"Our Ancerstors Are Watching"

The following letter appeared in this past week's Coast Reporter. It was sent to both the newspaper and to Western Forest Products.

"My name is Willard Joe, and I am a member of the Sechelt Indian Band. My family name is well known amongst our Band, and my family has a long history with our traditional territories.

I wish to advise your company that I visited your company's logging roads that have been built in the Chapman Creek watershed, and there I sang a song for protection over my traditional lands.

The late Chief Dan George's song was taught to me by a Squamish band member and the song reaches out to my ancestors and asks for their protection over the watershed.

My singing and drum sounds went deep into the forest and the ancestors knew my presence. I ask your company to respect my traditional lands and mot continue with your plans to build roads and log trees in the watersheds."

That is a beautiful letter Mr. Joe. Now, we ask with deep sincerity that you come to our watersheds here in Egmont to sing Chief Dan George's song and to drum. We ask that you reach out to your ancestors for their protection against the clear-cutting and road building planned in our watersheds and in this territory, too.