Cultural Heritage Impact Report

TRANS MOUNTAIN PIPELINE EXPANSION PROJECT (TMEP)

CULTURAL HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT

SHXWWHMEL INDIAN BAND

FINAL

APRIL 10, 2015

PREPARED BY ST:L RESEARCH AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT CENTRE

2015

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Credits Project Director/Principle Investigator David M. Schaepe, PhD

Project Manager/Researcher Shana Roberts, MEDes

Archaeology

Project Archaeologist/Field Director Cara Brendzy, BA, B.App.GIS, RPCA

Archaeologist Lisa Dojack, MA

Field Assistants Sandy McDonald

Irene Smith

GIS

GIS Analyst Sue Formosa

GIS Researcher/Assistant Analyst Ezra Greene

Research Assistance Research Assistant Sandy McDonald

Library & Archives Research Tia Halstad

Gina Parcels

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Table of Contents Credits ......................................................................................................................................... i

Table of Contents ....................................................................................................................... iii

List of Figures ............................................................................................................................ vi

List of Tables ............................................................................................................................ vii

DEFINITIONS .......................................................................................................................... viii

LIST OF ACRONYMS ................................................................................................................ ix

1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1

1.1 Project Description and Objectives .............................................................................. 1

1.1.1 Scope of Work ...................................................................................................... 1

1.2 The St:l People of the River .................................................................................. 1

1.2.1 The St:l Socio-cultural Profile ............................................................................ 2

1.3 The Tt Tribe ................................................................................................................ 4

1.4 Shxwwhmel ............................................................................................................. 5

2 Methodological Framework ................................................................................................. 8

2.1 Theoretical Approach ................................................................................................... 8

2.2 Methodological Approach............................................................................................. 9

2.3 St:l Cultural Model .................................................................................................... 9

2.3.1 Impact Rating Criteria ..........................................................................................15

3 Fishing ...............................................................................................................................16

3.1 Historic Fishing Practices ............................................................................................16

3.2 Contemporary Fishing Practices .................................................................................17

3.2.1 Traditional Waterways and Potential Impacts.......................................................19

3.2.2 Access to waterways ...........................................................................................19

3.2.3 Loss of traditional Waterways due to oil spills ......................................................19

3.2.4 Integrity of fishing sites and cultural effects ..........................................................20

3.2.5 Fishing Impact Assessment .................................................................................20

4 Spiritual Activities ...............................................................................................................23

4.1 Historic Role of Spiritual Activities ...............................................................................23

4.2 Contemporary Role of Spiritual Activities ....................................................................24

4.3 Impact Assessment Spiritual Activities ........................................................................27

4.3.1 Cultural-Heritage Assessment .............................................................................27

4.3.2 Archaeology Assessment.....................................................................................28

5 Plant and Forest Product Harvesting (Gathering) ...............................................................31

5.1 Historic Gathering Practices ........................................................................................31

5.2 Contemporary Gathering Practices .............................................................................32

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5.3 Gathering Impact Assessment ....................................................................................34

6 Travel Corridors .................................................................................................................37

6.1 Historic Context for Travel Corridors ...........................................................................37

6.2 Contemporary Context for Travel Corridors.................................................................38

6.2.1 Baseline Historical Trails ...................................................................................39

6.2.2 Baseline Roads and Infrastructure ....................................................................39

6.3 Impact Assessment Travel Corridors .......................................................................40


6.3.2 Impacts Roads and Infrastructure .....................................................................40

7 Habitation and Settlements ................................................................................................44

7.1 Historic Context for Settlements ..................................................................................44

7.2 Contemporary Context for Habitation/Settlements ......................................................45

7.3 Impact Assessment - Habitation/Settlements ..............................................................46

7.4 Baseline Villages and Burials ......................................................................................46

7.5 Impact Assessment Habitation/Settlements .............................................................46


8 Hunting and Trapping ........................................................................................................49

8.1 Historic context for Hunting and Trapping ...................................................................49

8.2 Contemporary context for Hunting and Trapping .........................................................50

8.3 Baseline for Hunting and Trapping ..............................................................................51

8.4 Impact Assessment Hunting and Trapping ...............................................................52


9 Socio-Economic Health and Well-Being .............................................................................54

9.1 Historical role of Economic Activities ...........................................................................54

9.2 Contemporary role of Economic activities ...................................................................55

9.3 Impact Assessment Economic Activities ..................................................................56

9.4 Impact Assessment Health and Well-being ..............................................................57

10 Community Based Programs and Health ........................................................................60

10.1 Historic Context for Community-based Programs and health ......................................60

10.2 Contemporary Context for Community-based Programs and Health ...........................60

10.3 Impact Assessment Community-based Programs and Health ..................................61

11 Impact Summary ............................................................................................................64

12 Conclusion .....................................................................................................................66

13 References .....................................................................................................................67

14 Appendices ....................................................................................................................70

14.1 The Restmore Caves ..................................................................................................70

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14.2 The St:l Relationship to Sturgeon ............................................................................71

14.3 Sxwy:xwey Mask.......................................................................................................73

14.4 Welqamex DiRi-15 (Greenwood Island) ......................................................................75

14.5 Cultural Heritage Overview Impact Assessment Mapbook ..........................................76

14.6 Archaeological Impact Assessment of the Trans Mountain Expansion Project on Ohamil IR 1 Near Hope, BC - Figures ...................................................................................80

14.7 Ground Truthing of Aboriginal Trails Along the Proposed Trans Mountain Pipeline Corridor From Cheam to Sumas (1025-1092 KM) November 2013 ....................................82

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List of Figures Figure 1-1 Map showing the project footprint through Slh Tmxw. ........................................ 3 Figure 1-2 Tt Territory ............................................................................................................... 5 Figure 1-3 Shxwwhmel Territory ............................................................................................ 7 Figure 2-1 St:l Cultural Model ................................................................................................10 Figure 2-2 Cultural values associated with historic activities .....................................................13

Figure 2-3 Cultural values associated with contemporary activities ...........................................14 Table 2-3 Colour Legend for Cultural Model and Cultural Value Tables ....................................15 Figure 3-1 Cultural values associated with historic fishing activities ..........................................17 Figure 3-2 Cultural values associated with contemporary fishing activities ................................18 Figure 3-3 Impacts of Trans Mountain Expansion Project on Fishing activities..........................22 Figure 4-4-1 Cultural values associated with historic spiritual activities .....................................24 Figure 4-2 Cultural values associated with contemporary spiritual activities ..............................26 Figure 4-3 Potential impact of Trans Mountain Expansion Project on spiritual activities ............30 Figure 5-1 Cultural values associated with historic gathering activities ......................................32 Figure 5-2 Cultural values associated with contemporary gathering activities ...........................33 Figure 5-3 Impacts of the Trans Mountain Expansion Project on gathering activities ................36 Figure 6-1 Cultural values associated with historic travel corridors...........................................38 Figure 6-2 Cultural values associated with contemporary travel corridors .................................39 Figure 6-3 Impacts of Trans Mountain Expansion Project on travel corridors ............................43 Figure 7-1 Cultural values associated with historic habitation/settlement ..................................44 Figure 7-2 Cultural values associated with contemporary habitation/settlement ........................45 Figure 7-3 Impacts of the Trans Mountain Expansion Project on habitation/settlement .............48 Figure 8-1 Cultural values associated with historic hunting and trapping activities ....................50 Figure 8-2 Cultural values associated with contemporary hunting and trapping activities ..........51 Figure 8-3 Impacts of Trans Mountain Expansion Project on hunting and trapping activities .....53 Figure 9-1 Cultural values associated with socio-economic activities ........................................55 Figure 9-2 Cultural values associated with contemporary socio-economic activities .................56 Figure 9-3 Impacts of the Trans Mountain Expansion Project on socio-economic activities ......59 Figure 10-1 Cultural values associated with community-based programs and health ................60 Figure 10-2 Cultural values associated with contemporary community-based programs and

health .................................................................................................................................61 Figure 10-3 Impacts of the Trans Mountain Expansion Project on community-based programs

and health ..........................................................................................................................63 Figure 11-1 Impacts of the Trans Mountain Expansion Project on Cultural Activities ................65

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List of Tables Table 2-1 Explanation of Cultural Components, Associated Values, and Halqemylem

Associated Words and Meanings .......................................................................................10

Table 2-2 Legend for Cultural Model and Cultural Value Tables ...............................................13

Table 2-3 Colour Legend for Cultural Model and Cultural Value Tables ....................................15

Table 3-1 Number of documented fishing sites within 2km of Trans Mountain Pipeline corridor in

Tt Territory. .......................................................................................................................20

Table 3-2 Rating criteria for TMEP impact assessment .............................................................21

Table 4-1 Number of documented cultural sites and spiritual practice sites within 2km of the

Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion Corridor in Tt Territory ..............................................27

Table 4-2 Known cultural sites associates with spiritual activities within the study area ............28

Table 4-3 Archaeological sites in context zone..........................................................................28


Table 5-1 Number of documented harvesting site within 2km of the Trans Mountain Expansion

Project Corridor in Tt Territory ...........................................................................................35


Table 6-1 Documented and travel routes within the pipeline corridor ........................................40



Table 8-1 Number of documented hunting and trapping sites located within 2km of the Trans

Mountain Expansion Project Corridor in Tt Territory. .........................................................52



Table 10-1 Rating criteria for TMEP impact assessment ...........................................................62

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DEFINITIONS

Activity: the things we do. Activities considered in the report include fishing, spiritual activities, gathering, hunting and trapping, travelling, settling in communities, conducting community-based cultural programs and health and well-being.

