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STOP THE DESECRATION OF 4,000 YR. BURIAL GROUND!Jo Lui (jlui@SOL.UVIC.CA)Thu, 11 May 1995 21:38:18 +0000
************************************* PROTECTING THE SACRED RESTING PLACE OF OUR ANCESTORS ************************************* WE ARE OBLIGATED TO PROTECT OUR 1200 BURIALS AT CRAIG BAY, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. The NANOOSE Firsts Nations is currently fighting an ongoing battle to save its burial site at Craig Bay. The bulldozers of INTRAWEST, the resort development company, threatens to destroy our sacred burial ground containing approximately 1200 burials and 14000 associated cultural objects. Already 400 burials have been uncovered. 284 are presently exposed and 147 sets of human remains have been removed. Not only is this site of major importance to the Nanoose people, it is one of, if not the most important heritage and cultural site ever to be unearthed in the province of British Columbia. The issue of First Nation's sacred sites, such as the Nanoose burial ground at Craig Bay, will develop as a major concern as more and more such burial sites are desecrated by specific large scale commercial developments in British Columbia. In the past, the First Nations of the province, through a feeling of helplessness based on past experiences at the hands of the insensitive Governments and arrogant developers have remained painfully silent as they have witnessed the destruction of their sacred burial sites. However, many of the people in the First Nations communities in British Columbia are no longer prepared to remain obediently silent. A rapidly growing solidarity has developed between a number of First Nations committed to assisting the Nanoose Nation in stopping further construction and disinterrment within their sacred burial site. NDP GOVERNMENT PERMITS DESECRATION The Provincial NDP Government has issued a permit which allows the continued destruction of the Nanoose Burial Grounds at Craig Bay. This permit was issued in spite of an appeal filed by the Nanoose First Nation on December 9, 1994 which challenges the recent decision of the Supreme Court of British Columbia not to allow the protection of the Nanoose burial ground under the Cemetery and Funeral Services Act. Bowing to the pressure from the developers, Intrawest, the NDP government has issued a new permit to allow the complete devastation of a site already ravaged under the two previous permits illegally issued by the government Archaeology Branch. This new permit was issued in spite of the order of Justice Hutchesin, (after quashing existing permits) in his November 14, 1994 judgment to have a hearing before any "new" permits are issued for the Craig Bay site. He called the issuance of the permit "dirty pool". In addition, this permit has been issued despite a clear provision within the newly amended Heritage Conservation Act. The burial ground at Craig Bay is the largest Aboriginal burial site known to exist in the province of British Columbia. LEGISLATION EXISTS TO PROTECT OUR HERITAGE SITES Legislation exists that could serve to protect the Nanoose sacred burial site. The Heritage Conservation Statutes Amendment Act, July 1994, clearly states the following: Agreements with first Nation 3.1 (1) The province may enter into a formal agreement with a First Nation with respect to the conservation and protection of heritage sites and heritage objects that represent the cultural heritage of aboriginal people who are represented by that First Nation. Permits 5. (2) The Minister may (b) Refuse to issue a permit for action that, in the opinion of the Minister, would be inconsistent with the purpose of the heritage protection of the property. ***** "We will continue on with our struggle to protect the sacred resting place of our ancestors until such time as the Province withdraws the permit for all time and the 18 acre burial site is fully protected" ****************************** FOR MORE INFORMATION NANOOSE FIRST NATION Hereditary Chief Wilson Bob Chief Wayne Edwards Councilor Tom Bob Councilor Jim Bob Phone: (604) 390-3661 Fax: 390-3365 ************************************************* IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HELP PLEASE SHARE THIS INFORMATION, AND WRITE OR FAX COMPLAINTS TO: MINISTER OF TOURISM, SMALL BUSINESS & CULTURE BILL BARLEE ROOM 124 PARLIAMENT VICTORIA B.C. V8V-1X4 FAX 1-604-387-4348 *************************************************
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