Our Snawaylth are our Teachings – they govern and guide all aspects of our lives. Snawaylth are our laws, values, beliefs, spiritual guidance, and principles for action. They are comprehensive in that no aspect of our lives, and the actions and choices we make, can be understood apart from our Snawaylth.
At the heart of our Snawaylth is a worldview that sees the interconnected relationship between all living things in creation. Seeing this interconnectedness teaches us that all things must be honoured and respected, for they all have a spirit and purpose. This guides us in our daily lives, and in the decisions we make as a community. For example, from our worldview to speak of the “impact” of a decision, means to view the impacts holistically through a lens that recognizes the living spirit within all things, and how everything is connected and relates to one another.
We often express our Snawaylth through stories. The Story for Fish identifies the laws, values, beliefs, spiritual guidance, and principles of action that govern our relationship with fish. Through that story, what it means to fish, how we should fish, the stewardship and governance of our fisheries, and how we relate to the abundant fish communities of our Territory.