What's inSight Fall 2021

INSIGHT FOSSIL IN A HALFSHELL

WE ARE HERE, AND WE ARE HERE TO STAY

Discovering a Fossil Turtle from BC’s Ancient Seas

A conversation on the Pocket Gallery exhibit Hope Meets Action.

SUMMER/FALL 2021

WHAT’S

SUBTLE TOUCH Braille and other improvements to accessibility in the exhibitions

ARTWORK BY SADE ALEXIS

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S

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Subtle Touch

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Fossil in a Halfshell

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The Royal BC Museum is located on the traditional territories of the Lekwungen (Songhees and Xwsepsum Nations). We extend our appreciation for the opportunity to live and learn on this territory.

C O N T R I B U TO RS

Chris Adams, Dr. Tzu-I Chung, Liz Crocker, Kim Gough, Sandra Hudson, Erik Lambertson, Derek Larson, Shane Lighter, Kem Luther, Wesley Macinnis, Andy MacKinnon, Dr. Ken Marr, Hannah Morales, Chris O’Connor, Genevieve van der Voort, Dr. India Young

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A Message from the Acting CEO Mosey Down Museum Memory Lane Plan, Pack and Move F E AT U R E

Fossil in a Halfshell F E AT U R E

Subtle Touch G O I N G D I G I TA L

Making the Catalogue FAIR The Mountain of SGaana Orca Activity Sheet Plastic-Free Salish Sea Thank You to All Our Supporters!

Celebrating Royal BC Museum Volunteers

WHAT’S INSIGHT

Erika Stenson E D I TO R - I N - C H I E F

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Jennifer Vanderzee F E AT U R E

We Are Here, and We Are Here to Stay

Weeding Out the Worst Platanthera Orchids, Pan Trapping and Insect Diversity PUBLISHING

Dyeing with Fungi

M A N AG I N G E D I TO R

Bhumika Kamra C O O R D I N AT O R

Irvin Cheung GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Annie Mayse E D I TO R

F E AT U R E

We Are Here, and We Are Here to Stay PA R T N E R S H I P P R O F I L E

Vancity

Eve Rickert PUBLISHER

Heat Dome Die-Off Hope for COVID Times

Shane Lighter P H OTO G R A P H E R

Lumen Fond Farewells

Melanie Grisak P H OTO G R A P H E R

Keeping Connections What’s On Calendar S U M M ER / FA LL 2021

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Dear Supporters,

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As many of you know, I became acting CEO in February of this year. This is a temporary position while the board of directors conducts the search for a new CEO. It has been a challenging and inspiring time. The staff of this museum and archives are uniquely committed to working with the communities we serve, and I am heartened by the work they do every day.

On June 29, on behalf of the board of directors of the Royal BC Museum, I shared the findings of the Public Service Agency evidentiary investigation into reports of racism and discrimination at the museum. I also discussed the findings of the internal inclusion and psychological safety audit we performed last fall, and the important changes we have been making as well as the ones we need to make going forward.

These two reports show that we are not the museum we wanted to be, and we are not the museum we should be.

We want to be a museum where every person feels safe, welcome and appreciated when they walk in the front door. I am sorry this has not been the case.

The board is humbled by and thanks Lucy Bell and the many individuals and organizations who shared their truths with us. We accept with humility the difficult learnings of the past year.

We must do better.

We believe that this museum is accountable to all the people in British Columbia, and that this isn’t about a single act or a single individual. It’s about our failings as the provincial museum, and we own and wear that responsibility.

We have reviewed multiple aspects of the organization’s practices, processes and systems. We’re providing more and better training to staff at all levels, including the board, to improve our cultural agility and understanding of equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility (EDIA); we have undertaken an organizational review and realignment; we are reviewing our policies and procedures; we have increased vigilance; and we are adopting the governance systems required to embed EDIA principles at the museum and monitor alignment with these principles.

We are in the process of recruiting a new CEO, and we are moving forward on planning for further recruitment to fill permanent positions at the executive level.

Importantly, we are ensuring the museum’s operations are aligned with our commitment to the principles of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

We’re moving forward with modernization of the museum and archives. This is a modernization of both buildings and practices. On June 24, together with our partners in government, we posted the request for qualifications (RFQ) for the new Collections and Research Building (CRB) in Colwood.

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WHAT’S INSIGHT

This is the first step in finding a design-builder for the project. The result of the RFQ process will be a shortlist of up to three teams of developers and designers who will be asked to submit a proposal for the CRB. The CRB will house most of the museum’s seven million artifacts and specimens, the BC Archives, and spaces for the community to come together with museum experts.

While that work is happening, we are also planning what we will do with our site downtown.

The museum will continue to steward the Indigenous collections and the exhibitions and galleries—but these will look dramatically different as we modernize how we share the stories of the province. We are creating a plan to replace outdated core galleries with new exhibits that will include the voices and reflect the lived experiences of the communities, nations and peoples in the land we call British Columbia today.

No decisions have yet been made about the downtown site: we are crunching numbers, discussing issues like sustainability and ensuring we are incredibly well prepared when we send our business case to the Treasury Board this fall. And while all this is happening, staff are getting ready to pack and move our collections.

We know that we’re at the start of a journey with many milestones, and we have a lot of work to do.

Our work includes rebuilding relationships, earning trust and ensuring everyone— and particularly Indigenous people—feels welcome, respected and valued, whether they are working at the museum, volunteering or joining us as a visitor.

Because at the end of the day, this is British Columbia’s museum. It belongs to all of us.

Sincerely yours,

Dr. Daniel F. Muzyka Acting Chief Executive Officer, Royal BC Museum

Read the full report from the board of directors at:

rbcm.ca/about/focus-change

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By Wesley Macinnis, Communications Specialist

The Exhibitions Department Packs and Organizes for Modernization

Scale model of the Natural Resources Gallery, complete with groovy paper cut-outs of contemporary visitors.

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Replica fish from former natural history display Open Ocean.

Collection of model mushrooms from the 1940s or ’50s.

WHAT’S INSIGHT Miniature model of museum exterior with totems.

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or most people, moving can be a very stressful process—and most people aren’t moving a museum.

Royal BC Museum head of Exhibitions Michael Barnes needs to pack up his entire department—something easier said than done when you manage more than a dozen staff and your workspace occupies one full floor of the museum’s main building.

As part of the museum modernization project, all departments at the museum must pack up their worldly possessions in preparation for moving to the new Collections and Research Building in Colwood, BC, and a potential modernization of the downtown museum site (the provincial government will be making an announcement on the museum project later this year).

This is no small feat for any department, and for the Exhibitions department—which builds the museum’s exhibitions on site—the task ahead is especially complex.

From carpentry and electrical work to graphic design and 3D printing, Michael and his team turn exhibition blueprints into reality. Their production schedule is always full of tasks to create various exhibition assets—replicas, interactives, signs, artifact mounts and cases—so their storeroom is also full of things designed and created in house for past exhibitions.

Today, Michael is perusing the Exhibitions storeroom, walking down aisles of shelving laden with souvenirs from years past—a true memory lane for the museum.

“These I want to save. We might be able to use them again,” says Michael, brandishing two life-size replica fish, previously used in the museum’s Open Ocean display.

Saving objects to incorporate into future exhibitions is part of the museum’s commitment to waste reduction and environmental sustainability, says Barnes. “We’ll save and reuse everything we can.”

Some of the storeroom contents are self-explanatory.

For example, extra seats from the Majestic—the vintage movie theatre in Old Town on the museum’s third floor— are held in reserve in case their parts are needed for repairs.

Other items are less practical: the unique signs created for each exhibition are mostly kept for nostalgia’s sake.

And some finds are mysteries even to Michael, such as a hot-pink satin cushion featuring Justin Bieber, arms crossed. “I don’t know what that is from,” Michael says. “Donation pile, for sure.”

The donation pile is just one of the options for disposing of some of these less-than-essential objects. The hierarchy of sorting is as follows: save for reuse or upcycling; donate to another museum, gallery or cultural institution; donate to a non-profit second-hand store; and, if all else fails, dispose of as recycling or trash.

Toward the end of our trip through the storeroom, a miniature model train car catches the eye of Colin Longpre, a veteran carpenter and all-around knowledge keeper on the Exhibitions team. “Miniatures are a staple of exhibition design,” he says. “The level of detail in the miniature is a chance for the designer to show off their skill.”

In this case, the designer must have been highly skilled indeed, for the miniature train car houses a micro-miniature diorama of an old trading post settlement—a miniature inside a miniature.

Other members of the Exhibitions team gather around, murmuring admiration for the train car’s creator, whose work remains but whose name is long since forgotten.

For the Exhibitions team, planning for the future of the Royal BC Museum—a new Collections and Research Building and renovations on the horizon—also provides the opportunity to revisit the past.

“The bulk of the work to pack and organize all of this is still ahead of us,” says Barnes, “but we’re already having a lot of fun.”

Stay tuned to the museum’s social media channels (@royalbcmuseum) and website, where we’ll share some of the highlights turned up during the packing of the museum and archives.

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PLAN, PACK AND MOVE The Royal BC Museum Prepares for the Move of a Lifetime

By Sandra Hudson Communications Consultant

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Preservation manager Lesley Golding examines a painting in preparation for the move to the new building.

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s the excitement builds at the Royal BC Museum for the new Collections and Research Building in Colwood, so too does the amount of preparatory work. The move teams are now engaged in the planning stage of the Plan, Pack and Move project, working toward 2024 and the relocation of collections to the incredible new 14,000square-metre facility.

The museum has engaged two specialized consultants, both with a wealth of knowledge in facilities project management and moving complex organizations, to lead the process. Lyn Archdekin has more than 30 years experience as a move manager and consultant. She is currently working on the move of Calgary’s Glenbow Museum and has previously worked on moves for the Calgary Public Library and the Moose Jaw Union and High Prairie Hospitals.

Local firm Spatial Logistics are the projectmanagement specialists of the move team.

Team lead Jeff Head has worked on many large moves, including consolidating all departments of the City of Red Deer from 12 buildings into 2. Also on the Spatial Logistics team is Shannon Rae, who has specialized experience in moving art pieces, gained while working for Gulf Canada and overseeing the move of their vast art collection from Denver to Calgary.

Museum staff are already busy preparing for the move. Ember Lundgren, acting head of Collections Care and Conservation, has been working with the consultants on the planning phase, as well as working with staff on the huge task of preparing collections for the transfer. As with any move, the first step is to identify any items that will not be travelling. In the case of the museum, that means that collections managers are working with curators and archivists to ensure that everything in the collection (not to mention items acquired but not yet accessioned) meets the mandate of

WHAT’S INSIGHT

The bird’s-eye view of the future location of the Royal BC Museum Collections and Research Building within the Royal Bay Development in Colwood.

Many of the objects in the museum’s collections have irregular shapes and sizes, which means logistical challenges for the pack-and-move teams.

the museum and archives. In some cases, items may be deaccessioned and transferred to another museum, university, archive, gallery or historical association in order to better serve the community.

