There is breadth and depth to the relationship between Secwépemc and their territory. The complexity of this relationship is encapsulated within the key terms and concepts which they utilize in reference to their lands and waters.

Tmícw - the rough translation of this Secwepemctsín word is land, waters, and everything on Earth. Tmícw reflects layers of meaning and interrelation to the landforms, places, and beings within Secwepemcúl’ecw (the territory of the Secwépemc People). While Tmícw has often been associated with the legal concept of land, it should not be constrained to such a literal association. It is more broadly connected to territory, area, or place. Also found within Tmícw is the concept of the four-worlds: Earth, water, sky, and fire/energy. This concept of an interconnected network of different worlds has long been in the Secwépemc knowledge system. Many Secwépemc oral tellings span the four-worlds and show how our Ancestral teachings are readily available to inform our tk’wenm7íple7 (meaning advice/advisors) and set the path for further development and implementation of Secwépemc law and legal orders.

Secwépemc are guided by time immemorial teachings such as the oral telling of Tlli7sa and the Transformers, in which the transformation concept is connected to transforming the ‘cannibal powers and people eaters’ on Secwépemc ancestral homelands. By using the lessons found in the Tlli7sa and other tellings within our Government to Government collaboration, Qwelmínte Secwépemc and the Province of British Columbia will transform the cannibal powers and people eaters on the land. In actuality, this means building and utilizing processes which recognize the deep interconnection between the environment, economic sustainability, social relationships, culture and heritage, and health both within and between people.

As stated in Qwelmínte Secwépemc’s Tmícw Transformation paper, “we will develop and apply Secwépemc Legal Orders and Traditions with respect to the transformation of the cannibal powers on the land.” Within the context of Qwelmínte Secwépemc, the cannibal powers which must be transformed are industries and legislation which bring harm to Tmícw and all those connected to it.

Timeline of work:

Secwepémc Reconciliation Framework Agreement: Established in 2013 to address conflicts and legal issues related to resource development, this agreement played a central role in managing resource and land development queries across five vital communities: Skeechestn, Tk’emlúps, Adams Lake Indian Band, Neskonlith, and Simpcw. Its focus on defending rights and jurisdiction in resource development ended with its expiration in April 2018.
Original Letter of Commitment (LoC): In effect between 2019 and 2021, the LoC aimed to achieve sustained, substantive progress in several domains, including long-term reconciliation, consensus-driven outcomes, capacity enhancement in law and land management, and bridging socio-economic disparities. It aimed to establish a strong role for Secwépemc within the regional economy and foster a fresh fiscal relationship.
Skú7pecen’s Journey Letter of Commitment: The SJ LoC was designed to advance reconciliation and recognition, minimize conflicts over resources, eliminate socio-economic gaps, align jurisdictions and laws, foster self-sufficiency and self-determination, honor cultural heritage, and collaboratively manage Secwépemc territory resources. These goals were inspired by principles outlined in The United Nations Decleration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Which when adapted to British Columbia, became the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA).

Path to Comprehensive Reconciliation: The SJ LoC envisions a sequence of four Transformation Agreements to comprehensively address the Secwépemc's natural resource and land concerns. These agreements seek to implement and acknowledge Secwépemc's Aboriginal title and rights, reconcile various rights and interests, and establish intergovernmental frameworks guided by relevant principles and case law.

Collective Forestry Agreement (CFA): A significant step towards comprehensive reconciliation is the ongoing collaboration between Qwelmínte Secwépemc and British Columbia in a joint forestry-focused agreement. The QS-BC Term Sheet highlights 15 negotiation topics, culminating in the Collective Forestry Agreement signed in September 2021. The CFA aims to cover four overarching topics or “Pillars”. These topics are, New Fiscal Relations (NFR), Indigenous/Secwépemc Law (ISL), Shared Decision-Making and Stewardship, and Cultural Revitalization and Preservation. The Agreement In Principle (AIP) will outline the incremental mandates essential for implementing the CFA and represents a vital milestone in Secwépemc's reconciliation journey.

This transformation cycle has begun with the Forestry industry and the Tree Eaters. The growth and appetite of the Tree-Eaters and forestry sectors have stripped Secwépemc lands and contributed to impacts felt not only by Secwépemc communities, but by British Columbia as a whole. The parties of the Government to Government agreement will walk through each of the transformation cycles in order to restore and revitalize our lands.

Embracing our time immemorial yecwemínem (stewardship/caretaker) role includes respecting this knowledge and using it in our work as hosts of Secwepemcúl’ecw (Secwépemc territory), so that all who live in our homelands may thrive. These responsibilities and this knowledge must be upheld as Qwelmínte Secwépemc and the Province of British Columbia continue working in a mutually respectful relationship.