RE-COVERING AND REMEMBERING by Steven Thomas Davies BSc. Geography Co-op Program, University of Victoria A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF FINE ARTS in THE COLLEGE OF GRADUATE STUDIES (Visual Arts) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Okanagan) November 2020 © Steven Davies The following individuals certify that they have read, and recommend to the College of Graduate Studies for acceptance, a thesis/dissertation entitled: Re-covering and Remembering submitted by Steven Davies in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of ​ ​ ​ Visual Arts. Stephen Foster, Creative and Critical Studies, UBC Okanagan Supervisor Samuel Roy-Bois, Creative and Critical Studies,UBC Okanagan Supervisory Committee Member Jon Corbett, Institute for Community Engaged Research, UBC Okanagan Supervisory Committee Member Karis Shearer, English and Cultural Studies, UBC Okanagan University Examiner ⅱ ​ Abstract Indigenous histories and stories have been silenced by colonial records or erased altogether by popular colonial histories. Collaborative storytelling and filmmaking can assist decolonization efforts and shape new inter-cultural understandings that challenge colonial patriarchal settler histories and connections to place. The objective of this project is, firstly, to centre Indigenous perspectives of history and connections to place, and secondly, to produce a film with a powerful counter-narrative that disrupts popular colonial histories. Re-covering and ​ Remembering investigates Indigenous spiritual, cultural, and political resurgence efforts on what ​ is now commonly referred to as Vancouver Island. My methods of investigation focus on documenting oral histories and perspectives of a select group of personal mentors, including Elders, with whom I have existing professional relationships through related community research. This paper and exhibition present personal, cultural, and familial narratives as they relate to Indigenous spiritual, cultural, and political resurgence as well as my own auto-ethnographic experience. Indigenous methodologies and epistemologies of Indigenous oral histories and relationality were employed in the writing of this thesis and the making of our collaborative documentary. Our film was exhibited at the FINA Gallery at UBC Okanagan’s Creative and Critical Studies Building in Kelowna, BC. It was shared during a community gathering and honouring at the FLUX gallery during the opening of my solo exhibition in Victoria, BC. With this new work, I hope to shape new understandings while contributing to and advancing the revitalization of Indigenous knowledge and epistemologies. ⅲ ​ Lay Summary Re-covering and Remembering is a collaborative documentary film featuring stories of ​ spiritual, cultural, and political resurgence on Vancouver Island. I worked collaboratively alongside four members of Coast Salish communities on Vancouver Island with whom I have existing professional relationships through community-engaged research. We produced a documentary with a critical counter-narrative that will itself contribute to and advance the ​ revitalization of Indigenous knowledge and epistemologies. ⅳ ​ Preface This research was conducted in accordance with UBC Behavioural Research Ethics Board policies ​and BREB certificate # H18-03392. ​ ​ ⅴ Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................... iii Lay Summary ...................................................................................................................... iv Preface ................................................................................................................................. v Table of Contents ............................................................................................................... vi Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ vii Dedication ........................................................................................................................... ix Chapter 1: The Research Creation ................................................................................... 1 1 1.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................... ​ 1.2 Who I am as a Researcher ................................................................................ 1 ​ ​ ​ 1.3 The Research Creation ....................................................................................... 3 Chapter 2: The Making of Re-covering and Remembering ............................................ 5 Chapter 3: Motivating Factors ........................................................................................... 13 Chapter 4: Collaborative Storytelling and Resurgence .................................................. 19 21 Chapter 5: Conclusion ....................................................................................................... ​ Works Cited ........................................................................................................................ 24 Appendices ......................................................................................................................... 26 Appendix A ........................................................................................................................... 26 Appendix B 4 ........................................................................................................................... ​8 ⅵ Acknowledgements I would first like to acknowledge and thank my family, who have always supported me, provided me with what they didn’t have when they were growing up, shared in my community-engaged research and projects, and encouraged me to keep challenging myself and chasing my dreams. I’d also like to raise my hands to our cousins Gary and Rick Peterson and their families. I’m forever humbled, grateful, and honoured to have had the opportunity to work with, stand beside, to listen to and learn from Elders, cultural and language leaders, scholars, and youth in the extended Coast Salish and Nuu-chah-nulth communities. During this research it was an honour to be mentored and collaborate with the following cultural leaders; C-tasi:a (Geraldine Manson), Murray Sampson, TSUMKWAAT (Lucy Thomas), CJ Rice, Paniguvluk (Stephanie Papik), Rocky Sampson, Laxiya (Dave Bodaly), and Rae Anne Baxter-Claxton. Without their participation, valuable time, and support in defining and re-defining the concept of Re-covering and Remembering this research would not nearly have been as enjoyable and ​ enriching for me. I would also like to give special thanks to the knowledge keepers and cultural mentors who have supported and mentored me including Jessica Sault, STOCEL (John Elliott), ​ ​ TEMOSEN (Charles Elliott), WICKENEM (Eric Pelkey), Tsaskiy (Ron George), May and Skip ​ ​ Sam, the late Linda Bristol, Richard Sumner, Gerry Ambers, Jordan Wheeler, Alanis Obomsawin, and the late James Luna. Additional thanks to Leslie McGarry, Taiaiake Alfred, Jarrett Martineau, m̓ukʷina (Lewis George), UuKwa Qum (James Swan), and Barry ‘Bear’ Sam. ​ ​ ​ I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the support of UBC Okanagan Faculty and Academic team: Stephen Foster, Ashok Mathur, Samuel Roy-Bois, Jon Corbett (Director of the Institute for Community Engaged Research), Aleksandra Dulic, Joanne Gervais, and Phil ⅶ Wyness. Additional thanks go to Toby Lawrence, France Trepanier, Jaimie Isaac, Dr Jennifer Robinson, Danielle Levine, Dr Michelle Jack, Mariel Belanger, and Tasha Henry for their encouragement and support. I’d also like to thank Dr Jeff Corntassel and the Indigenous Studies Department at the University of Victoria, April Ingham, Tania Willard, Dani Zaviceanu, Dynise Brisson, Will Hoffman, Tracy Leigh Ross, Ilja Herb, Mike Wavrecan, David Parfit, Dean Hunt, and Donna Gerdtz for working creatively with me during this rigorous MFA program on Syilx territory (UBC Okanagan). Additional thanks to the BC Arts Council, BC Achievement Foundation, MediaNet, Canada Council for the Arts, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada for your recognition and generous support. I’d also like to give special acknowledgement and recognition to the Indigenous peoples on whose territories this research took place: Snuneymuxw First Nation, Cowichan tribes, WSÁNEĆ First Nation, T’Sou ​ke Nation, Pacheedaht First Nation, Songhees First Nation, ​- Esquimalt First Nation, Nanoose First Nation, Syilx Okanagan Nation, and Secwepemc Nation. With great respect, I acknowledge and thank the Straits, Coastal, and Interior Salish Peoples and ancestors. ⅷ Dedication Dedicated to Mom and Dad, Grampa and Grandma on both sides, and our extended Peterson tribe up and down the coast. All my relations. ⅸ Chapter 1: The Research Creation 1.1 Introduction I have divided this support paper into five main chapters; 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. I begin by positioning myself as a researcher and expanding upon the relationality of my research creation. I move on to discuss the process of making Re-covering and Remembering in chapter ​ ​ two. In chapter three I discuss the factors that motivated me to create this new work, and in chapter four I share research that supports and justifies collaborative storytelling and filmmaking as an important process and platform for cultural resurgence and