Kalhkwa7acw!

It is good to be back in this writing space. I want to share my experience from this weekend for anyone who is interested in learning about the Wet’suwet’en cause, and a bit about relation.

Yesterday I marched in Vancouver in solidarity with Wet’suwet’en. Coastal GasLink pipeline and RCMP are under a number of violations of Wet’suwet’en law, of Canadian laws, and human and nature rights. It is completely unnatural for us to be so detached from Tmicw (land), or Yin’tah in the Wet’suwet’en language.

I marched with my friends. I listened to people speak from their heart the feelings that I have been carrying as well. I cried, I shouted, and I sang. I feel good in a way. I feel like people are finally starting to question government and RCMP actions against our people. We need to realize that we the people are the ones government is supposed to answer to, not industries. When we say Tmicw over economic gain for the rich the government needs to take that seriously.

Canadians don’t need to feel threatened by our movement. We defend in peace. We have all human best interests in mind when we protect our sacred Yin’tah. We are not aggressive people. We are not trying take anyone’s money or homes away. We are not hurting anyone by trying to live as one with nature. The Canadian governments are not supposed to favour industry. Especially not in unceded lands, where people heal, and exercise their rights to harvest traditional foods, and hunt to feed their families.

I am starving. Starving for justice. Starving for huckleberries and salmon. Starving for a connection to my land. I am on a journey of reconnection to the land my ancestors have walked. I am going to build a home wherever I want to and pray I can live in peace. Live strong, go to the rivers and mountains for strength and love. Practice living the way my ancestors and our people have done their best to keep it alive. I feel it and I carry stories in my heart from people I have met on the same path, with the same beliefs. That we are a part of nature and we can’t continue to live unsustainably.

In this march I participated a lot more than I used to. Thanks a good friend and healer. I marched in the front. I sang the women’s warrior song and held my palm to the sky, to call energy from Creator, from Spirit. I carried the blessings in my arms and laid them down the road. At Victory Square an Eagle flew high above us. Eagle took our prayers to Creator.

Kúkstumkacw for reading, if you want to see some shaky videos of the rally I made them public on my Facebook.

-Amanda Ritchie