Indigenous Affairs Archives - Fraser Valley Current

With no written governance code, a leadership dispute at Kwantlen First Nation has two sides claiming legitimacy. 📷 Ugur Okucu/Shutterstock

A First Nation contemplates removing their chief. Ottawa runs for cover.

The federal government imposed government structures on First Nations. It says it isn’t its place to resolve them.

The language teachers

A new university program builds on decades of learning (and teaching) to train the next generation of Halq’eméylem speakers how best to share their language.

‘Let’s mature as a country’: an Indigenous perspective on the monarchy

Stó:lō leader Tyrone McNeil shares his thoughts on the queen’s death, and what the crown has to do if it wants to become relevant to Indigenous people today.

Bringing back Halq’eméylem from the brink of extinction

Halq’eméylem is an endangered language, but the efforts of generations of Indigenous speakers have kept the language alive—and are helping it thrive.

The language keeper: the last fluent Halq’eméylem speaker teaches a new generation

Siyamiyateliyot Elizabeth Phillips grew up in a world where Indigenous language was being stripped away. She’s worked her whole life to bring it back for the next generation.

Why are young sturgeon disappearing from the Fraser River?

The number of juvenile sturgeon in the Lower Fraser has dropped by 71% in two decades. Scientists are trying to figure out why.

Powwows originated on the prairies, but have spread to the west coast, with events bringing together people from many communities. 📷 Sergei Bachlakov

A powwow comes to Abbotsford

A Sixties Scoop survivor, Bear Paw discovered a sense of belonging at powwows. Now she hopes to bring that feeling to her students and the rest of Abbotsford.

After decades of lawsuits, Sts’ailes and BC take a new path to reconciliation

The Sts’ailes First Nation and the province have put aside nearly two decades of lawsuits, at least for now, with the signing of a new reconciliation agreement.

Kanaka Bar Chief Patrick Michell uses a photo of himself and his grandson to demonstrate the long-term need to prepare for climate change and create resilient homes. 📷 Patrick Michell

The tiny Fraser Canyon First Nation with big plans to help fire evacuees

‘We’re going to do it anyway. Because we’re the Kanaka Bar Band’

Cpl. Huron Brant was decorated for bravery in Sicily. He would die a year later.

Can Remembrance Day help reconciliation?

A conversation about serving a country that hasn’t served you, why Indigenous soldiers fought for Canada, and whether Remembrance Day can help reconciliation.