottle, consumption, or strains, the three principal causes which decimate the red men.” One survivor in a family of eleven children.

Those that survived this period of death were forced to largely assimilate into the settler’s society, but this too the settlers made a challenge. Getting a job as a Native person was near impossible, save for ill-paid work on the docks and boats. This is where the Newfinese slur jackatar/jack-o-tar comes from, the insinuation being that you are a poor grunt worker because of your race. (Employers denying work to Natives is still a problem today by the way, and the very reason that my family moved to NS.) It was not uncommon for communities of congregated Mi’kmaq to be forcefully relocated and then destroyed, such as Crow Gulch. In the 1870’s, Newfoundland established five reserves to try and control congregation: Conne River, Codroy Valley (Grand River), Halls Bay, St. George’s, and Gambo. But the only one still considered reserve land today is Conne River (Samiajij Miawpukek).

Joseph Fucking Smallwood

In 1949, Newfoundland joined Canada. When asked about the island’s Native population, Premier Joseph Smallwood falsely claimed there were no Indians in Newfoundland. This meant that the Mi’kmaq living on the island were not registered under the Indian Act, enabling the new province to ignore the People’s existence and rights. It also meant settlers were taught in schools the myth that all Indigenous peoples of Newfoundland were killed off, for a very long time.

Miawpukek First Nation

It wasn’t until 1987 that Miawpukek First Nation (Conne River) was federally recognized, after a long-time campaign from Indigenous activists on the island insisting they were not, in fact, ghosts.

But Samiajij Miawpukek is just one of many traditional Mi’kmaw communities, and that’s not even counting those living in urban areas. What about them?

Qalipu First Nation

Qalipu First Nation was established in 2011 by the federal government as an “easy” solution to catch all the rest of the Mi’kmaq in Newfoundland. The problem is, they were not expecting very many applicants—because of that old Joseph Smallwood-sourced myth—so they decided that the checks for applying for Status and membership were not required. This was a huge mistake, as it opened up doors for over 100,000 people to apply. Naturally, the Mi’kmaq of other provinces were rightfully cross with the government for this, and questioned the legitimacy of the Band.

It took nearly a decade for Qalipu leadership to sort out membership, limiting the number of members down to those actually involved with the Band, and making cultural participation a requirement. In 2019, the First Nation was recognized by the Mi’kmaw Santé Mawio’mi (Grand Council).

Today

Thanks to revitalization efforts, the Mi’kmaw language is making a come-back on the island after many decades of near extinction. With this comes the revival of practicing traditional songs, dances, artwork, and other expressions of cultural identity. To paraphrase from my uncle: it’s about relearning what was taken from us for so long.

What should come next, in my opinion, is the restoration of Netukulimk on a large scale. There are many who agree and are working on just that, so we’ll see what comes in the future of the island.

[survivingcapitalism]

[thatfeministkilljoy]

No one would ever think that dumping 3,000 tonnes of salt into a river every single day would be a good idea. And yet that is exactly what Alton Gas is asking the Federal government to let it do.

Indigenous grandmothers and their allies have been fighting Alton Gas’ massive gas storage project, for over 5 years, and the Mi’kmaq have Treaty and environmental law on their side.

That’s why Alton Gas is seeking a run around the rules from the Federal government to allow it to break environmental laws and disregard Indigenous rights to force its destructive mega-project through.

The good news is that there’s still time to support Indigenous rights and protect the river from Alton Gas. A huge outcry now could change the Fed’s mind and deny Alton Gas the permission it needs to start construction.

Will you sign today to tell the Federal government to stop Alton Gas’ destructive gas storage project?

Continue Reading

@nspoli @allthecanadianpolitics

[gothic-punk]

Lobster catch destroyed, vehicle burned as tension rises over Indigenous fishery in N.S.

RCMP confirmed in a news release that about 200 people were present at two incidents Tuesday night outside lobster pounds in southwestern Nova Scotia, during which employees were prevented from leaving, rocks were thrown and a vehicle was set on fire.

Chief Mike Sack of Sipekne'katik First Nation told a news conference that a location damaged in New Edinburgh, N.S., belonged to a licensed lobster buyer who had agreed to sell the Indigenous catch harvested by the Sipekne'katik boats.

According to the chief, the people who came to the facility removed and damaged video cameras first and "ransacked the approved buyer's lobster pound and storage facility where the communal catch was to be housed."

Police were notified immediately, but the commercial fishers remained on the scene "to continue their intimidation tactics," the chief said of the incident in the coastal community, which is about 70 kilometres north of Yarmouth.

"Upon arrival, officers observed approximately 200 people in the area and worked to de-escalate the situation and disperse the group. Unfortunately events escalated," resulting in further damage, the police said. They said they are investigating complaints of threats and mischief.

Jason Marr, a fisher from Sipekne'katik, said he and another Indigenous lobster fisherman were trapped inside the Middle West Pubnico facility after he arrived to store his lobster.

