One Nation proudly welcomes Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs, as our pilot partner for our innovative new project on digital membership and genealogy of a hereditary traditional government.
One Nation understands the importance of First Nations being stewards of their own information, both individually and collectively. It has been known since time immemorial the importance of protecting traditional resources, but in this modern day it is also important to protect information and our cultural intellectual property. We are so pleased to support Gitanyow Nation in their desire to make this a reality.
One Nation prides itself on providing an integrated data structure which respects and honors both tradition and culture in a modern governance tool.
The purpose and key features of the platform are to provide an accessible and empowering way for First Nations to become owners and stewards of their own information. The benefits reaped are removing technological barriers, so First Nations can use their information in a way that benefits their communities.
Gitanyow is a First Nations community of the Gitxsan people, located on the Kitwanga River 8 km south of Kitwancool Lake, at the confluence of Kitwancool Creek. Currently, the Gitanyow Nation’s mission is to protect the Lax’yip for the Wilp membership through various negotiated or litigated resolutions with the provincial and federal governments. One Nation and Gitanyow Nation have decided to co-develop this project together in hopes of overcoming technological barriers, and taking oral history and original archives from paper to digital. The purpose for the platform is to replace the Indian Act system and support the Wilp membership for the eight hereditary Wilp of Gitanyow. One Nation will help implement, with the participation of Gitanyow members, an intuitive genealogy and bespoke software system which will facilitate the easy extraction of member data.
These records in digital form will undoubtedly have a significant impact on legal proceedings regarding their land title case in point against the Nisga’a Treaty, which came into force in 2000, was negotiated without the participation and over the objections of the Gitanyow. The extraction of member data will then be readily available for litigators when needed in court.
One Nation and Gitanyow began collaborating and fulfilling the requirements gathering in November of 2023, and we kicked off this year with phase one of our software development process. We look forward to our in-person training sessions, and we are happy to say that the co-development is going well, and we anticipate an early completion this fall.
Ongoing support and resources will be available for Gitanyow Nation, as One Nation understands that breaking down technological barriers is a helpful step toward self-determination and becoming completely data sovereign.
Post Pilot phase, there is the potential for an expansion to a fully operational hosting/data center on the territory. This in and of itself would represent true data sovereignty.
We really and truly are excited to be able to celebrate the success of Indigenous communities, and we are happy to help facilitate steps toward true data sovereignty.