Resource type
Date created
2015-02-06
Authors/Contributors
Author (aut): Jones, Johnny
Abstract
Johnny Jones talks about what it means to be Lil’wat and how the Lil’wat Nation is an unceded territory -allowing its citizens to fully govern their land, asserting sovereign right and title over the Nation. He recalls that since the age of 5, his family, Elders and community leaders imbued in him the cultural and spiritual responsibility to take care of the land. Buy the age of 16, he was awarded ‘watchmen status’, where it would become he and other watchmen’s life’s work to watch over and care for the land. Today, in coordination with the Land and Resource Department of the Mt. Currie Band Office, Johnny works as ‘Cultural Technician’, where he records and monitors culturally significant sites, so that intruders can legally be kept 50 meters from the areas. Johnny reflects on the Lil’wat Nations’ many court cases, where the Nation defended itself against industrial companies looking to expropriate precious resources and destroy the land. From protecting ancient burial sites and culturally significant pictographs, to protecting trees from clear cutting, the desire and the birthright responsibility to protect the sacred land, has and will always be the first and foremost priority.
Name
Johnny Jones part 1
Video file
Description
Disclaimer: All testimonies are the experiences and beliefs of the individuals interviewed. Interviewer: FNST 433 Students|Oral Testimony Archivists: Weasal Bear, Robyn and Harrison, Don|Principle Investigator: ross, Dr. annie
Copyright statement
Copyright is held by the author(s).
Scholarly level
Peer reviewed?
No
Language
English
Member of collection