Work is also under way to update how the collections of both the BC Archives and the museum are tracked and stored. Beginning with the 130,000 volumes in the BC Provincial Library, items are being barcoded, which will allow for more efficient item tracking during exhibitions and loans. At the same time, the Digital team is working to update all of the information in the museum and archives databases. These updates will allow better access for researchers, curators and those looking to explore from home.

The packing plan now being developed will ensure that each item in the museum’s collection, from the smallest insect to the largest painting, will be accounted for. We estimate that packing the collections from the Fannin Tower will take 9 to 12 months, and the move itself approximately six to eight weeks. The move of the BC Archives will take approximately four weeks. It takes a while to move over seven million artifacts and specimens, as well as 28 kilometres of archival records!

Consultants Jeff Head and Lyn Archdekin have called the move to the new Collections and Research Building “challenging, fascinating, exciting and the project of a lifetime.”

Learn more at rbcm.ca/modernization.

Artworks from the Paintings, Drawings and Prints collection hang in the museum’s climate-controlled vault. Planning for the move means taking the needs of each piece into account.

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F E AT U R E

A modern sea turtle distantly related to the fossil find on the Puntledge River.

By Derek Larson Collections Manager & Researcher, Palaeontology

Discovering a Fossil Turtle from BC’s Ancient Seas

FOSSIL IN A HALFSHELL Excavation of the fossil turtle along the Puntledge River with Royal BC Museum palaeontologist Derek Larson and discoverer Russell Ball.

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WHAT’S INSIGHT

PUNTLEDGE RIVER

The Puntledge River near Courtenay, BC, where the fossil was discovered earlier this year.

COURTENAY

NANAIMO

VICTORIA

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ighty-five million years ago, while dinosaurs walked on land, marine reptiles topped the ecosystem beneath the waves: long-necked plesiosaurs, giant marine lizards like mosasaurs, and sea turtles the size of modern leatherback sea turtles. Just north of the tropics, on a shallow marine shelf on the east coast of Wrangellia, a partial skeleton of just such a turtle sank to the silty bottom of the sea floor. Scavenged by both fish and invertebrates, the bones of this turtle came to be buried beneath the shallow sea waters, where they would be fossilized for millions of years before being uncovered by a chance encounter.

Russell Ball, who discovered the fossil turtle, before the fossil was transported to the Royal BC Museum.

This turtle, like its larger three- and four-metre-long relatives, Archelon and Protostega, had a flattened, not-completely-bony shell, flippers instead of feet, and a sharp beak for catching squid and their shelled relatives, the ammonites.

The find was a surprising one. It was a warm day at the end of January 2021.

Russell Ball was used to finding ammonites, fossil clams and fossil crustaceans along the Puntledge River just outside Courtenay, BC, but he was not expecting to find bone—especially what appeared to be flat, plate-like bone larger than the palm of his hand—sticking out of the hard, grey rocks along the banks of the river. Russ knew that the find was significant, and that it should go to a museum for study, but he needed help. He approached Dan Bowen, the president of the Vancouver Island Paleontological Society, to come and check out his find. (continues next page)

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(right) Surface detail of the brown fossil turtle in the grey rock it was buried in.

This is part of the underside of the shell, or plastron. (far right) The roughly one-metre-long block with the turtle skeleton inside before it was encased in burlap and plaster to protect it for transport.

Dan returned to the site with Russ and confirmed his suspicions: it was a fossil turtle. But by the time they returned the next week, the fossil was already submerged by the rising river water. To protect it for the short term, they built a cairn over it. But the fossil needed to be collected to avoid any further damage from water flow or from accidentally being stepped on.

The two knew that they had to work within BC’s fossil laws to make sure it was safely collected. Since 2005, BC’s Fossil Management Framework has required excavation permits on any fossil that’s embedded in rock on Crown land. And these permits are only issued to professional palaeontologists.

They contacted Elisabeth Deom at BC’s Heritage Branch and two palaeontologists, Dr. Victoria Arbour and myself, at the Royal BC Museum. We also reached out to the K’ómoks First Nation, whose traditional territory includes the area where the fossil was found. Luckily, the find matched up well with my research goals of investigating rare fossil turtle remains in BC, and I was granted a permit to collect.

Meanwhile, a BC Hydro dam on the Puntledge River had opened up to allow more water through, and within a few hours the river level had risen over 30 centimetres. Downstream, the water had completely submerged all of the low-lying rock on the river bank. Luckily the turtle fossil, under its cairn of stones, was held in place as the waters rose.

Working along a river has advantages and disadvantages.

The main advantage is that flowing water, through the power of erosion, does most of the work excavating fossils buried in the rock. No palaeontologist goes out and just digs a hole without first having some indication that there will be a fossil

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there—at least part of the fossil has to be exposed at the surface. The disadvantage of working near rivers is that flowing water can also erode the fossil itself, and fossils are virtually impossible to collect under water without severe risk of their being destroyed. Furthermore, river flow is often unpredictable and difficult to control. In this case, we were fortunate that we did have some control. Thankfully, BC Hydro was able to manage the water levels for a week in April, keeping it low enough to extract the fossil.

So, that’s how I found myself in a parking lot in Courtenay, BC, on April 12, 2021, fully masked and ready for fieldwork. I had one week to get the fossil collected and back to the museum.

With Russ and Dan’s help, along with the assistance of a rotating cast of local volunteers, we were able to trace a rough outline of the fossil in the rock. It turned out to be more complete than Russ’s initial find had indicated.

We collected a block more than 1 metre long, 60 centimetres wide and only 20 centimetres thick that Russ affectionately named “Mr. Russellufagous” as a nod to the big friendly Muppet on Sesame Street. We got the burlap and plasterencased fossil back to the museum on April 16, just as the spring melt raised the water level, counteracting what our friends at BC Hydro had done to accommodate us in our endeavour.

Back here at the museum, Mr. Russellufagous sits patiently to be slowly extracted from its rocky resting place to share the secrets it has kept for 85 million years.

WHAT’S INSIGHT

F E AT U R E

By Erik Lambertson Corporate Communications Manager

Alethea Moroney, student, and Daphne Hitchcock, local braille teacher, reading one of the braille panels in the Orcas exhibition.

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Braille and other improvements to accessibility in the exhibitions

Visitors to the Royal BC Museum during the COVID-19 pandemic have become used to following directional signs, wearing masks and relying on tools like styluses to animate touchscreens.

But one element of the Orcas: Our Shared Future exhibition demands touch—the braille panels that line the walls.

Accessibility, along with equity, diversity and inclusion, is a priority for the Royal BC Museum. In recent years, the museum has worked hard to ensure that it provides its visitors with equitable access, no matter where they come from or what challenges they face—and a 60-year-old building certainly comes with its fair share of challenges to physical accessibility. (continues next page)

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There’s still a lot of work to be done regarding accessibility at the Royal BC Museum…

As an institution, we should be integrating all the principles of Universal Design, creating an environment that can be used by everybody, regardless of their ability, size or age.

—Steve Lewis, Exhibition Designer

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Happily, we’re on the cusp of change with the museum modernization project. In the meantime, we do our best to stay nimble and responsive. To figure out how to improve accessibility for people with physical disabilities, we asked the Rick Hansen Foundation to take a look at our galleries in 2017.

Among many upgrades we made in response to their feedback was installing a wheelchair lift in the Old Town display, providing access to the second floor for visitors for whom stairs are not an option.

Just as importantly, we ensured we’d consider accessibility for new temporary spaces.

Every time we present a new feature exhibition, we completely reconfigure the exhibition space. The Exhibitions team ensures each new exhibition offers ample room to turn around in a wheelchair, thinks about the most appropriate lighting for people with different needs, and considers the optimal height (or angle) for material displayed on walls or inside cases.

Staff in the Exhibitions team field-tested the use of braille, for people who are blind or have very low vision, in the 2019 Maya exhibition. That year Daphne Hitchcock, a local teacher of blind students, was visiting the exhibition when she noticed the braille panels were mismatched.

“I thought, ‘gosh: it’s talking about a vase, but it’s a statue head!’”

She let the Exhibitions team know, and they jumped on correcting the errors.

“I was impressed that the museum was so quick to respond,” she says.

Happily for the Royal BC Museum, Daphne continued her conversation with us about braille and became an indispensable resource during the creation of the Orcas exhibition. Not only did Daphne proofread braille on behalf of the museum, she helped educate staff. Steve Lewis, exhibition designer, says, “She was extremely helpful in working with us, and the panel

WHAT’S INSIGHT

(left) Alethea Moroney touching the orca and human brain replicas in Orcas. (right) Braille wall panel featured in Orcas. (below) Accessibility advocate Tara Moss in the glass lobby.

Photograph courtesy of Berndt Sellheim.

fabricators, to make sure we were all talking the same ‘language’ and things were being done to the correct standards.”

“I always think of the museum as being an extension of the classroom,” Daphne says. “So to have these accessibility pieces is really important.”

We agree.

This year, we invited educator, accessibility advocate and author Tara Moss to

provide us with feedback on the Orcas exhibition. Tara uses a wheelchair (in fact, one of the coolest wheelchairs we’ve ever seen, with calavera-inspired hubs) and we wanted to know if the exhibition was accessible. (Spoiler alert: it was!)

And during National AccessAbility Week, we partnered with Tara, Community Living BC and the Canucks Autism Network for a Learning event called Accessibility in the GLAM Sector: A Virtual Panel.

Our aim was to continue the discussion about equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility within the GLAM (galleries, libraries, archives and museums) sector.

“There’s still a lot of work to be done regarding accessibility at the Royal BC Museum,” says Steve Lewis. “As an institution, we should be integrating all the principles of Universal Design, creating an environment that can be used by everybody, regardless of their ability, size or age.

We still have a lot of work to do in order to reach those levels, but it’s something we’re conscious of and are trying to incorporate into our designs as much as possible.”

The museum’s Exhibitions and Property Management teams can’t bear the burden of making the museum a more accessible environment alone. The museum also thrives online and through live programming, and we must also consider the challenges and opportunities of accessibility in those areas. Recently the museum begun describing images and video content on social media, an act that now feels as natural as using a hashtag.

It’ll take all of us at the museum to ensure accessibility is a given. And it’ll start with listening carefully to the needs of all of our communities, something we’re doing as we modernize our organization.

To learn more about braille, visit brailleliteracycanada.ca/en.

To learn more about Universal Design, visit universaldesign.ie.

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G O I N G D I G I TA L

Limited physical collections access has required the museum to expand digital access. Photograph taken in 2013.

By Chris Adams Information Systems Analyst

MAKING THE CATALOGUE

FAIR How Museum Staff Are Creating Improved Online Access to Collections

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haring knowledge, passion and curiosity for the natural and cultural histories of British Columbia is at the heart of the museum. It was difficult for us to close the doors to the collection in 2020 due to the pandemic, even though it was best for the community.

Staff have been hard at work since then to ensure that the knowledge housed in the collections can still be part of the public sphere by increasing the digital presence of the collections in the online catalogue.

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Close to 90,000 records and more than 35,000 images have been added to the public catalogue in the last year, and thousands more existing records have been enriched to provide greater details about the material. Almost all of these updates describe objects that had been in the collections for years but had not yet been added to the online catalogue. Adding them provides greater depth to the historical record of British Columbia available to digital audiences.

