Aboriginal title declared on Jacko Lake
KAMLOOPS – The Jacko Lake and surrounding area has significant spiritual and historical importance to the Stk’emlupsemc te Secwepemc Nation, and as a result, the nation has declared title over the property.
The property, located within the First Nations territory and part of the site of the proposed Ajax Mine, is a ‘cultural keystone area’ known as Pípsell and as a result two local bands have declared aboriginal title on the area, according a media release.
“SSN will no longer stand by and watch the Governments invade SSN territory and destroy a culturally keystone area where SSN continue to carry out traditional and cultural practises including an Aboriginal Trout Fishery on Jacko Lake,” Sunny LeBourdais, the Stk’emlupsemc te Secwepemc Nation KGHM Project Coordinator, says in the release. “The first and now abandoned Ajax Mine in this area destroyed the land without SSN’s permission and left the old Afton Tailings Pond that continues to put SSN members and local residents at risk.”
KGHM is preparing to submit an environmental application for its proposed Ajax Mine. If approved the open-pit copper-gold mine will operate for more than 20 years just southwest of Kamloops, including the Jacko Lake area.
Members of Tk’emlúps and Skeetchestn bands will officially be making the declaration of title at a ceremony on Sunday, June 21, at 9 a.m. at the Jacko Lake boat launch.
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To contact a reporter for this story, email Jennifer Stahn at jstahn@infonews.ca or call 250-819-3723. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
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6 responses
Cultural keystone? What they dumped a few wine bottles there in the past 50 years? Get real you money grubbing bastards!
So today this is a sacred lake and area but it wasn’t yesterday, last week or even last year. Just like the area on Highway 1 where they found a bone several years ago is a sacred burial ground. Have they found anymore bones there in the last three or four years of digging ??? We are so stupid for letting these people get away with this crap. It seems like any time we want to make an improvement, create jobs or create a safer highway for all of us to drive on something ends up being sacred and they put up a roadblock. I am tired of all of this and I would hope other people are too.
While I agree with my native friends that these types of developments need regulation, it seem to me that a certain amount of money may make them go away. I hope this is not the case, as it will destroy any credibility our native friends have as “caretakers” of the land.
We gave them a way toooo much leed way a long time ago and they have been taking ever since.Always has to do with their spiritual bullshit or their sacred land.They laugh at us for believing all this crap.Be one hell of a mess if we all started claiming parcels of land where some of our ancestors lost their livesas spiritual grounds.Ask how many ceremonial ritual’s were held there prior to their claim and I think you will get the picture.
It is strange that the bands have never claimed land that has little value,…only land that has significant monetary value….they only have the best areas for spiritual places…funny how the spiritual and the financial always seem to be the same land.
give it a rest, it’s a nice secluded lake for all to enjoy, the access to the lake is privately owned already and has been open for public access. Of course out of the blue, a trout fishery proposal sprang up. I just recently started fishing at Jacko Lake using my status card and I don’t see a problem with equal fishing rights for all, and I’ve heard from many alike in the area the industry in the area have not effected the lake.