This thesis consists of an exhibit, Cannery Days - A Chapter In The Life Of The
Heiltsuk which opened at the University of British Columbia’s Museum of Anthropology
(MOA) in May 1993, and a written paper which discusses the processes and political issues
involved in doing an exhibit on a subject that is not only complex, but poorly understood by
the general public.
The context of the exhibit and this paper is the failure of non-Native society to
understand that fish were and continue to be the economic wealth of B.C. First Nations.
Within this context, the related issue of the invisibility of First Nations women and men in
the fish-processing industry is addressed through the exhibit using quotes, photographs, and
text.
The exhibit and this subsequent paper grew out of concern and unease about how
First Nations and their relationship with fish have traditionally been presented in academic
literature. The purpose of this thesis is to tell how my knowledge of the traditional fisheries,
and my experience in the fishing and fish-processing industries, in combination with my
training in the discipline of anthropology has been put to use in preparing an exhibit to tell
about Heiltsuk people and fish. It will discuss the exhibit as a medium or bridge which
allowed me to illustrate this relationship without diminishing the lives and experiences of
Heiltsuk people.
Interviews with seventeen Heiltsuk women, four Heiltsuk men and one long-time
employee of B.C. Packers open a window on a period of history which has not been well
documented. To read conventional accounts of Native involvement in the fish-processing
industry, their lives were grey and dreary. The exhibit reveals that for the people who lived
and worked in Namu, it was not just a place to work, it had many meanings and warm
memories.
Stages of the exhibit development from concept through mounting are described.
Although the entire project took longer than I had anticipated, the exhibit was more rewarding for me than a conventional written thesis. In following a strict ethical review
process to ensure that the people had more control over the way their story is told, I was able
to see the value of collaboration between myself, MOA and most importantly, Heiltsuk
people.
This is seen in the quality of the results and because it allows First Nations to work
with non-Native professionals in ways which maintain dignity and respect on both sides.
Through a museum exhibit, I found a way to present a First Nations perspective that provides
balance to written accounts. By putting a human face on the relationship between First
Nations and fish, my exhibit was able to reach a wider audience.
The exhibit had two major themes; the continuing importance of fish to First Nations
culture and economy and the pivotal role of Heiltsuk people in the development of the fish processing
industry. I find that this paper also has two themes. The first is an examination of
the value of exhibits like Cannery Days in allowing First Nations to tell their own story. The
second is an examination of my ability to function as an anthropologist without losing my
identity as a First Nations woman.
The exhibit was well received by academics, First Nations and the museum public.
This leads me to believe in the value of continuing fruitful collaboration between Native and
non-Native researchers. / Arts, Faculty of / Anthropology, Department of / Graduate
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UBC/oai:circle.library.ubc.ca:2429/4931 |
| Date | 05 1900 |
| Creators | Brown, Pamela Therese |
| Source Sets | University of British Columbia |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, Thesis/Dissertation |
| Format | 1063870 bytes, application/pdf |
| Rights | For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use. |
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