Ancient Trees: Trees of interest biologically, aesthetically or culturally because of their great age.

Bighouse: spiritual longhouse.

Halkomelem: The language of the St:l; Halqemylem is the upriver dialect of the Halkomelem language (note that further reference to the language will include Halqemylem);

Overnight site: a place to stay during a multi-day hunting expedition.

Shxwl:m: A spiritual mediator, a healer (spiritual, psychological, physical), who brings harmony between groups and between humans and nature.

Snoweyelh: teachings, principles, or laws.

Smlha: winter dance ceremony.

Slh Tmxw: our world or our land and refers to St:l traditional territory (see Figure 3-1).

Sqwlqwel: true news, family history, and includes their collective and personal histories since sxwxwiy:m.

stleleq: gift exchange at a gathering or feasting event, similar to potlatch.

St:l: people of the river who are the Coast Salish people of the lower Fraser watershed whose traditional language is Halkomelem.

Sxex:mes: all our gifts and includes the Halkomelem language, resources (e.g. cedar; salmon), St:l heritage sites (e.g., spiritual places; landscape features; traditional use areas and religious use areas), material cultural heritage (e.g. objects), ancestral human remains, and cultural intellectual properties (e.g., Halkomelem place names, names, songs, dances, designs, ceremonies, and traditional cultural knowledge); sxwxwiy:m means narratives of the distant past "when the world was out of balance, and not quite right, and the actions of Xex:ls making the world right, which describe the origins of and connections between the St:l, shxwel, sxex:mes, and S'lh Tmxw.

Sxw:yxwey Sxw:yxwey ceremony featuring a masked dance, songs and regailia.

Syw:l (Sywn): spirit song; or one who has a spirit song.

Sywl:a winter dancers spirit power.

Tewt: an expert hunter.

Tletlxel: the act of exchanging gifts at a gathering or feasting event; similar to potlatching.

Tmiyeqw: great-great-great-great-grandparents/aunts/uncles and great-great-great-great-grandchildren/nieces/nephews and establishes the connection between the living St:l and the people seven generations past and future.

Xwlmexw: people who can demonstrate meaningful social, ceremonial, or economic ties with Fraser River families or resources, whether through a kinship tie (extended family, kin group, a tribe) or through important social/economic affiliation.

Water Crossing: a crossing or temporary crossing and any associated permanent of temporary structures that are or will be constructed to provide access over a waterbody.

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LIST OF ACRONYMS

AANDC Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada

AIA Archaeological Impact Assessment

BC British Columbia

CHOIA Cultural Heritage Overview Impact Assessment

DFO Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada

GIS geographic information system

IR Indian reservation

KM Kinder Morgan

OGMA Old Growth Management Area

RAAD Remote Access to Archaeology Data

RK reference kilometer

RSA regional study area

TEK Traditional Ecological Knowledge

TERA Tera Environmental Consultants

TMEP TransMountain Expansion Project

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1 Introduction

1.1 Project Description and Objectives In December 2014, Shxwwhmel Indian Band (Shxwwhmel) retained the St:l Research and Resource Management Centre (SRRMC) to conduct an impact assessment of the Trans Mountain Expansion Project focusing on potential impacts to cultural heritage sites and values, including but not limited to archaeological sites (i.e., the Project). The definition of heritage sites applied in the study is based on the St:l Heritage Policy Manual (St:l Nation 2003 v1.1).

The objectives of this Project are to:

1. Review Kinder Morgans application to determine whether it adequately assesses the

impact of the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion Project on archaeological and cultural

resources and sites in Slh Tmxw with a focus on Tt Territory and the Shxwwhmel

Indian Band Reserves Ohamil IR, and

2. To assess the potential impacts to archaeological and cultural heritage sites and values

of Shxwwhmel resulting from the existing Trans Mountain pipeline and the proposed

expansion of this pipeline route within Slh Tmxw, Tt Tribe Territory, and the reserve

area of Shxwwhmel.

Additionally, the report identifies potential impacts to cultural heritage associated with the existing and proposed expansion of the Trans Mountain Pipeline, which are identified in terms of direct, indirect and cumulative effects.

1.1.1 Scope of Work The work included in this report identifies potential impacts within

1. Slh Tmxw (Figure 1.1)

2. Tt Territory (Figure 1.2)

3. Ohamil IR (Figure 1.3)

The work conducted for this project and the information presented in this report, while comprehensive, cannot be considered to be exhaustive given the large scope of the TMEP. Limiting factors including funding, timelines, and the necessary consideration of St:l customary intellectual property protocols (cultural knowledge is private and cannot be shared).

The information contained in the report does not constitute consultation with Shxwwhmel Indian Band, and serves only to provide information to be presented to the National Energy Board as an assessment of the impacts of the proposed Trans Mountain Expansion Project on Shxwwhmels culture. The report and any element of its development, does not fulfill the Crowns constitutional duty to consult and accommodate Shxwwhmel First Nation in respect of the Trans Mountain Expansion Project.

Nothing in this report is intended to affect the exercise or scope of, or justify any infringement of St:l Aboriginal rights, nor shall anything in this report be interpreted as affecting the legal relationship between parties. This report and the information shared as a result of it, are without prejudice to any legal positions that have been taken or may be taken by either of the parties in any court proceedings, process or otherwise or any treaty or other negotiations, and shall not be construed as an admission of fact or liability in any such proceedings, process or negotiations.

1.2 The St:l People of the River This study is set in the contemporary context of the St:l (People of the River) of the lower Fraser River Watershed of southwestern British Columbia, known as Slh Tmxw (Our Land; Our World). The St:l have been subject to a history and process of land and resource use

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beginning with first contact with Europeans (1808), and entrenched by the Crown government through the Oregon Treaty (1846), the establishment of British Columbia as a Crown Colony (1858), and the British North America Act (1876). The subjection of land and resource use continues today in a manner that lacks the recognition and input of the St:l and, resultantly, establishes the current landscape of significant stresses and limits on the ability of the St:l to exercise their aboriginal rights and traditional culture within Slh Tmxw. Such unilateral and diasporic economic development, continues to significantly and adversely affect the rights and culture of the St:l, as one of the worlds surviving indigenous peoples. It is integral that this research and its findings are viewed through this lens when considering the impacts of the Trans Mountain Expansion Project.

1.2.1 The St:l Socio-cultural Profile St:l (People of the River) still occupy Slh Tmxw, the lower Fraser River watershed of southwestern British Columbia. St:l are Halqemylem-speaking Coast Salish people. The St:l are culturally interlinked with many Coast Salish referring to themselves as St:l or tribes of St:l (Tselxwyeqw, Tt, Pillt, Leq:ml, and so forth). St:l are culturally spiritually, physically, psychologically, and economically interconnected with the land and resources of Slh Tmxw. For the St:l there exists a long-standing and deep-seated relationship with, commitment to the defence and protection of, and continued use and management throughout, their territory Slh Tmxw. St:l occupation of Slh Tmxw extends back thousands of years, to time immemorial.

Evidence of thousands of years of continuous occupation by the St:l and their ancestors is documented through a range of mediums of transmission including oral history, written history, ethnography, archaeology, scholarly publications, reports, maps, and more (Schaepe 2006; 2009; Carlson, Schaepe, McHalsie, Smith, Rhodes and Duffield 2001; Schaepe et al 2003, 2004; 2009; Carlson 2010; Suttles 1985; Jenness 1955; Wells 1987; Duff 1954; Lepofsky, Schaepe, Graesch, Lenert, Ormerod, Carlson, Blake, Moore, and Clague 2009; Boas 1894 and more).

