Posted: April 11, 2016 | Author: S-kw’etu’? | Filed under: Photography, First Nations of North America, Genocide, Wildlife and Nature, First Nations, Spirituality, Traditional Aboriginal Healing, Salish, Warriors |6 Comments

Not long ago, less than a fortnight actually, while I was doing my hunter gatherer gig as well assessing the massive environmental destruction that people are perpetrating against the Mother and ourselves, (this is never fun for me but can’t be avoided because it is everywhere I go) I happened across something unexpected by me but something that made my heart lighten, a new cabin taking shape on land that had fairly recently had been clear cut.

house
The owner graciously invited me in and allowed me to freely examine the structure and answered all my questions about, water, heat and waste and I was completely satisfied of about the quality, safety and soundness of the cabin.
cabin
I will even go further than than I admired the ingenuity and environmental consideration that the builder had implemented in the design and I am not the only person who felt the same about this cabin, its construction was supported by members of both the native and non native communities. I do not feel that way about the nearby settlements that are serving as mostly gluts for energy consumption, consumption and are producing far to much harmful and needless waste, this cabin was a valid and comfortable alternative which I am pleased that the owners chose to create. When I departed I did with a hug and promise to return for tea once it was done however on April 4th Island Timberlands with the aid of the RCMP took my host and his partner into custody while they commenced with destroying their home along with several others in the area.
They were not charged with any crimes, because they had not committed any and were released once their home was completely destroyed, it was smashed like all the others but did not have to be. My host and friend you see had gone to the expense and trouble of constructing the cabin to disassemble for easy removal to protect the environment, now broken glass, insulation,metal screws, smashed lumber and the remains of this young couples hard work, hopes and dreams are now littering our mountainside.
wrecked-house
Island Timberlands is claiming in the media that they caused this environmental destruction in order to prevent potential environmental problems from this ingenious, little, green cabin built with the Native Elders approval and support. There was no urgency to do this, the tenants were causing no harm and have been living off grid in that area for more than three years. The forest had already been destroyed so industry was not being impeded, they were not preventing access to anyone. They were doing less harm than they would have been had they lived in the government created and approved communities, that is why they chose to live like this. Their home should not have been destroyed ever, they could have had their day in court and if they lost they would have willingly moved their home. The way this was carried out has to change big time, in my opinion as far as environmental stewardship Island Timberlands earns a big F, they have violated the rights of people who are invited guests on our lands, they have destroyed their property and caused environmental damage to our lands and by doing this they have raised my ire!
destroyed
The local colonial media claims erroneously that Island Timberlands owns the property, this is not uncommon in the mainstream media, research everything you read or hear, there are even environmentalists utilize this belief to aid them in their fund raising efforts so be wary. They do not own the land, all they possess is a tree farm license from the province of BC who have not even made a treaty with our nations. Language matters as do facts, Island Timberlands does not own property on our still un-ceded lands, they do not pay property taxes like the rest of us are forced to do. What right does Island Timberlands have to declare that un-ceded indigenous land is not designated for dwellings? This type of belief that a company had won the right to control indigenous territories because of a trade monopoly established in a foreign country is what started this greed motivated occupation in the first place. Those, as we have be amply shown are not the solid foundations we need to build a healthy and productive society upon. We do not need corporations or anyone else violating our rights to live in non harmful peaceful communities, practice our own traditional cultures which includes sharing our abundance with other people if we so chose too.
smashed
The fact that they committed this act of destruction without showing a court order requesting it much less allowing the administration of due process of law to address the issue in a civil court so all sides could state their cases publicly and openly is not sitting well with too many people in and around these communities. The fact that the police who are paid through their tax dollars and resource extraction, are being utilized in this way while ignoring criminal activity and are even being proven to be participating in harmful activities that contradict the purpose they are suppose to serve.
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Local resident Roger Lagassé posted this comment, it is the best example from many messages and offers of support for this young couple and this cause. ‘We need to take away the huge tracts of land that were given as Tree Farm Licenses to big forest companies by the government and return them to First Nations. Now today, there is no shortage of land in Canada. Greed makes land unavailable for young people. This needs to change. Hats off to Emily and Douglas who kept a positive attitude through this ordeal. You two are amazing! It takes vision to change this obsolete system. You have vision…’

The fact is settler youth are coming here for many years now reaching out to natives and elders because they too are very much being marginalized by the same systems that are violating our rights. They are far less eager than their parents to support their own enslavement to corruption and ongoing unchecked criminal behavior within our banking systems, they don’t want fiat dollars, many do not want currencies involved in any trade system. They do not want gmo foods, pesticides, unclean drinking water, destruction of environment or minimum wage service industry jobs that provide less than they need to cover their basic expenses. They are not in favor of having a police force that acts to protect corporate interests while violating the rights of the people who pay them their salaries through their tax dollars. They do not want police forces which ignore the suffering and terrorisation of the people that they are suppose to be protecting, they do not want misogyny involved if their sisters, mothers or daughters are violated, they do not want ignorance and humiliation applied this if their brothers, fathers or sons are violated either. It happens. They do not want to be ashamed, nor do they want anyone else to be made to feel to be ashamed due to their skin colour, disabilities, sexual orientation or spiritual beliefs. They want to work and help the communities they live in through their efforts, not harm them, nor do they want to harm the global communities and they particularly do not approve of making wars for economic or any other reasons. They want to live in communities where people are protected from harmful or mentally unstable people, who doesn’t? I sure wouldn’t mind a little of that myself. They have dropped out of the colleges and universities, or refused to apply at all, big pharma is completely out of favor, capitalists are not loved, two party partisan politics and hegemony’s are very much despised, gnu/linux is being installed as their operating systems and anti colonialism is trending big time. They do not want the genocide of first nations cultures, lands and people. They know that civility is direly lacking in present day civilization and they are taking part in its reintroduction.

These are the youth, they are the future, and with the current economic and political situation it is pretty much guaranteed that they will keep coming to us and other marginalized people to stand along side us. From all this darkness, this misery that has been created for our benefit comes the motivation to create something better and that equates to hope for us all so they are very welcome here by me unlike Island Timberlands!
feathers-kwetu4