A blockade on TB次元官网网址橲ou-ke Nation land appears to have no end in sight.
Protesters led by Charlene George, whose ancestral name is kQwaB次元官网网址檚tB次元官网网址檔ot, and her daughter, Kati George-Jim, wis-waa-cha, are determined to halt work on sewage and wastewater infrastructure for a planned subdivision at the end of McMillan Road.
George-Jim said they just learned about the work on Aug. 16 and are supported by many family members who live on McMillan Road, plus other family and community members.
B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 need (the blockade) to be super big,B次元官网网址� she said in an interview at the site Monday (Aug. 21). B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 do anything alone in our family and their support is very important. We really appreciate the kind words and food weB次元官网网址檝e received.B次元官网网址�
George-Jim noted the TB次元官网网址橲ou-ke band administrator dropped off a sizeable amount of paperwork that the band believes is relevant.
B次元官网网址淚n our opinion, there was no input from the community or any schematics or plans for the subdivision,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淪ome reports dated back to 2008 and donB次元官网网址檛 capture current conditions and the climate crisis weB次元官网网址檙e experiencing. IB次元官网网址檓 here not as a band member but as an Indigenous person with ancestral ties to the land. This is our summer village. This land contains basket-weaving grass, which is an integral part of our culture, cat tails, skunk cabbage, and wetlands. Those are just a few examples of what weB次元官网网址檙e trying to protect, as well as an ecosystem that would help absorb water if there was flooding or a tsunami.B次元官网网址�
ALSO READ: Work begins on health centre in Sooke owned and operated by TB次元官网网址橲ou-ke Nation
George-Jim admitted itB次元官网网址檚 difficult when you feel like youB次元官网网址檝e created division in your family and community when it comes to issues about land.
B次元官网网址淲hen it comes to the land, however, that doesnB次元官网网址檛 mean IB次元官网网址檓 going to stop standing up (for the land). Indian reserves are segregated land under the Indian Act. We were put here to displace us from our territorial land, but that does not mean we donB次元官网网址檛 live here, and IB次元官网网址檓 not leaving.B次元官网网址�
TB次元官网网址橲ou-ke Nation Chief Gord Planes and the TB次元官网网址橲ou-ke Nation band administrator could not be reached for comment before the Sooke B次元官网网址 MirrorB次元官网网址檚 deadline.