The St:l maintain a wide range of political, socio-cultural, and economic ties to land, air, water, ancestors, and kin through their occupation, use, and management of the land and resources within Slh Tmxw. The St:l-Coast Salish have a long history of defending their lands from unwelcome outsiders (Angelbeck 2009; Angelbeck and McLay 2012; Richards 2011; Schaepe 2001; 2006; Supernant 2011).

St:l identity and societal health, including an interconnected set of spiritual, mental, physical, emotional relations, are linked to and dependent upon the integrity of the land, air, water, and resources constituting Slh Tmxw and the St:l cultural landscape (see Carlson 2006, 2010; McHalsie 2007; Schaepe 2007;Schaepe et al 2003).

In general, the impact assessment will consider the proposed project as it lies within Slh Tmxw (St:l Traditional Territory; Figure 3-1), including the proposed pipeline, the right of way corridor, context zones surrounding the right of way, and all other areas of Slh Tmxw that may be affected by aspects of the proposed development.

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FIGURE 1-1 MAP SHOWING THE PROJECT FOOTPRINT THROUGH SLH TMXW.

Slh Tmxw (St:l Territory) is a Halqemylem word for our world or our land. Slh Tmxw represents the world transformed by the actions of the Xex:ls, Tel Sweyal and other agents of Chichelh Siya:m [the Creator]. Slh Tmxw is defined through the known extent of occupation and land use of the Halqemylem speaking peoples of mainland British Columbia.

The Canadian extent of Slh Tmxw includes the lower Fraser River Watershed extends from the 49th parallel at Frosty Mountain near Manning Park, northward to Ross Lake watershed and on to the Coquihalla watershed up to the Coquihalla Lakes. Westward from there the boundary meets Hidden Creek, near Spuzzum, and crosses the Fraser River to follow Spuzzum Creek to Harrison Lake Watershed. The boundary extends northwest and crosses Lillooet River ten miles north of Port Douglas. The line then extends west, through the Stave Lake, Pitt Lake, Indian Arm and Capilano River the watersheds , then down from West Vancouver to White Rock and due east along the 49th parallel, through the Chilliwack Valley and Upper Skagit Valley to Frosty Mountain.

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1.3 The Tt Tribe The Tit Tribal Territory extends North beyond Yale and the Canyon to Mounts Douglas and Breakenridge; east beyond the Skagit Ranges to the Coquihalla summits; south to the border between Canada and the United States, and west through Chilliwack and Agassiz to the western reaches of Harrison Lake.

When the Tt (also known as Tait, Taite, or Teit) had first contact with the Europeans, a major population centre was the Lower Fraser Canyon above Lady Franklin Rock. The Canyon villages had a large annual population that grew in the summer months with the influx of fishers.

Wilson Duff described Popkum as the Southernmost Tt Village located on the east bank where the river narrows a mile below Seabird Island. Robert Joe said that it was a large village, of a small tribe, stretching from Popkum to Skwatac (Squatits). He added that the house pits can still be seen just where the small creek flows from Cheam Lake. Popqkwem is the Halqemylem word meaning puffballs. In the past, the puffball mushroom was plentiful in the Popkum area and was an important food source for the local people. This name also implies that Popkum was part of a defensive network of linked lookout and villages using smoke signals (like puff ball emissions) as a means of communication (Schaepe 2006).

Lhlheqey (Mt. Cheam) is the highest mountain in Tt Territory, and is part of the watershed divide shared with Pillt and Tselxwyeqw tribal areas. It is one of the most distinguished features of the territory and within Slh Tmxw. The Tt people went to the mountains to collect berries and roots, and to hunt for game to supplement their diet. There was a large population of mountain goats that were hunted for their wool-like hair, which the women used to weave blankets. The Tt people consider the mountain to be one of them. The related Sxwxwiy:m states that the mountain knows when any of the tribes members passes on, even if the person is far away from Cheam Peak, and that it moans in grief of the loss. Cheam Peak is known to the Tt Tribes as Lhlheqey, the mother mountain. Lhlheqey was originally a woman from this area who married a man and followed him South. She wanted to come back home, so she left her husband and moved back. He was transformed into Mt. Baker. Her three sons stayed with their father and were transformed into Mt. Shasta, Mt. Hood and Mt. Rainer. She took her three daughters and her dog and came back here. When she arrived, she was transformed into Cheam Mountain and given the responsibility to watch over the river, the people, and the salmon. Her two older daughters, Seyewot and Oyewot, were transformed into small mountain peaks right in front of her and her youngest daughter, Xomo:thiya was transformed into a small mountain just below. Xomo:thiya is always crying, she is crying because she is down low and cant see that well, while her two sisters are up higher and can see everything, so that is why she is always crying. Her tears make the waterfall known as Anderson Creek Falls. Lhlheqey told her dog to go home but he would not listen so he was transformed into sqwema:y and is located right behind her., as told by Albert (Sonny) McHalsie (Naxaxalhts'i).

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FIGURE 1-2 TT TERRITORY

1.4 Shxwwhmel Shxwwhmel members reside along the Fraser River within Tt Territory. Shxwwhmel means the place where the river levels and widens in Halqemylem and refers to the reduced elevation of the area compared to the Fraser Canyon and the widening of the river West of Hope. Along the foreshore of the Fraser River, along the Lorenzetto Creek, and at the base of the rocky bluffs, there is evidence of the longhouse and pit-house village sites (Naxaxalhtsi, 2014). Late Agnes Kelly explained that the long house sites next to the river were used in the summer months, and that during cold weather people moved to the pit-houses. The pit-houses at the base of the bluff also served as protection from the coastal raiders (Naxaxalhtsi, 2014). Shxwwhmel Indian Reserves include Kuthlalth 3, Wahleach Island 2 on the north side of the Fraser River, and Ohamil 1 on the south side of the River. The focus of this report is on the Ohamil 1 reserve.

Shxwwhmel archaeological site (DiRj-30) was first reported in 1949 by Wilson Duff. The site is located on Ohamil IR 1 on the south bank of the Fraser River. At the time, it was believed to be related to oral histories of a village established in the vicinity of Hunter Creek for peoples displaced from the Agassiz area following the 1782 smallpox epidemic. According to interviews by Oliver Wells (1987:62), Mrs. August Jim was born1871 in a village at Shxwwhmel whose location matches the description of this site.

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The site is located between the Fraser River and the mountains on the bank of two slough channels, and consists of a linear arrangement of 17-18 housepits. The housepits are generally square or rectangular in shape with no prominent rims and a depth greater than 1 m. Most housepits are 7-9 m in length, but two are larger, at 9-11 m in length and five are smaller, at 5-7 m in length. In addition to the housepits, numerous earthwork features have been identified, including 18 earthen mound features and 3 linear trench features. The mounds range from 0.3 m to 1.3 m in height, and between 1.5 m and 4.8 m across, and are presumed to include burial mounds.

Shxwwhmel (DiRj-30) has undergone limited subsurface archaeological testing. Artifacts observed by Duff at the site include a slate knife, chipped point, scraper, flakes, and nephrite boulder. Subsurface testing for the Fraser Valley Archaeology Project (FVAP; Lepofsky et al., 2003, Schaepe et al., 2006) produced six radiocarbon dates placing the site occupation at between 2330 and 1300 BP. These dates are supported by the presence of burial mounds, which generally date to 1500-1800 BP, and ground slate knives, which are generally younger than 2400 BP. These dates would suggest that DiRj-30 is not the post-smallpox village described in the oral histories.

The site has been subject to disturbance from past developments, in particular the Trans Mountain Pipeline, which cuts through the southern portion of the site. Numerous features, including housepits and burial mounds, were likely destroyed during pipeline construction and right-of-way clearing. Lepofsky et al. (2003:23) noted that clearly the right-of-way destroyed mounds (and pithouses per Mohs site form).

Schaepe et al. (2006:55) describe DiRj-30 as one of the earliest large scale settlements in the Region. Oakes (2000) describes the site as one of the few large, and well-preserved housepit villages in the area that is very significant and worthy of protection and further investigation.

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FIGURE 1-3 SHXWWHMEL INDIAN BAND OHAMIL 1 AND SURROUNDINGS.

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2 Methodological Framework This section describes the methods used to assess cultural change and describes the basic concepts in which the study is grounded. Definitions of St:l culture and heritage, applied in this project, are set out in the St:l Heritage Policy Manual (St:l Nation 2003 v1.1). Models and theories presented in this section have been adapted from previous work carried out by the Human Environment Group (2009, 2014) and Schaepe et al (2004, 2009, 2014). This framework provides a foundation for assessing potential impacts on St:l culture and heritage as set out in the Sections below.

