Tahltan (also Nahanni) refers to a Northern Athabaskan people who live in northern British Columbia around Telegraph Creek, Dease Lake, and Iskut. Athabaskan or Athabascan (also Athapascan, Athapaskan, Athabasca Indians or Athapaskes) is the name of a large group of closely British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C Telegraph Creek is a small community located off Highway 37 in Northern British Columbia. Dease Lake is a small community located in the northwestern corner of British Columbia, Canada. Iskut is a small mostly aboriginal community in northwest British Columbia.
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Culture
History
As early as 10,000 years ago, the Tahltan people used obsidian from Mount Edziza to make tools and weapons for trading material. Obsidian is a naturally occurring Glass formed as an extrusive Igneous rock. Mount Edziza is a Stratovolcano in the Stikine Country of northwestern British Columbia, Canada. A broader definition of a tool is an entity used to interface between two or more domains that facilitates more effective action of one domain upon the other A weapon is a Tool used either in Hunting, or attack or defence in Combat for the purpose of subduing enemy personnel or to destroy enemy weapons This is the main source of obsidian found in northwestern British Columbia. [1][2]
Coal-bed methane conflict
Since 2005, a group elders from Tahltan First Nation called the Klabona Keepers have watched the road leading through Tahltan territory towards the Sacred headwaters (Klappan Valley) in opposition of development there, specifically a coalbed methane mining project planned by Royal Dutch Shell. The Sacred Headwaters is the name given to a subalpine basin in northern British Columbia that is the shared birthplace of three of Canada's greatest wild salmon rivers Coalbed methane (CBM is a form of Natural gas extracted from coal beds Royal Dutch Shell plc, commonly known simply as Shell, is a multinational oil company of Dutch and British origins [3] The Sacred Headwaters (Klappan Valley) is home to the headwaters of the Nass, Skeena and Stikine Rivers. The Nass River is a river in northern British Columbia, Canada. The Skeena River is the second longest river entirely in British Columbia, Canada. Stikine River (sti-KEEN is a river historically also the Stickeen River, approximately 335 mi (539 km long in northwestern British Columbia in Not only do these rivers provide a home to an important salmon stocks, Tahltan oral history holds that these headwaters are the place where the earth was first created and where Talhtan culture began. Oral history can be defined as the recording preservation and interpretation of historical information, based on the personal experiences and opinions of the speaker [3] According to the Klabona Keepers, the valley is used for fishing, hunting and trapping. It is the site of a Tahltan burial ground and a cultural camp where Talhtan youth can learn their culture in the summer.
In 2004, Shell was awarded the oil and gas rights to the Klappan valley, one of British Columbia's largest coal deposits and an estimated 8 trillion cubic feet (230 km³) of methane. British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C Methane is a Chemical compound with the molecular formula. It is the simplest Alkane, and the principal component of Natural gas. [3] That year, Shell drilled three exploratory wells at the headwaters, but in 2005 four Shell employees who arrived at the band office in Iskut were turned away by a group of elders, and no drilling occurred that summer. Iskut is a small mostly aboriginal community in northwest British Columbia. Non-violent blockades in 2005 and 2006 delayed development efforts and led to the arrests of 13 protesters. Talhtan territory was the site of half of all the mining exploration in British Columbia during 2006. [3] Protests in Smithers have been as large as 600 people. Smithers is a town located in northwestern British Columbia, Canada, approximately halfway between Prince George and Prince Rupert. David Suzuki and Wade Davis have both criticized plans for coal-bed methane mining in the headwaters, and in June 2007, 14 different environmental groups sent a joint letter to Shell opposing the project. David Takayoshi Suzuki CC OBC (born March 24 1936) is a Canadian Science broadcaster and Edmund Wade Davis (born December 14 1953) is a noted Canadian anthropologist, ethnobotanist, author and photographer whose work has [3]
Coal-bed methane extraction has already been the subject of protests in Bulkley Valley, against a project planned near Telkwa, British Columbia. The Bulkley Valley is located in west central British Columbia, Canada. The village of Telkwa is located along Highway 16 nearly 15 km southeast of the town of Smithers and 350 km west of the city of Prince George, In a unanimous 2003 resolution, the Union of B. C. Municipalities asked for a moratorium on coal-bed methane mining in the province. [3]
Representatives from Shell assert a determination to reach consensus in the community, and note that the elected Tahltan Central Council (TCC) agreed to the exploration. [3] The TTC's Chief Jerry Asp was forced to resign in 2005 after protests from Tahltan members accused him of a conflict of interest because of his involvement with two pro-development organizations. A conflict of interest is a situation in which someone in a position of trust such as a Lawyer, Insurance adjuster, a Politician, executive or director [3]
According to the Skeena Watershed Conservation Coaltion, Shell has launched a lawsuit against Talhtan elders for loss of revenue. [3] The Klabona Keepers have filed a counter-suit for failure to consult.
Employment opportunities have come from natural resources development in recent years. Because of various concerns over the lands, the parties involved balance between development and the environment.
Talk of an Alaska-Canada railroad traversing Tahltan lands recurs every so often with feasibility studies being done.
Language
Tahltan is a poorly documented Northern Athabaskan language. Tahltan is a poorly documented Northern Athabaskan language historically spoken by the Tahltan people (also "Nahanni" who live in northern British Some linguists consider Tahltan to be a language with 3 divergent but mutually intelligible dialects (Mithun 1999). The numbers below are according to Poser (2003):
- Tahltan (approximately 35 speakers)
- Kaska (approximately 400 speakers)
- Tagish (approximately 2 speakers)
Other linguists consider these to be separate languages. Tahltan is a poorly documented Northern Athabaskan language historically spoken by the Tahltan people (also "Nahanni" who live in northern British Kaska is an Athabaskan language spoken by the Kaska people in the southeastern Yukon territory and northern British Columbia in Canada Tagish is an endangered Northern Athabaskan language spoken by the Tagish people in the Yukon Territory in Canada.
Notes
- ^ Journey & Transformations: British Columbia Landscapes Retrieved on 2007-10-12
- ^ Catalogue of Canadian volcanoes - Stikine Volcanic Belt: Mount Edziza Retrieved on 2007-10-12
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Native Group Opposes Mining on Sacred Site, Joan Delaney, The Epoch Times (Toronto Edition), December 6, 2007. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 539 BC - The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 539 BC - The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon.
External links
- map of Northwest Coast First Nations (including Tahltan)
- Photos
- "A Gentle Revolution", The Walrus, December/January 2006. The Walrus is a Canadian general interest Magazine which publishes long form journalism on Canadian and international affairs along with fiction and
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