Since the announcement of the Dasiqox Tribal Park (Nexwagwez?an) on Oct. 4, 2014, two communities, Xeni Gwet’in and Yunesit’in Government, have initiated steps to chart an alternative vision for the Dasiqox corridor.
Celebrating the connection to the land, the Dasiqox Tribal Park hosted a gathering at Teztan Biny (Fish Lake). Cultural activities were demonstrated, including the building of a cabin, transmitting knowledge from elders to the youth.
Travelling by horseback through the southern Chilcotin, a group of riders also shared stories of their journey to Teztan Biny.
Throughout the gathering, discussion occurred around the vision people had for the future of this area — their homeland.
This process is one of many ways the Dasiqox Tribal Park team plans on consulting with the development of a management plan for the Dasiqox (Taseko) area.
The gathering was important to bring elders and youth together.
It was a chance to share, spend time with friends or relations and listen to each other’s vision of what they want to see in the Dasiqox Tribal Park and how we expect it to be governed.
When we announced Nexwagwez?an we were adamant we needed to take an active lead in how this place is shaped.
We wanted to move from a place of conflict and begin a process of articulating and designing a long-term plan that takes into account economic sustainability for future generations. A timeline for consultation with the broader public will be unveiled shortly and we are open to feedback.
Russel Myers Ross
Chief of Yunesit’in