Film on tribal hunting rights victory in Canada to premiere

The recent story of a Colville tribal member winning hunting rights on traditional lands in Canada is being told in a 30-minute documentary that will premiere in Spokane next month.

A Jan. 17 press release from the Colville Tribes details the documentary and the story that it tells. 

"'Older Than The Crown' follows the trial of Sinixt tribal member and retired Fish & Wildlife Officer, Rick Desautel, who in 2010 was charged with hunting as a non-resident and without a license in Canada," the release states. "Rick harvested an elk on the ancestral land of the Sinixt people near Vallican, British Columbia. To the Sinixt, hunting on their ancestral land is a right gifted to them by Creator, but was made illegal in 1897. In 1956, to pave the way for hydro-electric development, the Canadian government unjustly declared them extinct in Canada, despite knowing that a large number of Sinixt were living on the Colville Indian Reservation in Washington State." 

Courts in Canada in recent years ruled that the Sinixt people were not extinct but very much alive, and that they should be allowed to hunt on their ancestral lands. 

"The Desautel hunting case has not only allowed the Sinixt people to bring light to their unjust extinction by the Canadian government, but also to abolish it once and for all," the release says. 

"This documentary is a tribute to the strength and resilience of generations of our 

people who struggled against overwhelming colonial forces and fought for our very survival," Colville Tribal Chairman Rodney Cawston said. "Having at least part of our story finally told is very gratifying. For well over 150 years, the Sinixt have sacrificed and lost so much. Rick Desautel honors all of our ancestors and this film is for them."

The world premiere of "Older Than The Crown" is set for Feb. 8, at 7 p.m. at the Garland Theater in Spokane. 

Showings at Gonzaga University, Washington State University, and in Canada are to follow.  Advance tickets are available through http://www.eventbrite.com for $5, which will include a free "Older Than The Crown" poster or at the door.

All ticket sale proceeds will go toward "The Journey To Ottawa," a fundraiser to assist tribal members, youth, and elders to attend the Supreme Court hearing later this year. 

A panel discussion to follow fill feature: Rick and Linda Desautel, ceremonial hunter; Mark Underhill, lead attorney; Rodney Cawston, chairman of the Colville Confederated Tribes; and Derrick LaMere, the film's director and producer.