"Somebody followed me to the place in Pubnico, and I wasn't there for three minutes before 200 guys showed up," he said in a telephone interview.

He said the non-Indigenous "mob" threw stones at the facility, broke windows and damaged his van, burning its interior. Marr said that when RCMP arrived, they wanted him to leave the building, but he declined and remained barricaded inside.

"They said, `If you don't come out we're going burn you out,' " he said of he crowd outside. "I watched them pour stuff in my gas tank and my van, slash the tires, cut wires, they pissed all inside of it."

https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/lobster-catch-destroyed-vehicle-burned-as-tension-rises-over-indigenous-fishery-in-n-s-1.5144540

[laurelrusswurm]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by WSS Greens (@wssgreens) on Oct 20, 2020 at 8:44pm PDT

Decades after the Supreme Court of Canada confirmed the inherent right of Indigenous people to hunt and fish, both for sustenance and a #ModerateLivelihood, the Canadian Government has yet to work with the First Nations Peoples signatory to the Peace and Friendship Treaties to establish a reasonable definition of what that means.

Chief Michael Sack said,

"We'll define our own moderate livelihood. We're not here to have anybody decide anything for us. We'll decide as a Mi'kmaq nation and and move forward that way."

Which is why the Sipekne'katik First Nation decided to establish its own fishery infrastructure, launched exactly 21 years after the SCC's Marshall decision. Donald Marshall Jr.'s son Randy Sack received the first of the seven moderate livelihood licenses (50 tags each) issued by the Sipekne'katik Fishery to the Indian Brook band on September 17th. To date a total of 10 licenses, each allows the licensee to use a maximum of 50 traps. That is a total of 500 traps. Contrast that with the 900,000 traps used by the Commercial Fisheries.

The reaction by Commercial Fishers has been violent, and Indigenous fishers have faced threats and intimidation, been shot at with flare guns, had their gear stolen or vandalized, trucks and boats destroyed, and since a Lobster Pound that dealt with Commercial and Indigenous fishers was targeted, vandalized and destroyed, others are refusing to do business with them. Today Chief Sack got a Court Injunction to help protect his people and their Moderate Livelihood Fishery.

https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/mikmaq-secure-injunction-against-interference-with-treaty-fishery/

"Charles: I think a lot of people don’t fully understand what the Indigenous communities’ rights are. They don’t fully understand that the First Nations have rights that are different from the privileges to fish that non-Natives have." — Hakai Magazine: Mi’kmaw Fishery Dispute Is Not About Conservation, Scientists Say

https://www.hakaimagazine.com/news/mikmaw-fishery-dispute-is-not-about-conservation-scientists-say/

[whitepassingpocs]

Im mixed race Wabana'ki - L'nu, specifically, and growing up in eastern canada has been a weird trip. Its so so so so so white, and we've been grappling with colonization since at least 1610, and dealing with european contact since either 1500, 1000s, or 700s, depending on who you ask. Untangling it all on a personal level has been hard work, but public schools dont teach history in my province, let alone indigenous history. We can't untangle our larger societal trauma without education.

Im just so tired of seeing trauma responses from people - from whole populations! - who are unaware of the fact that its a trauma response, and who refuse to even acknowledge that their reactions are unwarranted and disproportionate. The treaty conflict with Sipekne'katik Mi'kmaq (L'nuk), Wolastoqiyik, and the public and govt is a prime example. Most families have been here so long that we're all cousins, and the public doesnt even know theyre flipping over 250 traps protected by treaty rights.

Im just so tired of seeing trauma responses from people - from whole populations! - who are unaware of the fact that its a trauma response, and who refuse to even acknowledge that their reactions are unwarranted and disproportionate. The treaty conflict with Sipekne'katik Mi'kmaq (L'nuk), Wolastoqiyik, and the public and govt is a prime example. Most families have been here so long that we're all cousins, and the public doesnt even know theyre flipping over 250 traps protected by treaty rights.

At this point i'm just so tired of willful ignorance. So often when i (try to) talk about these issues (or history in general) people say theyre not interested in politics! Its not politics! It's history and current events! Its mind boggling that people dont give a shit about others around them. Sorry, i didnt mean to unload this, but my experiences talking about native problems here so often falls on deaf ears. Thanks for reading all this. I deeply value the work you're doing on here. Wela'lin.

Thank you for following this blog and sharing this history! One thing I don’t talk about a lot is how much I am constantly learning from this blog about people’s experiences in other countries. I am Indigenous Australian, and hearing histories and experiences from Indigenous peoples and PoC from all over the world has been very humbling and eye-opening and I am grateful for everything that is shared on this blog, and grateful that is also helping others. Thank you, and I am sorry for the trauma you carry. I hope it gets to be a lighter burden someday. x

[allthecanadianpolitics]

DFO is marking trapped lobsters in such a way that many die shortly after being pulled up and out of the traps. DFO does this to ALL trapped lobsters, including the egg carrying females, despite custom to notch and immediately release egg carrying lobsters to give them time to heal. This is done to indigenous lobster traps ONLY.

