Chain link fences with razor wire, trail cams, and more patrols are being considered by Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB) council as a way to protect sacred sites from further vandalism.

On Wednesday OIB Chief Clarence Louie voiced his disapproval of a recent act of vandalism which left racist slurs and swear words on pictographs of both historical and spiritual significance to the Okanagan Nation.

An OIB member discovered the vandalism last weekend, and news of the crime has has since rapidly spread.

Louie said his reaction to the crime, one of B次元官网网址渙ngoing, systemic racism,B次元官网网址� was one that the vandals would likely have wanted.

B次元官网网址淭hey (vandals) want people to get upset, and angry, and saddenedB次元官网网址� ThatB次元官网网址檚 the reaction racists want, isnB次元官网网址檛 it? I think thatB次元官网网址檚 what they want. IB次元官网网址檓 not a psychologist but why do people go around, they hide, they donB次元官网网址檛 do it in public. They go in and damage peopleB次元官网网址檚 property. Why do they do that? Because they want a reaction, I assume,B次元官网网址� said Louie.

Significance of the pictographs

Pictographs and rock art, Louie explained, can be found throughout the Okanagan and tribal territory in the U.S. and Canada.

Historically, pictographs have been used as a way to convey a message or an idea over countless centuries.

B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e of cultural significance, spiritual significance, historical significance, theyB次元官网网址檙e not normal B次元官网网址� I guess some people call them art. Some of the imagery there is not about art, itB次元官网网址檚 about spirituality,B次元官网网址� said Louie.

B次元官网网址淥f course no one knows who the artist was, no one knows when they were painted, but theyB次元官网网址檙e significant. Some images you can guess what they are, but some are abstract, some are spiritual.B次元官网网址�

Repairing the damage

Since discovering the graffiti, OIB Chief and Council has been planning ways to move forward and further protect these sacred areas.

Recently Louie has spoken with experts in B.C. and Alberta to specialize in removing vandalism from rocks. Some say there are products that may be able to remove the paint.

Most of the swear words, Louie explained, were not on the pictographs themselves, and this will be easier to deal with. However paint put directly on the rock paintings will be more of an issue.

The chief is hopeful they will be able to restore the paintings to their original state.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 glad to hear; the person I talked to on the phone yesterday from Alberta said there is stuff that can get paint off of paint, and still leave the original rock painting there,B次元官网网址� he said.

Accountability

Figuring out who might have done this is extremely hard without witnesses, explained Louie. He added itB次元官网网址檚 hard to charge someone if they donB次元官网网址檛 confess to their crimes.

Louie said this isnB次元官网网址檛 the first time someone has ripped off, stolen from, or vandalized their land.

B次元官网网址淲henever this has happened before, again thereB次元官网网址檚 been no witnesses, thereB次元官网网址檚 not much of an investigation the cops can do because who they talk to? All thatB次元官网网址檚 left behind is the swear words.

Rather than B次元官网网址榡usticeB次元官网网址�, a term the chief called B次元官网网址榮oftB次元官网网址� and non-specific, Louie proposed a five-year prison sentence for the those responsible.

B次元官网网址淚 was asked, well do you want justice to whoever did this? I said no, I donB次元官网网址檛 want justice to whoever did this criminal activity, I want them locked up in jail for at least five years,B次元官网网址� said Louie.

He said he is baffled by how many trespass on their reserves. Even as Louie and others were leaving the historical site on the weekend, they noticed several cyclists biking through their reserve.

The individual responsible, Louie explained, broke several laws, beginning when they trespassed on OIB land, passing by several B次元官网网址榥o trespassingB次元官网网址� signs.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 sure every res (reservation) has this problem, where non-natives think Indian reserves are public land and they can just drive anywhere they wantB次元官网网址� our reserve roads are not public roads, theyB次元官网网址檙e like somebodyB次元官网网址檚 private driveway, itB次元官网网址檚 just that theyB次元官网网址檙e a lot longer, thatB次元官网网址檚 the only difference,B次元官网网址� said Louie.

Louie said itB次元官网网址檚 a mindset within the public that needs to change. He said their signs which read B次元官网网址榩rivate propertyB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址榥o trespassingB次元官网网址� should garner just as much respect and significance as they do anywhere else.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 (vandalism) just part of ongoing racism, systemic racism that people donB次元官网网址檛 even notice. ItB次元官网网址檚 been there so long.B次元官网网址�

editor@pentictonwesternnews.com
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