Above: Grizzly Bear House Post at Talyu. The post belonged to the wife of a Nuxalk Chief, Mrs. Tallio Hans. "Collected" by Harlan Smith in 1923 for the Victoria Memorial Museum – now called the Canadian Museum of Civilization. The photo is a view from the south taken on 19 August 1920 by Smith. He observed that it was the post from the northeastern front corner of the most northeasterly house in Talyu.

Above: Mortuary figure from the village of Talyu. "Collected" for the BC Provincial Museum in 1913 by Charles Newcombe together with a second mortuary figure. For many decades the two figures were displayed outdoors as popular tourist attractions in Victoria's Thunderbird Totem Pole Park.

Today I attended a meeting set up by the BC government and logging industry to announce their two year helicopter logging and dump site plan for Taleomey Narrows at Talyu (South Bentinck). They called it a "prep" for a consultation meeting. Four Hereditary Nuxalk Chiefs, including myself, and five Nuxalk Council members were present along with industry – government representatives: three from A&A Trading Ltd and two from BC Ministry of Forests.

This is the third time that I have asked a logging company to stop logging at Talyu (South Bentinck). Several years ago Nuxalk – Talyu Elder Robert Andy and I went back to our Homeland. We found Interfor logging the flats at Taleomey Narrows. This is the location of my Family's Land and the Snuxyaltwa Farm. Neither the Nuxalk House of Smayusta Chiefs nor the Nuxalk People were informed of this logging operation by Interfor.

At the time, Interfor stopped their operation but since have never talked with me or any of the Hereditary Chiefs. Instead Interfor used this as a negotiation tool to start talking about a Forest and Range Agreement as well as a Community Forest License. A&A Trading Ltd. have since bought Interfor's logging licences. Last year with the Nuxalk Chief Council present, I asked A&A Trading Ltd to stop logging. Once again the logging devastation on Snuxyaltwa – Nuxalk land stopped only for a short period of time.

Today at the meeting I asked for respect for the Nuxalk Hereditary Chiefs, as well as for the wildlife, the bears, deer, ducks, halibut, ooligan, salmon, crabs and all living creatures that survive at Talemoney Narrows in South Bentinck. This land has been overlogged and needs healing time. Again I asked that all logging operations be shut down within Nuxalk Territory because many of our brothers and sisters are dying out. The two other Nuxalk Hereditary Chiefs stood up and supported my statement. Despite this – only a few minutes later – the helicopter logging and log dump site negotiations at Tallemoney Narrows started again.

Nuxalk Ways are very important, because anything to do with our land and territories is done within a potlatch. I have given both A&A Trading Ltd and the BC Ministry of Forests an invitation to the Snuxyaltwa Totem Pole Potlatch in Talyu on 18 & 19 August 2009 at Talyu, South Bentinck. This is done, because only Hereditary Chiefs will speak on Talyu. We will make many statements to the world of how logging and industries have degraded our Land and affected our indigenous way of life. I ask for all those concerned to write a response for Mother Earth and all living creatures and send it to the prime minister of Canada or to the premier of British Columbia, with a copy to us at the Nuxalk House of Smayusta.

Invitation link: Snuxyaltwa (Snow) Potlatch

Above: Talyu Pole. This house pole from the Nuxalk village of Talyu is displayed in the Grand Hall at the Canadian Museum of Civilization. The 25 ft high pole was carved as the entrance to a Nuxalk long house. Later it was made into a grave monument and the disc on top (now missing) was added to represent the Sun. Below the Sun are the mythical Cannibal Bird, Beaver and a Supernatural Being. The Talyu house pole was "collected" in 1923 by Harlan Smith for the Victoria Memorial Museum in Ottawa, Ontario.

LAND ACT:

Notice of Intention to Apply for a Disposition of Crown Land.

Take notice that A&A Trading Ltd. of Vancouver, BC intends to make application to Integrated Land Management Bureau (ILMB), Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Coast Region office for a Temporary Permit for Industrial Log Handling to facilitate helicopter logging at South Bentinck Arm in the vicinity of Taleomey Narrows.

The Lands file number that has been established for this protect is #1413286. Written comments concerning this application should be directed to the Section Head, Integrated Land Management Bureau at 142-2080 Labieux Rd. Nanaimo, BC V9T 6J9 or emailed to:

AuthorizingAgency.Nanaimo@gov.bc.ca

Left: "Land Act Notice"Click for pdf

Above: "Log Dump Sites" Click to enlarge as pdf

Comments will be received by ILMB until April 27, 2009 http://ilmbwww.gov.bc.ca Applications & Reasons for Decision for more information. http://www.arfd.bc.ca/ApplicationPosting/ viewpost.jsp?PostID=10491