Gloria Jean Frank & the PAINTED CURTAIN
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UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA ALUMNI MAGAZINE AUTUMN 2002 UVICTORCH Gloria Jean Frank & THE PAINTED CURTAIN THE CHANCELLOR OF 20,000 GRADS | CREATURES OF THE DEEP | NEW WARRIORS CONTENTSIC UV TORCH AUTUMN 2002 08 FEATURES 08 DOWN DEEP Underwater photography through the macro lens of MIKE WETKLO (BSc ’94). 10 LEADING THE WAY Norma Mickelson: near the end of her chancellorship, reflections on an educated life. BY MARIANNE SCOTT 24 LEGACY AWARDS The UVic Alumni Association and Vikes Athletics honour outstanding achievement. 14 NEW WARRIORS In his forthcoming book, TAIAIAKE ALFRED presents the voices of the “new warriorism” of resistance to colonialism. 18 THE PAINTED CURTAIN The return of a family heirloom brings a grad student bittersweet connections with her past. BY HOLLY NATHAN 36 VOX ALUMNI A closer look at campus reveals its place in the heart of Coast Salish territory. BY NANCY TURNER (BA ’69), with Cheryl Bryce and Brenda Beckwith 18 DEPARTMENTS 04 SEVEN FLAMES 31 BOOKS Making minds strong. Stock the shelves with books from grads. 05 MAILBOX 32 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 06 RINGSIDE The alumni travel program marks 15 Peter C. Newman’s commandments; years of departures and arrivals. first photos of methane gas hydrates; the lure of ultimate. 34 KEEPING IN TOUCH 30 28 VIKES FOCUS Talented point guard Chris Trumpy On the cover: returns to McKinnon Gym. Love broke out when photographer Vince Klassen asked the grandchildren of GLORIA FRANK (BA ’97), the 30 G ALLERY subject of this issue’s cover story, to “get grandma.” The Maltwood hosts a 75-piece survey This page, from top: of China’s wide cultural influence. Clown Dorid Nudibranch, by Mike Wetklo; Gloria Frank, by Vince Klassen; Chinese dragon boat detail SEVEN FLAMES MAKING MINDS STRONG BY MIKE MCNENEY, EDITOR IN 1854, CHIEF SEATTLE SAID THAT “THERE IS NO DEATH, ONLY A CHANGE This issue’s cover feature is about a form of healing. I first Tof worlds.” If you believe those words to be true then imagine heard about Gloria Frank when a research paper of hers cap- how many worlds must exist on the lands now occupied by the tured my attention. But by the time I caught up to her, she had university campus. In this place—in the heart of Coast Salish moved on to something much deeper and more important. At territory—how many memories and how many generations the core, her story is about perseverance and will. It is about the echo in the plants and soil? How many spirits come from across triumph and empowerment that an educational experience can the water, with the wind? spark. Like a vision in a dream later emerg- It is often easy to overlook the traditions of ing in reality, it can cause a person to be those who were here before. Maybe that’s transformed. Perceptions change, self- partly because the standard university struc- awareness changes, and the past and pre- ture of learning is so much different from sent become connected in bright new the way knowledge is traditionally passed ways. along in aboriginal cultures. The post-sec- The days of the season are getting colder ondary structure encourages open debate now, the nights longer and we are near the and critical thinking. But many aboriginal time of the Winter Dance—the private, students, particularly those from traditional almost secretive ritual gatherings staged by backgrounds, are raised to listen rather than the Coast Salish (and other tribal groups) question. To challenge the word of others, to celebrate the time of year when super- especially elders, is disrespectful. This is the natural ancestral energy returns from the sort of cultural issue that—along with the mountains. At the ceremonies, when challenges that face all university students— young people are gathered, the speaker many aboriginal students encounter. might rise in the Big House to say in the Only two decades ago, the university’s abo- THUNDERBIRD AND MAN BY CHARLES ELLIOTT Halkomelem language “Qwam Qwum Tun riginal students were an extreme minority— Shqwalawn”—make your mind strong. less than a dozen. The city and the school were sometimes per- And he might remind them to gather the best from both ceived to be too English, an unwelcome environment to worlds—the one of their ancestry and the one offered by the students who often came from remote communities. university. It is a place where they—we—are not alone. It’s a Things are evolving though, and now 250 aboriginal students place that, in the words of Chief Seattle, does “throng with study at UVic. They are still a small minority. Yet the fact they returning hosts that once filled and still love this beautiful land.” have made it is a credit to their strength and ability to beat the odds, considering that in Canada, the drop-out rate among abo- TTT riginal