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BlogsDutch Olympic Uniforms incorporate Native West Coast Design
Uniforms were designed in collaboration with Asics the Dutch team sponsor and Vancouver-based First Nation's Artist Alano Edzerza found his calling as an artist before he was a teenager, and received his first award for sculpture at the age of 13. Alano started learning about Northwest Coast art through his family, often going with his mother Lynda to her job at the Royal BC Museum. Over the few years that followed, Alano has emerged as one of the area’s leading contemporary artists / entrepreneurs.
Check out the Designer/Artist's Gallery Site at http://www.edzerzagallery.com
B.C. natives offended by Russian Olympic Ice Dancers' costumes
The Bronze medal winning Russian ice dancers who performed their routine dressed as faux Australian aboriginals are said to have infuriated B.C. natives. They came in third after Canadians Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir and a U.S. pair, despite most TV commentators' critiques of the Russians' "cartoonish" costumes and the "ludicrous" imitation of tribal drums. For their Vancouver 2010 Olympic Ice Dancing performances, Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin toned down the brown body paint and adjusted their fake foliage, but according to an article published today in the Province , B.C. First Nations consider the revised costumes disrespectful. During their routine here, the pair toned down the fake brown body colour and streaks of paint, and the faux foliage stuffed into their loincloths seemed to feature West Coast ferns rather than Australian gum. Even though the pair had been criticized at the recent European championships where they debuted the costumes, they still brought the outfits to the Olympics where similiar reactions occured. Below is a YouTube video clip of the 'untoned-down' version of the costumes. The paird did meet prior to their Olympic performance last Friday with Four Host First Nations CEO Tewanee Joseph to discuss their routine and issued a joint statement with the Russian Skating Federation emphasizing mutual "honour and respect." This seeminmgly was the impetus for the slight changes to their costumes - which still seemed bizarrely out of place at the Olympics and left many shaking their heads.
The Russians were given valuable Salish woven blankets, which they draped over themselves while waiting for the judges' verdict Sunday, apparently a last ditch effort to get them to cover themselves with something slightly more appropriate.
Aboriginal Fine Feasting at Vancouver 2010 Olympics
The event takes place at the Native Education College’s Longhouse, located at 285 East 5th Ave in Vancouver, near the trendy Main St. district. The Longhouse – a place of positive energy, teaching and sharing is the perfect venue to host this unique opportunity highlighting Aboriginal cuisine. The 14 days of feasting will begin on February 14 and will run the duration of the Games. This intimate gathering has two seatings per evening, allowing 80 people per night to share in the experience. The evening begins with a traditional welcome song that greets patrons in the longhouse’s firelit gathering hall. Entertainment will be provided by Tzo’kam, an acclaimed family of performers from the Lil’wat Nation. The songs of Tzo’Kam share their culture and heritage. The entertainment will be followed by an authentic seven course aboriginal feast by Kanata Cuisine with wine pairings from Nk’Mip Cellars. The fine dining menu features delicious pairing such as braised bison short ribs with watercress and parsnip puree served with Nk’Mip’s 2006 Qwam Qwmt Meritage. Chef Ben Genaille, an instructor at Vancouver Community College’s Aboriginal Culinary program, and Theresa Contois of Kanata Cuisine explain that they “have developed a well balanced menu that showcases local and traditional ingredients prepared and plated for the gourmet palate.” This exclusive and unique event displays the best of Aboriginal pride and passion. Tickets for this event are $245.00 excluding gratuities and can be purchased online through www.ticketweb.ca or over the phone at 1.888.222.6608. Contact Thesesa Contois for more information at 604.831.1215; cuisinekanata@gmail.com
First Nations Olympic Gold Connection: Canadian Gold Medalist skeleton athlete Jon Montgomery's HelmetJON MONTGOMERY carried a bit of First Nations art with with him when he crossed the finish line last night, winning a gold medal in men's skeleton for Canada's fourth first place finish at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Montgomery, the 30-year-old car auctioneer from Russell, Man., with the First Nations turtle spirit guide painted on the front of his racing helmet, made it his track Friday, out-running Latvia's Martins Dukurs on his fourth and final run to win the men's 2010 Olympic skeleton gold medal.