[soapboxca]

A Nova Scotia Supreme Court judge has quashed the province’s rejection of an appeal by a Mi’kmaq community related to the Alton natural gas storage project.

The community of Sipekne’katik, formerly known as Indian Brook, argued Alton Natural Gas Storage’s plan to flush out salt to create storage caverns poses an environmental risk to the nearby Shubenacadie River.

Alton Gas has proposed a storage facility in salt caverns where natural gas will be stored until sold. The caverns are made using water from the river – that salty brine will eventually be released into the environment.

A number of groups are concerned about how the salty brine will affect the ecosystem in the river when released.

In a written decision released today, Justice Suzanne Hood ruled the band was denied procedural fairness when the province refused the band’s request to review and respond to reports on the project by the Nova Scotia Office of Aboriginal Affairs and the Environment Department.

Specifically, Hood says the band was repeatedly denied access to a 30-page interim report written by provincial environment project leader Glen Warner and submitted to Environment Minister Margaret Miller on the same date she denied the band’s appeal in April 2016.

Full Story

[tepkunset]

Non-native fishermen have destroyed and stolen thousands of dollars worth of fishing equipment owned by fishermen of Sipekne'katik First Nation. (You know I’d really like to know where are all the people crying over how vandalism in protest might as well be cold-blooded murder now.) This comes in addition to forming blockades and threatening to ram boats. Businesses across the province are denying services to Mi’kmaq in support of these terrorizing acts. Online, people are sharing horrible threats. It is blatant racist violence and discrimination, and the fishermen/media continues to call our people the lawbreakers.

“The gear that we were collecting was what was in violation of the law," Sproul said. "There's nothing more to show that fishermen have the true, just, lawful position here than the fact that we conducted that activity yesterday and nobody stopped us.”

The fact that the RCMP have done jack shit to stop the non-native fishermen destroying Mi’kmaw lobster traps has painted a very clear picture. It’s the same picture that’s been hanging on the wall for centuries, and surprise surprise, flowery talk of #reconciliation doesn’t change that. And the quote above is a perfect example of how fully aware these fuckers are of their privilege.

Anyway someone should tell Sproul that a) the Mi’kmaq have the legal treaty right to hunt, fish and gather for a moderate livelihood, b) the traditional lobster season for our people is in September and October, and c) that the only people breaking the law here is his ignorant ass and his cronies.

Sharing this link again, as it is a very well compiled doc: Ways to support Sipekne’katik First Nation, and resources to educate yourself and share with others.  Financial support for supplies is especially helpful right now.

[violetsandshrikes]

The Miꞌkmaq people are facing hostility and threats in Eastern Canada over the right to fish to sustain themselves. 

This has included:

“In response to Mi’kmaq fishers setting up 150 out of their 350 allowed traps, non-Indigenous fishers gathered at the wharf in Digby to protest.”

“One of the ways Nova Scotian fishers have found it appropriate to protest Mi’kmaq harvesting practices has been to chase down boats and fire flares directly at them. There have also been attempts to ram small boats with much larger vessels.”

Two people being arrested and charged with assault.

“Lobster traps in St. Mary’s Bay were vandalized, their lines were cut, and the traps were left on the shore.”

“Some fishers have posted calls on social media to reimplement the Canadian residential school system, and for other harsh treatment of Indigenous peoples and their children.” 

A lobster boat belonging to a Mi’kmaq fisher has been destroyed by a suspicious fire at a wharf in southwestern Nova Scotia.

These people have the right to sustainably fish on their own land and support their livelihoods. Megan Bailey, professor at Dalhousie University’s Marine Affairs program, an expert, has said that there is no conservation concern as has otherwise been claimed. “The scale of the livelihood fishery as it exists right now with 350 traps is not a conservation concern.”

Ways you can support the Mi’kmaq people (both on this front + other issues):

Treaty Truckhouse Legal Fund - Grassroots Grandmothers, Mi'kmaw Rights Holders and others continue to stand united as water protectors of the Shubenacadie River in the Sipekne'katik District of Mi'kma'ki, where Alton Gas intends to dump salt brine equivalent to 3000 tonnes of hard salt every day.

Another donation link is here, or e-transfers can be sent to treatytruckhousefund@gmail.com 

Support for our Eskasoni Mi’kmaq Fishers - Supplying resources for the fishers to continue the battle to have access to moderate livelihood fishery.

Mi’kmaq Fishers: To show support you can donate funds via e-transfer to the following emails with the message “donation”:

wasawek39@hotmail.ca

ravenchanelleaugustine@gmail.com

If you have any useful additions, please let me know, and I will add anything that I find. Also please spread this around, awareness is also important so that these issues do not fly under the radar and get a pass.

[survivingcapitalism]

100% of the proceeds from the sale of the Mi'kmaq Lobster pins will be donated to Sipekne'katik First Nation's Fisheries.