2.1 Theoretical Approach The theoretical approach providing the foundation for the study suggests that it is modifications of the physical and social environment by an external agent (industry) that forces a community to modify the way traditional activities are carried out. This affects traditional values and impacts the meanings and cultural tools used and associated with those activities. This creates a cycle that can result in rapid cultural change and the potential loss of cultural heritage. The theoretical framework is based on principles of symbolic interaction, interactionism, wherein human interaction with others, with nature, and with general objects is directly related to the personal meaning or value and attachment for that object or person (Blumer, 1969). For the purposes of the study, activities were identified and used as tangible elements that reflect cultural values and meaning. As such the St:l Cultural Model (presented in Section 2.3) provided the theoretical framework for assessing potential TMEP effect on a number of activities. Activities are simply the things we do in our daily lives that may be modified over time as a result of technological change, environmental changes, or external pressures. This makes them a useful surrogate for culture within the context of an impact assessment. The following report considered potential TMEP impacts to the following Activities:

Fishing

Spiritual Activities

Gathering of Plants

Travel Corridors

Settlements

Hunting and Trapping

Community-based Programs

Socio-Economic well-being

These activities characterized the St:l way of life in the past and in modern times. These activities also play a critical role in developing and maintaining the core values that support St:l culture.

Previously held interviews with Shxwwhmel Elders, and community members were foundational to the report in understanding the impacts of large-scale linear developments, their cumulative effects, the historical and present-day standard of living, and cultural practices. All of which have been impacted as a result of previous developments; governmental policy changes; and previous infringements and events that have altered the village site and traditional use territory as well.

Forces affecting traditional activities

Traditional activities foundational values

Changing values affecting culture.

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2.2 Methodological Approach To assess community interests related to Infrastructure and Services, Employment and Economy, Health, Social and Cultural Well-being, Human Occupancy and Resource Use this report will focus on the community of Shxwwhmel Indian Band (Shxwwhmel) and its surrounding Tt Tribal Territory.

Quantitative, qualitative and archaeological assessments focus on the Project footprint within Tt Territory (Figure 3-2) and more specifically, traditional land use areas around Ohamil reserve (Figure 3-3). A combination of interviews, field studies and research provided community perspectives to prioritize and attempt to establish a St:l worldview and epistemology to provide a fundamental framework to how Shxwwhmel Indian Band (Shxwwhmel) community members felt their culture would be affected by the proposed TMEP.

The St:l Cultural Model, developed for previous and ongoing impact assessment of the TMEP (ICA, 2014) portrays aspects of Shxwwhmels culture that have been somewhat fractured or under great pressure as a result of past and on-going developments and policy, through from the lens of the St:l worldview.

2.3 St:l Cultural Model The St:l Cultural Model (Figure 2-1), which was developed to help portray the relationship between cultural activities and the state of St:l culture, is based on societal relations and dynamics: the core is the with key societal cultural elements and points of relation (Values) informing cultural practices and expressions (Cultural Activities).

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FIGURE 2-1 ST:L CULTURAL MODEL

Each value is grounded in various components of culture, which help to define the way people experience culture. Each of the values presented in the model is briefly explained in table 2-1 below.

TABLE 2-1 EXPLANATION OF CULTURAL COMPONENTS, ASSOCIATED VALUES, AND HALQEMYLEM ASSOCIATED WORDS AND MEANINGS

Cultural Component

Values English

Values Halqemylem

Sxex:mes

The values are rooted in this

Cultural Component

because they are naturally

founded on the continuous

development of self-

knowledge

Tradition xwelmexwqel our way

wes teach how to do something, teach, guide, direct, show

Siwes:ylhem teachings for children

Hkweles to remember

Stelhtset sxwxwiy:m to pass it to (him/her) legend,

story of transformer

Shxwtel where you come from

S'xweta:s selh tset te mekw' stam - "the way we were with everything"

Syiw:l spirit power

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Cultural Component

Values English

Values Halqemylem

Self-reliance y:lwethet be totally independent, doing the best one can

lhxeylexlmet stand up by oneself

Stlmel someones own knowledge, someones own idea

Tlmel the mind, someones own knowledge

Schewt smart, knows how, good at it

Iylewet do it, do it oneself, do something oneself.

Mestyexw conscience, spirit (which can be losttemporarily), soul, life-spirit, power of ones will

Self-determination

q':l to believe

sxaxeslmet determination.

sxxas (be) determined. got your mind made up

xaslmet determined (about something). have to do it

got to do it

Tmthet exert oneself, make a big effort, do with all

ones might, do as hard as possible, do it harder

Thkwthet pull oneself up. straighten (oneself) up

Eymstexw make it strong, make him/her/them strong

Pride Spqw (be) proud)

Sm:lethel (lots of people are) proud. (many are) proud

Smmthel be a little bit proud, a little proud

Leadership Siy:m Chief, Leader, respected person, boss, rich, dear

xwilxmet stand up for someone (respected)

smel:lh respected person (high class person)

Self-representation

Sqwelqwel true news, family history

Telmelthet acknowledge oneself

Lheqelme know oneself, be confident

Tomiyeqw

The following values are

related primarily to

social interaction

Responsibility Xlhmet te mekw' stam s'i:wes te selsila:lh chet. "Take care of everything our great grandparents taught (showed) us."

Haqles chexw xwelmi:ay staxwelh - "remember the future generations"

Xaxa stexw te selsila:lh te skwixw - "respect your ancestors name"

Cohesion/ Bonding

lhlmelh it is us, we are the ones, we ourselves

talhlmelh we, us

slh ours, our (emphatic)

sqeq along, together, be included with

qlmet believe, trust someone

Qleq pal, best friend, dear friend, chum

Thettel (be) true to one another

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Cultural Component

Values English

Values Halqemylem

Reciprocity/ Sharing

xwest give an equal share or amount to someone, give (food) to someone, share with someone

tlmexw part (portion)

Ma:mt' lam te mekw wat - "share with everybody"

Shxw'eywelh mestiyexw - "a generous person"

qlqxetel to return it, give it back

kwelqelhst distribute to someone

qlsteuw give it back, return it

Caring Meqw wat memeylhtel - "everybody help one another"

shxwlstexw care about someone/something

x:lhmethet taking care of oneself

xxelhmet looking after/taking care of someone

momyelhtel helping on another

xlhmet look after someone, protect someone, take

care of someone

Stsitsexwtel be considerate of each other

Slq to be ever generous

Lexwy generous, kind, good hearted, good-natured

Myx help someone, defend someone, protect

someone, aid someone

Xwey:welh good, kind hearted, kind, generous,

helpful, easy going, good-natured

Snoweyelh

Shxwel

The following values are

related to the relationship between the

culture and the natural

environment and the deep relationship

with the land.

Rootedness Slh Tmxw te kwel - This is our Land

Xlhmet te mekw stm t kwelt - We have to take care of everything that belongs to us.

kwel here, this place

Rhythm of Nature

Xaxastexw te mekw' stam - "respect for all things"

S'xweta:s selh tset te mekw' stam - "the way we were with everything"

Respect S:s Tmxw Sacred Land

Shxwlstexw Tmxw to care of the land

Ewe chexw qelqelilt te mekw' stam loy qw'esli hokwex yexw lamexw ku:t. - "Don't ruin (waste, destroy) everything, just take what you need."

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Cultural Component

Values English

Values Halqemylem

Sxwxwiy:m

Shxwel

These values are related to

the connection with ancestors

and the spiritual world;

they are concerned with

something beyond the

boundaries of ones own life transcending

the physical world.

Peace lqwel (get) calm, (become) calm, peaceful

xwoywl be happy, being happy

Wiyth kwsu ys te sqwlewels te lletse optimist, a person whose thoughts are always good

Patience tl'pstexw tasqwlewel be patient

Connectedness letsem:t - one mind

letse thale one heart

q:thet join (include oneself purposely)

stat being similar

stets be near, be close to, be beside, be next to

As illustrated in Table 2-2, the St:l Cultural Model uses different line types to help illustrate the strength of linkages between cultural activities and values.

