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ᑖᓂᓯ  ᓂᐚᐦᑰᒫᑲᓇᐠ  ᐁᑿ  ᓂᑑᑌᒼᑎᐠ᙮ 

tânisi niwâhkômâkanak êkwa nitôtêmtik,

Hello my friends and relatives,

If you are familiar with Indigenous journalism, you’re probably familiar with Brandi Morin. And if you’re familiar with Brandi Morin, you know that she is fiercely passionate about justice for Indigenous communities.

This week, Morin wrote a story, published by IndigiNews and Ricochet Media, about the ongoing struggles to protect the land and water in Wet’suwet’en territories. 

This is not a new subject for Morin. She’s been writing about "resource extraction" projects and their infringement on the sovereignty of the Wet’suwet’en peoples for almost six years. She says she’s witnessed police violence and harassment against Indigenous land defenders, and also been a victim of it herself. 

Photo by Amy Romer

This week’s story focuses on Dsta’hyl, a hereditary chief who was recently under house arrest for fulfilling his obligation to his community by standing up for the land. It also features the fierce Chief Howilhkat, Freda Huson, whose commentary I found both empowering and terrifying, and Wing Chief Sleydo, Molly Wickham.

“It's been really inspiring and powerful to witness,” says Morin, “and also really frustrating to know that, you know, for the Wet’suwet’en there, that is their territory. That's been proven in a Supreme Court of Canada case, the Delgamuukw case.

“And yet, the governments – 'Canadian' and provincial – along with industry and the RCMP plough through their lands and plough through their rights, and only seem to acknowledge Indigenous rights when it suits them.”

We live in a time where clean water – the basis of human life – is not important to corporate interests and does not seem to be important to the government either. It’s hard to fathom, but here we are.

Photo by Amy Romer

But it's not just anger at injustice that drives Morin – it's the beauty of the land, too.

“It's a beautiful, beautiful territory,” Morin shares, “with mountains and wildflowers and wildlife and the Wedzin Kwa River, which is pure. You can drink out of it and not get sick. I've drunk out of it many times, and it's replenishing to your body, mind and spirit. And for many Wet’suwet’en people there, it's their sustenance, not only for the life that it gives but for the salmon that rely upon it.”

You can read the story and see more of Amy Romer's stunning photos here. 

ᑭᓇᓈᐢᑯᒥᑎᓈᐚᐤ

kinanâskomitinâwâw

I am grateful for you all,

Aunty Eden

Eden Fineday is a nêhiyaw iskwew and the publisher of IndigiNews. She is from the Sweetgrass First Nation in what is now known as Saskatchewan, Canada and is a grateful guest on the lands of the Tsawwassen First Nation.

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