Episode 32- The Criminalization of Indigenous Land Defenders in Canada —
Our Truth Part one, Chief Na’Moks and Jesse Stoeppler
WHAT
This is part one of a four part series on the criminalization of land defenders
across Canada, highlighting firsthand experiences and legal injustices.
WHO
Chief Na’Moks is a Hereditary Chief of the Tsayu (Beaver Clan), one of the five
clans of the Wet’suwet’en Nation. The traditional name he carries is thousands
of years old and, as part of their matrilineal society, was also held by his
grandmother—who wore the very same regalia he wears today. The role of a
Hereditary Chief carries the sacred responsibility of protecting the 22,000 square
kilometers of Wet’suwet’en territory, a duty grounded in ancestral law that has
remained unchanged both before and after colonial contact.
As a vocal and respected leader, Chief Na’Moks has brought international
attention to the violations of Wet’suwet’en rights in the context of unconsented
resource development. He has spoken at the United Nations Headquarters in
New York and Geneva, sharing his people’s message about the militarized role
the RCMP plays on their territory. Since 2019, he has appeared in nearly 100
media interviews, both print and broadcast, denouncing what he describes as a
campaign of state-backed harassment, surveillance, and discrimination.