What Does It Mean to be Tsek’ehne: The Story of a Nation

• In Event: The Far Off Omineca and Beyond: Reconsidering the Finlay-Parsnip Watershed of Northern British Columbia, 1860-1956

Abstract

The Finlay-Parsnip watershed of northern British Columbia is the homeland of the Tsek’ehne. While geographically large, the Indigenous people of this land – my nation the Tsek’ehne – are numerically small and often lumped in with other nations. This paper will examine the Tsek’ehne, particularly with regard to their relationship to the land and how it changed over time. It will argue that not only is it important to consider the Tsek’ehne on their own, regardless of connections and similarities they might have with neighbouring Indigenous nations, but also that a failure to do so is one of the reasons why the Tsek’ehne are overlooked and/or lumped in with other nations. Not helping the situation are cultural practices that promoted ties to these nations. Still, when considered on their own it becomes apparent that they developed a relationship to the land that aimed for an ecological equilibrium that still allowed for the utilization of natural resources. Rather than come to an abrupt end upon contact in 1793 ¬– or at some later date – this relationship has adapted and continues to adapt to the changing world, with the newest mover being climate change.

Author

• Daniel Sims, University of Northern British Columbia/NCCIH