A memorial plaque erected by Ulkatcho First Nation (UFN) honouring two women, murdered and missing in the mid 1860s, has been removed.
The plaque was mounted on a rock at the pullout on Highway 20 across from the entrance to the Fish Trap and Dean River Recreation Site.
Ulkatcho Chief Lynda Price said the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's Inquiry (MMIWI) conducted by Chief Commissioner and former Judge Marion Buller was a very significant undertaking to bring recognition to the issue of MMIW in Canada.
"To recognize this important issue, UFN placed a memorial plaque to recognize Klemtedza from Nagwunt'loo who was murdered. Further, recognize Toowaewoot, a former Chief's daughter who was abducted from her family and went missing. Historical injustices that happened to our women are just as important as those that unfortunately continue in the present. This needs to stop and sometimes the only way we can bring attention to these issues is by educating the public. That is why the plaque is significant to us."
Referencing the book Missionary Life in British Columbia by Rev. R.C. Lundin Brown, a UFN news release about the stolen plaque noted Brown wrote about his experiences, including arriving in Quesnelmouth on Oct. 2, 1864 where he met Judge Matthew Baillie Begbie.
“Judge Begbie told him about five prisoners awaiting execution. He agreed he would stay and instruct them with the help of an interpreter named Baptiste,” noted the release.
“He was aware of the circumstances surrounding the three incidents that happened in May 1864 at Bute Inlet, the Precipice Trail near Fish Trap and the Dean River, and William Manning’s Ranch at Puntzi."
“He recorded that Klymtedza was from Nagwuntl’oo. He also recorded that Toowaewoot was the daughter of Chief Shopeadz whose family was slain and further that Toowaewoot was taken captive by Klattsassan who already had a wife and family. He recorded that Klatsassan was 20 years older than Toowaewoot who was a young lady at the time of her captivity.”
UFN said it is "alarming that someone thought it was right instead of wrong" to take a memorial plaque dedicated to the women from Naghwuntl’oo.
“UFN acknowledges and recognizes Klymtedza and Toowaewoot, the two brave women whose lives ended in tragedy as a result of being murdered and abducted. The awareness of MMIWI needs to be taken seriously and people need to recognize that women, girls and babies' lives matter.”
An eyewitness saw a pickup truck (dark) hauling a trailer (black with silver trim) pull into the site near where the plaque was situated around 9:30 to 10:00 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024 at the Fish Trap and Dean Recreational area.
Anahim Lake RCMP Sgt. Jason Bouwman told Black Press as of Monday, Nov. 18, there have been no new information about the plaque's disappearance.
The community is asking anyone who has knowledge of the vandalism and theft of the memorial plaque to contact the Anahim Lake RCMP station at 250-742-3211.