His helmet sported a design developed by local artist Mark Hart and Vancouver-based First Nations artist Phil Gray, and painted on the helmet by Hart. Hart has developed a solid reputation in the sports community for designing and providing high quality distinctive designs on all sorts of protective headgear. As for the turtle, Montgomery got that just before coming here. The inspiration came after members of the national team visited with a sport shaman in Revelstoke, B.C., last September. Among the things the athletes did was find their spirit animal. Montgomery's was the turtle so he had Vancouver First Nations artist Phil Gray design the artwork. "He accompanies me on my helmet and sled," Montgomery of the turtle, which is painted in a native theme along with a thunderbird. "The thunderbird is the main theme but it was my idea to put the turtle on the helmet," Montgomery said earlier this week. "I thought it was fitting to pay respect to the First Nations people and apparently their folklore states that the thunderbird lives up behind Blackcomb Mountain. It's a powerful animal and one of their most prized symbols. I thought it would be good to pay respect to that and honour the people here and have my spirit animal guide me down the track."
Take an Olympic Time out and visit Border Zones at Museum of AnthropologyBorder Zones at Museum of Anthropology is a wonderful escape from the line-ups and crowds downtown this week, hope on the bus and get out to UBC and see this wonderful show with cross-cultural mix that brings together the work of twelve artists engaged in a dialogue about cultural boundaries –within and between communities, art practices, audiences, or institutions – and the possibility of translation across them. MOA recently completed a multi-year, multi-million dollar Renewal Project and their new wing includes the Multiversity Galleries and The Audain Gallery, which houses the borderzones.ca exhibit. So this is an excellant opportunity to check out all the improvements. Below is a video mash-up I made as I walked thru a section of the exhibit that mixes John Wynne’s Anspayaxw (2009) a sound and photographic installation for twelve channels of audio diffusion, based on his participation in a research project with speakers of the endangered Aboriginal language, Gitxsanimaax, in the Skeena River area of British Columbia with Gu Xiong’s Becoming Rivers, references the Fraser and Yangtze Rivers as a personal metaphor for migration and the formation of self-identity. The installation consists of hundreds of suspended white boats floating in floatilla in an air stream thru the exhibition. Quite a beautiful sight, that literally draws you in and guides you through the rest of the exhibit.
For Anspayaxw, John Wynne worked in collaboration with Gitxsan community members at Kispiox, linguist Tyler Peterson, and artist/photographer Denise Hawrysio. The installation—which Wynne will also present to the Gitxsan community at ’Ksan—explores the borders between language and abstract sound, and between artistic autonomy and social responsibility, addressing critical issues around contemporary art and the power relations implicit in such cross-cultural translations. Gu Xiong is a Vancouver-based artist who emigrated from China to Canada in 1989. He is also an Associate Professor in UBC’s Department of Art History, Visual Art and Theory, Gu has shown extensively and internationally, his most recent solo exhibition being Gu Xiong: Red River (Winnipeg Art Gallery, 2008). While you are there make sure check out BC-based artist Marianne Nicolson's Wanx’id: to hide, to be hidden - she has created an installation of glass boxes with etched and photographic images that become most visible from the inside, rather than just on the surface as is the case with typical bentwood storage boxes. She is a Dzawada’enuxw (Kwakwaka’wakw) artist based in Victoria, British Columbia. In addition to the borderzones.ca exhibit, you can take in MOA's amazing collections, including best collection of Haida totem poles in the world including monumental works like the Haida houses, the exterior and interior totem poles,and the most significant collection of the works of Bill Reid anywhere in the world. Other participating artists include Hayati Mokhtar, Dain-Iskandar Said, John Wynne, Edward Poitras, Thamotharampillai Shanaathanan, Tania Mouraud, Marianne Nicolson, Gu Xiong, Prabakar Visvanath, Rosanna Raymond, Ron Yunkaporta, and Laura Wee Láy Láq
For directions, click www.ubc.ca/about/maps.html. Museum Hours
Spring/Summer: thru Monday, October 11, 2010 RATES
$14 Adults; $12 Students & Seniors 65+
Sechelt Carver Tony Paul at Olympic Kla-How-Ya Aboriginal Village
The venue is a welcome center hosted by the Aboriginal Tourism Board from Feb 12-28 with numerous events planned. It's a great free kid-friendly 2010 Olympic Downtown activity and if you are there be sure to check out the other totem poles as you ride the escalators in the main lobby of the Media section.
