Splatsin has refuted the Okanagan Indian Band claim asserting territorial rights to area of Wilsey Dam near Lumby

Photo: BC Hydro

The Okanagan Indian Band is objecting to Secwepemc territorial claims at Wilsey Dam near Lumby.

UPDATE 9:05 a.m.

Splatsin is refuting the Okanagan Indian Band territorial claim to the area around Wilsey Dam near Lumby.

But the First Nation acknowledges the area has been historically shared between the two Nations.

“While we reject assertions that Syilx title supersedes Secwe?pemc title and rights at Scwa7will, we acknowledge that our peoples share long histories in the area, particularly in relation to fishing," Kukpi7 (Chief) Michael Christian said in an emailed statement.

"Splatsin oral history speaks clearly of sharing access to Scwa7will with Syilx relatives, especially in times of need, when salmon were scarce in Syilx territory. We remain open to sharing these histories in a respectful setting.

Christian said the purpose of today's gathering in the area, which was objected to by OKIB, is spiritual and ceremonial in nature.

“It is being held to protect and honour kekasu7 (chinook salmon), Sqltn7uwi (sockeye salmon), sa?wllkwa (water), and all our relations connected to Scwa7will and the broader Shuswap River ecosystem. This work is grounded in Secwe?pemc laws, responsibility, and ancestral title,” Christian said.

“We do not believe that public statements questioning the intentions of a ceremony grounded in cultural and spiritual responsibility serve our peoples or our lands. Rather, we believe these concerns are best addressed through direct Nation-to-Nation dialogue grounded in respect and a shared commitment to the well-being of the land, the water and the salmon.”

Christian said Splatsin remains committed to “our role as caretakers of Scwa7will and the Shuswap River on behalf of the Secwe?pemc Nation, as recognized through ancestral law and oral history.

“On numerous occasions, we have invited Okanagan Indian Band to meet with us in a good way to discuss our shared interests, resolve concerns, and move forward in the spirit of unity.”

ORIGINAL 4 a.m.

The Okanagan Indian Band is objecting to Secwepemc territorial claims at Wilsey Dam near Lumby.

In 2021, BC Hydro issued plans to decommission the damn.

The Splatsin Title & Rights will be holding a special ceremony and site visit on Saturday at Scwawill (Shuswap Falls)-Wilsey Dam in advance of a planned sediment release starting at 8:30 a.m.

“BC Hydro is proposing the removal of Wilsey Dam to restore fish passage for Kekasu (Chinook) and Sqltnuw’i (Sockeye) salmon upstream. Before this process can begin, sediment that has built up behind the dam must be carefully released,” said a post on the Splatsin website.

“This gathering will include a ceremony and community engagement around the upcoming test sediment release, which aims to reduce the accumulated volume in a safe and respectful way.”

OKIB Chief Dan Wilson said the area has been a matter of dispute between the Syilx and Shuswap nations for more than a century.

It began when the river, known in Syilx history as the Spallumcheen River, was unilaterally renamed “Shuswap River” by the province around 1914.

Wilson said the Shuswap Nation then claimed it as theirs, but he said historic maps show it is in the Syilx Nation.

He claims elders from both nations in the early 2000s agreed that the area where the dam is located is in Syilx territory.

A press release from the OKIB on the matter said the band “is raising urgent concerns over an upcoming event at Wilsey Dam. The event is being promoted as taking place on Secwepemc territory, with no recognition of Syilx title or the true name and history of the area.”

“This renaming came in the wake of the 1910 Memorial to Sir Wilfrid Laurier - a powerful political declaration authored by the Interior Allied Tribes, affirming Indigenous land rights and governance.

The memorial stated: "They found the people of each tribe supreme in their own territory, and having tribal boundaries known and recognized by all.”

The OKIB release says that statement “reflects a deep and mutually respected understanding among Indigenous Nations of clearly defined territorial boundaries — an understanding that continues to be dishonoured through colonial renaming and unilateral claims.”

OKIB said it strongly opposes any actions, events, or narratives that allow the Secwepemc Nation to assert exclusive territorial claims over areas that fall within Syilx territory.

“These claims not only misrepresent history, but also risk deepening division between Nations that once stood shoulder-to-shoulder in defense of the land. The Wilsey Dam site is within Syilx ancestral territory. Our connection to the Spallumcheen River is living, legal and spiritual,” said the release. “We reject attempts to erase Syilx presence and call on all parties to respect our rights and engage in good faith.”

In September 2021, in a post on the Okanagan Nation Alliance website, former OKIB Chief Byron Louis said, “For the Syilx Nation, there is an important spiritual, cultural and economic significance with restoring salmon and resident species above Wilsey Dam. Historically, our people would gather and work together to fish for salmon and trout from the river at the swawi (Shuswap Falls).”

Chief Clarence Louie, ONA Tribal Chair, also said at the time, “As Syilx people, we have an inherent right and responsibility to continue working to bring ntitiyx back to all parts of our territory, including that on the splm’cin (Shuswap River). Decommissioning Wilsey Dam would be a step in the right direction towards not only salmon recovery, but also ensuring that benefits for siwk and the tmix and all habitats.”

Castanet has reached out to Splatsin and the Okanagan Nation Alliance for comment.