Celebrating Dasiqox Tribal Park and Tŝilhqot’in Land and Water Stewardship

By Stephen Hui

We were honoured to stand alongside Tŝilhqot’in people at Teẑtan Biny (Fish Lake) to mark the eighth anniversary of Dasiqox Tribal Park, southwest of Williams Lake, BC.

In 2014, the Xeni Gwet’in and Yuneŝit’in governments declared their shared intention to create the Indigenous protected and conserved area following a years-long (and ultimately successful) fight to protect the sacred lake from Taseko Mines’ proposed Prosperity copper-gold project.

On October 4, we were invited to a healing camp at Teẑtan Biny. Three representatives of the Real Estate Foundation of BC (REFBC) participated in a ceremony to celebrate the raising of a totem pole (by master carver Tim Paul of the Hesquiaht First Nation) eight years ago at the lake, which the doomed mining project had earmarked for a tailings pond. This was followed by a water ceremony.

Former chiefs Cecil Grinder (Tl’etinqox), Marilyn Baptiste (Xeni Gwet’in), and Roger William (Xeni Gwet’in) sang and drummed with community members and guests by the lakeshore. They spoke about the powerful connection their people have to their lands and waters, as well as the Tŝilhqot’in’s long history of defending their territory.

As a child, Grinder spent time at Teẑtan Biny. Fourteen years ago, he started an annual healing camp at the lake. On October 4, he led the ceremonies and oversaw the putting up of a sweat lodge.

“We’re looking after this water. We’re looking after the land,” Grinder said. “So, this way the land and the water itself will look after us later down the road and for future generations to come.”

Nexwagwezʔan, the Tŝilhqot’in name for Dasiqox Tribal Park, means “it is there for us.” Accordingly, Dasiqox is an expression of Tŝilhqot’in governance and values.

The proposed vision for Dasiqox is based on three pillars: environmental protection, cultural revitalization, and sustainable livelihoods. Xeni Gwet’in and Yuneŝit’in leaders are working to develop a management plan and governance structure.

REFBC has supported this work via two grants totalling $210,000 (2018 and 2022) to the Nexwagwezʔan-Dasiqox Tribal Park Initiative, hosted by MakeWay Charitable Society.

We are grateful for the opportunity to witness the anniversary, hear stories, and visit the lands and waters protected by the Tŝilhqot’in people since time immemorial.