There are thousands of items in the collection, and to fully describe them and share their stories, we have to integrate multiple sources and formats of information. It is a daunting task to consider how to present 200 years worth of records (and millions of years

WHAT’S INSIGHT Example of an image recently added to Modern History.

Close to 10,000 item descriptions have been made publicly available to improve online representation.

THE FAIR DATA PRINCIPLES FINDABLE

ACCESSIBLE

Information should be thoroughly and consistently described so that it is easy to search for by a variety of audiences.

Information should be easy to retrieve by conventional means while still respecting privacy and intellectual property.

INTEROPERABLE Information should be easy to share and combine with other information sources.

REUSABLE Information should be described as completely as possible to expand the ways that people can engage with the information.

Information courtesy of GO FAIR, available under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Licence.

worth of specimens, artifacts and belongings) in such a way that modern audiences find them easy to search for, share and use.

Fortunately, the Royal BC Museum is not the only institution trying to address the challenge of online access, and we can take guidance from the wider data-management community.

One framework that has gained momentum in recent years is the FAIR Data Principles. Initially published in 2016, the FAIR Data Principles provide a roadmap for making data Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable in an online environment. The FAIR Principles provide specific steps on how to achieve each of these four broad categories, including following community standards for recording information about the material (also known as metadata), making metadata available through common online methods and formats, and providing any necessary information on licensing or usage limitations to promote reuse of collection material, among many others.

It is early days in the museum’s journey toward an open and FAIR catalogue. At this stage, the focus is on increasing the number of items represented online, reviewing cataloguing practices to ensure the metadata is robust, and standardizing metadata already in the

catalogue so that it is easier to search for and reuse. Improving underlying data quality and expanding digital representation of the catalogue is an iterative process.

The work undertaken in the last year to enrich collections metadata and enhance the public catalogue has built a strong foundation for us to open up the collections in new and interesting ways in the future.

There is an unfathomable amount of knowledge within the collections that

can benefit individuals, researchers, policy makers, educators, communities and anyone else who wants to know more about British Columbia’s history. By following the FAIR Data Principles as we bring more information online, we ensure that the knowledge in the collections will be increasingly available to the people who need it most—and really, doesn’t that just sound fair?

(left) Nearly 1,000 botany records have been enriched thanks to a volunteer project transcribing label images available online.

(above) Over 3,000 specimen and label images from the egg collection of our ornithology department were uploaded to the online catalogue.

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he animated film featured in Orcas: Our Shared Future, The Mountain of SG _ aana, spins a magical tale of a young man who is stolen away to the underwater world and the woman who rescues him. Haida filmmaker Christopher Auchter’s dreamlike gem brilliantly entwines traditional animation with formal elements of Haida art. Curator of art and images India Young took a moment to speak with Christopher about the film.

WHAT’S INSIGHT Kuuga Kuns preparing to visit the Underwater World.

Film still courtesy of the National Film Board.

By Dr. India Young Curator of Art and Images

An Interview with Director Christopher Auchter India Young: How did the film come about?

Christopher Auchter: A new executive producer at the National Film Board, Shirley Vercruysse, was interested in bringing animation back to Vancouver [after a long absence]. It was good timing.

I was interested in telling a Haida story; I'm just very interested in our history and I was able to read different stories of ours. I grew up commercial fishing with my grandfather. I spent a lot of time on the water, and this [story] has to do with the supernatural underwater world.

The conventional story is of Naa-Naa-Simgat’s love being taken away by a Killer Whale, and he has to try to get her back. My story is the other way around. Naa-NaaSimgat gets taken by the orca, and his love, Kuuga Kuns, goes on the adventure to try to bring him back from the supernatural world.

India Young: I really appreciated that you switched the normal roles of that story.

Christopher Auchter: It's a bit of the way I grew up.

We grew up around my aunts and my grandma and my mom. They're all really strong, strong people. When I went to Haida Gwaii to show the film to my Haida community, I didn't know how people would take that. But I told them, you know, I just don't think a Haida woman would be sitting around waiting for a man to come and rescue her, and they all laughed. I think it was okay. (continues next page)

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Fisherman sees Mouse Woman.

Film still courtesy of the National Film Board.

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India Young: How did you choose just one song in an otherwise non-verbal film?

India Young: I was very interested in how you morphed time through the film.

Christopher Auchter: It started out as a talking film, but in preproduction I changed that plan and shifted to, for lack of a better term, a silent film. Language won't be a barrier.

A person from any language, any culture, can take it in.

Another reason is that our Haida language is kind of going away. If we're not careful we're going to lose it altogether.

That lack of language is almost a statement of the lack of our own cultural language for reasons that are complex.

People in our community, the elders particularly, are working hard to keep it alive and bring it back and make sure that it's here, and younger ones are starting to pick it up. [When] I was talking to [Haida artist and language learner] Jaalen Edenshaw, he said, “Well, you know, SG _ aana, it means both ‘supernatural’ and ‘Killer Whale.’”

I was like, “Oh, that's perfect.” It was a chance for myself to be able to learn that story and to shine a light on that part of our history.

The song was composed for a fellow who had been saved from drowning, to say thank you to that person who saved him. It essentially means, we're here having a good time because of you. Kuuga Kuns thinks of that song because X _ agu [the Halibut] saves her from drowning and brings her to the place where she wanted to be— the supernatural world.

Christopher Auchter: Time moves differently when you're in the supernatural world. When Naa-Naa-Simgat comes out of the supernatural world, their village has gone.

Even though it didn't feel like they were in there that long, all of this time had zipped by. It speaks to [how] smallpox [affected the Haida] and the fact that there's all these villages that needed to be abandoned when everybody moved into Skidegate and Masset.

Also, I played with time even further. The fisherman is being distracted by modern day and new technology, not really paying attention to his environment. Mouse Woman snaps him to attention. And this is really a metaphor for a modern person, in this particular case, a Haida person connecting with our culture. The fisherman literally throws the rope to Kuuga Kuns and pulls them in. It’s like he's pulling his culture closer to him, pulling the story closer to him.

That's why Mouse Woman is telling him this story.

To see the film in its entirety, come visit Orcas: Our Shared Future. Keep a keen eye out for other renditions of Naa-Naa-Simgat, Kuuga Kuns and SG _ aana.

orcactivity fun!

#RBCMOrcas

Orca speak

On now until March 31, 2022 rbcm.ca/orcas

Ecotype: Groups of orcas have different sizes, appearances, behaviours and vocalizations. These groups are known as ecotypes.

Residents: The type of orca that likes to eat only fish, particularly Chinook salmon.

Bigg’s (Transients): This type of orca likes to eat marine mammals like seals.

Offshore: This type of orca likes to eat sharks.

Q. What do orcas like to listen to when on the go?

A. Podcasts!

Pod: A group of closely related orca families that share a common female ancestor (like a grandmother).

A littoral* word search Get familiar with some of the terminology that scientists use when studying orcas by finding the words below in the word search to the left.

RESIDENTS TRANSIENTS ECOTYPE OFFSHORE POD SADDLE PATCHES BLOWHOLE DORSAL *Littoral: of or relating to the shore of a lake, sea or ocean.

Help Rhapsody navigate the maze by avoiding the litter pollution that is harmful to sea life.

START >

Litter labyrinth

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HOW TO PLAY

Our oceans are dying because of overfishing, climate change and pollution. Find out what you can do to help save the orcas’ habitat by making this Rhapsody fortune-teller cut-out and playing with a friend.

• Have a partner pick one word (ORCAS, OUR, SHARED, FUTURE) and open Rhapsody’s mouth up and down, side to side, as you count up the number of letters in that word (for example, ORCAS = five letters).

• When you stop, ask them to pick one of the four numbers shown in Rhapsody’s mouth.

Rhapsody’s fortunes

• Unfold the panel with that number to learn what you can do to help protect the orcas’ habitat.

5

2

Start a compost project

Instructions 1. Fold the paper up in half and unfold, then fold vertically in half and open again

FOLD

UNFOLD

FOLD

3. Flip it over and fold each corner into the centre again FOLD

FOLD

FLIP OVER!

FOLD

FOLD

4

FOLD

FOLD

4. Fold in half

UNFOLD

5. Place your fingers behind each square

FOLD

6. Open and close with your fingers

Eat less meat and seafood

2. Fold each corner into the centre

FOLD

3

Start with fortune-teller graphics facing down

Use a reusable cup

Recycle trash properly

1

Take part in beach cleanup activities

Don’t put anything toxic down the drain

R

OR

OU

6

CA

S

CAREF UL LY DE TA CH PA G E F RO M T H E M A G A Z INE A ND CU T A L O NG D O T T E D L INE T O RE L E A SE T H E F O R T UN E T E L L E R !

FOLD

Avoid single-use plastics

Bring your own bag to stores

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T FU

E R U

SH AR E

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WHAT’S INSIGHT

Plastic-Free Salish Sea

VIRTUAL TOUR Enjoy an exclusive guided virtual tour of Orcas: Our Shared Future from Royal BC Museum learning program developer Kim Gough in conversation with exhibition curators.

$10

l 30 minutes

Special pricing for members

rbcm.ca/watch

T

his upcycled artwork, titled Plastic-Free Salish Sea, was created by Ms. Vanessa Tan’s grade 2 class at Discovery Elementary School in Shawnigan Lake.

Their efforts were not only artistic, but environmental and educational in nature, as they learned from Coast Salish artist Crysta Bouchard, as well as from the Royal BC Museum digital resources. Their hope in making it is to inspire others to clean up their community and get creative!

The artwork was displayed as a pop-up in the Orcas: Our Shared Future exhibition on June 25 and 26, 2021.

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THANK YOU To all our supporters

April 1, 2020–March 31, 2021

$500,000+

Government of Canada Province of British Columbia Royal British Columbia Museum Foundation

$100,000–$499,000

Canadian Heritage with the participation of the Government of Canada CHEK Media

$25,000–$99,000

BC Parks BC Transit Corporation CTV Vancouver Island Estate of Constance C. Gibson Glacier Community Media Helijet International Inc. John and Joan Walton Innovators Fund Lamar Advertising Company Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate Lacombe Canada Robert and Devi Jawl Foundation Times Colonist The Victoria Foundation

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$5,000–$24,000

Anonymous Bev Wallace Estate of David N. Lee Estate of Jean McRobert FortisBC Franny's Cultured Cow Products Ltd. Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life Lily Jer-Nakamura and Richard Nakamura Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations Paladin Security Pattison Outdoor Advertising Susan and James H. Henwood

$1,000–$4,999

Anne and Pat Anderson Anonymous (2) Tony and Darlene Southwell Audrey Johnson Barbara C. Fields Barbara Clerihue Carol Navickas in memory of Edmund Navickas Christopher and Susan Considine Daphne Corbett David and Dixie Obee David Harris Flaherty David Zussman and Sheridan Scott Pervez (Perry) and the late Annamaria Bamji Helen Buck Leonda Adler in memory of Eric Adler Intact Insurance Victoria James and Isabel Merston Joan Laharty Jocelyn Braithwaite

Thank you. We are grateful to the following donors, organizations and foundations that have invested in the important work of the Royal BC Museum in the past year. They made it possible to develop exciting outreach programs, make new research discoveries, and build stronger connections with people across British Columbia through field trips, talks and community consultations.

