At a recent forum on mining in Tofino, BC, a First Nations father and daughter from Clayoquot Sound expressed their opposition to a pair of mines proposed by Imperial Metals for their traditional territories – also the location of a world-renowned UNESCO biosphere reserve. John Rampanen, of both the local Tla-o-qui-aht and Ahousaht First Nations, spoke about the impacts of the mines on his family’s traditional way of life and of the need to balance employment with ecological sustainability; his eleven year-old daughter, Kalilah Rampanen, sang a song she wrote about Catface Mountain – the location of a proposed open pit copper mine in the heart of the Clayoquot Sound.

In her song, titled “Chitaapi” (Catface’s indigenous name), the young singer-songwriter warns Canadian mining titan Imperial Metals, “If you wanna mine my mountain, / Well, you’re gonna have to go through me.” Watch John Rampanen’s speech and see his daughter Kalilah perform her song “Chitaapi” here.