Jan
10
Haisla Respond to JRP on Northern Gateway Project
Posted by: mcs1 | January 10, 2012 | Leave a Comment
My friend Ken spoke today as part of the Joint Review Panel on the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline project. Ken is a Chief of the Eagle Clan for the Haisla people in Kitimat British Columbia. He is the reason I am taking this class. I am trying to find a way to work with Ken and his people to preserve the stories of his life in two languages (Haisla and English). I hope to work with both youth and adult learners in the area on this project and to develop a way which might help them learn to adopt and integrate technology into their story telling methods while documenting the stories of this wonderful man’s life. It’s definitely not a conventional classroom project, I don’t think. But it is most definitely a teaching and learning project.
Today Chief Ken called the prospect of piping oil through his hereditary land in the pristine Kitlope Valley and ‘double barrelled shotgun.’ His statement is currently reverberating across Canada in the national media. Although the topic of the conversation is an entry of its own to say the least, after talking with him on the phone shortly after the end of the day’s testimony, I think that this is quite a moment for Ken and his people. I hope so.
One of the most interesting aspects of my work with Ken is that it has become almost entirely through the telephone. It’s been a powerful way for us to stay in contact but has also placed some serious limitations on our ability to communicate. And while I enjoy talking with him on the phone I do wish that I was there with him in person. But it reminds me that this distance is an important part of our project and that I should be thinking about the limitations of communicating at a distance, especially with the elderly, and perhaps even more so with First Nations elders. The phone works to a degree. However, I am skeptical that it will be possible to integrate greater levels of technology to our project without the involvement of others in the area who may be more comfortable and capable with computers. I need to ask what type of equipment is available at the schools and at the council office.
A few things really stood out to me in the testimony today.
One was that only the audio was available through the link I found through the National Energy Board. No video. And while I was waiting for the hearing to begin there was a stream of really lousy elevator music. Well, at 9 o’clock I am wondering when things are going to get started and through the bad music I start to hear drums, then singing and then really loud and powerful drums and singing to match. Extremely emotional and extremely moving, even from the distance and through the medium. And even through the bad music the technician chose not to turn down but was eventually drowned out.
The second was that the chair of the JRP chose to interrupt Chief Sam Robinson during the beginning of the hearing. Maybe she had to, maybe she didn’t. But she did. It seemed strange for her to dictate how things would proceed, even though she is in his land.
Third, the Globe and Mail chose to quote Robinson as saying, “Walk softly on our road,” he said. “We are very happy to have you in our territory. Good luck.” However, I believe that Robison added the phrase “Or go around.” Not sure why the Globe chose not to report that.
Fourth, Ken deliberately acknowledged the ‘internet’ while he was speaking.
Fifth, I am tired and going to bed.
Good night technology.