The Royal BC Museum also greatly appreciates the ongoing support of the Province of British Columbia, through the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport, and the Royal BC Museum Foundation.

Their core support makes our work possible.

Please join us in thanking these generous funders for their invaluable contribution to history, culture, research and learning in BC.

John and Fern Spring Joyce Clearihue Kiirsten Suurkask Lynda and Murray Farmer Pauline Rafferty and Bob Plecas Raymond and Sheila Protti René and Allison Weir Robert and Birgit Bateman Seattle Magazine Suzanne Ellyin Terence Scandrett and Angela Bassage Thomas Mayne Fund at the Victoria Foundation Tom Osaki Treck Wear University of Victoria Continuing Studies Victoria and Roberto Cecchini Walter Trojanow Wayne Good and Sarah Meredith-Jones

$500–$999

Angela Williams and Ante Mlinar Anonymous Betty Thacker Brendan Bendis Donald and Anne Russell Donna and John de Haan Elizabeth and Mark Taylor Geoff and Amy-Lynn Burian James and Jean Jamieson Joe and Linda Harvey Judith H. Kenyon Kelly and Rose Chu Lois McNabb Mavis Begg in memory of Marguerite Gayfer Michel Bisaillon Paula Carey and Nicholas Wemyss

Peter Seward Richard and Susan Holmes Susan K. McMillan in memory of David H. McMillan Teresa Hall-Patch Tom Knightall Victoria Master Gardeners Association of BC

$100–$499

Alan Tompson in memory of Anne Tompson Anonymous (2) Andrew Beckerman Andrew Wilkinson Anne Schultz Anne Smithson Barbara Marshall Barbara Riding Betty Macnaughton Beverly Ball Bob and Jennifer Hasite Carol Huddart Cassie Bell Celso Mendoza, PhD Charities Aid Foundation of Canada c/o CyberGrants Cheryl Lumley Chris McMillan Cindy Shantz Colleen Cahoon Dale and Joy Olesky Darlene Clover David and Susan Geddes David Burns David Marriott and Janice Storeshaw Deborah Dancik Dennis Jeanes in memory of Marguerite Gayfer Dennis McCann Mark and Diana Donald Johnson Donald Hedges

Dorothy M. Pearson Eleanor Walton Elizabeth Thunstrom Emma Gledhill F. John Stewart Fred McMechan Freda Krause Garry Mierzuak Heather McPherson The Victoria Foundation– Henry and Marian Thiel Family Trust Ian McEachern in memory of Jessie McEachern James Fife Jack and Barbara Kirby Jason Knight Jennifer Jasechko Joan M. Cousins Joan Mansfield Joel Hammond and family in memory of Marguerite Gayfer John Neilson John Parker John and Faye Schultz Jonathan and Caroline Preston Joseph Forrest Kathy Harris Kimanda Jarzebiak Laurel Glanfield Laverne Rose Lily Chow Lynda Hundleby Malcolm Foy Margaret Borland Mark Fetterly Mary Louise Holland Mary Paddy McGowan Mary-Lou Florian Mavis DeGirolamo Merv Porath Michael Elliott Nancy Merston

WHAT’S INSIGHT

Orca Book Publishers Paul Bingham Peggy Magee P. M. Bond Perry Plewes Qualicum Beach Garden Club Randy T. Gelling and Geraldine Bulosan Richard K. Pabst Robert Lazaruk Robert S. Rothwell Robert Thomas Roderick Richmond Roland T. Trenaman Ronald Manzer Roy A. Richford Russell Malkoske Ruth Mossop Stanley Coleman Sue Chambers Sue Leach Susan Brown Susan C. Goff Susan Henderson Susanna Solecki Suzanne Stewart Tamara Sears and Karl Sears Tina Lowery Tom Knightall Victor S. Dove Waldtraut Blume Wendy Sehn Wendy Warren

Up to $100

Aditya Verma Aija Auzina Aki Kaltenbach Alayne Brygadyr-McCoy Alen DeCiantis Alex Borjas Alex Foo Alexina Murphy Alicia Hirtle Alison Keighan Allan Yeo Allison Baldwin Allison Newcomb Allyson Mittelstaedt Alynne Mary Shinness Amber Frewing Amelia Scott Amie Hardiman Anabel Caldera Andrew Hopewell Andrew Sandilands Andrii Mitnovych Angela Guillen Angelene Prakash Ann C. Hulbert Ann Morris Ann Paul Ann Smith Anne Grant Anne Nelson Anne Sacco

Anonymous (7) Anthony Edwards Anthony Shaw April Flannagan Aric Raaflaub Arivarul Arivazhagan Arla Sinclair Arthur Savage Arthur Underhill Ashley Runzer Ashton Louie Asta Judeike Athena McKenzie Aul Romhany Baljit Dhaliwal Barbara Moon Barbara Schau Ben Cunningham Ben Greene Beth Young Bowen Moran Brandon Bortzer Brayden McKeen Breighton Campbell Brenda Righetti Brendan Wall Brent Loshney Brian Cant Brian Kelly Brody Moore Bronwen Starke Brooke Rose Bruno Dammizio Bryna Laplante C. Leslie Cole Caitlyn Dube Caitlyn Sommerville Cameron Hoogland Cameron Klassen Camille Angus Campbell Black Carmen Bydalek Carmen Dahl Carmen Dykes Carol Johnson Carole Carver Carole Wilson-Pothiboon Carolyn Jenkinson Carolyn Van Carolyne Stayton Carolynne Sauve Cassidy Gale Catharine Brouwer-Read Catherine Campbell Catherine Cardinal Catherine Hemming Cellene Concepcion Chantal Cassivi Charles A. Simpson Charles Cox Charles Joerin Charles Simpson Chelsea Belleau Chelsea Masson Cheryl Osborn Cheryl White

Chloe Richards Chris Bosson Chris Chilton Chris Dowsley Chris Hamiltom Chris McGuire Chris Payne Chris Rounding Christine Desjardins Christine Munch Christine Nagsawa Christine Neufeld Christopher Blackmore Christopher Dudenas Christopher Thompson Christopher Willis Claire Hughes Claudette Legault Clayton Bennett Clayton Meeker Colin McCune Colleen Crowe Colleen Happ Craig Krause Cyndi Fournier Cynthia Qin Dacia Moss Dale Clements Dan Adrian Dan Lamb Dana Epp Daniel Mantei Darcy Culleton Darren Somerville Darryl Knight David Andrews David Clark David Crampton David Evans David Kool David Powley David Roberts David Shanks David Sproule David Tautorus David Wilkinson Dawn Sandberg Dayna Briemon Deborah Bulk Deborah Conradi Deborah Maundrell Debra Good Deepankar Walia Denise Pasutti Derek and Kelly Hurst Desiree Quint Diana Henderson Diana Ray Dianne Anderson Don McKerracher Don Radford Donald Low Donna Steeves Dorothy Pearson Edwin Knight Elaine Belliveau

Elaine Lewis Elan Fritz Eli Langley Elizabeth Guevara Elizabeth King Elizabeth Martinson Ellen Godfrey Eric Showers Eric Taylor Erica Van Dyk Erin Rae Brockmann Eryn Rex Eugene Valeriote Eva Craycroft Everard Trip Evie Loree Fay Vintcent Fiona Madison Frances Bryan Frances McArthur Fred Grimm Gary Alberts Gennie Vest Geoff Buck Gerry Robson Gillian Angrove Gladwyn Lochhead Glenn Ludovice Graham Lloyd Gwendolyn Margetson Hannah Lawson Hanne Hindle Hans Kummer Haunted History BC Heather Buchner Heather Eckert Heather Ferrie Heidi Grantner Helen Dobric Helen Furmanek Helen Hughes Helen Neilson Henry Oluka Hoang Dai Nguyen Holly Tillotson Ian McEachern Ian McKay Illoana Smith In honour of Benjamin, Laura, Annika, Aaron Irene Maxwell Irene Sam Isabella Ghiurea Jackson Abbott James Dykes James Greer James Morgan James Sharpe James Taylor James Wright Jan Moshurchak Jane Bond Jane Hutchins Jane Potentier Jane Savidant Jane Sicurella

Janet Siska Janice Riseborough Jarrett Hurley Jason Arnet Jason Dingelstad Jason Knight Jason Pindar Jean A. Kucy Jean Claire Del Fierro Jeanette Henley Jeff Skipper Jeff Vandermeer Jennifer Gillespie Jennifer Gracey Jennifer Healey Jennifer Palmer Jesse Clark Jessica Fox Jessica Klein Jessica Kot Jessie Bicknell Jill Sechley Jillian Soole Jim Patterson Jineane Eason Joan Schafer Joanna Dyakowska Jobanjit Singh Hundal Jocelyn Geidt Jocelyn M. Gifford Jodi Marr Joe Murray Joey Gonzales John Bonner John D. Forster John Devaney John Kendall John McNamee John O'Sullivan John Weaver Jonas Birstonas Jordan Garner Joseph Anthony Joseph Traczynski Joy Archer Joyce Jones Joyce Nordwall Joyce Vezina Judith Longyear Judy Carlton Judy Friebe Julia Kimberley Julia Kovacs June Parkinson June Scudeler Justin and Nicole Gervais Justyne Morrow Kaillym Swap Kali Coss Karen Andersen Karen Livingston Karen Manders Kari Moore Kat Corman Kate Braid Katherine Carlson

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Katherine L. Turner Katherine Poyntz Kathleen Zimmerman Kathryn Holmberg Kathryn Krishna Kathryn Miles Kathy Khouri Kati Heinke Katriana Sorritelli Katy Smith Kayla Heath Keira Pinchbeck Kelly Robart Kelly Steen Kelly Stubson Kelsey Harkes Ken Parkinson Keri Lukacs Kevin Clarke Kevin Elliott Kieran Beckett Kim A. Bodman Kim Capson Kim Flament Kim Jackman Kimberly Poduch Kirstin Dunford Kris Verma Kristan Nelson Kristine Kusnyerik Kristine Zelenkov Kyle Austin Laila Asutilla Laila Casado Lara Hoffecker Larry and Wanda Hallman Larry Toovey Laura Collie Laura Feeleus Laura Taylor Laura Villegas Laurie R. Baxter Lee Valentine Lesley Neilson Leslie Gibson Leslie Shewring Liam McCullough Libby Robinson Linda Barnes Linda Sproule-Jones Lisa Billesberger Lisa Lee Lisa O'Brien Lise Gillen Lonnie Cochrane Lorelei Sommer Lorne Shaw and Johanne Byskov Louisa Tutkaluk Lucy Morris Lynaea Tilley Lynn Husted Lynn MacDonald M. Harding Maggie Kerr-Southin Mandeep Jawanda

