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| Innu man in snow
© Adam Hinton/Survival |
Four years after coming to London to launch Survival International's report
'Canada's Tibet: the killing of the Innu', Jean-Pierre Ashini has returned to
publicise a new initiative which seeks to reconnect young Innu with their land.
In 1999 one of the principal themes of the Survival report – the astonishing
rate of suicide amongst the Innu since their settlement in fixed communities –
was tragically highlighted when Jean-Pierre's son Andrew committed suicide the
night before the report's launch.
The Tshikapisk Foundation is working to equip young Innu adults with
knowledge of Innu history, and the skills and learning intrinsic to Innu hunting
culture. The Foundation is building an Innu Cultural Center at Kamestastin Lake,
a spectacular water-filled meteorite crater in the heart of Innu territory.
The Center will earn its income from visitors attracted by the magnificent
hiking, wildlife and fly-fishing of the area, and channel the income into
educational programs which equip young Innu with a grasp of country skills and a
knowledge of all aspects of Innu culture. Jean-Pierre said today, 'In
the last four years since my son killed himself a large number of Innu have
committed suicide. Nowadays these pass unnoticed by the Canadian media, but the
problems are as bad as ever, because the young Innu people are totally
disconnected from their identity as Innu. All the institutions of Canadian
society are forcing our young people away from their own culture, and into a
crisis of identity: the epidemic of gas-sniffing, alcoholism and suicide in our
communities is the result. Tshikapisk is trying to address some of these
problems.'
Another concern addressed by Ashini is the unilateral hunting ban on woodland
caribou imposed by the Newfoundland and Labrador government. For Ashini, all
Innu communities must be full and equal participants in any conservation
measures that affect the woodland caribou. 'Canada has divided the Innu
between two provinces, but we are not Quebec Innu and Labrador Innu, we are all
one people, with the same rights to our unique way of life under Article 1 of
the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The right to self-determination
for indigenous peoples requires that all peoples must be able to freely dispose
of their natural wealth and resources and may not be deprived of their own means
of subsistence. Canada has persistently refused to meet its international
obligations towards the Innu; now we have informed Survival International about
these unilateral measures taken by the Newfoundland and Labrador Government, and
they are closely monitoring the situation.'
'The Tshikapisk Foundation is preparing to allow all Innu hunting
families to exercise self-determination by raising money to enable them to
practise the way of life that will give them renewed spirit.'
For more information contact Miriam Ross on 020 7687 8734 or
Jean-Pierre Ashini on 011 44 783 776 7510. Pour informations en français: Chief
Jean-Charles Pietacho – 418 538 6301 or Chief Rosario Pinette 418 968 2266
