Global Studies: Raiders of Vancouver Island

 March 9 

(The most photogenic Global Studies group takes on the open waters.)

Our final day in the metropolis city of Vancouver began with a 9 am exit from our accommodations at the Burrard Hotel. However, many of the Global Studies travelers like myself and my roommate were up much earlier, packing all of our newly acquired gifts acquired at various stops into our already stuffed suitcases. We met as a group as we usually did in the lobby shortly after nine; however, this time, the group was met with the face of our compatriot who had spent the last day traveling to Vancouver after his unfortunate bout with a stomach bug. With all of our bags heavier than before, we set out for the Harbor, where we would eventually take off in a seaplane, potentially being the MVM (most valuable moment) of our trip. We strolled down Burrard Street infused with the everyday Vancouverites. During this stroll down the bustling street of Burrard, I saw a handful of school buses picking local children up as they went along. This was of particular interest to me because my focus for my project is the British Columbian education system, and it was super interesting to see this subject I have been researching right in front of my eyes. At the end of Burrard street, the group was met with the magnificent view of both the whitecaps of the mountain line but also the port system of Vancouver and the infrastructure of North Vancouver. After taking an elevator that ran against the seawall, we arrived at the gate of the seaplane we would later embark on in the latter part of our day. We dropped all of our luggage off and received our tickets. However, our flight didn't leave for a few more hours, leaving us with plenty of time to explore the concrete jungle, which is Vancouver. We hiked back up to the 49th parallel to an artisan coffee and donut shop. The gang got an array of different donuts and coffees and enjoyed them thoroughly. The theme of delicious food continued into our third day in Vancouver. After engaging with the delectable sweets and much-needed caffeine, we set out for the Bill Reid art gallery. 

Arriving at this somewhat hidden gallery as a group, we immersed ourselves in the different pieces that Bill Ried and other Aboriginal artists have produced to promote Aboriginal culture and its defense. Many of Sho Sho Esquiro’s works were surrounded by the culture of Boarding Schools. Different churches created these schools, all with the same goal: to make aboriginal children white. The first work had the words "no apology necessary" imprinted on the back of the jacket. This sentiment is aimed towards the Catholic church, which participated and ran many of these schools. Another piece in the collection read, "They stole the children from the land now they steal the land from the children." This piece aims to focus not only on the boarding school's practices but also the how people continue to take from the Aboriginal people of British Columbia. The next piece and most prevalent to my research topic came with a dress that read, "Kill the Indian, Save the Man." This piece directly quotes a person who ran one of these evil residential schools. It reflects very well the goals of these schools, which was to strip these children of their culture and replace it with another. These three pieces resonate deeply with me because they focus on the very dark history of British Columbia education. These Aboriginal children were sent away to these terrible schools in which they were stripped of their rich culture against their will. At the same time, their white counterparts were able to conduct normal education experiences that matched their own culture. This exhibit and these specific pieces represented the history of Aboriginal peoples' involvement and treatment in early education in British Columbia. They showed the serious effects on First Nation culture in the 21st century.

 

(Pictured Above is of piece created by AI technology crafted by a local Canadian artist)

Our next stop in our amazing adventure came at the Vancouver Museum of Art, only a short walk away from the Bill Reid museum. This museum consisted of an array of different exhibits ranging from all sorts of different areas of life. There was a modern interactive exhibit on the first floor with different works from Yoko Ono ranging all across her lifetime. The second floor was a consensus favorite among the group, and it was an AI exhibit featuring the milestones both in global AI development and British Columbia development. This exhibit connected well with my area of interest because it showed how aware British Columbians are of the changing world and how they seem to be changing their curriculum to create members of society for the future. The third and fourth floors consisted of more traditional works that the group mulled through for the last portion of our group experience at the museum. After our indulgences with various art pieces, we needed to refuel, and we went to Robert Wang's childhood favorite ramen place. It was their first experience with ramen for some in the group and left them very happy. After refueling, the group decided to try the crazed trend of boba tea, with only a few members enjoying it. We headed back towards the docks with boba teas in hand, not truly knowing what would happen next. 

After a short wait in the cozy airport lounge, the group headed towards the docks of Vancouver, waving bye to what had been an amazing three days engaging with the amazing food, culture, and experiences that Vancouver had to offer. The seven members of our party then got into the seaplane that would ferry us to Vancouver Island. The plane bouncing on the small waves of the cold Northern Pacific waters was very intriguing for the group as a whole. We all entered the small plane squished in with the other members prepared for the same journey as us. The plane then journeyed out to the open waters of the Harbor. It accelerated at a consistent pace, eventually soaring comfortably over the city as a group we had grown to love. All the different things we had done, all the miles we had walked, all the bus stops we had passed through all now seemed distant and far. However, shortly leaving all these fond memories behind, we reached the beautiful city of Victoria.

After exiting the plane and reading, we walked to our new home, the Royal Scot. The group then readjusted and unpacked before hitting the streets of Victoria. At 6 pm, we explored some of Victoria. Here as a group, we are pictured with a beautiful totem pole placed outside of the Parliament Building. After exploring some of the shops that Victoria has to offer, we settled down at Frankie's, a local place serving up delicious food. Here, we reflected on the past three days in Vancouver and the future in Victoria. It's at this table where I thought a little more about the day and its impact on my project. Bill Reid's art gallery showed me the flawed history of education and the deep pain it still produces First Nation people in British Columbia. 

--Jake