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Margaret Borland Margaret Enns Margi Nicholas Margot Haakonsen Marie Doherty Marijane Peterson Marina Kasapi Marion Podborochynski Maritza van den Heuvel Mark Lee Mark Robinson Mark Wiesel Marsha Leeman-Conley Marsha Williams Martha Beckermann Martin Bergbusch Mary Addison Mary-Anne Thomas Mary-Kae Smith Maryna Ell Matthew Brigden Matthew Obee Max Hewitt Maxine Demmler May Kald Megan Anderson Megan Halkett Megan Maher Meghan Pysh Melissa Crow Melissa Erletz Meredith Wires Micaela Serra Micayla Henry Michelle Gregoire Miranda Oak Miriam Durbach Mohamed Mutter Mohammad Yaqoob Hashmi Monica Perry Monika Moar Muriel Carlson Nadely Smith Nancy Bell Natasha Kruse Natasha Rankin Neil Goldsmith Nels Powell Nick Clarke Nicole Chetwynd Nikhil Chandran Omar Kashef Paige Leslie Pam Diggins Pamela Broderick Pamela Shaen Patricia Duff Patricia Kirk Patricia Siemens Patrick Dean Patrick Morris Paul Bingham Paul Daam Paul Lamb Paul Williams Paulette De Silva

Pauline Stuart Pearl Randall Peggy Watkins Peggy Wu Peter Grant Peter Henry Peter Russ Philipp Rother Preston Forry Provincial Employees Community Services Fund Qingyi Pan Ray Hunt Raymond McDonald Reana Deng Rebecca Hof Reena Gill Renee Morris Renee Silberman Ricardo Montejo Richard Brokenshire Richard Zussman Rick Maddocks Riesa Venchuk Rita Beny Rob Cairns Rob Kyle Robert Boyd Robert Butchart Robert Hodge Robert Murphy Robert Thompson Robert Vick Farley Roger Gibb Ron Ohmart Ronnie Kerr Rosamund Hyde Rose Maleschuk Rosemary Garnet Rosemary Lach Rossina Collova Rowan McGinnis Russell Stefan Ryan Ayre Ryan Davidson Sadie Hatt Sandra Large Sandra Mclellan Sandra Ulmi Sandy Pollard Sara Adamson Sara Neufeld Sarah Bisgrove Sarah Devlin Sarah Klettke Sasha Millette Shane Macpherson Sharen Berkowitz Sharon Stevenson Sheila Neapole Sheilagh Simpson Shelagh MacKinnon Shelley Campbell Shirley Marcetta Shirley Sanderson Shirleyann Stewart

Sid Scull Smitty Ho Soleil Demers Sonya Armstrong Sophia Gu Sophie Lehman Sorath Rakhra Spencer Hay Spring Ellison Stacey Mitchell Stepfanie Carriere Stephanie Tate Stephen Cox Stephen Ford Steve Kew Steve Watson Steven Rogak Sue and Cameron Burns Sue Clease Sunta Izzicupo Susan Campbell Susan Firestone Susan Goble Susan Harney Susan J. Anderson Susan Pickles Susan Reid Susan Shepherd Susan Ward Sydnie Nauss Tammy Mitchell Tanis Angove Tanya Jellicoe Tanya Rutley Tanya Sunshine Taryn Burgar Teresa Balser Teresa Cinco

Tessa Sivak Tessa Stewart Theresa Kosek Thiago Hinkel Thomas Tames Thomas Watson Tim Mills Tobin McCallum Todd Hunter Tomasz Debowski Tracy Fisher Trevor Wales Trish Stovel Trisha Hansen-bukata Trudy Chatwin Tusaani Hudson Tyler McMillan Tyler Schaus Ursa Hawthorne Val Koutougos Valerie Bruce Verity Richardson Verna Lang Victor Jeon Victor Lotto Victoria Anserson Victoria Eason Walter Svandrlik Weijie Zha Wendy Fanucchi Wendy Northcut William Gibson William Jones Xuehong Wang Yuki Tampo-Hinton Zeta Lay Ziwei Chen Zoe Goodwin

We have made every effort to include the names of all donors who made a gift from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021. If your name was inadvertently missed or if you have any questions or corrections, please email Erika Stenson at estenson@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca.

Thank you for your generosity.

WHAT’S INSIGHT

A recent addition to the Royal BC Museum Modern History collection.

THANK YOU

Gifts to the Collection April 1, 2020–March 31, 2021

Thank you to all donors who have contributed to the permanent collections of the Royal BC Museum during this fiscal year.

Over the course of the year, many objects, specimens and documentary records have entered the provincial collection. These donations come from generous individuals and organizations who aim to advance new knowledge and understanding of British Columbia’s cultural and natural history.

If you would like to know more about donating to the provincial collection at the Royal BC Museum, please contact Caroline Davies, senior registrar, at 250 893 4101 or cdavies@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca.

Adrian Tryssenaar Alex Zimmerman Alexandras Terrick Amy Reiswig Andrew Plank Anna Worobetz Anne Hopkinson Anne Warren Betty Anderson Beverely Elaine Chan Bob Altwein Bob Drinkwater, Drinkwater Ecological Services Bob St-Cyr Brenda Grice Brian Kelsey Brian Losie Bruce Archibald, Simon Fraser University Bruce Chambers Bryan Kelly McArthur Caeley Thacker Carol Block Carolyn Thompson Cassidy O’Keefe Chris Lewis, Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development Christie Lacey Cindy Morrison Cleopatra Corbett Corey Cartwright Cori Carpenter Corinne Robinson Dan Bowden Darcie Quamme

Dariel Lindsay David Gray David Phipps David Tasker Debbra Mikaelsen Derek Kleinfeldt Diane Modahl Doug McAvoy Dustin Coldwell Elise Koski and Brent Peltier Emily Cameron, BC Conservation Data Centre Emily Loban Eric Hamilton Erin McCammon Fabio De Leo, Ocean Networks Canada Florian Lüskow Gae VanSiri Gary Daniel Steel Gavin Hanke Gerry Schallié Gillian Haugen-Koechl Graham Beard, Qualicum Beach Museum Harinder Dhillon Helen Kaulbach Iain Russell Estate of J. Douglas Southern Jackie Cleaves on behalf of Queen of Angels Catholic Elementary and Middle School Jacqueline Ray James Basinger, University of Saskatchewan James Peacock

Janet Kennedy Jason Cole Jazmine Lowther, Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development Jeannette Bedard Jennifer Meacham Jessica Bayley, South Coast Land Management Program Jillian Stafford in honour of Nora Paddon Joanna Vendervlugt Judy Spearing Julia Kim on behalf of Kennedy Chew and Coco Kesselman Julie Abbey Kalyn May Karen Davies Kate Seymour Katherine Madden Kathy Spence Kelvin Lloyd Ken Johnson Ken Marr Kevin Li Kira Gebauer Kristina Castle Kristy Kelly Lara Phillips Laura Scherer Leah Best Lily Quan Lindsay Kornelson Lisje The Lorne Hammond Lydia Green

Lynda Slater Lynne Vickson Marc Leduc Maria Toews Marianne Bauml Murray Marta Rogic Martina Beck, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy Merlin Best, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Michelle Footz on behalf of the Gulf Islands School of Performing Arts Michelle Paget on behalf of Bentall Green Oak Hillside Centre Mike Thomas Miriam Cloutier Mur Meadows Norma Kerby Onni Milne Orville Dyer Paul Spong Penelope Edgar Phil Grewar Randal Ormston Richard Hebda Dr. Robert S. Rothwell Rod Salloum Roland Trent Ingram The Salient Group Sandy McLachlan Sarah and Jim Crover Sarah Delorme (Labeuf) Sarah Faucher Sarah Petrescu

Serap Brown Shannon Tait Sharon Montgomery Shawn Talbot Shel Brodsgaard Sidney Bending Sonja Burton Sophia Karasouli-Milobar Stephanie Knueppel Stephen Smith Steve Lewis Sue Frew Susan Woods Syd Cannings Tanya Garrioch (Smith) Ted McGrath Theresa Kowall Tom Bown Tom Thompson Valerie Burton Vaughan Blackman Victoria Arbour Walter Schmur Wendy Clarke Wendy Wingerter Wesley Hatano

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THANK YOU Contributions to For Our Time A COVID-19 Collecting Project

W

orking from home has become synonymous with the pandemic for many in British Columbia. The volunteers at the Royal BC Museum are no exception; many have continued their work for the museum remotely, in some cases taking on new jobs and tasks.

“Love always wins”

D

uring the COVID-19 pandemic we have been humbled and encouraged by the outpouring of contributions from people like you to our documentation project, For Our Time.

A year ago, when we asked British Columbians to tell us their COVID-19 stories, remarkable people from around the province stepped forward. Through online submissions, For Our Time has developed into a rich repository of pandemic experiences including photographs, music, art, personal accounts and offers of objects.

Donors represent all age groups and many locations throughout the province.

We thank you for helping us to document these historic times.

British Columbia’s experience of this pandemic is a legacy worth preserving, and with your help, museums around the province are accomplishing this goal. We will continue to provide you with the opportunity to contribute to the project, and, when it’s safe to do so, to help us collect the material culture of the pandemic.

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Liz Keay has been enriching the botany catalogue by transcribing specimen sheets like this one.

WHAT’S INSIGHT

C E L E B R AT I N G

Royal BC Museum Volunteers Working From Home to Support the Museum During the Pandemic

By Sandra Hudson, Communications Consultant

Lisa Newell making origami boxes for volunteer recognition pins.

Liz Keay, a longtime employee of the Ministry of Health, is also a volunteer, currently working from home for the botany department. Liz spends her time at home doing database work, transcribing specimen labels onto spreadsheets. Being a part of the history of BC is important to Liz, and she hopes that her work will assist in making information more accessible. Once she retires, Liz aims to expand her volunteer role at the museum—she says her only regret is that she didn’t begin volunteering sooner.

Lisa Newell has volunteered for the museum for the past two years, thanks to the Garth Homer Society, who arranged her volunteer opportunity. Normally, she works in the volunteer lounge, where Holli Hodgson, Royal BC Museum volunteer services manager, discovered Lisa’s talent for making origami boxes. During the pandemic, Lisa has been volunteering from home, making boxes for the presentation of volunteer service recognition pins. When asked about her experiences at the museum, Lisa said, “I’d like to work there forever.”

Rick Harbo enjoying field work.

Robb Bennett collecting spiders in the alpine.

Research associates have been impacted less by the pandemic than many other museum volunteers, as they already carry out their work from across BC. Rick Harbo has volunteered as a research associate at the Royal BC Museum for the past nine years, following a 36-year career with Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Rick specializes in the identification and research of species around Vancouver Island and in the Salish Sea. While the pandemic has left Rick unable to visit the museum, he has carried on with his own field work, as well as writing and publishing. Rick finds it particularly rewarding to contribute to the scientific knowledge of our coast, saying he plans to continue to volunteer indefinitely.

Another research associate, Robb Bennett, has worked as a volunteer in the entomology department for the past 10 years, following a career with the BC Ministry of Forests. Robb works alongside museum staff researching the diversity of spiders in BC, which Robb calls his dream job. Throughout the pandemic, Robb has continued his volunteer work, writing articles from his home office for publication and working in his home lab. Like Rick, Robb plans to continue his volunteer role for the foreseeable future.

Thank you to all our volunteers! You inspire us every day!

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Enlarged images of carpet burweed collected from Beacon Hill Park, Victoria, April 10, 2006.

