The sacrifice made by 6 Tsilhqot’in War Chiefs during the Chilcotin War of 1864 was recognized in Quesnel today. (Thursday)
The Lhats’as?in Memorial Day was held at the sight of where five (Chief Lhats’as?in, Chief Biyil, Chief Tellot, Chief Tahpitt, and Chief Chayses) where hanged, and where G.R. Baker Hospital now sits.
A 6th Chief Ahan, was hanged in New Westminister on July 18, 1865.
Upwards of 200 people took in today’s event.
Chief Clifford Lebrun of the Lhtako Dene First Nation and Chief Leah Stump of the Nazko First Nation welcomed everyone to the territory.
“On behalf of our Chief and Council, elders, community members, we welcome you today to be present and to acknowledge the truth of our lands and our ancestors who once and still occupy this land, and this particular area to honour the fallen War Chiefs today. Welcome”, said Stump.
Several Chilcotin Chiefs, including ?Esdilagh Chief Troy Baptiste gave speeches.
He talked about how the war left a painful legacy that was passed through many generations.
“Our children are taught about the wrongful hangings of their Chiefs from a very young age shaping their interactions with outsiders and government workers. Our relationship to the crown and governments has been shaped by the deceit we faced 159 years ago, and we have maintained pressure for reconciliation and justice. The Lhats’as?in Memorial Day is about healing, it’s about recognizing the past, and creating a new path for the future.”
The chiefs killed road crew members in an effort to protect their territory and were arrested when they were ambushed under the guise of peace talks.
Chief Joe Alphonse, Tribal Chair of the Tsilhqot’in National Government, talked about the final words of one of the Chiefs that was executed which were “we meant war, not murder.”
“He said that because they were tried as murderers, and in the eyes of the Chilcotin they weren’t out to do murder, that was war. That’s why Canada exonerated our War Chiefs because that was an act of war in defense of their country, their land.”
Alphonse said the Chiefs paid the ultimate price for our freedom and to protect our cultural way of life.
He also noted that today’s battles were fought in boardrooms and courtrooms, alluding to the TNG’s Supreme Court victory in 2014 that recognized Indigenous title to more than 17-hundred square kilometres of their land.
Otis Guichon with Tsideldel, Francis Laceese with Tl’esqox, Roger William of the Xeni Gwet’in First Nation, and Lennon Solomon with the Yunesit’in First Nation were also on hand,
Quesnel Mayor Ron Paull and Williams Lake Mayor Surinderpal Rathor were also at the memorial.
Today’s memorial started and ended with a prayer and some drum songs.
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