An Open Letter to The Office of The Wet’suwet’en Hereditary chiefs
The pipeline went through. Now we must move forward and heal.
The residents of northern B.C. need to live with the type of people attracted to the employment. I’ve been a registered nurse for almost 31 years. I've never had my career harmfully attacked as I have had this past year, by non Wet’suwet’en pipeline bloggers from northern B.C. who didn’t like my opposition. I succeeded at national and international levels as a nurse.
I renewed my B.C. nurses license for three months in January then let it expire. I dreamed of going home before I retire, especially with my experience as a telemetry nurse equipped with computerized donated IV pumps from my place of employment. The following experiences ruined it:
-- a half-true article was published about me on a northern B.C. blog aimed at anti-pipeline Wet’suwet’en in October 2022.
-- An expired nursing license from 2013 was posted on Twitter by a pro pipeline blogger who I don't know. They were asking where I worked.
-- A blogger who literally stalks native women was using my 83-year-old mother’s photo, refusing to stop.
-- That same person showed a photo of my autobiography released by Amazon, voicing intent to harm.
The pipeline went through, so stop attacking us who have opposed.
To my true leaders, hereditary chiefs, please intervene by leading a healing path. Ask Wet’suwet’en to stop sharing information with people who are a danger to our delguumeaux ( oral history) by sharing information learned in the feast hall with witnesses. Their intent will continually divide our nation. Even well-intentioned students shouldn’t be publishing books about us, as their interpretation without being a witness endangers our delguumeaux.
A healthy nation puts our own, not outsiders. Wet’suwet’en need to talk to one another now and not to those dividing us to heal. Remember what our ancestors taught us about those not to be trusted. You know who they mean.
People like me, daughter of a late Second World War vet, hereditary chief, delguumeaux witness, have not benefited. But I’m paying dearly by the type of people that project attracted.
I’m sure some community members find the events horrifying. Our legacies are now defined with the history of this. Let’s get our values in sync to move on for our grandchildren to live in a healthier nation.
Cynthia George Taha
Bellingham, Wash.