W E E D I N G

O U T

T H E

W O R S T

How the Royal BC Museum Herbarium Fights Invasive Species

A

By Dr. Ken Marr, Curator of Botany

ccidentally or deliberately, humans move plants around the planet. We call them “weeds” if they grow where we don’t want them and “invasive” if they spread, their numbers unchecked by the herbivores and diseases that keep them in control where they originate. Many cannot survive or spread in their new homes without human care—think of pansies and petunias. But a few, the invasives, spread into landscapes disturbed by human activity, like urban areas, roadsides and agricultural fields. Others invade natural habitats, altering ecosystems simply by occupying the spaces in which native species occur, in turn impacting the birds, insects and mammals that depend on those native species for food. Millions of dollars are spent to control agricultural weeds, although ironically, the crops we grow are not native to BC and could be considered “invasive” themselves.

There are about 2,400 native plant species in BC. About 900 are nonnative, and of these a few dozen are invasive. Invasive species arrive by various means, intentionally or unintentionally: as contaminants in grains, with the nursery trade, as livestock forage or as ornamentals. A surprising source is commercial wildflower seed mixes. These certainly contain wildflowers, but most are from Europe or Asia, not British Columbia.

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WHAT’S INSIGHT Two herbarium specimens of common reed: the introduced genetic type on the left, and the native genetic type on the right.

Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) forms dense patches in wet meadows and ditches. Despite its beauty, famed British botanist Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker described it as “a terror to botanists, deceitful above all plants, and desperately wicked”!

The 225,000-specimen herbarium at the Royal BC Museum contributes to the management of invasive species in BC. Invasive species managers at all levels of government (and members of the Invasive Species Council of BC, an NGO) use the herbarium collection to help evaluate which species are of greatest concern. We receive many specimens that are sent either to document new occurrences or to be identified. With funds generously provided by the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (FLNRORD), we hired a temporary collections manager to process a backlog of these specimens, add them to the collection and make their associated collection information widely available.

The negative impacts of invasive species are not always related to their size. For example, a tiny plant from Chile, carpet burweed (Soliva sessilis), has been in North America since at least 1884, but it was first collected in BC only in 1996, on Salt Spring Island. It has since spread to more than 10 coastal BC locations. Carpet burweed fruits bear a sharp spine that makes lawns unusable for picnics and bare feet; it is suspected that this sharp spine embeds the fruit into vehicle tires, contributing to its spread. Several parks in the Victoria area have had to close off areas due to the presence of this species.

At the other end of the size spectrum is a tall grass known as the common reed (Phragmites australis), which grows primarily in wetlands. This species is especially challenging to manage because there are two genetic types, but they are not readily distinguished based on easily observed features. One is native to North America (ssp. americanus) and does not spread to the exclusion of other species. The other genetic type (ssp. australis) is from Europe and is extremely invasive in wetlands and agricultural fields, especially in eastern Canada. In 2001, a biologist at Yale University discovered that the two types can be distinguished using DNA markers. Using this approach, a collaborative effort involving the University of Victoria, FLRNRORD and the Royal BC Museum analyzed 203 plants from southern BC and discovered nine plants of the invasive genetic type.

Early detection and rapid removal is critical to controlling the spread of invasive species, and everyone can assist this effort. If you want learn more, or if you encounter a plant that you suspect is invasive, you can report it to Report-a-Weed at reportaweedbc.ca.

Coral Forbes, temporary collections manager, gluing a specimen of knapweed, one of the province’s worst weeds, to acid-free herbarium mounting paper.

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By Genevieve van der Voort, Vancouver Island University student

PLATANTHERA ORCHIDS, PAN TRAPPING AND INSECT DIVERSITY

On Vancouver Island, Platanthera orchids can have either a white or green inflorescence. This species, Platanthera elegans, has a white inflorescence. Photograph courtesy of Genevieve van der Voort.

Vancouver Island orchid habitats show low insect family-level diversity

A

lpine meadows, lowland bogs, and mixed Garry oak and arbutus forests might seem like diverse environments, but they all have one thing in common: species of Platanthera orchids grow there. Platanthera orchids (including the Piperia rein orchids) have widespread distribution across North America, but not a lot is known about the insects that may be associated with these plants. For example, pollinators of many species are unknown throughout BC. These unknowns are what attracted me to study these orchids and their insects for my undergraduate thesis. I graduated from Vancouver Island University (VIU) this June with a bachelor’s degree in biology. During my time at VIU, I discovered a passion for entomology and botany, and this led me to pursue a master’s degree at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) dealing with insect biodiversity and Platanthera pollination starting this September. I am happy to say that the specimens I collected can now reside at the Royal BC Museum.

In my study, I set out to examine how family-level insect diversity may be different in sites with different species of Platanthera orchid. We looked at a total of seven species of Platanthera across Vancouver Island (the most common species we encountered was Platanthera transversa). To examine insect diversity, we set up pan traps to catch any insects around the orchids. We used bowls of eight different colours (different insects are attracted to different colours) with water and a few drops of dish soap to collect insects. We did this for three trapping sessions. We also observed orchids for 10-minute intervals and collected any insects that appeared. I then identified the insects to taxonomic family and compared the number of families by study site and orchid species.

We saw low levels of insect-family diversity across all sites. Sites were mostly dominated by a few families: ants, aphids, leaf hoppers and spider wasps, for example.

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Spider wasps (Pompilidae) were one of the more common families caught while pan trapping. Photograph courtesy of Genevieve van der Voort.

While we did record insects during the observations, we never saw pollination. One of the things we found while pan trapping was that there was no difference in the number of insects caught for each pan trap colour. Yellow traps caught the most and red caught the least, but the difference was not significant. When insects were examined by taxonomic order (the flies, or Diptera, for example), there was also no pan trap colour that significantly caught the most insects. Around 500 insects were collected while pan trapping in this study, and they have been sent to be housed at the Royal BC Museum.

So what next? At the moment, we’re working on using motion-detecting cameras to capture footage of any insects that may be pollinating these local orchids, day or night. This should give us a much better picture of how pollination happens. The study continues!

PUBLISHING

WHAT’S INSIGHT

Dyeing with Fungi An excerpt from Mushrooms of British Columbia, forthcoming from Royal BC Museum Books

By Andy MacKinnon and Kem Luther

P NEW FROM THE ROYAL BC MUSEUM $34.95 Mushrooms of British Columbia is available now at

rbcm.ca/mushrooms or the Royal Museum Shop or your favourite local bookstore

rior to the discovery of synthetic (petrochemical) dyes in the mid-19th century, all dyes were natural dyes derived from plants, fungi, lichens, invertebrates and minerals. The synthetic dyes largely displaced natural dyes because they were easier to brew up in the large amounts needed by the fabric industry. Additionally, the new dyes proved to be more effective than natural dyes in colouring fabrics woven from synthetic fibres (also concocted from petrochemical sources).

With the decline in the use of natural dyes, there was a corresponding loss of knowledge about which species were good sources for dyes.

In recent decades, however, there has been a resurgence of interest, both artisanal and industrial, in the use of mushrooms and other natural sources as dyestuffs. The movement reflects both a longing to reconnect with the natural world and a desire to reduce the use of, and contact with, petrochemicals.

A rainbow of colours are available from BC’s mushroom species.

Reds and oranges are often derived from species in the Dermocybe part of Cortinarius and the dead man’s foot. Purples come from some ramarias.

Several important BC edibles also yield dye colours. The king bolete and lobster crust produce various yellows and may leave mushroom foragers wondering whether to toss them in the dyeing pot or the cooking pot.

While most mushroom dyes can be effectively processed in boiling water, pigments from some species are better extracted by other solvents, such as vinegar or ammonia (traditionally sourced from aged urine in a pee pot on the back porch, for those who want the full artisanal effect!).

The extraction process affects the colour obtained from mushroom dyes, as does the choice of mordants, the mineral salts that are sometimes used to fix colours to the fabrics. The dyer’s conk, a favourite choice of BC mushroom dyers, yields hues ranging from green to gold to yellow and sometimes orange and brown, depending on the pH modifier, mordant selection and processing procedures. Fabrics dyed with strawberries and cream, another common BC mushroom, produce elusive greens and greys.

As with mushroom identification, the best way to learn how to dye with mushrooms is to meet up with like-minded folks who have been using natural dyes for a while. A good place to locate such people might be your local mycological or natural history society. Those wishing to consult written references usually find their way to Arleen and Alan Bessette’s The Rainbow Beneath My Feet (Syracuse University Press, 2001).

A number of websites also have pictures, videos, and instructions that can help beginners get started. Alissa Allen’s mycopigments.com and the Facebook group Mushroom and Lichen Dyers United are two good places to start.

Alissa Allen (mycopigments.com), displaying wool dyed with mushrooms and lichens.

Photograph courtesy of Megan Hodde.

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F E AT U R E

A conversation on the

Pocket Gallery exhibit

WE ARE HERE, AND WE ARE HERE TO STAY

A

Hope Meets Action: Echoes Through

the Black Continuum

s the Royal BC Museum moves towards culture change, we are finding new models for community-led and community-engaged exhibition development.

One such model was explored in the development of the Pocket Gallery exhibit on Black history in BC, created in collaboration with the BC Black History Awareness Society.

What follows is a conversation between Joshua Tecumseh Francis Robertson (curator and writer of the exhibition), Silvia Mangue Alene (president of the BC Black History Awareness Society) and Chris O’Connor (Learning program developer at the Royal BC Museum).

Chris: Can you both talk a little bit about your thoughts on museums in general? Where do they fall short, and where do they hold potential?

Joshua: We have to acknowledge the deeply colonial history of museums—however, there also lies the potential that we see in projects such as the one that we're working on to redress the history of colonial violence towards cultural communities through various means.

One thing that we want to focus on is to really derive it from the community and hear what the community wants, but also to communicate an active history.

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By Chris O’Connor Learning Program Developer

Oftentimes racialized communities and culture has been put into a place of stagnancy in museums— these were people who existed, these are cultures that used to exist—and what we know, as racialized people, is that our history and our culture is ongoing, extensive, influential and living. The acknowledgement and the redress, I think, are important to understand the history of museums and how they functioned to disenfranchise people from their cultures at times or to box them in, and in fact actively whitewashed a certain history and created narratives of old stock.

However, we also see the potential of museums as a space for a community of learning and of unlearning, and so redress is the name of the game, and inviting in living histories of those that have been previously marginalized.

WHAT’S INSIGHT

Joshua Tecumseh Francis Robertson, curator and writer of Hope Meets Action: Echoes Through the Black Continuum.

Silvia: When I was a child, I loved going to the museum, but it was an institution where it's bigger than you—things are huge, you feel small when you go in, and you have to be very quiet and you come to learn about cultures and other people that seem like they existed before. Those people still are alive, but it seems like in the museum they seem to only want to preserve the old, which is good, but life is continuous, right, so I think with this exhibit, it’s going be a little bit of that continuum of what Black is in BC, and that is something that really excites me. Also, museums have been very autocratic, they have been very ethnocentric, so it's nice to see that the Royal BC Museum is trying to change that relationship, and it's allowing the community to take the lead, which is also one of the things that really excite me about this exhibit. The exhibit is Black led, and the museum is being very diligent in allowing us to express ourselves and to be who we are.

