Mission & Prologue

mission statement

We, the indigenous peoples of the Salish Sea our autonomous status as sovereign Tribes and First Nations and our inherent responsibility as protectors of our Mother Earth, will continue to speak with One Voice for the preservation, restoration, and protection of the Salish Sea Eco Region for the sustainability of our sacred inherent family rights and values that have been passed on to us by our ancestors.

prologue

We, the indigenous peoples of the Salish Sea, honor and respect our sacred trust to restore, preserve and protect our culture, treaties, aboriginal rights and the land, air and waters of the Salish Sea. Our sacred trust has been given to us from our ancestors and defines our role as protectors of our Mother Earth. We are entrusted with the protection and sustainability of environment and natural resources of our ancestral lands, watersheds, and estuarine waters of the Salish Sea. Our ancestors have passed down the traditional teachings of songs, dances, and spiritual ceremonies that reflect our relationship to the natural world and depict our identity and strengths of our peoples. Over the decades our lands and waters have been severely impacted by pollution that affects our culture, food, health, and economy. Most importantly hurting our elders who have relied on these since the beginning of time and threatening the life ways of our children's future.

We have always defended and protected our ancestral lands and waters, we seek to acknowledge our sacred alliance so we may work together as one proud nation. Our elders, leaders and community members have given us a strong message that our homelands and waters need to be protected, preserved and restored for future generations. With our commitment to our Sacred Trust, we will work together with the six governing bodies of the Salish Sea to overcome the environmental challenges to our shared homelands.