NTKNTG: Exhibits highlighting Indigenous communities – The Peak

June 13, 2024

Learn about Indigenous artists, canoe culture, and more at these displays

The title of this exhibit, snəxʷəł, means “canoe” in hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ (traditional Musqueam language). It uses photographs, videos, and traditional canoes and paddles to highlight the significance of canoe culture for the səlil ̕wətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) people. Zoe George, whose Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) ancestral name is Mekwalya, grew up in Squamish and on North Vancouver’s Tsleil-Waututh reserve. “I have been a war canoe paddler my whole life,” she said in her biography, with her typical paddling location being səl̓ilw̓ət (Burrard Inlet).  She hopes this exhibit allows all who attend to “understand the importance and presence canoe culture has in First Nations communities across the Lower Mainland.”

GEORGE CLUTESI: ḥašaḥʔap / ʔaapḥii / ʕc̓ik  / ḥaaʔaksuqƛ / ʔiiḥmisʔap delves into the legacy of the titular artist, George Clutesi (1905–1988). Put together, the exhibit’s title means “to be protective,” “generous,” “talented,” “strong-willed,” and “treasure.” Clutesi, a Tseshat teacher of song and dance, was a multi-faceted artist who also contributed to the Native Voice, which was the first Indigenous-centred newspaper in Canada. The exhibit, located just a few blocks from SFU’s Harbour Centre, “is an exploration of the life and legacy of Clutesi, whose actions have left an indelible mark on the preservation and celebration of the Nuu-chah-nulth community’s cultural traditions and customs.”

Read More: https://the-peak.ca/2024/06/ntkntg-exhibits-highlighting-indigenous-communities/