Strip away the ceremonies, symbols and knowledge from the land, or sell them off, and people will no longer feel responsible for the land. The heritage of a people is deeply rooted in their traditional territory. I have analyzed the concept of heritage in my study entitled Protection of the Heritage of Indigenous People . This brings me to a second principle for the defense of traditional resource rights. Tsimshian law governed the relationships between human beings and the land in one particular place, and I am certain that the Tsimshian would never think of forcing Tsimshian laws on any other peoples.
Different countries have different laws.
I would like to suggest to you that there is a very simple way of settling the legal issues surrounding indigenous people's cultural and intellectual property rights. The solution is to resolve any disputes over the acquisition and use of indigenous peoples' heritage according to the customary laws of the indigenous peoples concerned. It is a very ancient principle among nations. It was recognized by the Roman Empire, and still applies to disputes over contracts, the ownership of private property, and family relationships, when the parties live in different countries. Instead, British Columbia, Canada and the United Nations should recognize, respect, and enforce Tsimshian law.