Native resistance to the 2010 Olympics

The 2010 Winter Olympic Games has run into fierce Native Resistance that is snowballing and gathering momentum, as the games are scheduled to begin in just over two years. The games are scheduled to take place in un-surrendered Native (St’at’imc and Squamish) territories in February 2010.

British Columbia is what the colonizers call this vast territory in Northwestern North Amerikkka. It is home to 23 distinct Native Nations, none of which have ever given up their land to any foreigners.

In 2003 Secwepemc Elder Irene Billy and Ske7cis Manuel travelled to Europe to make a presentation in front of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) stating that the Olympics should not come to British Columbia. They were ignored and Vancouver-Whistler was chosen for the games. Since then Native people and anti-poverty activists have voiced their opposition to the Olympics, but in 2006 the struggle against the Olympics took a new turn.

In honor of Native Warrior-Elder Harriet Nahanee

In early 2006 protesters blocked the expansion of the Sea-to-Sky Highway for the Olympics. The protesters were mostly made up of upper class non-Natives who did not want to see this untouched coastal rainforest destroyed for the Olympics.

Standing with the non-Native protesters was Harriet Nahanee, a Pacheedaht elder who was defending Indian Land from destruction.

The protesters were arrested in May 2006. On Jan. 24, 2007, Harriet Nahanee was sentenced to 14 days in jail by madame Justice Brenda Brown because she refused to apologize for her actions to protect her land. She was 71 years old and became very ill while in jail, where she was held in a cell with 26 women.

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