Joshua: Silvia, I liked what you said about walking into the museum, this big institution, quiet big halls, there to only preserve things, for people to be quiet—and in fact, it's very contrary to the way a lot of different cultures are in how we learn and engage with culture.

Chris: With that in mind, what are your hopes and aspirations for the Black history exhibition project we are all working on?

Silvia: The point is to have a place where we can take our children and learn about our own stories, our own history.

This exhibit is going to be a step to do that, and I'm hoping this exhibit will ignite that desire. We will do the job the best we can, and we know we will be very proud of it and we hope that the Black community will be very proud.

Joshua: For me, growing up here, I was told a history that excluded our existence as Black people in this country and in British Columbia, and I think that speaks to belonging.

A lot of Black people find it hard when we don't see ourselves reflected in the history taught to us or in the art or in the institutions at the executive level. So, one of the things that is exciting about this is the ability to hear from the community, to take some of their hopes, dreams, aspirations and to try to apply that, to ignite a notion that we not only have been here but have contributed and continue to contribute and exist in influential ways. I think that will create this belonging and not only that it ignites a greater interest in our history but a celebration of the linkage that we are also Canadians, and it's not only history for Black people, this is Canadian history and something that we can all share. So that's what I'm excited about, to create the belonging for the Black community and from that to create a common understanding and kinship amongst Canadians.

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Chris: Speaking to that issue of belonging, who is one person that you're really looking forward to bringing to this exhibition? How do you hope they will feel about it?

Silvia Mangue Alene, president of the BC Black History Awareness Society.

Joshua: I have two people: my mom and my nephew.

My mom, who has long struggled and fought for, not only, you know, to see her children and her family find belonging here, but also as someone who has a proud history and tradition and who has fought for the acknowledgement of the contributions of Black people to this country and our existence. And also, I'm excited to bring my nephew, because I'm excited for that generation’s ability to have a greater awareness of Black Canadian history, which is Canadian history, ingrained and embedded in the school system, programs and curriculum, and to grow up with a sense of that belonging that we just discussed. So yeah, it's actually a little bit emotional. I'm quite excited for that future for my nephew and for the next generation of young Black people who can find identity and belonging and celebrate their great capacity of all these Black people and the tremendous abilities and contributions.

Whenever we've been given an inch we've taken a yard, so I'm excited for that.

ARTWORK BY SADE ALEXIS

Silvia: This is a little bit emotional. I grew up in Spain and there was nothing like that there. But some of us leave our homes that we love very much, some by choice, some for obligation, some because they were stolen—no matter where you take us, if given the opportunity we can make it, and even if they don't give us the opportunity, like in many places, we still will take it. And so, bringing my mom to the exhibit from Africa to Spain to Canada, for her to see that extension, and then my son, which is another extension of me. I hope that he will have his children as well, so that continuum is what is important for me.

Hope Meets Action

Echoes Through the Black Continuum On now until March 1, 2022 Clifford Carl Hall Learn more at rbcm.ca/pocketgallery

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Joshua: Silvia, you gave me goosebumps. I was just thinking about my grandma and grandpa that's his father, coming like from the continent, to Jamaica and then here to see that we're creating a place to celebrate our culture, our history, our ongoing living history.

Silvia: This exhibit is a way of fighting racism, you know, it's a way of demanding respect, it's a way of saying “I'm here, we are from here, and we are here to stay.“ This exhibit is a manifestation of us.

WHAT’S INSIGHT

PA R T N E R S H I P P R O F I L E

T Indigenous languages matter for sustainable development, peace building and reconciliation.

—United Nations

hrough our travelling exhibition program we are able to reach all corners of the province. In 2019 we developed a travelling version of Our Living Languages: First Peoples’ Voices in BC to commemorate the UN’s International Year of Indigenous Languages.

Since its completion, the exhibition has travelled to more than 20 regional museums and interpretive centres across BC and has had an audience of over 30,000. This important exhibition teaches visitors about the diversity of Indigenous languages and highlights what First Nations communities throughout the province are doing to help 34 different languages survive and flourish.

Since 2014 Vancity has supported the original on-site exhibition, and in 2019 their support expanded to include the travelling exhibition.

We are grateful for their support in enabling us to share this exhibition on the important work being done by First Nations communities on language reclamation.

Check out your community calendars for Our Living Languages touring throughout BC in the coming years.

Royal BC Museum members and IMAX Victoria annual pass holders receive 10% off all purchases in person with membership card or online with coupon code: MEMBER

Royal Museum Shop Shop in person or online at rbcm.ca/shop

250 356 0505 Your purchases support the Royal BC Museum

SHOP HOURS Monday to Sunday 10 am to 5 pm

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Heat Dome Die-Off

O

Dr. Henry Choong Examines the Loss of Intertidal Filter Feeders in BC

ysters, mussels and clams are known for their resilience—they can survive extreme changes in moisture, temperature and salinity and withstand strong waves. But this summer they died by the hundreds of millions as BC’s “heat dome” shattered hightemperature records across the province and wreaked havoc on intertidal ecosystems.

Dr. Henry Choong collecting mussels at Calvert Island, Hakai Protected Area, 2017.

By Wesley Macinnis Communications Specialist

Calvert Island, Hakai Protected Area

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“Scientists estimate that more than one billion marine animals along BC’s coastline may have perished because of the unprecedented heatwave” says Dr. Henry Choong, curator of invertebrate biology at the Royal BC Museum. “Intertidal invertebrates such as oysters, mussels and clams have to be very resilient to survive in what is already a harsh environment, so it’s concerning to see conditions that cause them to perish in such great numbers.”

The availability of climate data limits how far back we can look for precedents to the heat dome, but one study found that the frequency, duration and intensity of heatwaves all increased globally between 1950 and 2000, and concluded that this trend would only accelerate with global warming, causing more severe and possibly irreversible impacts.

Shellfish and crustaceans, the animals that bore the brunt of the impact during BC’s heatwave, don’t usually make frontpage news—at least, not nearly as often as BC megafauna such as caribou, grizzlies and whales—but it’s worth considering what could happen to BC’s coast if we continue to lose intertidal invertebrates on a large scale.

“They filter the water for us,” says Henry. “When filter feeders die in such large numbers, water quality will be compromised, and that will affect other marine life as well.”

Oysters, mussels and clams are filter feeders. They strain large quantities of water for microscopic plants and animals,

removing excess nitrogen from the water as they feed. Without this process, excess nitrogen in the water can cause algae blooms that can overwhelm, toxify and ultimately suffocate marine ecosystems.

Because of these organisms’ ability to remove excess nitrogen from the water, many coastal municipalities and aquaculture businesses across North America already use filter feeders to complement wastewater treatment practices.

“Since it is likely that impacts on the intertidal zone could increase with global warming, we can all do our part to help minimize the damage caused by global warming, such as making energy-efficient decisions and being mindful of our interactions with the environment,” says Henry.

Museums and museum professionals also have an important role to play.

“Museum collections, such as the Royal BC Museum natural history collections, provide a unique and critical window to the past, present and future by maintaining a specimen-based record of biodiversity data,” says Dr. Choong. “Our collection-based research helps us to explore questions related to the impact of climate change on species in BC and elsewhere.” In short, because our collections contain records made over more than a century, we can compare past and present conditions with ease—an essential tool in investigating the effects of climate change.

To learn more about Dr. Henry Choong’s work and the museum’s natural history collections, visit rbcm.ca/staff.

WHAT’S INSIGHT

HOPE FOR COVID TIMES

Employees of the H.Y. Louie Company, circa 1944. Courtesy the H.Y. Louie Family.

Peering Into the Past and A Tale of Two Families Dr. Tzu-I Chung, Curator of History

I

n the summer of 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, the Royal BC Museum delivered two small displays: a pilot pop-up exhibition called Peering Into the Past in Victoria, in Canada’s oldest Chinatown, and a Pocket Gallery display, A Tale of Two Families: Generations of Intercultural Communities and Family Lessons. The former was planned before we were aware of the pandemic, and the latter was developed after the pandemic disrupted the original plans. Currently, the possibility of taking A Tale of Two Families on the road is being considered by potential partners. The Royal BC Museum, the Victoria Chinatown Museum Society and the Salient Group signed the agreement to extend the Peering Into the Past exhibition until Spring 2022 in the hope that we can evaluate its educational impact when visits resume in a post-COVID time.

For me, as a curator who has worked closely with families and communities from non-mainstream community groups, both exhibitions conveyed the same message during uncertain times: through the intercultural understanding of communities’ struggles, contributions and perseverance, we persist through difficulty with hope. It is a hope that we as individuals and families can support each other as those pioneers before us did—they helped build this province and country with values of charity, kindness and education. It is also the hope that we as a society can do better and work to change systemic issues of discrimination, especially in challenging times.

The continuously worsening anti-Asian racism during the pandemic certainly has long historical roots, stretching back to the time before this land was called British Columbia or Canada. Behind the featured Chinese Freemasons lantern in Peering Into the Past and the Louie family history in A Tale of Two Families was the historical context of rampant anti-Asian racism in legislation and all aspects of society.

We have yet to come close to understanding what that has meant for so many Asian Canadians, just as we have yet to fully understand the profound loss and hardships in the

experiences of many other marginalized communities.

What has survived for us today is a rich tangible and intangible cultural heritage, and the resonant Canadian values of kindness and charity. When we appreciate it today, it is important that we keep historical perspectives and lessons in mind.

For most of us, the experience of this pandemic is unprecedented in our lives. Many of us felt more isolated than ever before. This prolonged moment of uncertainty presents a significant opportunity for reflection. What would be our collective response to the times of crisis?

How do we, as individuals and a society, honour the lessons of our predecessors and make this moment one that we can be proud of as we move forward? What actions can we take in shaping a better, inclusive future for all?

Please stop by 103-3 Fan Tan Alley in Victoria, if you have a chance, to see our outdoor popup exhibition in an unconventional space, and to support the Chinatown communities that have been an integral part of Canadian lives. We all have a role to play in making Canada a kind and safe place for everyone.

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By Shane Lighter, Photographer

LUMEN Cameraless Photography You Can Do at Home

Lumen Prints Lumen prints are the sunny cousin of the photogram, a type of cameraless photograph made by placing objects on top of photographic paper to create silhouettes.

For lumen prints, instead of using an enlarger as our light source, we’re going to use the sun. In fact, the sun is going to act as both our light source and our developer.

Step 1.

Materials used for lumen prints.

Step 2.

Materials arranged on photo paper.

What you’ll need:

How to do it:

Black and white photographic paper

1. Remove the photo paper from the packaging.

Paper fix (I used Ilford Rapid Fixer, but any fixer will do) Two developing trays A frame with glass (preferably larger than your photo paper, to reduce shadows from the frame) Stuff—you can really use anything that will block light, but plants and flowers are solid fan favourites

2. Arrange your items on top of the sensitized side of the paper.

3. Place the paper and items in the frame (this helps keep everything where it should be and prevents your items from blowing away). Once in the frame, it should be glass on top, then flowers, then your photo paper.

