Escape into Nature: the Ideology of Pacific Spirit Regional Park by Marina J. La Salle M.A., The University of British Columbia, 2008 B.A., Simon Fraser University, 2006 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE AND POSTDOCTORAL STUDIES (Anthropology) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Vancouver) July 2014 © Marina La Salle, 2014 ABSTRACT This dissertation investigates the ideology of Pacific Spirit Regional Park, an urban forest adjacent to the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. Using the tools of archaeology and anthropology, I analyse the history, landscape, performance, and discourse of the park to understand Pacific Spirit as a culturally-constructed place that embodies an ideology of imperialism. Central in this dynamic is the carefully crafted illusion of Pacific Spirit as a site of “nature,” placed in opposition to “culture,” which naturalizes the values that created and are communicated through the park and thereby neutralizes their politics. They remain, however, very political. The park as nature erases the history and heritage of the Indigenous peoples of this region, transforming Pacific Spirit into a new terra nullius—a site to be discovered and explored, militaristic themes that consistently underlie park programs and propaganda. These cultural tropes connect to produce a nationalistic settler narrative wherein class ideals of nature and community are evoked in the celebration of Canada’s history of colonialism and capitalist expansion—paradoxically, the very processes that have caused the fragmentation of communities and ecosystems. The park as nature also feeds into the portrayal of this space as having been saved from development and, as such, an environmental triumph. In this context, the park is viewed as escape from the psychological trauma and alienation of city living and is celebrated and revered as a sacred place. This portrayal enables the forgetting of injustice and promotes a collective amnesia through the creation of a fairy-tale version of reality. The result is to disperse emotion and energy that otherwise could be mobilized against capitalism to prevent ongoing global ecological devastation. The ideology of the Pacific Spirit as nature therefore constitutes social violence by rewriting both the past and present of this land and its peoples, thereby hindering recognition of and rebellion against power. Pacific Spirit is thus a hegemonic space that reproduces colonial relationships and naturalizes capitalism. Exposing the park as a cultural place and illuminating the ideology that it perpetuates may be a crucial first step towards disrupting power through the creation of counter-narratives. ii PREFACE This dissertation is original, unpublished, independent work by the author, Marina La Salle. The author is solely responsible for any errors and/or omissions in this document. This document has been prepared and presented without prejudice to issues of Aboriginal Rights or Title and does not attempt to define or limit Title and/or Rights of any Aboriginal community within or without the study area, nor does it represent the views or opinions of the Musqueam Indian Band, nor any individual therein. This research was approved by the UBC Behavioural Research Ethics Board, Certificate Number H10-00341-001(Principal Investigator: Dr. Susan Rowley). It was also approved by the Musqueam Indian Band under Permit Number MIB-12-117-MB. The off-trail portion of the landscape survey conducted in Pacific Spirit Regional Park was approved under Metro Vancouver Regional Parks Research Permit MLS-PAC-2011 and MLS-PAC-2012. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................................. ii PREFACE ................................................................................................................................................... iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................................................................................... ix LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................................................... x ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................................... xvii DEDICATION ........................................................................................................................................ xviii CHAPTER 1: WHY PACIFIC SPIRIT? .................................................................................................. 1 Archaeology and Colonialism ....................................................................................................................... 2 The Musqueam-UBC Archaeological Field School ...................................................................................... 4 Indigenous Title in British Columbia ............................................................................................................ 5 The 2007/8 Land Transfer and Backlash ...................................................................................................... 6 Archaeology in the Triangle Lands ............................................................................................................... 7 Investigating Parks: A How-To Guide .......................................................................................................... 8 Research Design ......................................................................................................................... 10 Situating My Research as Activism ............................................................................................ 13 Parks in Colonial Contexts .......................................................................................................................... 16 Nature .......................................................................................................................................... 16 Heritage ....................................................................................................................................... 17 Community .................................................................................................................................. 18 Democracy .................................................................................................................................. 19 Power ........................................................................................................................................... 20 Thesis Statement: Pacific Spirit as a Cultural Landscape ........................................................................... 21 Dissertation Outline .................................................................................................................................... 22 PART I: MYTHS, HISTORIES, AND ORIGIN STORIES ...................................................... 25 CHAPTER 2: THE SETTLER NARRATIVE ....................................................................................... 26 Exploration and Discovery (Invasion) ........................................................................................................ 27 Captain Vancouver ...................................................................................................................... 27 Simon Fraser ............................................................................................................................... 29 The Musqueam People ................................................................................................................ 30 Building a Nation (Occupation) .................................................................................................................. 32 Reorganizing the Landscape ....................................................................................................... 34 Land Clearance ............................................................................................................................ 34 The Creation of Indian Reserves ................................................................................................. 38 Residential Schools and (Re)Education ...................................................................................... 43 The Musqueam Community ........................................................................................................ 44 Achieving Affluence (Exploitation) ............................................................................................................ 49 The University and its Endowment Lands .................................................................................. 50 On the Edge of “Progress” .......................................................................................................... 58 The Guerin Case .......................................................................................................................... 60 In Search of Justice (Resistance) ................................................................................................................ 62 Musqueam and the University Endowment Lands .....................................................................