Mou Reached With Provincial Government on Lightning Rock Sacred Burial Site
Press Release
In keeping with the Sumas First Nation’s commitment to collaborating with other levels of government to support reconciliation, the Sumas First Nation and the Province of British Columbia have agreed to work together on ways to address ancient Sumas burial lands in Abbotsford.
Today we announce a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) committing the Province to working jointly with the Sumas First Nation on a government-to-government (“G2G”) basis, as set out in the existing Stó:lō Strategic Engagement Agreement (“SSEA”). Both sides will discuss and develop recommendations regarding the Lightning Rock Site in a way that is respectful to all parties affected.
Lightning Rock and its surrounding area have been sacred for centuries. The site is located within the City of Abbotsford at the base of Sumas Mountain. It has been home to the people of the Sumas First Nation for 10,000 years, and represents a spiritual centre with a rich oral history.
Archaeological findings have verified up to 40 burial mounds and identified a need for further exploration and study. However, that alone has not been enough to protect this significant archaeological, cultural, and spiritual site.
With the land now privately-owned and subject to development, the Sumas First Nation, one of the Stó:lō First Nations, approached the Province last year to have these lands and traditional burial grounds protected from further threats.
“Over my lifetime, this sacred place that contains the graves and the spirits of our people, has been bought and sold four times,” said Chief Dalton Silver of the Sumas First Nation. “I’ve gone out myself several times to stop the desecration of this sacred place, including nearly being arrested once for blocking bulldozers that were starting to clear a road right through there.”
“Today, we are one step closer to ensuring that never happens again. On behalf of the Sumas First Nation, I want to sincerely thank Minister John Rustad and everyone in the ministry for helping us find a truly positive and reconciliatory path forward on this critical issue for the spiritual and cultural wellbeing of our people,” Chief Silver concluded. “So rarely have First Nations felt that someone was listening to them, or honouring our spiritual beliefs. Today, I feel that strongly, and an enormous credit is due to them.”
In 2014, Abbotsford city council voted down an application by Cold Water Ranch Ltd. to develop the site. Despite doing their due diligence during the purchase, the Sumas First Nation claim was not brought to their attention – underlying the fact that this site lacked proper designation.
Today, the company is fully supportive of the process that this MOU will initiate and has committed to working with the Nation on finding a conclusion that is respectful to all.
Media Contact:
Chief Dalton Silver
Sumas First Nation
2788 Sumas Mountain Road
Abbotsford BC V3G 2J2
(604) 751 – 0947
dalton.silver@sumasfirstnation.com
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Background
The Sumas First Nation, or Sema:th, is a band government of the Sto:lo people and a member government of the Sto:lo Nation tribal council. Located in the Upper Fraser Valley in the city of Abbotsford, British Columbia, represents approximately 330 members.
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