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Go Big And Go Home!

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Published on Sunday, 29 November -0001 16:00
Written by editor
Go Big And Go Home! r1 ... You're the first to hear about a new RAVEN campaign, PAOV!

Stk’emlupsemc te Secwépemc First Nation is going to court to secure Aboriginal title to their unceded traditional territory in the Kamloops region in interior BC (pronounced Ste-kem-LUP-sem t’ suh-WEP-muhc).

For all of us who care about Indigenous rights, this is huge! Recognition of Aboriginal title in court holds unique potential for Indigenous self-determination on the land. However, as the Tsilhqot'in can attest, it’s not an easy road to walk. Fighting for Aboriginal title in Canadian courts is an onerous, multi-year undertaking that requires enormous stamina and commitment from the entire community. Oh, and money. A lot of it.

Will you stand with the Secwépemc in this historic legal battle?

At the heart of the Secwépemc case is Pípsell (Jacko Lake, near Kamloops), a spiritual site which is the source of a foundational story for the Secwépemc people - the Trout Children Oral History.

“Our spiritual connection that rests on the physical connection to Pípsell is inseparable from that physical place. We are spiritually connected to Pípsell where our Ancestors’ spirits are contained. Our ancestral Warrior Chiefs stand with us, and we must protect our legacy and our links to this place that defines us as a Nation.”– From the Pípsell Declaration


As Indigenous legal challenges carry the day in courtroom after courtroom, striking down multimillion-dollar projects like TransMountain pipeline, we can expect Canada and BC to put up a last-ditch attempt to protect colonial agendas. The Secwépemc are ready to meet this onslaught with a determination that is grounded in their Indigenous law and their obligation as yecwemínem to care for land, water and sky worlds within their homeland, Secwepemcul’ecw.

The Secwépemc are determined to restore the land to a state of balance, and maintain their traditional and contemporary spiritual practices on the land in the locations marked by their ancestors. Their vision for their land is a healthy ecology supporting a thriving Secwépemc culture and a robust Indigenous economy that contributes to the whole Kamloops region.

Are you ready to stand with the Secwépemc?

Like the Secwépemc, RAVEN is in for the long haul. This is a marathon, not a sprint, and we will be pacing ourselves and what we’re asking of our community. For this year, we have set a realistic goal of $80,000, which will be used for collecting evidence, reviewing opposing parties’ materials and building the complex legal arguments that go into a title case.


The RAVEN team is incredibly proud and excited to be standing with the Secwépemc in this, our first title campaign!

For Secwepemcul’ecw,



Susan Smitten
+ the RAVEN team

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