So I am going to stir the pot and I may piss a few people off, and I am really sorry if I make things difficult for you but we are going to have to go through a little (or maybe a lot) of sh*t to make things right....or at least better.
So I am going to challenge the people of Hope http://www.shxwowhamel.ca , Yale (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yale_First_Nation ) & Spuzzum ( Nlaka'pamux) and all the people in between to take rise to this difficult but what will be a rewarding, enlightening and socially justifying moment in the history of this area. This challenge is for everyone living in that area but also for those who love to visit and travel through
Tales from Yale by Everyone
https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=tales%20from%20yale%20by%20everyone
Travel The Canyon
https://www.facebook.com/travelthecanyon/
Historical Yale & Tea house
https://www.facebook.com/HistoricYale/
https://www.facebook.com/HistoricYaleTeaHouse/
Yale First Nation
https://www.facebook.com/yalefirstnation/
Spuzzum First Nation
https://www.facebook.com/Spuzzum-First-Nation-166786686731566/
History & Memories of Hope and the Fraser Canyon
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1903175996570805/?ref=br_rs
A lot of stuff happened right here in Yale and the surrounding area, it was a beginning according to all the settlers but that is a lie, it is not the truth. Beautiful people lived and cared for the area for time and memorial before the gold miners arrived the did horrible things to the First Nations living there but also to the land. Using mercury, stealing young Sto'lo youth, stealing land and murders of entire villages, atrocities were committed by the settlers on the Indigenous people living there and that must be acknowledged and education of all that visit the area is required. The truth must be known if healing can proceed.
Imagine some men showing up to your yard, pitching tents and setting up camp. Digging and putting strange things in the water, bringing strange things to the area, poisoning the land & the people, The Gold Rush- Thing is it is still happening.
The true gold of the time and still is, is the salmon. Imagine the effects on the people where they put mercury and all other poisonous things into the water and land. What was pristine and harmonious with nature was destroyed.
Sadly or however you may view, it but I view it sad that he was part of it, my Great Great Grandparent- Joao Ignacio d'Almada (John Enos) who married Theresa Eliza Enos (Songhees) he traveled to Yale 1859 and nearly drowned on the Fraser river.
https://mylangaratrccarvingjourney.blogspot.ca/2016/11/enos-poirier-ancestry-kalapuya-iroquois.html
I do not know to much about him. M. Azevedo had done a lot of research though. When I found his info I started my own research http://portuguesepioneersofbc.blogspot.ca/2011/08/john-enos-of-nanoose-bay-from-luistania.html
Ya! ya! so what is the challenge.
Well it is the 150+ years ----from time and memorial - documented 13,000 years back and I do not like the way it is playing out in Tourism and Facebook and 150. You see what I am seeing is very settler oriented and the challenge is Reconciliation.
I know I missed some but you get my point. You take the challenge and then challenge someone else.
https://www.facebook.com/AboriginalBC/
https://www.facebook.com/canada150plus/
https://www.hellobc.com/default.aspx?CC=CA
https://www.facebook.com/marketing/
https://twitter.com/canada150th
http://canada.pch.gc.ca/eng/1471283554300/1471284190952
http://canada.pch.gc.ca/canada150
https://www.facebook.com/HelloBC
What? What is Reconciliation? How do we do it? What do you know? Why should we do this?
I hear you. But I was thinking that this could be a great way to boost Cultural Understanding, Help with the local economy, build the community, heal people.
So I have no idea where those Spirit Caves are... but I remember when I was a kid, 2 friends and someone else went for a hike up there. I didn't make it the whole way...they did though.
Anyways, wouldn't it be cool if you could have a tour...or part of a little bit of the path..if it's bad and have like a traditional home or cedar boards and maybe have some cedar clothing and just like something that would have been normal 200 years ago and back 13,000 years. Be authentic but keep it real. I haven't been to Squamish/Whistler https://www.whistler.com/arts/squamish-lilwat-cultural-centre/ but maybe something like that. Maybe a living museum...
https://mylangaratrccarvingjourney.blogspot.ca/2017/01/design-ideas-abundance-sustainable-eco.html
Maybe have picnics or even Potlatchs with salmon, camas root (not sure that grows there), berries and have a truly authentic meal that the Coast Salish and the Sto'lo and Spuzzum (forgive me for not knowing the correct names)
So it's a shout out to the youth to research their history and it's a challenge for the parents to really research and it is a challenge for everyone to really do some research find out about your history. You will be surprised(not in a good way), I am sure, there's been so much that was hidden from us. It is the truth we seek and need!!
