[Witness spoke in Northern Tutchone]
[English]
I would like to acknowledge the attendants in the room who have gathered here to pay respects to the Yukon River and the efforts to call the salmon back.
As a Northern Tutchone mother from the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation, respect for the salmon has been ingrained in my DNA since time immemorial. As a child, fish camp was the most significant cultural bond and identity that was transferred every year. Our family would gather elders, children, youth, mothers, fathers, aunties and uncles, and our family bonds were solidified. Language, traditional laws, cultural values and oral stories were transferred from one generation to the next. This was the centre of the Northern Tutchone identity, tied to our keystone species, the chinook salmon, and our keystone place, the Yukon River.
There is a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual connection to a fish camp. The whole process from beginning to end is hard work. Physically, you are actively engaged with the water, setting net and carrying out various duties to run the fish camp. Mentally, you have time to reflect and concentrate on your well-being. You must be sober and in good mental health so as to not pass on any negativity to the salmon preparation for your family. Emotionally, your cup is full of laughter, wisdom, joy and love shared with the environment, salmon and family. Spiritually, you are paying respects to the original agreements with the salmon by following your traditional laws and values.
I quote from our history with regard to coexistence with other animals: Traditional law, or “dooli”, is the most sincere expression of respect that humans can offer. But what is respect? Consider the contrasting viewpoints of the Northern Tutchone and modern science. Whereas science views salmon as a simpler life form operating on basic instincts, much as a complicated little machine would do, Northern Tutchone consider salmon to be a distinct culture, a culture whose fortunes have been intertwined with the Northern Tutchone for countless ages in an intricate relationship that has not always been smooth. Crow, for instance, caught no salmon because he created a permanent barrier/trap across the river. He had to learn the lesson. And the salmon people were offended by their treatment by humans, so they took the little boy to the ocean to teach proper respect.
This, then, is how the Northern Tutchone view salmon, not as primitive animals that are almost oblivious of humans, but as equals, as intelligent beings that are fully aware of their surroundings and what is happening to them, as persons who deserve the same respect as the Northern Tutchone would receive if that person were to give up their life for the survival of another.
Thus, it deeply pains us to witness any instances of disrespect to the good salmon, on whom we rely every year for our health and well-being. We fear that their role in the rhythms of nature is being abused and that the entire ecosystem is in jeopardy. By bringing back traditional knowledge, we are striving to redress this imbalance, as we have done in the past, but we are no longer alone in this responsibility, and we desire that other cultures respect our concerns and work with us to achieve a more harmonious relationship with the salmon and all life.
I was recently told a traditional knowledge story that came from the Alaska territory. Elders knew that there would be plenty of salmon when there were plenty of monarch butterflies. This traditional knowledge was new to me and was never taught by my people. In curiosity, I researched the monarch butterfly and found that it became endangered in 2016. Soon after, our salmon declined drastically, so, you see, the knowledge held within the peoples of the land is of value and can help restore the policies that are to the detriment of the ecosystem.
The Yukon first nations would like to bring attention to the devastation that we are feeling in our hearts due to the decline of the Yukon River salmon. We ask that all parties engage in the habitat protection and attention to resources and capacity that are needed in order for Yukon to proceed in this endeavour. We can no longer argue or dispute the reason.
We must now work in unity before the salmon becomes extinct. This tragedy is a direct threat to our inherent rights to harvesting. This alone makes the Northern Tutchone people question what has happened to make it so. The mismanagement of the international fisheries is an infringement on our treaty. Our forefathers sacrificed lands for the right to feed their families with healthy homeland foods. The treaty must be honoured. Traditional knowledge tells us, “Don’t drag nets. Don’t mess with fish.”
These ancient laws have long been broken. We hold a responsibility to protect the rights to clean water and sustenance for future generations. We ask that Canada and the United States champion this initiative and that true reconciliation take place.
Mahsi cho for all your time.