The County of Maui Mayor’s Sustainability Speaker Series will feature Nits’il?in Chief Joe Alphonse of Tsilhqot’in Nation in British Columbia, Canada, who will speak on indigenous conservation practices on Tuesday, Oct. 1.

He will discuss “Indigenous Participation in Public Policy for Combatting Climate Crises and Creating a Culture of Conservation” at 1 p.m. and “Indigenous People’s Practices to Protect our Planet: Tsilhqot’in Nation Philosophy, Values and Culture for Climate Justice” at 4:30 p.m.

Both talks will be In the Governor’s Conference Room at 2264 Aupuni St. in Wailuku.

Chief Alphonse is a prominenet indigenous leader from the Tsilhqotʻin Nation in British Columbia, Canada. As the tribal chairman of the Tsilhqotʻin National Governement and the Chief of Tlʻetinqox (Anaham), he has been a passionate advocate for indigenous rights and sovereignty. He played a key role in the historic Supreme Court of Canada decision in 2014, which recognized Tsilhqotʻin Aboriginal title to their traditional lands – the first of its kind in Canadian history.

Chief Alphonse will share about the decade since the historic decision, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s formal apology to the Tsilhqot’in people.

The Tsilhqot’in (Chlcotin), whose name means “people of the red river,” are Indigenous to the area between the Fraser River and the Coast Mountains in west-central British Columbia. The Tsilhqot’in National Government is a tribal council established in 1989 representing the six member First Nations of the Chilcotin Plateau in British Columbia.

Chief Alphonse served as Director of Government and Services at the Tsilhqot’in National Government, studied Environmental and Political Science at Lethbridge Community College in Alberta and has an honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Victoria.

The Mayor's Sustainability Speaker Series features individuals dedicated to caring for our planet, sharing their stories and strategies to protect Maui Nui for future generations.

“This series was created to bring people together to drive action in our daily lives for climate justice,ʻ said Mayor Richard Bissen. “The dynamic discussions and innovative ideas address the multi-faceted nature of sustainability amd encourage us to mobilize our islands to tackle climate challenges and secure a more resilient future.”