Members of the Haida Nation at the signing ceremony at the B.C. Legislature. Photo: B.C. Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation.
British Columbia and Canada have bestowed government status on the Council of the Haida Nation (CHN), upsetting a group of the nation’s matriarchs who fear the loss of their female-led society.
“I’m concerned our voices were lost,” said Maureen Brown of the tripartite Haida Nation recognition agreement signed last month.
“I think this will take away the voices of the matriarchs, leaders and hereditary chiefs.”
The agreement supports the inherent rights of the Haida Nation and recognizes the Council of the Haida Nation as the government of the nation, said B.C.’s Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation in a news release.
Now that the agreement has been signed, the release said the groups can enact the GayG̱ahlda “Changing Tide” framework, which recognizes the self-determination of the nation. They can also negotiate further agreements leading to Crown recognition of Haida governance and Haida title on Haida Gwaii, the release added.
The matriarchs said the nation is comprised of about 3,500 to 4,000 people.
“It’s long overdue that we legally recognize with provincial legislation the rights of the Haida Nation and the Council of the Haida Nation as the Nation’s government,” said Murray Rankin, B.C. minister for Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, in the release.
“This legislation was jointly crafted every step of the way and is the result of a progressive and incremental approach toward reconciliation.”
However, the matriarchs claim the agreement will lead them deeper into colonization.
“We are a matrilineal people,” said Brown of the community that is based on female lines. “[The CHN has] become dictators with patrilineal ways.
“They are turning their back on tradition.”
Anne Davis, an elder who chronicles Haida history, suspects outside forces are at play.
“I’ve lived here all of my life and I think it’s greed,” she said in a telephone interview from the archipelago off B.C.’s west coast. “I’m almost positive.”
The news release said a contingent of Haida Nation members, including President Gaagwiis Jason Alsop, spoke from the floor of the B.C. legislature in Victoria about what the bill means to the nation.
“One of the barriers in reconciling our differences with B.C. and Canada has been the lack of formal recognition of the Council of the Haida Nation as the governing body of the Haida Nation and of our inherent title and rights in Haida Gwaii,” Alsop said in the release.
“This act begins to right that wrong and serves to lay a proper foundation for negotiations of recognition of Haida title. Today, we are finally able to acknowledge each other and to work, government-to-government, with respect and integrity.”
Haida Nation Recognition Act
The release said the three parties have been “working towards reconciliation” and the Haida Nation Recognition Act for more than two decades.
But the matriarchs want to repeal the agreement.
They allege in a petition they recently presented to the CHN that “it’s not a valid agreement” because “the people don’t know about (what’s in) it.”
They claim the CHN cut them off when they were addressing a recent meeting and ignored their petition, which they said is signed by more than 100 people. They also accuse the CHN of taking “fake matriarchs” to Victoria for the signing ceremony.
The CHN did not respond to a request for comment from APTN News before this story was published.
“[The] women’s voice should be part of the government body to make sure protocols were followed,” Brown said over the phone.
“Its very, very upsetting … our constitution and accord is being violated.”
