Qatuwas Accord Panel Presentation: Aboriginal tourism BC

Stake holders forum Chase BC November 24, 25th, 2014

Tribal Journeys 2014 to Bella Bella BC

Location

Qatuwas “people gathering together”

•  This project involved the Heiltsuk Nation planning and hosting Tribal Journeys 2014 - Qatuwas “People Gathering Together” Festival in Bella Bella BC

•  Successfully implemented the Qatuwas strategic plan •  Many positive outcomes for the Heiltsuk and

participating canoe nations •  On time and on budget delivered in a culturally

appropriate manner •  Legacy phase is to document, record and share lessons

learned

Qatuwas Accord-Preamble

Qatuwas 2014 mission statement: “Uniting the people of the Big houses, Potlatches and Canoes, Affirming our relationships to the land and sea, Upholding our ancestral laws” As coastal first nations we are affirming and building our social, political and cultural relations The Qatuwas Accord lays the path for reaffirming and strengthening our economic relations

Qatuwas “people gathering together” Accord Memorandum of Collaboration

•  WHEREAS the most complex maritime indigenous societies in the world evolved along the Pacific North West Coast of North America; and

•  WHEREAS we, the Indigenous Peoples have participated in profitable and beneficial trade and exchange relationships for thousands of years; and

•  WHEREAS we, the First Peoples have utilized our water ways and our lands as a transportation corridors to speed commerce and trade and between individuals, families and Nations linking communities from Alaska through British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and California to Mexico and beyond; and

•  WHEREAS we have un-extinguished aboriginal and treaty rights; and •  WHEREAS we are Indigenous persons who are proud to carry forward the

traditions, rights and obligations from our Ancestors; and •  WHEREAS we have gathered at the Qatuwas Festival to celebrate our Aboriginal

culture through the Canoe Journey, which affirms to us the need to enhance and grow our Indigenous commerce and trade for the wellness and prosperity of all our peoples; and

WE HEREBY AFFIRM AND AGREE, as Indigenous persons and members of our sovereign Indigenous nations, to:

•  Work together to investigate opportunities (such as trade and investment agreements, missions, trade fairs,

conferences and direct connections) to initiate and expand commerce and trade between our nations; and •  Work together to seek out the supports and assistance made available by Indigenous and other agencies (including

governments at all levels) to immediately begin work to develop commerce and trade networks among the Indigenous persons and our nations of the Pacific Northwest with the goal of setting up a formal organization to explore multilateral trade agreements; and

•  Work together to form our own networks of Indigenous business leaders and practitioners to promote the

development of the entrepreneurial skills required for success in commerce and trade; and •  Work together to utilize our networks to collaborate lessons-learned and ‘best practices’ so that all our Indigenous

nations and individuals can benefit from the wellness and prosperity that increased commerce and trade; and •  Work together to build stronger economic and social relationships with other Indigenous peoples of the Pacific

Rim and beyond; and •  We recognize that this Accord can produce many opportunities, some of which will be developed jointly, some of

which will be developed independently, and some of which will be developed by others. This Accord is intended as a statement of general intent for collaboration among Pacific Northwest Indigenous groups and not intended to create any legal or financial obligations. We commit to one another through communication, collaboration and planning efforts.

•  Agreed to in principle at Bella Bella, British Columbia during Qatuwas “people gathering together” 2014

QATUWAS LEGACY PROJECTS Interactive Exhibit, Qatuwas House, Documentary Project

Methods

We will research, organize, compile, document, record and display information to commemorate this journey We will share our story through social media, video and documentation and as well a physical and virtual presence.

Aboriginal Eco Tourism Training Program

•  Experiential Education •  Provincial Pilot Project

exploring Aboriginal tourism field school

•  12 participants from throughout BC

Partners: •  Heiltsuk Tribal

Council •  Aboriginal

partnership Fund •  Vancouver Island

University •  North Island

College •  Aboriginal Tourism

BC

Employment and Economic Development

•  Implement Qatuwas Accord through nation to nation trade, marketing and sales

•  Tourism development and implementation •  Forestry value added through arts and crafts •  Bella Bella Community Bighouse •  Fisheries shellfish aquaculture

Sharing with guests

Documentary

Native peoples journey by ocean going canoe to coastal village of

Bella Bella. Sacred journey of

renewal, healing and empowerment.

Partners: •  Heiltsuk •  Suquamish

Tribe •  Burke

Museum •  CFNR •  Ocean Canada •  Green media

Paddling forward For further information contact Frank Brown, email seequest1996@gmail.com

cell: 604 314 8542