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Mowachaht/Muchalaht update and Letter of Appeal
Chief Maquinna's Letter of Appeal
August 18, 2004
Dear Friends and Supporters of Luna:
Over the last few
months the Mowachaht/Muchalaht people have become involved in protecting
the killer whale known to most as Luna. This special whale has chosen
to live in Nootka Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British
Columbia, Canada. Nootka Sound and the surrounding land area is the traditional
territory of the Mowachaht/Muchalaht. Our name for Luna is Tsux’iit
(pronounced su-keet).
Protecting Luna placed the Mowachaht/Muchalaht people in a difficult situation
to those that were attempting to relocate Luna to his killer whale family
pod by capture and transport. The Mowachaht/Muchalaht people believe in
minimizing human interaction and, to the extent possible, letting natural
events unfold as they will. In late June the Mowachaht/Muchalaht people
were compelled to prevent an action we considered a violation of our cultural
and spiritual beliefs.
The Mowachaht/Muchalaht are now working collaboratively with Fisheries
and Oceans Canada to develop a Stewardship Plan for Luna. As long as Luna
chooses to live in Nootka Sound, our concern for the safety of Luna and
the public continues. The Luna Stewardship Plan is designed to minimize
public interaction with Luna during the busy summer/fall boating season.
The Luna Stewardship Plan has four objectives:
• provide public information, education and awareness designed to:
- reduce public interaction with Luna
- protect Luna and the public through
safe boating practices
• encourage voluntary compliance with Luna Boating Guidelines
• enforce, as necessary, Marine Mammal protection regulations
• monitor the activities of Luna, and interactions between the public
and Luna
In early July Mowachaht/Muchalaht started on-water and public awareness
Luna Stewardship activities using our own limited resources. Our preference
is to fund the Luna Stewardship activities without the assistance and
restrictions of government agencies. In recognition of the many people
and groups who have expertise and interest in Luna, we are asking for
your help in accomplishing these objectives.
We invite you to comment
through the forum at www.ReuniteLuna.com
with your ideas on how to protect Luna and let him lead a natural life
wherever he chooses. Thanks to the folks at ReuniteLuna.com for hosting
this forum.
The Mowachaht/Muchalaht have set up our own website with information and
updates on Luna at www.westcoastaquatic.ca/helpLuna.htm.
Thanks to the West Coast Vancouver Island Aquatic Management Board for
hosting this website. There you will find several pages featuring Luna
Stewardship information and a link to CanadaHelps.org for donations. Your
contribution will go directly toward the Luna Stewardship activities.
We have posted this letter, the revised draft Luna Stewardship Plan, website
links, photos and other Luna related information. We will use this website
to keep people up to date on what is happening with Luna.
There are several ways you can assist the
Luna Stewardship effort:
• sign on as a Luna Stewardship partner with Mowachaht/Muchalaht
and other organizations
• provide your ideas on how to protect Luna through the ReuniteLuna.com
forum
• make a contribution to the Luna Stewardship activities
• actively spread the word with your internet and email contacts.
Many are interested in future plans for Luna. The preference of the Mowachaht/
Muchalaht is to let nature take its course. We would be genuinely pleased
if Luna reunites naturally with his pod.
As you may know, Mowachaht/Muchalaht understand that Tsux’iit is
our late Chief returned to us as a killer whale, as he said he would.
As is our custom, the Mowachaht/Muchalaht have been planning a memorial
gathering to formally send our late Chief home after the appropriate time
has passed. This celebration is planned for November 2005. Mowachaht/
Muchalaht Chiefs have informed DFO that Mowachaht/Muchalaht will not participate
in any Tsux’iit reunification attempts before that time.
For further information on recent events and how you can help with Luna
Stewardship, please contact Don Hall at the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council
(phone: 250–724–5757; email: dhall@island.net)
or Jamie James at Mowachaht/ Muchalaht Fisheries (phone: 250–283–2015;
email: fisheries@yuquot.ca).
Thank you again for your support and consideration of our request for your help to keep this magnificent whale safe from harm.
Sincerely,
Chief Mike Maquinna
Tyee Ha’wilth
Mowachaht/Muchalaht
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Mowachaht/Muchalaht update and Letter of Appeal
Mike Maquinna
