Some hereditary chiefs of the Wet’suwet’en have been critical of Trans Canada and government officials leaving a meeting last week in Houston after a traditional entrance was made.
Cheif Namoks (John Ridsdale) was one of them.
“We were outside of the hall and putting on our regalia so we could come in and talk with respect and invite them to a feast June 30th so we could address the issue of who represents the Wet’suwet’en,” says Namoks.
Other Chiefs, including Ron Mitchell, spoke out against the Matriarchal Society that they say are contrary to Wet’suwet’en laws.
Chief Theresa Tait Day of the Matrilineal Coalition who invited Trans Canada disagreed with what the chiefs did.
“And out of respect for our ancestors, and to not dirty the blanket with politics, it was decided the regalia would not be used outside of the feast hall,” explains Day.
She says industry and government were asked to leave ahead of the entrance the chiefs were going to make.
“We expected them to come in without their regalia and sit down with us so they could learn about the project as well. And if they didn’t do that, we would ask industry and government to leave,” says Day.
Both Trans Canada and The Ministry of Aboriginal Relations say they left the workshop while the chiefs were there and returned once they left.
They both maintain it was to respectfully stay out of internal Wet’suwet’en business.