I may have led you on to thinking that this trip is just for fun and enjoyment. Well, that is wrong. We are going to STOP the Northern Gateway Pipeline; a pipeline filled with bitumen(a very toxic oil) that will be going rights through B.C. from the tar sands near Edmonton. This pipeline will be heading to a port on the coast of B.C. and it will connect to many takers, which disturb the quiet noise underwater. If a spill were to occur, it would devastate the Heiltsuk people in Bella Bella, the very rare animals, and the only place in the world where wild land meets wild water. This oil would stick to all of the ground, contaminate the water, and kill much plant life. It would kill animals if they ate it or got too much bitumen stuck in their fur/feathers. It would wreck an entire coast's culture and way of life. The Heiltsuk live off of the land and with all of thhe land, water and animals contaminated and toxic, it is like genocide --> that would be taking away everything that keeps them living. If you don't call that genocide, then I don't know what you would call it, but it would have to be harsh. We need to stop this pipeline and save the Spirit Bear, Coastal Wolves, the pristine land, and the Heiltsuk.
We have come to conclusions as to why we are going to Bella Bella, such as what we are going to change, our purpose, and our themes. Here it is:
We are going to Bella Bella to support the First Nations people in protecting their land from the Northern Gateway Pipeline (NGP). We will stand up for what we believe in, which is going against the pipeline, so that we can all come together as a group and reach our full potential to inspire the First Nations peoples that we are on their side. We will connect with them so that we can learn their cultures, ways, traditions, feelings and perspectives on the pipeline so that we can change society’s perspectives on who the First Nations peoples truly are. We want to learn their ways of life so that we can live off the land and live with sustainability. We want to show people that we, as grade eight students, can make a difference in the world by stopping the Northern Gateway Pipeline. To create change with the land, we will create awareness, and educate people on environmental issues including the NGP. We want to grow in understanding of our land while we are connecting to Mother Earth and exploring British Columbia and our country. Flora and fauna is what we want to get educated on so that we can improve the importance of the land to humans and animals. While giving back to the earth and the community, we want to have an unforgettable experience with the Heiltsuk people, with our family and with the land. This is what we are planning to do before, during and after our trip to Bella Bella. We want to get educated on the people and the land beforehand so that we can have an awesome time preventing the pipeline while we are there. After, we will educate people on the cause, and possibly create a documentary to raise awareness and get everybody in Canada to come together to stop this pipeline. Our Dream
We had about 15 minutes until we had to come up with where we were going for our year end trip. In these 15 short minutes, we would make the decision that would change our whole year. Would it be Bella Bella, or the Yukon? At first, I was leaning towards the Yukon, but after a good forty minutes of research, I switched over to Bella Bella, as I found that there was much more ways that we could help out there, and I feel like it is just overall a more interesting place. We were all sitting on the couches, waiting for Dustin and Mel to enter the room with our results. They told us that before we did our research, the outcomes were teetering toward Yukon. I was extremely excited, as I wanted to go to both places, but there was about one more percent of me that wanted to go to Bella Bella, even though I would be happy with both places. They were both so unique though; the Yukon was a lot colder and there were so many different places that we could go. Bella Bella was a bit warmer, and we could connect to the First Nations a lot more. There were only one or two points that made me go towards Bella Bella. I was so excited to figure out where we were going to go! I was pretty much falling off my seat, as I was extremely anxious to figure out our dream. I just wanted to know! I couldn’t wait, and when Dustin and Mel waked into the room, my stomach dropped into my feet. I couldn’t stop grinning; I just couldn’t contain my excitement. I wanted to know so badly, and Dustin and Mel were just killing me, because they wouldn’t tell us. They slowly smiled and told us their words were along the lines of this, “You guys have voted, and the results are…BELLA BELLA!!” Everyone jumped up, and I felt Julia grab me in her arms and just hug me while we were both screaming. I was so cheerful; I was just smiling like a fool. It was amazing that we were going to Bella Bella, and I was (I still am!) excited to get on that 31 hour journey to our destination. Imagine, raising over $25,000, working so hard to get to this one place, just to have the experience of a lifetime, and learn with the First Nations people who live there. Getting to see your dream become a reality, then finally, hopping on to that bus that takes you to B.C. with your packs and journals in hand. Stepping onto a 10 plus hour ferry ride, then walking onto the wobbly charter boat. Then, after 31 hours traveling through crashing waters, and finally, seeing the horizon of Bella Bella. Then you get to feel pure joy and magic because you accomplished your dream. You got to Bella Bella, and you and your team got yourselves there. This is what I want to be able to experience. This is my dream, and I will do whatever it takes to get there. This trip we call Bella Bella is my main goal, and I just won’t stop until we get there. I just have to get to Bella Bella. It would be so amazing if we did, and I would never ever forget the journey, and the trip. Ugh! I just can’t even explain how much I want to get there. The English language is so limited, and there sadly aren’t enough words to get out what I am feeling. Oh well, I guess there is a purpose for everythingJ. This is a fundraiser (bingo) we did! |