B.C. chiefs deny cursing Norwegian Olympic team

Shaman blames lacklustre results on natives angry over
Norway-owned fish farms

/Last Updated: Friday, February 19, 2010 | 12:23 PM PT /

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/02/19/bc-norwegian-...

A shaman in Norway has suggested aboriginal people in B.C. might have cursed the Nordic country's Olympic athletes because of their opposition to Norwegian-owned fish farming operations in B.C., but West Coast native leaders deny any mystic influence.

Norway is traditionally a powerhouse in the Winter Olympics, having placed first overall in Salt Lake City in 2002 with 13 gold medals.

But when Norway's early results in the Vancouver Games were not as good as expected, the Norwegian broadcaster NRK sought out a Sami shaman ? or indigenous spiritualist ? who speculated his counterparts in B.C. might be the cause.

Eirik Boie Myrhaug is quoted as saying that Indian magic might be behind Norway's Olympic setbacks. He suggests some B.C. chiefs might have cast an evil spell on the Norwegian athletes.

As NRK notes, several B.C. chiefs did stage a 29-hour hunger strike this week to protest the 29 Norwegian-owned fish farms in the Musgamagw Tsawataineuk Tribal Council's territories, located in the Broughton Archipelago north of Vancouver.

Marine Harvest and Cermaq, which own the fish farms, both have Norwegian parent companies.

*'I can honestly report that I do not possess this kind of spiritual
power he's suggesting that I do.'* /? B.C. Chief Bob Chamberlin/

The 29-hour hunger strike was timed to end on Tuesday, just before the start of the Olympic hockey game between Canada and Norway, which Canada won 8-0.

One of the hunger strikers was Chief Bob Chamberlin from Gilford Island near Port McNeill, who denied having any mystic influence at the Olympics.

Chamberlin said he doesn't want to be disrespectful to another people's spiritual leader but that he can't take credit for influencing the outcome of Olympic events.

"I can honestly report that I do not possess this kind of spiritual power he's suggesting that I do," Chamberlin said.

"If I did possess such a power, I don't think I would be directing it at the Norwegian national sportsmen. I think I would direct it towards the fish farms."

Another hunger striker, Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, said he's glad the activities of Norwegian fish farming companies in Canada are making news in Norway. Phillip had one message for those companies.

"Go home. Take your toxic and lethal salmon farming practices with you!" he said.

Phillip and Chamberlin say they hold nothing against the Norwegian athletes, whose performance this week at the Olympics has picked up, putting them third overall, with a medal total of eight ? just ahead of Canada by one bronze medal.

Salmon farming operations have been under fire by critics who maintain they spread sea lice to juvenile wild salmon stocks, but the operators of B.C.'s salmon fish farming industry say their activities are safe and sustainable.

The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs has invited King Harald V of Norway to meet with its members while he is at the Olympic Games, but so far, he has declined the invitation.