Wet'suwet'en

The Wet'suwet'en are a Canadian First Nations people who are among the oldest inhabitants of British Columbia. The Wet'suwet'en have a long cultural history that dates back at least 6,000 years. The traditional territory of the Wet'suwet'en includes more than 8,000 square miles of land along the Bulkley River, Broman Lake, and Francois Lake in British Columbia's Central Interior. The Wet'suwet'en name, which sometimes is styled as Hwotsotenne, Witsuwit'en, Wetsuwet'en, or Wets'uwet'e, has different meanings, including "People of the Wa Dzun Kwuh River," "People of the Lower Hills," and "The First People of the Valley." Because they represent a branch of a broader cultural group known as the Carrier people, the Wet'suwet'en sometimes are referred to as the Western Carrier when grouped with another First Nation people called the Babine. The Wet'suwet'en First Nation is governed by a traditional body of thirteen hereditary chiefs called the Office of the Hereditary Chiefs of the Wet'suwet'en.

Brief History

Archeological evidence suggests that the Wet'suwet'en have lived in British Columbia's Bulkley Valley for about 6,000 years. The earliest known Wet'suwet'en chief was Gulxlet (Goohlaht), who is estimated to have lived around 5,000 years ago. The Wet'suwet'en's first contact with non-native people may have come in 449 BCE, when a group of Buddhist monks exploring western Canada allegedly discovered British Columbia. Aside from that, the Wet'suwet'en had no known contact with outsiders until the arrival of the first fur traders and missionaries in the nineteenth century. Of particular note was Colonel Charles Bulkley, an engineer who traveled into Wet'suwet'en territory in 1866 in hopes of building a telegraph line between North America and Asia. While construction of Bulkley's proposed telegraph line never came to fruition, the valley where the Wet'suwet'en lived was ultimately named in his honor.

As the European settlement of Canada gradually expanded in subsequent years, a number of new towns sprung up in Wet'suwet'en territory and grew into thriving communities. Many of these towns—including the town of Smithers, which was British Columbia's first incorporated village—owed their success to the discovery of substantial mineral deposits. Despite the growing number of settlers arriving in their territory, the Wet'suwet'en retained control of their traditional lands and continued to maintain their own government. Nevertheless, outsiders' interest in natural resources remained a persistent problem. For the modern Wet'suwet'en, the biggest threat has been the burgeoning energy industry's attempts to make use of indigenous lands. An array of gas and oil companies have sought to build pipelines that would cross over Wet'suwet'en lands to facilitate the transport of crude oil and natural gas from Alberta to Canada's west coast. Because such pipelines pose a serious threat to the natural environment, the Wet'suwet'en have steadfastly opposed their construction and won several court cases upholding the sovereignty of indigenous lands. However, the Wet'suwet'en continue to receive requests from energy companies looking to use their lands for industrial purposes, and they continue to defend their right to protect their territory from potential environmental damage.

Overview

The Wet'suwet'en First Nation is organized according to a distinct structural framework that is built around a unique clan system. Within the Wet'suwet'en clan system are five clans. These include the Gitdumden (Wolf), Laksamishyu (Fireweed), Tsayu (Beaver), Gilseyhyu (Big Frog), and Laksilyu (Small Frog). Each clan is led by one or two hereditary chiefs who are part of the Office of the Hereditary Chiefs. Individually, each clan is divided into different houses that are themselves led by hereditary chiefs. Across all the clans, there are a total of thirteen Wet'suwet'en houses.

Wet'suwet'en society operates according to a matrilineal tradition, which means that cultural heritage within the community is inherited from the mother's side of the family. This also means that each person's place in a specific clan and house is determined based on that of his or her mother's family heritage. The tradition of matrilineage is so strong, in fact, that most members of a particular house are closely related to one another.

At one time, the various Wet'suwet'en houses existed as physical structures. These houses often were the setting for great feasts. Such feasts were—and still are—a key feature of Wet'suwet'en culture. Rather than simply being a typical community celebration, however, the traditional Wet'suwet'en feast is an official function that plays a critical role in the tribe's government. At feasts, Wet'suwet'en leaders discuss important issues and settle disputes. New Wet'suwet'en leaders are formally given their titles at feasts. When a member of the Wet'suwet'en community dies, special funerary feasts are held to mark the passing and thank those who helped bury the deceased. Most feasts involve much food, discussion, thanksgiving, and prayer.

In traditional Wet'suwet'en society, there was a strict code of law that all people were expected to follow in their daily lives. This law covered a range of topics, including the issue of trespassing. The territory of each clan was closed to anyone who was not a member or relative of the clan. Although there were common paths the non-clan members could use to travel through clan territory, wandering off these paths was a major offense that ultimately could be punishable by death. Another major offense in Wet'suwet'en society was sexual abuse. First-time offenders were given a warning, but repeat offenders could be permanently exiled. Wet'suwet'en law also dictated the rules of marriage. Most importantly, people were forbidden to marry within their own clan. In large part, this was a rule of necessity because if people were to marry within their own clan, they would only be able to hunt in their clan's territory. Marrying into one's own clan also would mean losing the potential support of a Father Clan. The Father Clan is the clan group of one's father. Although it had less influence than the Mother Clan, the Father Clan was an important source of support and counsel. These and other laws—all of which were enforced through the governmental authority established at traditional feasts—formed the basis of Wet'suwet'en society as it existed in the past and as it exists in the modern world.

Bibliography

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"Culture & History." Super, Natural British Columbia, www.hellobc.com/smithers/culture-history.aspx. Accessed 18 Apr. 2017.

George, Andrew, and Robert Gairns. A Feast for All Seasons: Traditional Native Peoples' Cuisine. Arsenal Pulp Press, 2010.

"History." Town of Smithers, www.smithers.ca/residents/stats-maps/history. Accessed 18 Apr. 2017.

Jenness, Diamond. Three Athapaskan Ethnographies: Diamond Jenness on the Sekani, Tsuu T'ina and Wet'suwet'en, 1921–1924. Rock's Mill Press, 2015.

Manno, Tony. "Big Oil and Gas Want Them Out, But One Small Clan Is Standing Up to Pipeline Expansion." Yes! Magazine, 19 Jan. 2016, www.yesmagazine.org/planet/big-oil-and-gas-want-them-out-but-one-small-clan-is-standing-up-to-pipeline-expansion-20160119. Accessed 18 Apr. 2017.

"Our Culture." Office of the Wet'suwet'en, www.wetsuweten.com/culture/. Accessed 18 Apr. 2017.

"Wet'suwet'en." Intercontinental Cry, intercontinentalcry.org/indigenous-peoples/wetsuweten/. Accessed 18 Apr. 2017.