In February of this year, I began a project, funded by the Art Fund, to repatriate 51 Native American and First Nations items back to the origin communities; the project also enabled me to make a trip to Canada to study First Nations culture and personally hand back items to the Haida Nation as per their request. I have covered the reasoning behind this project in other blogs, and this blog is the first to share my experiences whilst in Canada. As the project and the trip are both about the indigenous communities, this is what I will be mostly focusing on.
I made the journey to Vancouver on the 21st August and have to admit that I was quite nervous. I had not been out of the country in three years, thanks to Covid, and probably the furthest I had been out of Buxton in that time was to visit relatives in Newcastle upon Tyne ! From Manchester I flew to Frankfurt, and from there took the ten hour flight to Vancouver.
First impressions of Vancouver – it was hot, big, noisy, and culturally diverse – I was jet lagged and in a strange country. It’s a well-planned out and pedestrian friendly city with a vibrancy and energy that I instantly liked. People zip about on scooters and electric bikes, the buses are all electric, there is a metro system and sky train, and it was easy to get about on foot as there are large street maps on each street corner. What struck me the most is that, although it is a big city, the people were very friendly and welcoming, and those that I talked to about the project were very receptive and interested in what I was doing – people spent time talking to me, a complete stranger, and were genuinely interested. It felt familiar and yet very different to British cities – but different in a good way.
The City of Vancouver is on the traditional territories of three Local First Nations: the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh, and these three are part of a larger cultural group called the Coast Salish. Just over half of the indigenous people in Canada live in cities, and Metropolitan Vancouver has the third largest urban indigenous population in Canada. I met some First Nations people who worked at the Bill Reid Gallery and the Museum of Anthropology, who were lovely and I had lengthy chats with them about the indigenous culture and the work I was doing. I did meet many more on Haida Gwaii, but that is for the next blog.
Vancouver and 95 % of British Columbia are on unceded First Nations land. In many parts of Canada, treaties were signed with First Nations that gave incoming settlers rights to much of the land, but in British Columbia very few treaties were signed. “Unceded” means that First Nations people did not give up or legally sign it away to Britain or Canada. Vancouver airport is full of First Nations art and the first that you see are Welcome Figures by Musqueam artist, Susan Point, who designed these traditional Coast Salish figures to welcome travellers to Coast Salish Territory. The deeply carved frontal aspects of both figures are inspired by historical Coast Salish house posts, while the back panels reveal the artist’s innovations on traditional images and motifs.
Behind the figures as you come down the stairs from the arrivals area is an enormous carving called “Flight”. It is a representation of a spindle whorl (the largest in the world) and the artwork is presented in a setting of water and stone, symbolic of the land. The spindle whorl uses traditional images to depict the theme of flight. The eagle, which is considered a symbol of power, is designed around the image of a man whose arms are raised, welcoming visitors, and also gesturing flight. On the chests of the men are salmon motifs to represent the Coast Salish people, who still live and fish along these shores.
If you do go to Vancouver spend some time exploring the art installations that are all over the airport – much of it quite monumental.
Many of the shops and restaurants recognise that they are on First Nations land, and one of the ways of doing this is by having signs on the door or window – the picture below is a restaurant on Robson Street in downtown Vancouver.
First Nations culture can be seen all over the city, from totem poles to street art, indigenous run shops and galleries, and clearly both indigenous and non-indigenous Vancouver residents are very proud of this culture.
But scars run deep, and First Nations people have suffered greatly since European contact. Historically many have been forced from their land, entire communities were wiped out through diseases, such as smallpox, that were introduced by settlers, ceremonies and traditional ways of life were banned by the government and church, and the residential school programme set out a doctrine of cultural genocide that had devastating effects and long-lasting consequences. Many face social and economic barriers, and continue to experience racism, sometimes direct and intentional, and sometimes in the form of uninformed misunderstandings. Large scale logging takes place on indigenous land, and there is currently a major protest in regards to a pipeline being laid across land without consultation with First Nations communities. Whilst in Vancouver I came across a peaceful demonstration by First Nations people. They have cordoned off a section of Robson Square by the City Art Gallery and are drawing attention to the aftereffects of colonial suppression. Notably they want more recognition that Vancouver is on indigenous land, a greater voice in decision making, apologies for the Residential School Programme, and better treatment of First Nations people, particularly in accessing vital services, education and employment opportunities.
activity sheet Archaeology Archives Art art fund Bakewell Buxton Buxton Bear Buxton History Buxton Museum and Art Gallery Buxton Opera House Canada Castleton Chatsworth collections Collections In The Landscape Curiosities Derbyshire Derbyshire Open Derbyshire School Library Service Duke of Devonshire Esmee fairbairn Events Funduklian Goyt Valley Headley fellowship Hoards indigenous kids activities kids in museums medieval mermaid museumactivities Museums Association museums at home Pavilion Gardens Peak District Randolph Douglas repatriation Roman School Library Service sculpture The Crescent well dressing Wonders of the Peak
activity sheet Archaeology Archives Art art fund Bakewell Buxton Buxton Bear Buxton History Buxton Museum and Art Gallery Buxton Opera House Canada Castleton Chatsworth collections Collections In The Landscape Curiosities Derbyshire Derbyshire Open Derbyshire School Library Service Duke of Devonshire Esmee fairbairn Events Funduklian Goyt Valley Headley fellowship Hoards indigenous kids activities kids in museums medieval mermaid museumactivities Museums Association museums at home Pavilion Gardens Peak District Randolph Douglas repatriation Roman School Library Service sculpture The Crescent well dressing Wonders of the Peak
Given their treatment by colonialists, the First Nations people are wonderfully welcoming and warm and Vancouver seems to be a city that is not only proud of its origins, but one that looks forward to a future made up of diverse communities – despite their treatment the majority of First Nations people in Vancouver believe there is room for a variety of languages and cultures in Canada.
Highlights of Vancouver – the Bill Reid Gallery, the Museum of Anthropology, the totem poles at Stanley Park, the food (so much choice !), the ease to get about, being able to walk from a busy noisy street straight onto a beach and watch seals playing in the sea against a backdrop of mountains. And, last but not least, just how friendly, polite and helpful everyone was.
Buxton Museum and Art Gallery 
Well done! A great example to set to start the ball rolling on all culturally valuable items that can be returned safely to their origins.
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