Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi‘it First Nation
The ʔakanuxunik’ members of Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi’it First Nation are the distinct group of Indigenous people who have occupied, controlled and been exclusive stewards over their unceded lands that surround Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi’it – all inclusive since time immemorial. In English, the word ʔakanuxunik’ translates to “the people that are from where the water comes out of the mountain.” ʔakanuxunik’ people are members of the Ktunaxa (Kootenai) speaking peoples of British Columbia, Idaho and Montana.
The ʔakanuxunik’ members of Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi’it First Nation are the distinct group of Indigenous people who have occupied, controlled and been exclusive stewards over their unceded ancestral lands that surround Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi’it – all inclusive since time immemorial. In English, the word ʔakanuxunik’ translates to “the people that are from where the water comes out of the mountain.” ʔakanuxunik’ people are members of the Ktunaxa (Kootenai) speaking peoples of British Columbia, Idaho and Montana.
Our Purpose
The purpose of the Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi’it First Nation administration is to protect and further the rights and title of ʔakanuxunik’ peoples, providing opportunities in economic development, health and wellness, employment and training, and cultural heritage.
Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi‘it Vision Statement
Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi‘it is reclaiming our self-determination and sustainability, while preserving and nurturing ʔakanuxunik’ land, culture, language, and ceremony. Our vision is guided by our Ancestors, Creator and ʔAknumuȼtiⱡiⱡ (Natural Law) with strength and unity, ensuring that all ʔakanuxunik’ are acknowledged and respected.
ʔAknumuȼtiⱡiⱡ (Natural Law)
ʔAknumuȼtiⱡiⱡ (Natural Law) is our word for the law given to the Ktunaxa Peoples by the Creator.
It is a powerful word and speaks to why we were put here on this land. We were born into this land and someday we will return through death. The Creator put us here for a reason and that reason is to take of the land and its resources.
The law of the land, ʔAknumuȼtiⱡiⱡ (Natural Law), is the law for survival. The law protects the values inherent in our land. The land gives us resources to survive, and in return, we uphold our covenant with the Creator to protect and not overuse the land.
The law is grounded in the fact that all things are connected and must be kept in balance. It is also the foundation of our spirituality – that of being humble in our limited understanding and of being respectful of our role within nature and with our creatures, as well as being respectful and acknowledging the Creator and our Ancestors. (Ktunaxa Nation 2010).
A Message from Nasuʔkin Heidi Gravelle
Restoring the spirit of the land will restore the spirit of the people.
Kiʔsuʔk kyukyit. Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi’it is engaging in unprecedented discussions as a First Nation, and advocating for the ʔakanuxunik’ people, our future, and the protection of our land. To achieve our goals, we must forge a new path. This land is our home. It is our storyteller and our caretaker. No one understands this like we do. We began here, and long after the visitors disappear, our people will remain. I have a vision of the place I want to leave for our grandchildren, where the land is healthy, the water is clean, and the plants and animals thrive. I truly believe if we take steps to heal our land, we will also heal. To begin, we must take our rightful seat at the table.
Council and I are actively working to insert ourselves into decision making from inception. We will no longer wait to be asked. We will speak up, for our people and for all living things. We will be heard. Together, we are stronger. Taxas.
OUR LANGUAGE
Ktunaxa is a language isolate, meaning that it is one of a kind and unrelated to any other language in the world. Currently, it is in danger of becoming extinct, with fewer and fewer fluent elders living within the community. It’s up to us to preserve it, for the generations to come.
ʔAKANUXUNIK’
(the people that are from where the water comes out of the mountain) ah-can-nah-hoon-ick
ʔAKANUXUNIK’ ʔAMAKʔIS
(Tobacco Plains Indian Band traditional territory) ah-can-nah-hoon-ick, ama-kiss.
QUKIN ʔAMAKʔIS
(Raven’s Land) koo-kin, ama – kiss
YAQ̓IT ʔA·KNUQⱠI’IT
(Tobacco Plains Indian Band) yakut-ak-nu-klee-it
ʔAKISQ̓NUK (Invermere Band), ah-kiss-can-nook,
ʔAQ̓AM (St. Mary’s Band), ah-kum,
YAQAN NUʔKIY (Lower Kootenay Band) yak-can-nook-ee
NASUʔKIN (Chief) nah-sook-in
ʔA·KNUSTI (Lands Stewards) ak-noost-ee
KIʔSUʔK KYUKYIT, (good day) kee-sook-ee-yook-kee-it
ʔUSMIK KUKTQAPNAM, (New Beginnings) oos-mik kook-ta-cap-nam
Ktunaxa
Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi‘it
ʔakanuxunik’
ʔAknumuȼtiⱡiⱡ
OTHER RESOURCES
Our Culture
For thousands of years, the ʔakanuxunik’ people enjoyed the natural bounty of the land, seasonally migrating throughout our homelands to follow vegetation and hunting cycles.
We obtained all our food, medicine and material for shelter and clothing from nature – hunting, fishing and gathering throughout our territory, across the Rocky Mountains and on the Great Plains of both Canada and the United States.
Family and Community were, and are, very important to our way of life. Families lived together and grandparents raised grandchildren, if necessary. A resilient and strong group of people, the Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi’it First Nation continued to live in teepees during the winter season. The people were very interconnected, everyone knew everyone else and they all cared for each other. Elders passed down knowledge through storytelling. Cultural activities such as beading, working with animal hides, and Waȼkna (meat cutting, smoking) were a large part of daily life.
“Our lands provide us with an ecosystem where our waters, plants and animals work together in a symbiotic relationship to sustain our people and maintain our ways of life since time immemorial,” says Nasuʔkin Heidi Gravelle. “Our culture is interwoven with our land and water. They thrive together, or die together.”
