The Vancouver Maritime Museum is celebrating National Indigenous History Month with a new canoe-themed exhibition.
"Traditionally we've had very colonial-focused exhibitions and this is one of the ways that we're moving forward to work with our neighbours, the host Nations of Vancouver, who have been here since time immemorial and on whose land the museum exists," explains museum curator Duncan MacLeod.
The exhibit, which is guest curated by Roxanne Charles, features early archival images of canoe racing on the West Coast and video highlighting recent work done by the Canoe Cultures program.
The program builds Indigenous racing canoes for community use and is led by seventh-generation canoe builder Mike Billy Sr. The program has brought new canoes to Squamish, restored a 70-year-old canoe for Musqueam, and is currently creating new vessels for Tseil-Watuth.
Various works from five guest artists will also be showcased as part of the exhibit.
Canoe Cultures: Building a Legacy can be viewed Thursday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. until August 2. The display will be followed up with a larger exhibition launching at the museum in September.
