Editor:
With sincere and great respect for things spiritual, and the people from Nemiah, I think they truly are wonderful, with sincere aspirations.
Regardless, not all of the Nemiah people that I know currently live at Nemiah.
However, of those, some have indicated they would move back to Nemiah at the drop of a hat, if work were there.
I faithfully attended the previous Prosperity Review process that was held in Williams Lake.
And I, with all of those in attendance at that time, listened patiently to the somewhat intimidating drumming at the start and conclusion of those sessions.
This spring I attended a presentation by Taseko regarding Taseko’s prospective on Prosperity 2.
As this presentation was about to commence, unexpectedly and without warning, out in the foyer of the Gibraltar Room, loud drumming burst out, causing a delay in Taseko’s presentation.
Many of those in attendance drew a similar conclusion — that this drumming was hardly spiritual.
If the purpose of drumming is to invite a heavenly blessing on the words spoken regarding both sides of the issue, then someone from the Tsilhqot’in, prior to the start of the drumming, should step forward and inform those in attendance.
This would help recognize the native spirituality and purpose of the drumming.
Following a number of years working with native populations on the Central Coast and here in the Interior of B.C., I believe the David Suzuki Nemiah report is a very respectful, and in depth, look at the life and times of the Nemiah people.
This report is available on the Internet for all to read and enjoy, as is the Roger William court case that is now before Canada’s top court.
During the previous Prosperity Review, an individual by the name of Carl Dormuth, as recorded, addressed that review describing how he, working for a mining company, had lived on the east side of Taseko River and the Taseko Lake area for a great number of years, and that he and his Nemiah native wife had no company, no visitors.
He further recorded that he never saw any Tsilhqot’in people in the area.
Let’s be historically forthright. Prior to roads, bridges and mine exploration as Dormuth spoke of, there is little evidence, within the most recent centuries, of much, if any, recorded interest in Fish Lake.
Doug Wilson
Williams Lake