Youth Zone

The Nisga'a Nation would like to recognize and congratulate the 4 Nisga'a Youth who attended the 6th Annual Treaty Simulaton that was co-hosted by The Gordon Foundation and the Land Claims Agreements Coalition from February 23-25, 2024 in Ottawa, ON.  

Nisga'a Youth Participants: 

  • Sabrina Stevens: From Gitlaxt'aamiks but resides in Vancouver and works at the Nisga'a Ts'amiks Vancouver Local 
  • Euleina Wright: From Gitlaxt'aamiks and Kitselas but resides in Terrace
  • Patrick Guno: From Gitlaxt'aamiks and resides in Gitlaxt'aamiks 
  • Elijah Williams: From Gingolx but resides in Terrace and works at the Gitlaxdax Nisga'a Terrace Society 

The 6th Annual Treaty Simulation is an event with our treaty partners to educate our future leaders who are the youth from various treaty lands about treaty negotiations and implementation. The youth even got an opportunity to work in teams representing a fictional indigenous nation.  There were some prestigous guest speakers and key note speakers who are experienced treaty experts that addressed the youth throughout the event. 

SI'AAMHL WILIN Sabrina, Euleina, Patrick and Elijah! 

 

More information about the 6th Annual Treaty Simulation can be found at these links:

https://gordonfoundation.ca/initiatives/understanding-modern-treaties/ 

https://landclaimscoalition.ca/about-us-2/ 

 

Photos by: Elijah Williams 

Nisga'a Lisims Government is featuring young Nisga'a athletes who have qualified for the North American Indigenous Football Association (NIFA) Teams to participate in the NIFA Soccer & Culture Europe Tour in August of 2024.

NIFA Series: Keyerstin Guno - U14

NIFA Series: Jackson Clayton - U10

NIFA Series: Sky Morgan - U10 

 

Stay tuned for further features of some impressive young Nisga'a athletes!

Are you a Nisga'a athelete who have qualified for NIFA? 

The following was submitted for sharing:

Emily Gillis, age 21, daughter of Farrah and Sam Azak, granddaughter of Audrey and Jerry Azak and Garry and Alice Nyce. She is in her final year at Thompson Rivers University is excelling in her Bachelor of Science Program.

Emily was born in Terrace and has lived all her life in Gitwinksihlkw. Going to Thompson Rivers University was her first adventure out of our valley.

She adjusted well from life in the tiny village of Gitwinksihlkw to University Life in Kamloops. She is now going on another adventure.

May 20-June 2, 2023, Emily will be in Thailand for an International Field School in Environmental Sciences and Biological Sciences. This course is designed to introduce students to the issues, approaches, policies and people involved with biodiversity management in Thailand. This course will provide students with opportunities to interact with local and international Chiang Mai University students who are enrolled in their Bachelor’s International Program in Environmental Science.

Congratulations Emily!

We thank Irene Squires and Emily’s mother Farrah Gillis for contributing this write up and photo of Emily’s remarkable accomplishments. 

Have a similar story to share?  Email communications@nisgaanation.ca and share your story with us!

Youth pictured left to right: Dana Small, Elijah Williams, Tiyanee Stevens, Stirling Tait, Patrick Guno 

5 Nisga’a youth traveled to Ottawa to participate in the 5th National Modern Treaty Negotiation and Implementation Simulation hosted by the Gordon Foundation and the Land Claims Agreement Coalition on February 26th and 27th2023. 

The 30 national youth participants were divided into three groups each representing a fictitious First Nations group named the Glacier Lake First Nations, the Yukon Government (territorial), and the Government of Canada (federal). The three groups were tasked with negotiating a Woodland Caribou Recovery Plan to address the over-harvesting of the herd’s declining population.

Each group was supported by experienced advisors who have negotiated real world agreements during their respective careers. Advisors included Frank Dragon, negotiator for Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che:k’tles7et’h’ First Nations (KCFN), Robin Bradasch, Director of Governance at Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC), and Lisa Hutton of CIRNAC’s Yukon Branch, Dave Joe and Dr. John B. Zoe – Yukon Umbrella Agreement and Tłı̨chǫ Agreement negotiators. On the first day, the youth had a chance to speak to the advisors and ask them questions regarding treaty negotiation and implementation.

They were then presented with their mandate letters which instructed each group through the scenario. The three groups were to write a proposal outlining what their party wanted to see in the recovery plan. Once the proposals were ready, the youth took to the negotiating table. The youth each enacted a specific role during the negotiations including the lead negotiator, chair, and notetaker. The negotiations were intense at times however, the youth were successful in negotiating an agreement which they presented to the entire group at the end of the second day.

The negotiation simulation was designed to give emerging Indigenous leaders the experience of real world negotiation situations as well as encourage the research of their own modern treaty agreements. T’ooyaksim nisim to the Gordon Foundation and the LCAC for inviting the Nisga’a youth to participate, as well as the Nisga’a Lisims Government and leadership for the continued support and encouragement of Nisga’a youth in modern treaty education. Si'aamhl wilsim!

 

 

 

 

 

The youth participant application can be found here:

Deadline to submit your application to be considered as a participant or parent/guardian chaperone is April 26th 2023

Please only submit complete and signed applications.

Note: Please be advised that selection is on a first come first served basis pending the youth/chaperone meeting all requirements.

There will be pre-travel meetings, fundraising, and gatherings before the exchange that must be attended by all participating youth as well.

 

Submit your complete and signed applications to Youth Engagement Coordinator, Charlene Tait

email: charlene.tait@nisgaanation.ca

in person: NLG office in New Aiyansh

no later than April 26 2023

This presentation is not an in-depth discussion into the treaty document itself. More treaty training for youth will be coming later in 2023. This powerpoint will briefly touch on the vast history of the Nisga’a nation’s 113-year journey to the Final Agreement.

If you have an interest in being a part of any of the regional youth councils to receive more governance training and experience, please reach out to your village government or urban local youth councils. If you would like to participate in the Youth Advisory Council, which is the national governing body for youth, please send an email to Youth Engagement Coordinator, Charlene Tait, charlene.tait@nisgaanation.ca

A PDF document of the powerpoint presentation can also be found here: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you to our Zoom participants for joining us for this webinar, as well as Madame President Eva Clayton and the Executive members who provided answers and commentary!

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