Sunday’s rockfall of 1,000 cubic metres of granite from the Stawamus Chief was an ominous sign, according to Squamish Nation spiritual tradition.
Squamish Nation hereditary Chief Ian Campbell said many Nation members are feeling uncomfortable since the slab of granite broke off the Stawamus Chief just before noon on Sunday, creating a cloud of dust that attracted the town’s attention and scared some local climbers but did not result in injuries or fatalities, according to official sources.
“Traditionally in our spiritual values, when a piece of the Chief mountain caves off like that, it generally represents that something bad is to follow, usually the death of someone prominent or some sort of warning sign too, to the people,” said Campbell.
Among many local First Nations, according to Campbell, the Stawamus Chief was originally a longhouse that was transformed during mythological times into the granite monolith.
“It is believed that inhabitants [of the longhouse] are still inside the rock and those inhabitants would be comprised of many of the animal people that we would have relation with in our territory. And it is said that the fire that was in the longhouse was actually a significant crystal, quartz that is in the middle of that mountain that vibrates and gives energy. That is why people are attracted to it and why it has such a formidable presence,” he said.
Campbell said the anxiety remains heightened in the community and people are checking in on each other more and wishing each other well.
The rockfall coming on the heels of other recent negative events that have had an impact on the Nation also sends a message about future industrialization, Campbell said. “With all of these recent events – I mean we have the fire at Port Metro Vancouver a couple of months ago and then this bunker sea spill and then the fire in Squamish there – all of these are adding up to human error and the fact that accidents do happen,” he said.
“And the proposal for increased industrialization doesn’t sit well without proper frameworks in place for the Nation to be involved with decision making, as well as the economic participation and the environmental stewardship that abides by our laws and our traditions, as well as western science-based decision making.”
In terms of the fire at the Squamish Terminals, he said the Nation is awaiting more information.
“We need to fully understand it and look at, again, ways the Squamish Nation can be involved with our visioning and basically what we want to see – the type of sustainable development and business,” he said.
“Something that our community members are really pressing us [is] to say when are we going to develop our marine use plan and look at having the Squamish having a greater say in the activities within our waters and our lands.”