TABLE 2-2 LEGEND FOR CULTURAL MODEL AND CULTURAL VALUE TABLES

Legend Line used on cultural model

Changes in value linkages

Strong direct link between activity and cultural value

Still a common activity, but there are fewer places to carry outthe activity or fewer people carry out the activity, thus the extent to which the value is instilled is lessened

Only very few people carry out the activity or there are very few places to carry out this activity, severely diminishing the opportunity to instil this value

The following figures (Figure 2-2 and 2-3) summarize historical and contemporary linkages between cultural activities and the cultural values instilled traditionally. As illustrated, outside influences, such as government policy, urban expansion, and industrial development (mining, forestry, hydro development, and infrastructure projects transmission lines, roadways, pipelines and rail lines) have affected culture over time. Present links between cultural activities and the values associated with those activities have been affected, resulting in some aspects of St:l culture being threatened. Any TMEP-related effect that has the potential to further stress or erode the existing linkages to cultural values has the potential to cause a significant adverse effect to St:l culture.

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FIGURE 2-2 CULTURAL VALUES ASSOCIATED WITH HISTORIC ACTIVITIES FIGURE 2-3 CULTURAL VALUES ASSOCIATED WITH CONTEMPORARY ACTIVITIES

Strong direct link between activity and cultural value

Still common activity, but there are fewer places to carry out activity or fewer people carry out the activity, thus the extent to which the value is instilled is lessened

Only very few people carry out activity or very few places to carry out this activity severely diminishing the opportunity to instil this value

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2.3.1 Impact Rating Criteria The preferred impact rating method allows community leadership to track individual effects, but also to compare the magnitude of different effects across different areas of interest (i.e. compounding effects to cultural values stemming from distinct impacts to water quality, spiritual sites, etc.). For this reason, the St:l model will portray TMEP impacts using different line types and colours. These diagrams provide an effective and efficient way of summarizing the findings.

The impact assessment takes into consideration the following:

1. The likelihood of the project to have a direct impact, for example the clearing of, shrubs, flora, for the right of way likely, potentially, not likely

2. The duration of that impact short-term, long-term, temporary, permanent, i.e. removal of trees permanently along Right of Way

3. How the impact will affect culture, spirituality, and overall health (physical, social, psychological, spiritual) of the community members through a socio-cultural lens of impacts and thresholds

4. The implications of the impact in relation to other cumulative impacts already affecting culture, spirituality and health, through a perspective of cumulative effects and change resulting in lost cultural linkages.

Once the findings have been applied to the model, different colours are used to help illustrate how these linkages may be affected by the TMEP. Table 2-3 summarizes the colour coding system.

TABLE 2-3 COLOUR LEGEND FOR CULTURAL MODEL AND CULTURAL VALUE TABLES

Colour Code Lines used on cultural model Predicted impact level

Red

High/Significant adverse impact

Yellow

Moderate/Significant adverse impact

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3 Fishing

3.1 Historic Fishing Practices Within St:l culture, there is a deep connection, relationship, and biological tie to salmon, sturgeon, and other aquatic species. St:l cultural, economic, political, and traditional elements are inherently tied to fishing. Historic fishing practices, including catching and processing fish, involved many types of methods, tools, and activities, such as set nets, torch lighting, dip netting, drift netting, and wind drying.

Within the worldview of St:l everything is connected to benefit the health (Shxwel) of the individual and the collective. Within this view, fish and aquatic life, wildlife, birds, vegetation, air, and water are all interconnected with ancestors, people, and for and to the benefit of one another. Water quality is a core factor in the relationship between the people, fish, fish habitat and the land and air. The identity of St:l is connected to fish, rivers, and creeks, the aquatic habitat, and relations to the land and ancestors. St:l people fished according to the seasons, natures rhythms, and tradition and customs. They learned laws of inheritance, management and conservation, and values of responsibility, leadership, pride, caring and tradition within the customary teachings and practices relating to fish.

As Figure 3-1 illustrates, historic fishing practices were associated with all the core cultural values associated with St:l culture.

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FIGURE 3-1 CULTURAL VALUES ASSOCIATED WITH HISTORIC FISHING ACTIVITIES

3.2 Contemporary Fishing Practices Fishing today is an integral cultural practice as it was in the past. The food, social, ceremonial and economic spheres of St:l culture and traditions form their identity. The reliance on fish, specifically salmon, is more than one of sustenance, but on the ancestral relations and spirituality of the individual and collective of St:l. The protection of fish and fish habitat continues to be critically important to St:l traditions, cultural relations, spiritual activities, and identity. Contemporary fishing practices have been affected by land use decisions and government policies related to land and fisheries throughout Slh Tmxw., St:l fisherman continue to harvest various species of fish for themselves and for distribution among the St:l communities. Land privatization, destruction of fishing sites, and reduced access have affected where and when fishing occurs today.

Given the high degree of connectedness between St:l, fish and fish habitat, it is clear that every St:l person relies on fish and fish habitat, particularly the Fraser River and the streams and creeks that feed it. The Trans Mountain Pipeline proposes to cross many of the waterways

Strong link to value

Still common activity, but fewer places or fewer people to carry it on

Very few people or very few places to carry out this activity

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upon which St:l fishers rely. Within Slh Tmxw, the TMEP proposes to cross 131 waterbodies. According to the Environmental Biophysical Assessment (TMEP Facilities Application, Volume 5A, Section 5.7.5) 59 of the waterbodies are designated as fish bearing, with only 31 of those classified as sensitive fish bearing.

Figures in Appendix 14.5 illustrates areas along these waterways that are associated with contemporary fishing activities. The waterways crossed by the TMEP support 11 segments associated with drift netting, 3 major areas associated with beach seining and 140 known sites associated with set net, of which three are owned by Shxwwhmel families.

As Figure 4-2 illustrates, fishing continues to be linked with all the core cultural values associated with St:l culture, but in some cases these linkages have weakened. Clearly, the construction and operation of TMEP will weaken these linkages further, adversely affecting these cultural values and activities.

FIGURE 3-2 CULTURAL VALUES ASSOCIATED WITH CONTEMPORARY FISHING ACTIVITIES




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3.2.1 Traditional Waterways and Potential Impacts The Fraser River watershed is a complex system that relies on back channels, wetlands, groundwater, and riparian vegetation to maintain its health and vitality. Each of these components play a vital role in protecting and maintaining the health of the river, fish and fish habitat, whether through capturing debris and sediment, reducing flood impacts and bank washout, stabilizing banks, creating a cooling system, or purifying the water of contaminants. There is great concern that the construction of watercourse crossings will affect riparian areas and fish habitat by changing the water quality and temperature, changing the channel morphology, withdrawing and releasing water; and removing riparian vegetation and dredging.

Given the variation in seasonal flows, and the impacts of weather on the diurnal flows, there is concern with flooding, debris flows, and mudslides as a result of construction within watercourses in the area. The area is currently inundated with annual mudslides and debris flows. Community members are aware that construction of the TMEP may increase the likelihood of such events. Another concern is that the high water levels, annual flooding, mudslides, and debris flows, will increase the likelihood for scouring, which in turn could expose the pipeline, damage valves, increase the potential for leaks or spills, and decrease the ability to access the area to repair any such damage.

Riparian vegetation removal, dredging, and trenching during construction raises concern over increased erosion and changes to fish habitat within waterways. Most streams and creeks within the area have not yet been compromised by rip/rap or other armouring, which have negatively impacted St:l fishers elsewhere along the river by permanently altering fish and fish habitat and accessibility to fishing sites.

3.2.2 Access to waterways As previously stated, linear construction projects have had an adverse impact on the accessibility of fishing sites. Key staging areas for the local fishers include:

Wahleach Slough

Shxwwhmel - Bulger Road Hope Bridge

With construction occurring during the fishing season, and with remediation impacts, fishers are concerned there will be a loss of access to waterways, staging areas, and fishing sites, leading to a loss of fish and impacting families and the community.

3.2.3 Loss of traditional Waterways due to oil spills Those who fish are concerned about the potential for an oil spill and the effects it would have on fishing activities, spiritual relations, cultural activities, and community health and well-being. Water is an integral part of St:l culture and heritage, as St:l (people of the river) rely on good water quality for many of their spiritual and cultural activities, and understand the importance of water quality (pH levels, turbidity, dissolved oxygen levels, temperature, and purity) for fish and fish habitat. There is a high degree of anxiety regarding the impacts on waterways with over 130 waterways, 55 wetlands and six aquifers potentially being crossed by the proposed TMEP. Waterways (rivers, streams, creeks, wetlands) provide critical habitat elements for fish and traditional plants harvested by St:l people, as well as Stlleqem and S:lmexw (Schaepe et al. 2004). An oil spill within Slh Tmxw would cause significant adverse, and potentially irreparable, effects to waterways and the associated fisheries that are already severely limited by development and DFO regulations.