students from kindergarten to Grade 12 is between 60 and 70 per cent. Tragic, but better than the 95 per cent drop-out In April, everyone involved in producing the Torch was hon- rate common from 1950-80. oured to receive from the Canadian Council for the Advance- Aboriginal students at UVic are supported by a contingent of ment of Education a silver medal for the best magazine among aboriginal advisors, counsellors, staff, faculty and specialized the smaller budget publications of the country’s universities. We programs of study. As well, the university has made it a priority are grateful for the award and delighted by the judges’ decision to increase aboriginal enrollment while diversifying curricula as we continue to strive for a magazine that uniquely reflects the and teaching methods to accommodate aboriginal traditions quality of the university and its alumni. T and values. Planning is also under way to build a First Nations e-mail: [email protected] House for learning, solitude and healing. UVIC TORCH ALUMNI MAGAZINE AUTUMN 2002, VOLUME 23, NUMBER 2 ALUMNI AFFAIRS Alumni House, 2485 Sinclair Road, PO Box 3060, Victoria BC V8W 3R4 EDITOR Mike McNeney TEL (250) 721-6000, 1-800-808-6828 FAX (250) 721-6265 E-MAIL [email protected] ART DIRECTION Rayola Graphic Design: Clint Hutzulak (BA ’89), Bonnie Light (BA ’95) THE TORCH (circ. 57,000) is published in April and October by UVic Communications Services and the UVic ADVERTISING Bonnie Light Alumni Association. Content may be reprinted with written permission. Ideas and opinions expressed in the Torch are not necessarily endorsed by the university or the association. EDITORIAL BOARD Lynne Bain, Chair (BA ’78), Jim Bigsby (BA ’67), Joy Kjekstad (BA ’84), John Threlfall (BA ’96) CANADIAN POSTMASTER, SEND UNDELIVERABLE COPIES OR ADDRESS CHANGES TO The UVic Torch Alumni Magazine, PO Box 1700 Stn CSC, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2 UVIC COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR Bruce Kilpatrick PUBLICATION MAIL AGREEMENT NUMBER 40010219 UVIC ALUMNI AFFAIRS DIRECTOR Don Jones PRINTED IN CANADA BY QUEBECOR WORLD VANCOUVER ISSN 1191-7032 THE TORCH UVic Communications, PO Box 1700 STN CSC, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2 TEL (250) 721-7636 FAX (250) 721-8955 E-MAIL [email protected] WEB: communications.uvic.ca/torch 4 U VIC TORCH | AUTUMN 2002 MAILBOX Who was on first? Then and Now Re: “Former CFUV Host Leads Hong Kong Congratulations on the recent issue of the Alums” (Torch, Spring 2002). Your reference to Torch (“Expressions of Community,” Alan Cheung as the one who started Victoria’s Spring 2002). It was bright, glossy and first Chinese language radio association is an interesting. Equally, I was delighted to erroneous one. In fact, I had started the “Voice find so much about the relationship of the Dragon” in 1985-86 at CFUV, as the pres- between the wider community and the ident of the Chinese Students’ Association. university. The first issue of the Torch That same year we were awarded the student (left) ame out in the fall of 1981 and I union’s “Most Co-Operative Club of the Year” was the alumni co-ordinator and the award for our efforts. At that time, names like publisher. Brian Tobin (not the fishy “Ching Ching” (Fancy Ching [BA ’86], and now one), a former editor of the Times of my wife), Alan, Lily, “Little Tiger” were almost Victoria, became its editor. I christened household names within the Chinese communi- it the Torch and received the blessing ty. As the “Voices of the Dragon,” they enter- of then-president Howard Petch to go tained, informed and instructed. I was and still ahead with its publication, albeit with a limited budget. am very proud of the contributions they all made to CFUV, to In order to produce the paper we needed to resort to advertising the student body at the time and to the Chinese community. I and we had plenty of assistance from the community. There was therefore disturbed to read the reference to Alan Cheung as were many articles in that first effort. Robin Skelton, head of the pioneer of such a radio format. It was as if all the hard work Creative Writing, Derrick Sewell, chair of Geography, Harold put in by the team at that time had not existed. Just thought I Foster (Geography), Cleeve Dheensaw, now a sports writer for should set the record straight. the Times Colonist, and Petch were all contributors. It was only DAVID WONG (BSc ’86) black and white, but it was a great thrill to see it come off the VICTORIA presses. SONIA BIRCH-JONES Dealing with Terrorists QUALICUM BEACH Catherine Morris rejects the “power-based” approaches to con- flict resolution (“Getting Past Culture Clash,” Torch, Spring 2002). However she leaves unclear how (and even whether) the “inter- est-based” and “transformative” approaches could resolve con- ELECTIONS flicts about to erupt into violence or already violent.