4. Put the frame, paper side up, somewhere it will get direct sunlight for about 90 minutes.

5. If you haven’t mixed up your fixer yet, now’s a good time do that!

6. After 90 minutes, remove your print from the frame, clear away your stuff and behold. If some stuff is stuck to the print, you can use water to clean it off.

Note: Once we put the print into the fixer, the colors are going to change. They tend to become less blue and lose a lot of saturation. So you might want to make a scan of your print at this point.

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WHAT’S INSIGHT

A Step 4.

s we head into another season of abundant time at home, I thought I’d share a couple of photo projects that I’ve enjoyed experimenting with during the past year. If you want to source any paper or equipment, it should all be readily available at your local camera store!

Lumen print soaking up the sun.

Step 6.

The lumen print prior to fixing.

Step 8.

Washing the lumen print.

Step 7.

Adding our fixer.

7. Now we’re going to fix our print. This will make the image permanent. Simply pour enough fixer into a tray to cover the print, slide the print in and agitate the tray gently for at least two minutes.

8. Now it’s time to wash our print, so we’ll put it in our second tray, and place that under room temperature running water for at least 10 minutes, emptying out the water a few times throughout.

9. Then we hang to dry. You can do this with a simple clothespin on the line; just attach one corner.

The finished lumen print.

10. Clean up! The fixer can go back in the bottle and be used again. You should be able to do about 15 to 20 sheets with the same litre of fixer.

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By Sandra Hudson Communications Consultant

Fond Farewells We Say Goodbye to Some Familiar Faces

Melissa Sands

T

his spring has seen the retirement of several committed Royal BC Museum staff members, all of whom have left a legacy of hard work and excellence at the museum. We will miss their collective wisdom and their incredible commitment to their work, the museum and the people of BC.

Pam Lowings

Jon Roodbol After 30 years spent looking after the Royal BC Museum building and facilities, facilities supervisor Jon Roodbol headed into retirement. Jon began his public service career with the BC Ministry of Municipal Affairs, Recreation and Culture, which at that time managed the museum. When an opportunity presented itself to join the museum itself in 1991, Jon applied and got the job. His role has expanded throughout the years; in 2003, when the museum became a Crown corporation, responsibility for the entire cultural precinct—including the BC Archives, the Netherlands Centennial Carillon, Thunderbird Park and St. Ann’s Schoolhouse—fell on the museum, and Jon took on greater responsibilities.

A highlight of Jon’s time has been working with the knowledgeable, experienced staff at the museum and getting to be a part of an institution that is of vital importance to the people of BC. Darren Glover, venue rental manager, who has reported to Jon for the past six years, says “Jon has been a great supervisor, who lets you do your job and brings compassion to the workplace.”

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Jon Roodbol

WHAT’S INSIGHT

Melissa Sands Melissa retired after holding the position of executive financial officer and VP for corporate finance for six years.

Originally from Toronto, Melissa Sands graduated from York University with a BA in economics, followed by an MBA from the University of Manitoba. Following a four-year adventure living and working in Singapore, Melissa returned to Victoria and applied for the position at the museum.

Although she had not previously worked

in the museum sector, Melissa described it as “a new challenge and a new adventure.”

Reflecting on her time at the museum, Melissa remembers working with the Royal BC Museum Foundation to purchase the Emily Carr painting Chinese Boy from auction in time to be displayed as a highlight of the feature exhibition Emily Carr: Fresh Seeing—French Modernism and the West Coast. Melissa also fondly remembers working with the 22 board members, nine

vice-presidents and two CEOs during her time at the museum, calling it “a pleasure and an honour.”

Post-retirement plans for Melissa include enjoying time with family and post-pandemic travel, with a trip to England first on the list, followed by a return to Southeast Asia.

Pam Lowings Director of museum modernization Pam Lowings retired after 14 years spent at the museum, following a career in property and facilities management.

Pam, who worked previously for Alberta Infrastructure, found that the work involved in maintaining a museum posed different and unique opportunities and challenges. Pam will miss her team and all the other dedicated staff at the museum, recalling lots of hard work and fun on the job.

A highlight of her time at the museum has been the advocating for and working on the plans for the new Collections and Research Building in Colwood, together with executive, museum staff and BC government staff. Pam calls it a “once in a lifetime” project for the organization, and she is pleased to be leaving with the knowledge that the new building is underway.

Pam plans to spend more time with her family following her retirement, as well as finding new ways to give back to the community.

Janet MacDonald

, Head of Learning (Emerita)

By Liz Crocker, Kim Gough and Chris O’Connor, from the Learning team

After 22 years, Janet MacDonald, head of Learning at the Royal BC Museum, hung up her hat, her cape, her Egyptian pyramid and the many other props and souvenirs from her storied museum career.

Janet started at the Royal BC Museum as a program developer after 11 years at the Redpath Museum at McGill University in Montreal. When she joined the museum, it was already known for presenting largescale blockbuster exhibitions. But it was the exhibition Out of the Mist: Treasures of the Nuu-chah-nulth Chiefs that gave Janet her first opportunity to work with Indigenous communities. This experience grounded

her in respectful, collaborative work that profoundly shaped how she engaged and continually learned from communities throughout her time at the museum.

Throughout it all, but particularly during the last year, we have especially valued Janet’s exceptional communication skills, her intolerance for cynicism on the job and in life, and her respect for museum visitors and community. We are grateful to have worked with her and wish her much time, post-pandemic, to travel and finish curating the paintings of her late husband, artist Terrence Patrick Coady.

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I

n the summer of 2019, the Royal BC Museum held the first iteration of the Indigneous Summer Arts Studio. This program offered opportunities for artists to learn from one another and share their talents, stories and passions with the public. Both artists and visitors alike found this program memorable and powerful. Due to Covid-19, we were unable to host this program in subsequent summers. However, we have continued to find opportunities to foster the relationships with artists who participated in the studio and new ways to share not only their talents, but their voices as well.

We knew it was important that we find ways for Indigenous artists to continue sharing their work and stories with the public. In the summer of 2021, we began filming interviews and demonstrations with artists to share on the Royal BC Museum website the following winter. Videos cover topics such as Métis beadwork, native plants, drum-making and more. This digital format will also allow us to highlight work artists are doing in the larger community, such as by visiting Sarah Jim, who is working on a mural painting in SṈIDȻEȽ (Tod Inlet). While we know nothing can replace face-to-face interactions and conversations with artists, these videos will allow us to learn from Indigenous artists in new ways.

KEEPING CONNECTIONS A New Take on the Indigenous Summer Arts Studio Hannah Morales Cultural Learning Programmer

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One way we tried to amplify and include the voices of the artists was with Living Cultures: an Empathy Building Toolkit. This document, which will be available on the Royal BC Museum website in the winter of 2021, is a resource for both organizations and Indigenous artists who want to engage in a program similar to the Indigenous Summer Arts Studio. For the Indigenous artist section, we knew that including their voices would be vital to its authenticity. We consulted with previous participants of the arts studio to hear their stories and tips for emerging artists, which we include in the document. Providing opportunities for Indigenous artists to share their experiences, and also give input on the overall document, not only helped inform our work on the toolkit, but will also shape how we conduct future programs and collaborations with Indigenous artists.

We are hopeful that we will be able to once again host the Indigenous Summer Arts Studio in its original format in the future.

However, this time has allowed us to work with Indigenous artists in new and exciting ways that strengthen connections as we continue with future programming.

WHAT’S INSIGHT

(opposite page and left) Sarah Jim is an emerging artist of mixed ancestry, and is a member of the W̱SÁNEĆ Nation from the Tseycum village. She is a visual artist whose work consists of paintings, prints, and murals. Native plants and Sarah’s involvement in environmental restoration have been sources of inspiration for her work, which is evident in her mural at SṈIDȻEȽ (Tod Inlet). (below) Virgil Sampson is a Coast Salish artist from the Tsartlip and Nez Perce Nations. He practises traditional and contemporary Coast Salish art, through painting, prints and drum making. Virgil shared how drums are an important aspect of First Nations culture through songs and spiritual purposes.

Connect to diverse perspectives and explore new ideas with a course in your area of interest this fall. Some of our upcoming courses include: • • • • • • • •

The Red Planet Taming the Wild Elephant Mind Ghosts and Legends of Victoria Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease Current Concepts in Vaccinations Low Impact Basketry The Poetry Workshop Digital Storytelling

Doug LaFortune is a Tsawout artist who has practised carving for nearly 50 years. A selection of his carvings can be seen here: a thunderbird feather, a hummingbird and flower, a bear, and a dancing frog.

Lynette la Fontaine, a Métis beadwork artist, demonstrating how they make a caribou hair tuft. They use traditional materials such as hides, fish scales and porcupine quills in their work.

REGISTER TODAY

continuingstudies.uvic.ca/insight

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WHAT’S

ON SUMMER/FALL 2021

EXHIBITIONS Orcas: Our Shared Future

Dive deep into the stories and science surrounding the orca, apex predator of all oceans.

Surface with a new understanding of how orcas and humans are connected.

On now until March 31, 2022

Learn more at rbcm.ca/orcas

For a full listing of what’s happening at the museum visit rbcm.ca/calendar

THE POCKET GALLERY

Hope Meets Action: Echoes Through the Black Continuum The BC Black History Awareness Society in partnership with the Royal BC Museum presents Hope Meets Action: Echoes Through the Black Continuum, the story of Afro-diasporic “British Columbia” history, past, present and future.

ONLINE RESOURCES

On now until March 1, 2022 Clifford Carl Hall Learn more at rbcm.ca/pocketgallery and bcblackhistory.ca/hope-meets-action/

iNaturalist

Interested in becoming a community scientist? Check out iNaturalist, a website and app that lets you collaborate with researchers, experts and park visitors around the world. Please tag us @RBCM in your observations!

Explore now at inaturalist.org

Learning Portal

The Learning Portal is a dynamic and intuitive online resource designed to engage learners through spectacular audio and video content, fascinating images, and compelling articles.

Explore now at rbcm.ca/learning

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Meet the Museum Outreach Event

The Royal BC Museum will visit Colwood, BC—the future home of the museum’s collections and research building. The Learning Team will be onsite to set up hands-on, family-friendly activities, and there will also be prize giveaways!

September 25, 2021 Juan de Fuca Library Parking Lot 10:00–11:00 am Ocean Boulevard/ Esquimalt Lagoon 12:00–1:00 pm Royal Beach Park 2:00–3:00 pm Learn more at rbcm.ca/calendar

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YEAR-ROUND

Food Truck Festival Put your hunger in park and visit the Royal BC Museum’s back courtyard to enjoy an amazing selection of food trucks and carts.

We have organized our seating to ensure that physical distancing can be maintained while you enjoy your food and drink.

Learn more at rbcm.ca/eatanddrink

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PM42265026

COVER IMAGE Ms. Rosemary, artwork by Sade Alexis, 2021. Displayed in the Pocket Gallery exhibit Hope Meets Action: Echoes Through the Black Continuum, this piece honours the political work, social and spiritual activism of Ms. Rosemary Brown.

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Ruby Peter brings to life the cultural training and protocols that have sustained her Cowichan community for generations.

—Wendy Wickwire, author of At the Bridge

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