Hopefully you understand my point. Let's be real. I can't support settlers style tourism unless you truly portray the Indigenous way of life as well. Perhaps you could have carvers come and maybe even ask - some Elder/knowledgekeepers if they could graciously come share their time with you and if they can teach you these valuable skills such as language, weaving, how to gather food, cook salmon, dry salmon, who knows how to fish traditionally, who could share would graciously share their experience and wisdom.
There must be lots of funding for this from the 150 thing but I am sure people can be wise and figure out how to keep simple and beautiful.
Right now the salmon are in trouble and so our the youth, the earth, everything is hurting. We must protect the Fraser River and the salmon. In turn the salmon- the life givers will save the people.
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| Woodcut Print Carving, Print & Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2017 |
Here's some links. It's up to you to do the research and reach out to each other.
http://www.yeyeosun.com/lets-talk-spiritual-colonialism/
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-truth-and-reconciliation-artwork-1.4111161
http://www.canadalandshow.com/janet-rogers-cultural-appropriation-prize/
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/jesse-wente-appropriation-prize-1.4115293?cmp=rss
https://www.facebook.com/CBC.caIndigenous/videos/10155300825931950/
http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/entertainment/jonathan-kay-steps-down-1.4114691
http://www.rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/journalism-doctor/2017/05/embarrassing-stone-deaf-whiteness-canadian-media-leaders
http://leaderpost.com/news/local-news/balfour-ribbon-project-a-communal-step-to-reconciliation
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/joshua-ostroff/cultural-appropriation_b_16562760.html?ncid=engmodushpmg00000004
http://ohtheplacesyoushouldknow.com/
http://learningcircle.ubc.ca/2016/11/aboriginal-health-and-community-administration-ahcap/
I can imagine your thinking what the heck is she doing. Well I just finished my Reconciliation Carving Program at Langara, I have contacted my daughter's school and I have been asked to speak about my creativity by her Social's teacher (not sure I am up to large groups) and I am going to speak with her principal as well. I was asked if I gave carving workshops and I am looking into that.
The great thing about doing an activity together, be it carving, beading, sewing, painting, what ever the project, it gives you a chance to talk about certain difficult issues and then work through them, hopefully, artistically as a group and individually using it as a form of art therapy.
Okay so that's my crazy idea. I'm throwing it out there...who knows what will happen. Maybe it's all happening and I didn't even know...
https://canada150plus.ca/
So here is a video to help people understand the Cultural Appropriation or Cultural Appreciation: Exploring the Fine Line
So that's it, I hope it makes sense, I hope it sparks ideas and creativity and helps give people a voice.
Poor little Yale. Look what happened to it. People became very very rich from the land that belong to the Indigenous people living there. It is time to make retribution. I think that is the word. Terrible crime of cultural appropriation happened there long ago. It's hard to me to put it into words but basically they ripped off Mother Earth and her inhabitants and made a whole wack of money and did not share it with the people who lived there. They had no right. Maybe my grandpa did that. I don't know but they say he was a savy business man and that he nearly drowned there..I don't know much else.
I do know I will help. What ever you guys come up with I am here for you. I will help promote it and please help me try to help out in this way. I know I have stirred the pot. I hope it's a positive
outcome.
And please I hope you know I respect and honor the time and effort trying to make that Gold Rush setup authentic and interesting and fun. I get that and it is appreciated but let's be really honest here.
You can do both and you can really rise to the challenge to make things right. Tell the truth. Educate people on the past so that people can learn, understand, heal and help heal and enlighten others.
Tired now...going to post this. If there are mistakes I will try to come back later to fix. I just don't want to not publish because it's important to get it out there..now.
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