An account from a Squamish. Gerry Johnston's claims are phony too. He's Squamish but no chief, and came in dead last in an election. Comments worth reading too.
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http://liberatedyet.blogspot.com/2008/05/chief-kiapilano-and-squamish-nation.htmlChief Kiapilano and the Squamish™ Nation
Yesterday at around 10:30 Gerald Johnson, who calls himself "Chief Kiapilano" went to the Squamish Nation band office trying to "evict" the elected band council and the staff at the office. I'm told he was joined by a few other protestors, most of which are non-Skwxwu7mesh. I am unsure of how many were Skwxwu7mesh, but I think it was just a few. I also heard reports he was joined by Kevin Annett.
For the past while Gerry Johnson has been going by "Chief Kiapilano", claiming to be chief of all the Squamish people. He says it's his birthright and that he is the head chief. A few weeks ago him and a few others tried to evict numerous church's in Vancouver for being on "Squamish Nation Territory". He also likes to be known as "Royal Hereditary Sovereign Chief Kiapilano". I also heard reports of him trying to evict newspaper reporters/writers who wrote articles about his friend Kevin Annett.
I am Skwxwu7mesh, a "band-member" of the "Squamish Nation". I grew up on in two Skwxwu7mesh villages, Xwmelch'stn and Eslha7an in North Vancouver, British Columbia. I've also studied the history of my people in regards to the hereditary chieftainships, but by no regards consider myself an "expert". I've just been able to deduce a few things and understand the complexity of the situation.
I've reported on my blog a few times about the hereditary chieftainship system. A shorter explanation is that the hereditary chieftainship system was originally created by the Catholic Church to convert the mass population in the numerous communities and villages. Historically, my people were not that stratified and organized in it's political system. Prior to contact, each family had a "siyam", or a respected person. This was not a "bossman" or "chairman" like position, but simply someone who was respected by the community and people followed because of the character this person had. Their status among the community could be raise through a few ways like, distribution of family wealth in potlatching, conduction of spiritual ceremonies, or display of cultural values and principles. August Jack Khatsalano, a "siyam" born in the late 1800's, and died in the 1970's, was regarded as one. He potlatched a lot during his time, passed on the knowledge of our ancestors, and conducted mask and spiritual ceremonies in our longhouse. He said in his book "Converstations with Khatsalano", siyam means a person who is "...the best talker - not chairman, (our people) have no chairman -- but man who says the most wise things".
To what I mentioned earlier, the Catholic Church went around creating "chiefs" over each of the villages. Later after the passing of the Indian Act and the designation of the reserve, the
Indian Agents assigned a chief to each of the reserves. This is where the current "hereditary chiefs" come from. They are chiefs of the different reserves in Skwxwu7mesh territory. In 1923 these hereditary chiefs signed the amalgamation and became a single "Squamish Band" or "Squamish Nation". I will point out, it wasn't black and white. Many of these hereditary chiefs were in fact siyam. They followed our traditions, practiced our ceremonies, and lived strong indigenous lives, but at the time the government would only listen to the band council and so many bought into it.
In the 1980's, a non-confidence vote occurred on the corrupt band council of the time. For decades the band council was hereditary, but changed in the non-confidence vote and the election codes were changed to create a 16 elected band council. This is the current governing system of the Squamish Nation. 16 elected band councilors for the 16 hereditary chiefs. A few of the hereditary chiefs have positions on the elected band council.
Gerry Johnson is not a hereditary chief. Nor is he a siyam. He has never once given a potlatch, in distributing his family wealth to the people. He has never once had a ceremony to take on this name he claims. He does not work with his people. He does not have the support of any of our elders. The "hereditary" position could belong to his family, but birthright and living by our custom are both needed.
He claims to be chief of all the Squamish Nation, but no where in history of my people has such a title or position existed. There has never been a singular chief of all the Squamish Nation. 16 chiefs, for each of the villages, and before that, multiple chiefs for each of the longhouses in the villages.The Squamish Nation band council first distanced themselves from Gerry Johnson, but now discredit him.
Although I don't support the band councils way of governance, Chief Kiapilano's claims are false. He cannot "evict" who ever he wants. He cannot go around demanding authority for some birthright he may or may not have title too. He is simply another Skwxwu7mesh fed up with the current status quo of politics with my people.
by Rivers on Sunday, May 25, 2008 |
Labels: Chief, Chieftainships, Kevin Annett
5 comments:
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May 26, 2008 3:16 PM
Rocketgirl said...
It is my understanding that he has never ever lived on Squamish territory either. With his results when he ran for Council, he obviously does not have the support of our people either. He was almost last and his campaign was "Higher DB ($$$) and lower crime rate".......He is in dire need of mental support
May 26, 2008 3:59 PM
Rivers said...
2247 eligible voters and he got 55 votes. If my math is correct, around 2% of the eligible voters wanted Gerry Johnson as their leader. The "eligible" voters number doesn't include about another few hundred aged 12-17. So in reality,
less then 1% of the people want Gerry Johnson as their leader.lol
May 27, 2008 8:03 PM
Ahni said...
Great article, Dustin. I really wasn't expecting you to be so respectful:D
I've had dealings with people in the past who made similar claims... The way you describe Kiapilano is exactly how I'd describe them: people who don't have very many roots in their community, who pretty much came out of nowhere and started saying they are hereditary Chiefs, 'Monarchs', Traditional Headmen, and so on. Maybe they're telling the truth... but then what does it matter if they're setting a poor example?
For instance,
I refused to acknowledge this one guys "inherent sovereign authority" and so they tried to bribe me for it (offered me a name, title, and a "high position"). And when that failed, a couple weeks later they threatened me. ...This is the sort of thing I'd expect from someone who wants to be a ruler, not someone who is a leader.
Anyways, I don't know if Kapialano is connected to these people, but whenever I here someone making claims of title, I can't help but think it's related.
May 27, 2008 9:44 PM
Rivers said...
Thanks for sharing that with me Ahni.
That's the thing about leadership. It can come in good or bad. Some of the world greatest "leaders" in history have done the most horrible things. Some have also done the most amazing things.
My grandmother used to say something she ingrained in her children, grand children, and great grandchild. "Nobility don't go around saying their noble. Every knows they are noble. You never see the queen going around saying "I'm the queen", everyone just knows she's the queen."
A lot of our people fight over these "chieftainship's", but I've never seen one who claims such a title or fight for such a title be an actual leader with the people. I have seen some really truly respectful people who hold high hereditary positions, but it's rare. It's the status quo of leadership, and also the changing face of our society. In this sense, I mean the "society" we live in in our indigenous communities, not general "society". Yeah, strange to think we have our own society. But when you empty the "Traditionalism" rhetoric, we will begin to see ourselves as something else then "the abused children of our ancestors", but as a continuation of our nations line of existence.
May 27, 2008 9:48 PM
Rivers said...
I forgot to add a response to Rocketgirl (I'm pretty sure I know who this is...lol).
Gerry Johnson has lived in Skwxwu7mesh-ulh temixw. He's lived in Vancouver, no? Well, our territory exists beyond the reserve constructs created on us.
