Saturday, March 10th 2018 was a day for the history books, as thousands marched in an indigenous-led protest against the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline. Coast Salish spiritual leaders and members raised a traditional Coast Salish Watch House* near the pipeline route, which will act as a base for resistance to the project. In addition to the main protest in Burnaby B.C., approximately 10,000 people in Metro Vancouver, including some Vancouver Unitarians and CUSJ members, marched in solidarity.
British Columbia Grand Chief Stewart Phillip addressed the crowd:
“We are gathering today to send a clear message to Kinder Morgan and Justin Trudeau that indigenous peoples across North America and British Columbians will never let this pipeline be built. I call on everyone […] to join us in escalating action to stop Kinder Morgan in the coming days. Rachel Notley, we are not in the least bit intimidated by your desperate threats and we will not stop!”
Here is some video footage of the crowds and the speakers towards the end of the rally. In the words of one indigenous leader, “You cannot put a price on the sacred, and that’s our lands and our water.”
ARVE Error: Mode: lazyload not available (ARVE Pro not active?), switching to normal modeIf you want to learn more about this movement, check out these groups on social media and the web:
- Coast Protectors
- Tiny House Warriors
- Treaty Alliance
- Stop Line 3
- On Twitter or Facebook, check out these hashtags: #KinderMorgan, #tarsands, #KXL, #WaterIsLife, #climatechange, #ProtectTheInlet
- Watch Houses or Kwekwecnewtxw (meaning “a place to watch from”) are traditional structures of the Coast Salish people that have been used for tens of thousands of years to watch for enemies on their territories. To learn more or donate: https://protecttheinlet.ca
I am so proud of my fellow UU’s in Vancouver, and of the indigenous Coast Protectors group. I am also impressed by the beauty of that particular CUSJ banner! Thank you to everyone. 😀
NO, YOU CAN’T PUT A PRICE ON THE SACRED, INDEED!
Thank you elders for your wise words and activist bodies!
STANDING ON THE SIDE OF MOTHER EARTH & JUSTICE!!