VCH board member and Heilstuk Tribal Council chief councillor Marilyn Slett shared her memories of the day an articulated tug barge ran aground in her Nation’s traditional waters and the aftermath of that event at a recent VA/VC Medical Staff Planetary Health Committee speaker series session. Her recollections emphasized the interconnections between the health of people and that of our planet.

The session began with a screening of the 30-minute film The Nathan E. Stewart Sank. But the Heiltsuk Nation is Rising. The documentary, which can be viewed online, chronicles the Heilstuk Nation’s relationship between land and water over its 14,000⁺-year history and its legal challenge to find the tug operator and the provincial and federal governments responsible for the long-term repercussions of the resulting oil spill.

The spill, Chief Slett explained, happened at Gill Creek, the site of an ancient Heilstuk village, close to Bella Bella. The area had been a breadbasket for the community, and, as such, the spill continues to be traumatic for the Nation. It has also served as a catalyst for many things now happening in the community. Resistance to colonial “justice” has ignited a spark and emphasized the connection between healthy people and healthy land.

The challenges of how to come together to find solutions has been part of the healing process and has created community connections. In her role on the VCH board of directors, Chief Slett advocates for measures to address systemic racism and discrimination in health care and supports initiatives that move reconciliation and cultural safety forward. One of her hopes is for the Nation’s women to be able to birth their children again on their traditional territory rather than having to travel to the Lower Mainland for this.

Session feedback

Thirteen of the 37 people who attended this session completed the post-event session. Their responses to the question of what resonated with them most from the session included the following:

• The learning from the video.
• I agree strongly that Indigenous nations should have the right to protect their traditional lands and seas.
• The extent of the ongoing settler/colonial oppression and land/water dispossession.
• The commitment of First Nations people to stand up to the government to protect the land and sea.
• Environmental injustice is ubiquitous.
• Impact we are having on BC.
• The incredible strength and resilience of the community. How much they engaged with youth with what is happening in their territory. Their dedication to a strong yet respectful approach to deal with such traumatic events.
• The importance of community leadership.
• Determination to use healing as the tip of the spear.
• Love that the interconnection between Indigenous health and knowledge systems and planetary health was highlighted so meaningfully.