Lands and Resources

Yeex met tah Gi jeh
{Traditional Land Stewardship}

There are many documented links that bind Tla’amin people to the lands of our territory.  Not the least of which, are legends and place names that describe every geographical feature in the territory and how they came to be that way.  The land bears witness to our use and occupation over thousands of years.  Because of the sheer bounty of our land and our unique relationship to it, our people were economically self-sufficient.  They had many sophisticated systems based on Ta’ow (our teachings) for managing our natural resources of which future sustainability was at the forefront.  Some of these included:

· Family maintained hunting and gathering areas;

· Seasonal rotation of village and harvesting sites;

· Use of natural materials in tool making;

· Minimal human influence on the land;

· Only take what you need;

· Find a use for every part of what you take;

· Trade with other nations;

· Selective hunting and gathering;

· Respect for the spirit of all living things;

· Take care of the land and it will take care of you;

· Replanting and reseeding system;

· Recognized protocol, ceremony and regulation for gathering;

· Things collected from certain areas were believed more powerful;

· Rituals to give thanks to the creator for all of natures gifts; and

· Holistic view that all things are interconnected.

Maintaining balance through upholding the morals of how you relate to your surroundings in your everyday life was the key to survival and thriving as a people.  Daily intimate contact and hands on experience with every aspect of your surroundings allowed for observation of natural cycles and changes in the environment.  Individual rights were secondary to communal rights.  Every member contributed to their family honor and the betterment of the family as a whole.  You could easily dishonor your family and be considered “lazy” or disrespectful for not following the above practices.  Your family would be held responsible for “washing away the shame” through the potlatch system.