Olympic Opening Ceremonies: Raising of First Nations' Welcome Poles (Video Clip)Wonderful opening ceremonies, more pictures to come and commentary to..but I need to catch my breath and enjoy the show. What a generous gift to the world the Four Host First Nations have given! A Potlatch for the world!
Totem Poles get a Starring Role in 2010 Olympic Opening CeremoniesBased on the reports from participants at the dress rehearsal for the opening ceremonies yesterday, overall everyone was quite impressed with what they saw saying the production was high-tech and innovative. The ceremony does have elements of the Host 4 Nations and Totem poles will rise from the ground. Rumor has it that holes were dug in the stadium to hide the poles - based on a photo circulating a while back of some workers making a hole in the centre of the stadium floor. If the poles are full-sized, holes would have to have been seriously deep! So keep your eyes out during the telecast - and if you manage to get a picture - please send us a copy! source: http://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver_canada/comments/b01ne/vancouver_2010_o...
Raised: Olympic 2010 Legacy Totem Pole at Aboriginal Pavillion
This totem pole tells the story of all nations coming together to celebrate the 2010 Winter Games and highlights the spirits that inhabity the Sea to Sky region including the frog, the bear, the whale and the Thunderbird. It's unclear whether this pole will remain a permanent fixture after the Olympic games or if it will be moved to another location. The Blessing of the pole took place on February 8th, 2010. 2010 Aboriginal Pavilion West Georgia Street and Hamilton Street, Vancouver February 12-28, 2010 Open: 11am - midnight
Spotted: Jomar Lanot Memorial Pole at Charles Tupper Secondary School
Carved by: Martin Sparrow (Musqeaum First Nation) , Joe Bolton (Tsimshian) and students from the Tupper Secondary School community. Located at: 49°14'58.65"N 123° 5'45.01"W This pole was raised on June 13th, 2007 in memory of Jomar Lanot, a teen-ager beaten to death after fleeing a group of youths who challenged one of his friends to a fight, then racially taunted them. The Filipino teen was walking home on Nov. 28, 2003, with three friends after playing basketball when they were confronted by 11 to 15 youths outside Sir Charles Tupper Secondary School in Vancouver. You can read more about Jomar at http://www.familiesagainstcrime.org/memorial/jomarl.html
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Check out the Designer/Artist's Gallery Site at 
The BC Aboriginal Culinary Team has partnered with Nk’Mip Winery to bring Vancouver a 2010 Winter Olympic Game culinary adventure. Experience excellence in modern Aboriginal wine and cuisine with this seven course meal with select wine pairings features dishes from Chef Ben Genaille, the instructor at Vancouver Community College’s Abolriginal Culinary program, paired with Nk’Mip’s select wines. Partial proceed from this venture will fund the Aboriginal Culinary Team’s trip to the IKA Culinary Olympics, held in Erfurt in 2012.
We ran into Sechelt Carver Tony Paul at Olympic Kla-How-Ya Aboriginal Village today preparing the design on a panel he will be carving over the next few weeks on site in the Pan Pacific Hotel.
2010 Legacy Pole was carved by Klatel-Bhi (Squamish Nation) located at the Aboriginal Pavillion located at West Georgia Street and Hamilton Street, Vancouver situated on the plaza in front of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.
