Why we chose Peace Hills Trust
When my brother and I started chuchua.tech, we decided that every part of the business should reflect our values. It isn't just about the code we write or the systems we build: it is about where we put our support.
That is why we recently drove down to Kelowna to open a business account with Peace Hills Trust.
For a long time, Indigenous communities have had to work within financial systems that didn't always understand our history, our lands, or our needs. By choosing an Indigenous-led financial institution, we are participating in a different kind of system. It is a way of ensuring that our business success helps build the collective strength of Indigenous economies.
The link to Knucwentwécw
In my last post, I mentioned how James Teit recorded that our ancestors viewed land and resources as communal property, managed by the people for the people. Teit noted that "no man was much wealthier than another" because resources like fishing platforms were shared for the common good.
Banking might seem like a modern corporate necessity, but it can still follow that ancient principle of Knucwentwécw, which means helping each other.
When we bank with an Indigenous institution:
The money stays closer to home: It supports a system that is designed to help Indigenous entrepreneurs and communities thrive.
We are prioritizing relationships: Just like our tech philosophy, we want our financial relationships to be built on understanding and cultural safety.
We are practicing economic sovereignty: If we want to reclaim authority over our data and our laws, we also need to be intentional about our economic power.
The "Porcupine" path
It would have been easy to just use one of the "Big Five" banks because it is convenient. But chuchua.tech isn't about the easy path. It is about the "Porcupine" path: the one that requires a bit more determination to do what is right for the greater good (See another previous post on lessons from porcupine).
Driving to Kelowna was a small step, but it was an intentional one. It is our way of saying that we believe in Indigenous institutions as much as we believe in Indigenous tech. We are here to help weave sacred stories, systems, and sovereignty together.
What do you think? Does your business or organization think about the "ancestry" of the institutions you support?
If you want to talk more about building sovereign systems: from data to dollars: Reach out to us here.
Protocol Note: Our approach to economic support is guided by the communal values of the Secwépemc people. We believe that modern business can, and should, honor these traditional principles of shared prosperity.