Sturgeon is known to reside in and traverse the Fraser River and its tributaries. There is a strong ancestral tie to and transformation story of the Tt Tribe with sturgeon (see Appendix 14.2). Community members are concerned there will be an adverse impact on sturgeon, specifically around the Shxwwhmel and Peters Reserve areas, where they are known to

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spawn, feed, and move. The sturgeon would be adversely impacted by an oil spill, particularly crude oil loss and bitumen sinking, given that they nestle along the bottom of the River where they eat and store food.

3.2.4 Integrity of fishing sites and cultural effects Traditional fishing is much more to St:l people than a means of providing food. Contemporary fishing excursions provide meaningful opportunities to teach traditional methods, and share knowledge and the stories about the waterways in and around Slh Tmxw. This not only passes on an understanding of Sxwxwiy:m, but provides context for place names, traditional property rights/laws, and customary laws of inheritance and encourages use of the Halqemylem language. In these ways, fishing continues to be the most fundamental vehicle for instilling cultural values. Any damage to traditional waterways has the potential to limit further opportunities for fishers to learn traditional skills and cultural teachings from their elders. Reduced fish populations or fish health due to construction activity or a TMEP accident/malfunction will negatively affect opportunities for sharing knowledge on the rivers, and seriously impact the spiritual and cultural ceremonies of St:l as salmon, the most abundant fish within the Fraser River, play an integral role in historic and contemporary traditions.

During construction, noise, additional traffic and increased activity along access routes and near traditional waterways, and cultural sites have the potential to affect the integrity of traditional fishing areas. TMEP clearing will affect several cultural landscape features associated with Sxwxwiy:m and Sqwlqwel, and adversely affect the integrity of some cultural sites as well as opportunities to share traditional skills and knowledge. Some of these affected areas are within view of traditional fishing areas and access routes. These impacts will have a long term effect on the integrity of traditional waterways and the physical, psychological, and spiritual health (Shxwel) of St:l people. Impacts on Sxwxwiy:m and Sqwlqwel are discussed more in Section 4.

3.2.5 Fishing Impact Assessment The propensity for adverse change within the lower Fraser River watershed directly impacts the socio-economic, cultural, and spiritual health of the St:l. A minute change in the water quality, flows, channel morphology, or riparian vegetation has the potential for long-term impacts on fish and fish habitat. An oil spill, particularly if diluted bitumen, would devastate the watershed, fish and fish habitat, riparian vegetation, soils, and, consequently, St:l people.

A spill would affect everyone and would kill all the fish. Community member, 2015

A spill in Burnaby, near the ocean, or anywhere down river, will impact us and the people up the river as well, because the fish wouldnt be able to get through it, they wouldnt swim through it, so they would not come up the River. Community member, 2015.

According to data collected during the Traditional Land Use study conducted by Firelight Group (2015) and documented information housed at St:l Research and Resource Management Centre St:l Heritage Database) there are over 273 fishing sites that may be impacted (see Table 3-1).

TABLE 3-1 NUMBER OF DOCUMENTED FISHING SITES WITHIN 2KM OF TRANS MOUNTAIN PIPELINE CORRIDOR IN TT TERRITORY.

Description Total # within 2km of pipeline corridor

Fishing Sites 273

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TABLE 3-2 RATING CRITERIA FOR TMEP IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Impact Assessment Rating Level - red/ yellow

Rationale

Likelihood Scale 1-5 4 Red Continued encroachment, regulations and development consistently threatens the ability of Shxwwhmel anglers to fish, either recreationally or commercially. With the crossings of streams, creeks, and the noise from construction, fish and fish habitat will be impacted adversely. Access by community fishers is already limited; any construction during fishing season will reduce the ability for community members to access fishing spots. St:l rely on fish throughout the year, for food/sustenance, economics, and for spiritual practices and ceremonies that occur throughout the year. High levels of stress and anxiety already impact the anglers of Shxwwhmel Band as fishing opens are cutback, development continues

encroaching, and the Fraser River biology changes with contamination from

development, dredging, and other activities.

Duration of the impact Long-term/ temp and permanent

Red

Impact on:

Health (physical, psychological, spiritual) 1-5

5 Red

Implications of the impact in consideration of cumulative

High Red

Figure 3-3 shows the findings of the impact assessment of the Trans Mountain Expansion Project for fishing activities.

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FIGURE 3-3 IMPACTS OF TRANS MOUNTAIN EXPANSION PROJECT ON FISHING ACTIVITIES



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4 Spiritual Activities St:l worldview is grounded in the understanding of a link between all things tangible and intangible, whether earth, water, or air-bound with, their ancestors, transformations, laws, and spirituality. The law of Xa:ls is written in the landscape, and taught through song, sxwxwiy:m, tradition, ceremonies, language, and practice. St:l spirituality is practiced every day in the forms of gratitude, respect, and learning. Their rich ceremonies, traditions, and practices are the foundations for their shxwel, and are what connect the St:l to their brothers and sisters within the Coast Salish territory. Their interconnectedness with living and past relations, and ancestors, is strong and to do harm to one is to do harm to all. To help with this understanding a number of spiritual activities have been identified, including Sywl/Smilha, Sxw:yxwey, Regalia placement, Cleansing/Bathing, and Fasting/sweat ceremony/burning for ancestors.

4.1 Historic Role of Spiritual Activities Spirituality is critically important to St:l culture as it establishes, retains, and strengthens bonds that are central to individual and collective relations with the land and resources of Slh Tmxw. Shxwel is the core relation between people and their natural and spiritual environments. Spiritual activities were an essential part of St:l cultural practices that were incorporated within a society that integrated political, economic, and spiritual beliefs. As Figure 4-1 illustrates, spiritual activities have historically been associated with all the St:l core cultural values.

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4.2 Contemporary Role of Spiritual Activities Spiritual activities continue to be critical in all aspects of St:l life, worldview, and they create a sense of pride, purpose, belonging, health, education, continuity, and cohesion (Figure 4-2). All spiritual activities carried out by the St:l people rely on the environment, land, air, water, and all the resources thereupon.

All aspects of life for St:l are spiritual, as learned through the teachings of Xex:ls, and the ancestors, which is knowns as the worldview. The worldview is the way to ensure that St:l are always connected to the teachings and, therefore, to the Creator and their ancestors.

The constant fragmentation of land in Tt Territory due to development and encroachments along waters from roads, trails, recreation and other development types continues to fracture, degrade and infringe on cultural sites (Mohs, 1987; Schaepe et al 2004; Thom, 2005). For example, several bathing sites in Wahleach were lost and, as a result of recreational hiking and bicycle paths, more have lost their isolation and privacy. Of significance is the loss of over 199 streams and Sumas Lake, in Slh Tmxw, which had a powerful connection to St:l and Coast Salish spirituality. Additionally, residential schools, policies and laws banning spiritual and




FIGURE 4-4-1 CULTURAL VALUES ASSOCIATED WITH HISTORIC SPIRITUAL ACTIVITIES

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traditional practices, such as spirit dances and stleleq (potlatches) in the Bighouse, and unchecked development have strained the relationship of St:l to their identity, traditional knowledge, and spirituality. (Labun and Emblen, 2007). The loss of language, sxwxwiy:m and sqwlqwel teachings by those St:l in residential school created a generational divide of teaching, resulting in a loss of understanding and knowledge of transformation stories, ancestry, and histories.

For St:l, this was especially damaging for in St:l culture, as each person has a place, a role, a special understanding within the world; each person has a gift, and understanding and acknowledging these gifts, roles, and places is to be thankful and grateful to the Spirit. This knowledge creates a balance between nature, physical and psychological health, in relationships between and among each other, between people and the environment, and between health and all these things. Figure 4-2 shows the impact developments, policies, laws, and residential schools have had in weakening the ties of spiritual activities to the teachings of values, traditions, and knowledge among St:l. It is important to note, however, that there is a strong revitalization and sense of awareness of the cultural and spiritual ceremonies, and traditions that enhance St:l spirituality, and health, and enrich the culture.

