Gitanyow Lax’yip, July 15, 2024: The Gitanyow Nation, as represented by the Simgigyet’m Gitanyow (Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs) and the Government of Canada recently signed a Funding Agreement, marking a significant step forward in restoring Gitanyow’s inherent right of self-government. For Gitanyow Nation, this inherent right is found in their “Dax’gyet” – the strength and authority of the Hereditary Chiefs’ relationship with their ancestral lands.
The Government of Canada is providing $18.4 million to advance the goals and priorities set out in the Gitanyow Governance Accord (“the Accord”), signed by Gitanyow, Canada, and British Columbia in 2021. The Accord provides a pathway to transition from the Indian Act to Gitanyow self-government, based on the restoration and legal recognition of Gitanyow’s hereditary governance system.
The funding will prepare Gitanyow to fully implement its government under its Constitution through advancing governance capacity, community objectives, and economic development priorities. Activities to be supported include: continued development of a Hereditary Revitalization Plan; harmonizing Gitanyow’s “Ayookxw” (Supreme Laws) of the Simgigyet’m Gitanyow with federal, provincial, and third-party interests; development of modern governance tools and legislative frameworks; and the construction of a new building to accommodate “Dax’gyet” operations and a training institute.
This Funding Agreement aligns with the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, emphasizing the importance of self-determination, defined as the ability to “freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social, and cultural development”.
Quotes:
Simogyet Sindihl/Robert Good
“The work in developing this document [Gitanyow Constitution] is important; we must choose carefully the words we use to describe our system so the governments and the world can see who we are and that we exist; this we will pass on to future generations of Gitanyow.”
Simogyet Malii/Glen Williams
“This is a very important day for our ancestors and future generations. Working together in unity is the best path forward for all of us. This new agreement not only recognizes Gitanyow’s traditional legal system, but also provides the resources needed to propel our people into a prosperous future.”
The Honourable Gary Anandasangaree
Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations
“This Agreement marks a significant milestone in our shared journey from the Indian Act toward a stronger Gitanyow Nation under their traditional and hereditary form of governance. This investment is about supporting the Gitanyow in their goals to enhance governance, foster economic development, and strengthen community infrastructure. We are walking this reconciliation path together, respecting the rich heritage and future aspirations of the Gitanyow people.”
Facts:
- The Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs, through the Gitanyow Huwilp Society, work to promote the social, cultural, and economic well-being of the Gitanyow people.
- The Gitanyow Huwilp Society was established in 1993 with an aim to represent the Gitanyow Huwilp (Wilp Houses). Mandated by their people and the Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs, their mission is to protect the Lax’yip (Territory) for the Wilp (House) membership.
- Gitanyow’s main community is located on the Kitwanga River 8 kilometres south of Kitwancool Lake, at the confluence of Kitwancool Creek.
- The community is located on Gitanyow Indian Reserve No. 1.
- Gitanyow are a matrilineal society of Gitxsan people.
- The village of about 400 people is a National Historic Site of Canada.
Associated links:
Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs
British Columbia Treaty Commission (BCTC)
Gitanyow Governance Accord