'Monumental day': Heiltsuk Nation ratification feast brings written constitution into force
The Heiltsuk Nation has ratified its written constitution through a celebratory feast in Bella Bella, B.C.
Marilyn Slett, the nation's elected chief, called it a "monumental day" that comes after two decades of development and consultation.
"It's hard to put into words how big it is. It's definitely a day of celebration and reflection on everything that brought us to the day," Slett said of Friday's feast.
The Heiltsuk Nation approved the adoption of a written constitution for the First Nation on British Columbia's central coast in February. That followed six months of engagement with more than 2,000 Heiltsuk members in Bella Bella, Nanaimo and Vancouver.
The nation said 67 per cent of the 725 people who voted on the referendum were in favour of the constitution.
Frances Brown is a language keeper and member of the W̓úmaqs du M̓ṇúyaqs Council (Women's Council).
"It's undoing oppression," she said in an interview with CBC Radio West host Sarah Penton. "We once practiced and governed our own people."
The nation said in a news release that the constitution had been "upheld in ceremony" on Friday, with Indigenous and non-Indigenous delegations attending "to bear witness and help bring the constitution into force."
The constitution will help provide clarity for its own members and those it chooses to do business with, Slett said, which will clear up questions around decision-making in Heiltsuk territory that have previously been left to the courts.
Slett explained that the constitution will develop "core laws" for the nation, which will cover issues such as land management and language.
The nation said in February that "questions of paramountcy" with respect to other sets of laws would need to be worked out.
Slett said the adoption of a written constitution is an act of "reclaiming" the nation's role in its own governance.
"It's a pathway for our community to move beyond the Indian Act and move forward and grow and reach our full capacity that our ancestors always dreamed of," Slett said in an interview ahead of the event.
British Columbia's Indigenous Relations Minister Christine Boyle said in a statement that the province "recognizes the hard work the Heiltsuk Nation community has put into a constitutional ratification."
The minister said the province will continue to work with the nation to make tangible steps toward reconciliation.
"Our shared work has set a foundation for a good path forward and we look forward to continuing this work together," Boyle said.
The ratification event was held at the nation's Big House in Bella Bella, which serves as a gathering place for cultural and ceremonial activities.
The nation says in a post to its website that the structure was built with funding from the federal government as a "commitment to reconciliation." The nation will also be hosting a three-day celebration to mark its anniversary starting Saturday.
Boyle's office confirmed she would attend.
Slett said Boyle is scheduled to meet with leaders as well as partake in the celebrations, which she believes is important for reconciliation.
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