Reflecting on Home Exhibit

This project brought about social connectedness, a sense of belonging, and community connection. The various workshops and the exhibition at the Ferry Building Gallery were successful in creating a space for the celebration of local Indigenous Nations’ culture and shared experience. The community benefited by gaining an appreciation and a deeper understanding of First Nations art, culture, and history. The learning of Indigenous traditions, artistic practices, and stories was central to the workshops, talks, and exhibition and enhanced by hands-on activities. The report also identifies areas that have room for improvement that this project targeted directly: expanded intercultural and cross-generational arts programming. Participation from different age groups and new immigrants to West Vancouver encouraged learning facilitated by this exchange of experiences. Most importantly by actively engaging with our local Indigenous Nations in a respectful and open way, we are all working together as a community towards reconciliation. 

In his interactive hands-on workshop, Learning Indigenous Culture: Working with Heart, Storytelling and Art, renowned Squamish Nation artist and educator Splash (Aaron Nelson Moody) led a story of living with heart. Each participant was given a colouring page of the 5 petals of Venus and its eight-year cycle and encouraged to colour while listening and sharing. Splash presented the workshop with South African artist and educator, Suzi Webster. Participants listened and coloured, and were encouraged to share their own stories of reconciliation or bias. The meaningful, and honest stories that we shared brought out anger, regret and tears. And the very simple act of colouring, or being creative made it all somehow bearable. The workshop was successful in harnessing the transformational power of art and story to encourage healing and connection and was attended by young and old.