The Nisg̱a’a Nation and the Gitanyow Nation have reached an important milestone in their long and shared history. On May 28th, Chiefs and leaders of the two Nations gathered to participate in an Eagle Down ceremony, a traditional and powerful ritual dating back generations.
The Eagle Down ceremony demonstrates the commitment of the Nations and their representatives to engaging in discussions in peace, and with the spirit of mutual respect, trust and understanding.
Following the ceremony, leadership of the Nations signed Terms of Reference for a mediation, with former Supreme Court of Canada Justice Frank lacobucci and John Terry as the mediators. This mediation process brings the Nations, as well as the Province of British Columbia, together to work towards a long-term relationship of co-existence, collaboration and transparent communication.
“Our goal is to create a safe space for honest dialogue,” said Malii (Glen Williams), President of the Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs. “There is more that unites us than divides us, and we are committed to developing a better relationship for the sake of the generations to come.”
The mediators and representatives of the Province were invited to observe the ceremony, so that they too are bound to a respectful and safe process.
Leadership of both Gitanyow and the Nisg̱a’a Nation are urging their citizens to respect the principles of peace, safety and security in their interactions with one another, and to create an environment that fosters collaboration rather than conflict.
“Nisg̱a’a Lisims Government sees this as an important time,” said Eva Clayton, President of the Nisg̱a’a Nation. “I look forward to working with Gitanyow and the Province to find ways to ensure that our people continue to live and work along side one another for generations to come.”
As the closely related Nations make good faith efforts to work through issues that have caused tension, pain and conflict, including the Province’s role in supporting this process and fostering reconciliation among the parties, Nisg̱a’a Lisims Government and Gitanyow will continue to update their citizens on the progress of these important discussions. However, certain details of the mediation process will remain confidential, until settlements or resolutions are achieved.
For further background and publicly available information, contact:
Chasity Daniels/Xbiisuunt, Communications Coordinator, Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs, ghc.communications2023@gmail.com
Paul Mercer, Manager of Communications and Intergovernmental Relations, Nisg̱a’a Lisims Government, paulm@nisgaanation.ca
