Randy Lewis and I by the Welcome Figure in Squamish 2016
When I was doing research for my book, Whale in the Door, I had the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships with leaders and Elders of the Squamish Nation. It soon became very clear to me that I knew very little of the true history of the lives of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. We were not taught this in school. I needed to educate myself. I read the Indian Act passed in 1876, a racist piece of legislation designed to control (and continue to control) the lives of Indigenous and their land. I attended Indigenous ceremonies and pow-wows. I read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report Summary — 384 heartbreaking pages. I felt a responsibility to share what I had learned.
With the support of the Bowen Island Library and the Bowen Island Arts Council, Knowing Our Place was born in 2017. The name was a gift from my friend, Chris Corrigan. As we stood by Terminal Creek watching the salmon return to Bowen Island. I told Chris about my reconciliation dream and that I was looking for a name — something that didn’t include the word reconciliation. Knowing Our Place was a good fit with its two meanings: to know where we live and to know our place here as guests on this land. Guests of the Squamish Nation on their traditional unceded territory.
The aim was to educate islanders about Canada’s true relationship with Indigenous People and to create respectful relationships with Squamish Nation. Over the next several years, I organized workshops, arts events, and a book club to read and learn from Indigenous authors.
Knowing OUr Place – 2026
At the Sign Blessing Ceremony. in 2022, Squamish Elder Alroy “Bucky” Baker said to me: “NIce work, Pauline. Now we need a Welcome Figure. And that’s what’s next. You can read about this new project in the prospectus below:
NEWS! We just received a grant of $10,000 from First Credit Union toward the completion of a Welcome Figure for Bowen Island. Many thanks for their generosity toward this gesture of friendship and reconciliation.
FIRST CREDIT UNION DONATES $10,000 TO WELCOME FIGURE
Undercurrent articles: A Welcome Figure for Bowen Island
I am writing a series of article for our local newspaper to let islanders know about this exciting project.
Here’s a link to the first article: A Wellcome Figure for Bowen Island
A Welcome Figure for Bowen Island – Bowen Island Underc…
Second article: The Great Log Search:
Third article Xwalacktun Master Carver
Fourth article First Credit Union Donates to Welcome Figure
First Credit Union Donates to Welcome Figure
History of Knowing Our Place
The first event was The Blanket Exercise, Sunday April 30, 2017, a powerful workshop for non-Indigenous settlers to experience colonization.
Love and respect in “The Blanket Exercise”
Thirty-eight warmhearted, courageous people sat in circle last Sunday at The Gallery and began the messy and glorious business of reconciliation. They shed many tears, laughed a lot, and made a genuine commitment to making a difference. We were honoured by the presence of six Squamish Nation members, one Métis, and four teen-aged boys.
The Blanket Exercise was the first in a series of events for Knowing Our Place: A Reconciliation Initiative. Squamish Nation Elder, Rennie Nahanee and his wife Emma welcomed us on the traditional unceded territory of the Squamish Nation, and were witnesses to the deep sharing that took pace. Wendy Charbonneau, Squamish Nation Elder and storyteller, a direct descendent of Chief George Capilano who welcomed the arrival of both Captain Cook and Captain Vancouver in the late 1700’s, shared stories passed down to her from her Grandmother. She taught everyone the Squamish word for peace: ayás, pronounced “eyes.”
To continue reading:https://www.bowenislandundercurrent.com/local-news/love-and-respect-in-the-blanket-exercise-3051491
May 26, 2017: Building Bridges Through Art. With Squamish Nation Storyteller, Rebecca Duncan (Tsitsayxemsaat) Squamish Nation Elder, Bob Baker (S7aplek) and Squamish Nation carver Xwalacktun. who believes “all things grow and are healed by art.”
Xwalcktun and S7aplek Building Bridges Through Art May 2017
June 21, 2018 National Indigenous Peoples Day at the Bowen Library with Indigenous dancers and storytellers.
Rebecca Duncan, Squamish Nation Storyteller June 2020
This was followed by a reading and workshop with Lynda Gray, author of First nation 101: Tons of Stuff You need to Know about First Nations Peoples, “Building Bridges Through Art: Understanding the Village,” a workshop with Kathi Camilleri, and “Where I Stand: Indigenous Right Relationship, a workshop with Pulxaneeks of the Haisla First Nation.
On June 2020, after I spent more than two years getting the required permissions, a new sign with an old name was carved to greet people arriving on the island. The Squamish Nation Seagong Canoe Family came to bless the sign “Nexwlélexwm,” one of the original Squamish names for the island. At the Sign Blessing Ceremony, Squamish Elder Dennis Joseph said: “We are building a mighty bridge together.”
In June, 2022, i was time to Weave Ourselves Into Reconciliation. I found Allison Burns, whose Squamish Nation name is Cheximiya, on the Internet. I was looking for another event that would involve real participation by islanders. Cheximiya, a master weaver, came to the island with a weaving begun on her loom as well as small practice looms. Almost 50 islanders, young and old, came to learn the ancient twill technique and create a wall weaving that we called Chenchenstway – which means “we lift each other up” in the Squamish Language. The weaving is on permanent display in the Library.
Cheximiya and Bowen Islanders weave together in reconciliation