“Why are my ancestors’ burial grounds protected and those of my fellow islander, Joe Akerman, of Cowichan Heritage, not?” – Briony Penn
Sometimes, when confronted by great injustice, a community just has to draw a line.
Last weekend, Salt Spring Islanders came out to do just that: hundreds of people took advantage of the lowest tide of the year to walk over to Grace Islet, the site of a First Nations cemetery which is currently being developed by a luxury home builder. Though the islet is ringed with No Trespassing signs, the procession of marchers were able to reach the island across a temporary land bridge exposed by the unusually low tide. Photo album
Together, mothers, fathers, children, and elders worked to string a line of flags that stretched from Grace Island back to Ganges, the main town centre of Salt Spring Island. Part an act of protest, part an act of prayer, the Walk for Grace became a way to physically demonstrate a commitment to honour living First Nations culture, custom, and sovereignty over their sacred sites.
Monday, another symbolic act of protest took place at Ross Bay Cemetery in Victoria. Salt Spring Island writer Briony Penn, whose great-great-grandparents are buried in Ross Bay, helped to erect a ‘house’ over the graves of her ancestors to point to the discrepancy that exists between rights to sovereignty over sacred sites accorded to settlers and First Nations. In yesterday’s action, Penn posed the question to the media: ”Why are my ancestors’ burial grounds protected and those of my fellow islander, Joe Akerman, of Cowichan Heritage, not?”
Joe Akerman, who accompanied Penn to Ross Bay, has taken on a leadership role in the campaign to save Grace, explaining that “There is a double standard and it has to end. First Nations have been fighting this uphill battle with government to protect our grave sites, culture and spiritual beliefs for far too long.”
The Ross Bay cemetery action kicked off the #nohousehere campaign. British Columbians who wish to stand in solidarity with the Cowichan people are being urged, by Penn and Akerman, to go to the graves of their own ancestors or to a nearby cemetery, write # NO HOUSE HERE on their hand, take a picture and post it to social media with the #nohousehere hashtag.
As Penn states, “the laws protecting Indian Graves (as cultural heritage sites) were put in place in 1865 and 1867 during my great great grandfather’s time with an Ordinance to Protect the Violation of Indian Graves.”
“So why are we still desecrating them in 2014?” asks Penn. “First Nation leaders wouldn’t condone building a long house on top of my ancestors, so how can I stand by and watch Christy Clark’s provincial government permit a house to be built on top of theirs?”
Penn’s great-great grandfather, Tyrwhitt Drake, was an MLA between 1868 and 1870 and a Supreme Court Judge from 1883 on. Penn continues, “I think my ancestors would have been proud that their great great granddaughter was upholding the law. The provincial government has historically and continuously chosen to ignore this Ordinance and use the Heritage Conservation Act, which removes the sanctity of grave sites and turns the graves into artifacts.”
“First Nations people are not relics,” said Akerman. “We are a resilient living and breathing culture with strong spiritual and cultural links to our ancestors.”
“Building a house over these graves would be wrong and it is wrong what they are doing on Grace Islet and other sites all over British Columbia. The time to end this practice is now.”
This campaign is backed by the unanimous resolution by the mayors and councillors of Victoria’s Capital Regional District, who are urging the provincial government to suspend Grace Islet’s alteration permit.
Salt Spring Islanders are inviting the rest of B.C. to join in demanding of the provincial government a new regulatory framework: one in which bulldozing burial grounds is not an option.
“Christy Clark and (Minister of Forests, lands, and Natural Resources) Steve Thompson need to hear from citizens how deeply wrong this development is,” says Penn.
For a timeline of events on Grace Islet, and to receive breaking news along with action alerts, visit www.facebook.com/graceislet or #graceislet.
Twitter @graceislet
Petition: http://www.adamolsen.ca/honour_grace_islet