Animals, fish, and places hold spiritual importance to St:l people. Three key examples are the eagle, sturgeon, and several archeological areas in close proximity to the pipeline. The Eagle is of special concern for Shxwwhmel members as it is of great spiritual and cultural significance. The Eagle, the messenger for prayers to and from the Creator, shows great courage, strength and vision, all of which are important to the culture. The master of skies is the creature with the strongest and most powerful connection and relationship with the creator, often travelling between the physical and spiritual world. The Eagle is a symbol of focus, strength, peace, leadership and prestige. Its wings represent balance and the inter-connectivity between females and males, and the copacetic relationship they must have. Its feathers are used for shamanic practices and ceremonies, and can only be worn by those how have earned the right to do so, such as strong and successful warriors. The feather is a symbol of strength, and honesty; its vane symbolizes the individuals life path, with the barbs reminding the individual of where to choose their path and that each choice impacts their life-path. The down of the Eagle symbolizes welcoming and friendship to visitors and is often used in ceremonies.

Shxwwhmel have a spiritual connection to sturgeon, as the sturgeon is one of their ancestors (see Appendix 14.2). The sturgeon was a man, turned to a sturgeon by Chichelh Siy:m. The sturgeon is not just a food source, but is a part of the spiritual health of Shxwwhmel people because of its connection to their ancestor. Sturgeon are, a part of their connection, their Shxwel, their name, their land ownership and rights (Carlson, 2007; NaxaxalhtsI, 2007).

Shxwwhmel people are also spiritually connected to Kawakawa Lake and Skawtets, where the Sxw:yxwey mask and dance originated (See Appendix 14.3). From here, the mask travelled through ancestral relations and kinship ties throughout Coast Salish Territory. The name continues to be held by St:l people and will continue for generations. The mask is linked to Shxwwhmel ancestors, and through the origination story and the passing of the mask and name accordingly. Finally, Uwqwiles (Owqwyles) or the Restmore Caves, DiRj T-1988-2, are of spiritual importance to St:l being as an isolation residence, legend of Transformer, Xa:ls, and a resting place of ancestors who passed as a result of a flood (See Appendix 14.1). Archeological investigation of the caves over the years has found many St:l related artifacts, including knives, basalt flakes, and ground salt.

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FIGURE 4-2 CULTURAL VALUES ASSOCIATED WITH CONTEMPORARY SPIRITUAL ACTIVITIES

Sywl-related Bighouses occur in Slh Tmxw, however no Bighouse is located on Ohamil 1 reserve. Living a culturally connected life requires access and participation in the bighouse ceremonies. Without one on reserve, it is necessary for community members to travel outside of their community to other communities to participate in Bighouse ceremonies and events.

A Cultural Heritage Overview Impact Assessment (CHOIA) was completed by St:l Research and Resource Management Center (SRRMC). This CHOIA considers potential Trans Mountain Expansion Project effects to a number of cultural features related to spiritual activities including:

Sxwxwiy:m /Cultural Landscape Features Place Names

Spiritual Use Areas

In a previous study, over 550 cultural heritage sites were documented within the TMEP project footprint and in Slh Tmxw (ICA, 2014). According to additional information gathered during a Traditional Land Use study (Firelight, 2015) and data collected prior to and during the




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Integrated Cultural Assessment study, there are 271 cultural sites and spiritual practice sites located within 2km of the pipeline corridor within the boundaries of Tt Territory (see Table 4-1).

Cultural heritage areas, specifically spiritual-use areas, are required to be pristine, without contamination, encroachment, or trespass (ICA, 2014). They are chosen for their environmental health and privacy that provide the natural environment necessary to carry out spiritual practices and ceremonies. Access to resources for cultural, ceremonial, and spiritual activities is necessary, and the environment in which those resources (cedar buds, roots, boughs, cedar poles, bark, feathers, fur and other resources) are found needs to be in as pristine and natural a state as possible. Moreover, these harvesting areas, quite often, are generational sites or sites linked to ancestors and the needs of ancestors.

The inherent interconnectedness of activities such as fishing, hunting, and gathering with terrestrial and aquatic landscapes is undeniable. The ties of these activities to the various landscape features and beings (e.g., Stlleqem; solmelh) are strong, and many of the spiritual practices could not continue without the protection of them.

4.3 Impact Assessment Spiritual Activities Construction, right of way clearing, and water crossings, are disconcerting to community members, who fear that these activities will adversely affect cultural sites and the environment. The specific sites, listed in Table 4-1 inventory the sites that are affected by the clearing for the proposed TMEP. Additionally, community members raised concern regarding oil spills and contamination of waterways, lands, viewscapes, plants, and animals, in particular salmon, sturgeon, and eagles. To adversely impact the natural environment, or create disturbances near spiritual sites and cultural sites is to adversely impact the community. The adverse impacts would reduce opportunities for community members to practice their spiritual rites, ceremonies, and all related activities, such as gathering, fishing, reducing their spiritual connection to one another, to their ancestors, and to their culture.

TMEP-related noise, interruption, intrusion, and trespass, should be investigated as part of Trans Mountains impacts assessment, as these construction activities may impact spiritual activities, such as fasting, praying, bathing/singing, and may interrupt ceremonial gatherings, such as namings, wakes, and other Big House ceremonies relating to First Salmon Ceremony, Sywl, and Sxw:yxwey.

4.3.1 Cultural-Heritage Assessment According to additional information gathered during a Traditional Land Use study (Firelight, 2015) and data collected prior to and during the Integrated Cultural Assessment study, there are 195 cultural sites and spiritual practice sites located within 2km of the pipeline corridor within the boundaries of Tit Territory (KM 961-1045) (see Table 4-1).

TABLE 4-1 NUMBER OF DOCUMENTED CULTURAL SITES AND SPIRITUAL PRACTICE SITES WITHIN 2KM OF THE TRANS MOUNTAIN PIPELINE EXPANSION CORRIDOR IN TT TERRITORY

Description Total # within 2km of pipeline corridor

Spiritual Practice 195

Of particular importance to Shxwwhmel is the impact of the TMEP on village and burial sites located on Ohamil IR1 as outlined in the introduction. Right of Way clearing will affect Eagle nesting areas, pathways, and migration. Water crossings will affect sturgeon spawning areas, food resources, and general habitat sites. Of significance is the potential impact from a spill around include Kawkawa Lake (the origin of the Sxw:yxwey mask, dance, and ancestor) which

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would affect the spiritual connection, and personal connections to Sxw:yxwey ceremonies, place, and ancestral names.

Table 4-2 lists how many contemporary cultural sites remain intact within 2km of and within Slh Tmxw.

TABLE 4-2 KNOWN CULTURAL SITES ASSOCIATES WITH SPIRITUAL ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE STUDY AREA

Cultural Site # within the study area w/in 100m corridor edge

# within 2km

Sxwxwiy:m/Cultural Landscape Features

X:Xa (burial, Stlleqem, Silhqey, Sxw:yxwey) sites

10 132

Place Names

Recorded place names 19 45

Spiritual practice areas

# of areas 47 148

The cultural sites listed above displayed on Figures Appendix 14.5. The existing Kinder Morgan pipeline contributes to the cumulative impacts currently affecting 27 cultural heritage sites, including the heritage sites on and near Shxwwhmel, such as Ohamil reserve, Restmore caves (Appendix 14.1), Welqamex (Greenwood Island, Appendix 14.4), and Bridal Falls. .Of significance is the fact that Ohamil reserve itself is an archeological site (DiRj 30) and has great significance within local history, St:l heritage and culture, and ancestry.

4.3.2 Archaeology Assessment The context zone for this assessment consists of Ohamil I.R. 1. The provincial Remote Access to Archaeological Data (RAAD) database displays three previously recorded archaeological sites located within the context zone, including two lithic sites and one burial site (Table 4-3); however, no previously recorded archaeological sites are documented within the Study Area.

TABLE 4-3 ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES IN CONTEXT ZONE

Site Number Site Type Proximity

DiRj-19 precontact surface lithics 675 m NW

DiRj-20 precontact cultural depressions, earthwork mounds, and surface lithics

postcontact culturally modified trees

750 m NW

DiRj-30 precontact cultural depressions, earthwork mounds, and surface lithics

within

DiRj-19 is located on the south bank of the Fraser River. The site was recorded by von Krogh in 1974 as a precontact lithics site.

DiRj-20 is located on the south bank of the Fraser River. The site was recorded by von Krogh in 1974 and later revisited by Oakes (2000). The site consists of 4 housepit depressions, 7 cultural depressions of unknown function, 94 earthwork mounds, 2 post-contact culturally modified trees, and surface lithics.

DiRj-30 is located on the south bank of the Fraser River adjacent the Trans Canada Highway. The site was recorded by Duff in 1949 and later revisited for the Fraser Valley Archaeology Project (Lepofsky et al. 2003, Schaepe et al. 2006). The site consists of 17-18 housepit

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depressions, 18 earthwork mound features, and 3 earthwork trench features. The site was previously destroyed by the Trans Mountain Pipeline, which cuts through the southern portion of the site and likely destroyed numerous features, including housepits and burial mounds.


Impact Assessment Rating Level - red/ yellow

Rationale

Likelihood Scale 1-5 4 Red A loss of eagles, Sxwy:xwey connection; sturgeon, fish, animals; creates a loss of spiritual connection to place.

Spiritual activities are based on the spirituality of the individual. However there are many aspects to spirituality. Some are connected to the natural environment, and some of which are personal beliefs of the individual and their understanding of spirituality.

Currently there is a resurgence of ceremonies, Bighouse attendance, and activities, all of which are put in a precarious situations when there are impacts to access, continuity, cohesion, and tradition.

Duration of the impact s-t, l-t; temp., perm.

Red

Impact on:

Health (physical, psychological, spiritual) 1-5

4 Yellow*

Implications of the impact in consideration of cumulative impacts.

Med. Yellow

Figure 4-3 shows the findings of the impact assessment of the Trans Mountain Expansion

Project for spiritual activities.

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FIGURE 4-3 POTENTIAL IMPACT OF TRANS MOUNTAIN EXPANSION PROJECT ON SPIRITUAL ACTIVITIES



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5 Plant and Forest Product Harvesting (Gathering) Gathering plant and timber materials for food, medicine, and ceremonial items continues today for the community of Shxwwhmel. Some important sub-categories, such as berry harvesting, medicine plant gathering, and gathering of cedar roots, buds, bark, and wood have been used as indicators of overall gathering practices and specific cultural and spiritual activities related thereto

5.1 Historic Gathering Practices Gathering is connected to land use, mobility, community and kinship relations, ancestry, and connectivity with the natural environment. In the past, gathering linked society, ceremony, economy, spirituality and politics (Schaepe et al., 2004). Gathering was tied to tradition; connectivity of ancestors; cohesion among family; keen awareness of the rhythm of nature; responsibility for the plants and St:l community health, and connection and caring among and between families, villages, and tribes (Washbrook, 1995). Gathering linked seasonality and broad-based use of the landscape (Lyons, 1996), and connecting systems of governance associated with ancestral names, access rights and privileges; and identities (Carlson et al., 2001; Duff, 1952; Suttles, 1987). Gathering created opportunities to see family and friends from neighbouring tribes and nations as it took community members to an area where they would meet Interior First Nations and tribes. Following the stops of the Kettle Valley Railroad, community members would gather up the Fraser River as far east as the Coquihalla Summit, and sometimes even further east. This created an opportunity to gather in dense forest areas, and to remain connected to kin and ancestors. As Figure 5-1 illustrates, historical gathering practices were associated with many of the core values associated with St:l culture.

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FIGURE 5-1 CULTURAL VALUES ASSOCIATED WITH HISTORIC GATHERING ACTIVITIES

5.2 Contemporary Gathering Practices As cultural foundations and ceremonies have returned and are growing in strength and momentum, gathering activities are increasingly more important. With continued encroachment of lands, degradation of the environment, termination of the Kettle Valley Railway, and increased development there is a great strain on gathering practices as Shxwwhmel Band members need to move further and further within and outside of their traditional territory to find culturally and medicinally significant plants. Ceremonial gathering for cedar, cedar boughs, and cedar buds, remain culturally significant and is carried out throughout the year. Old Growth and secondary growth cedars are vital to the spiritual connection of members to their ancestors, specifically Xep:y, but there are few areas left in pristine condition suitable for gathering for ceremonial or cultural needs.

As Figure 5-2 illustrates, gathering continues to be closely associated with a number of key cultural values although some value linkages have weakened.




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FIGURE 5-2 CULTURAL VALUES ASSOCIATED WITH CONTEMPORARY GATHERING ACTIVITIES

Members of Shxwwhmel Indian Band continue to gather forest products, berries, and medicinal plants; too many to list and assess within the period of this particular assessment. There are key areas of gathering including Cheam Mountain, Cheam wetlands, Coquihalla Summit, and throughout the Skagit Mountains. However, wetlands and riparian vegetation are also key growing sites of traditional plants that are of great importance to Shxwwhmel Indian Band health and well-being. Traditional harvesting areas are shown on figures included in the Cultural Heritage Overview Impact Assessment (CHOIA) that was completed for this study (KM 961-1045), CHOIA). The CHOIA is provided in Appendix 14.5.

Timber The TMEP Facilities Application Vegetation Technical Report (TMEP Facility Application, Volume 5C, Section 5.9.1.4) stated that within the RSA, within the Hope to Burnaby segment, the proposed pipeline will encounter seven legal OGMAs and no non-legal OGMAs. One legal OGMA is crossed by the proposed pipeline corridor (pg. 5 - 164). However, the Managed Forests Areas Technical Report (TMEP Facility Application, Volume 5D, Section 4.2.5),




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indicates that eight OGMAs will overlap the proposed pipeline corridor, four of which will be directly affected, thereby requiring mitigation.

Wetlands and Riparian areas Many important plants are harvested from riparian areas and wetlands. The TMEP will minimally cross 131 waterways in Slh Tmxw (Facilities Application, Volume 5A, Section 5.7.5.6). Based on the preliminary information presented in the Vegetation Technical Report (TMEP Facility Application, Volume 5 C, Section 5.1, Table 5.1-4), the pipeline within the Hope to Burnaby segment will encounter 55 wetlands.

In the Technical Update #2 Wetland Overview - Wetlands of special Concern (A4A4E5), Trans Mountain identified 8 basin shallow open water wetlands, 1 riparian shallow open water wetland, 22 basin marshes, 2 riparian marshes, 1 hummock marsh, 4 flat swamps, 1 slope swamp, 2 riparian swamps and 1 basin bog within Slh Tmxw. Within the traditional Tt Territory, Trans Mountain highlights several wetland areas including: 3 open water ponds, 1 wet meadow, 2 shrubby swamps, and 1 emergent marsh. Of the seven wetlands, only 1 shrubby swamp was listed as being of concern to Trans Mountains assessment. The shrubby swamp located at RK 1078.64 to 1078.90, is known to have Western Red Cedar, sword fern, and skunk cabbage within the area and is listed by the Province of BC as S3-Blue. In contrast to Trans Mountains assessment, there is concern by Shxwwhmel Elders and community members regarding the lack of attention paid to the other wetlands located within the Tt Territory. St:l Elders have recognized and shared the important role that open water ponds along the Fraser River floodplain and along streams and creeks within the watershed play in providing an abundance of natural amenities for fish and fish habitat, rooted plants, and in providing communities with opportune plant harvesting. Wet meadows located within the Fraser River watershed have a variety of important species that may not have been growing at the time the original assessments were carried out by Trans Mountain due to the dormancy of the seedlings. However, during flooding periods these plants regenerate and provide the surrounding communities with medicinal, food, and ceremonial plants.

Wetlands act as a part of the larger ecosystem. They act as filters to the Fraser River, to play a role in flood mitigation, and to provide habitat for plants and organic materials that are necessary for the continued practice of plant harvesting and spiritual activities.

5.3 Gathering Impact Assessment Shxwwhmel members are concerned that the construction and operation of the TMEP would further reduce the opportunities for traditional plant gathering by clearing native vegetation areas, changing vegetation community composition, limiting access, or by contaminating the vegetation or the soil in which it grows. Because harvesting opportunities are already severely restricted in Slh Tmxw, and more locally, within the Tt Territory, remaining patches of undisturbed lands are highly valuable to Shxwwhmel members. Loss of intact forested areas will directly impact the ability of the people of Shxwwhmel Indian Band to collect their specific resources and utilize them in food, cultural and ceremonial practices.

The construction and all the maintenance of the right of way will disturb the mushroom grounds, where we go and gather. If they disturb those grounds, it will take years for those mushrooms to come back to the area. We rely on those mushrooms. Community member, 2015.

We have a concern with the use of herbicides and the chemicals they use and will use along the pipeline corridor. Community member, 2015.

According to a recent Traditional Land Use study (Firelight 2015), 333 plant and forest product-gathering areas will be impacted by the TMEP (see Table 5-1).

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TABLE 5-1 NUMBER OF DOCUMENTED HARVESTING SITE WITHIN 2KM OF THE TRANS MOUNTAIN EXPANSION PROJECT CORRIDOR IN TT TERRITORY

Description Total # within pipeline corridor

Total # within 2km of pipeline corridor

Earth Materials 46 287

Resources 3 46

Total 49 333


Impact Assessment Rating

Cultural Heritage Impact Report

Documents