Greetings from Vancouver!

CoDA’s Michael Ashley is absolutely thrilled to be a guest of Musqueam Indian Band in Vancouver for the annual Aboriginal Day 2013.

“I’m super happy to be here because it’s such a great chance to get face to face feedback and thoughts directly from those we serve.” -Michael

Read more to learn more about the project, and check out a sneak peek of the digital design for this project below!

MUSQUEAM PUBLIC CULTURAL ART INSTALLATIONS MAPPING PROJECT – a time for forgiveness  Treaty, Lands and Resources – 2013

The Musqueam Public Cultural Art Installations mapping project is intended to document and promote Musqueam’s cultural presence in Vancouver. The main objective of this project is to map out the public cultural art installations created by Musqueam artists and or artists who have art installations that are a visual representation of Musqueam art and history. By mapping and sharing Musqueam’s artistic and cultural presence in the Vancouver area, we are proudly celebrating our community’s achievements and enhancing our vibrant Nation’s place in the wider public sphere. This project is made possible with funding through the BC Creative Communities program.

 

The mapping process will include interviews with the artists, mapping of the locations and media curation of the installations. This project will focus on mapping Musqueam public art installations in five general regions or areas. These areas are: Musqueam Indian Reserve No.2, the UBC Campus, the City of Richmond, the City of Vancouver, and municipalities just outside of Vancouver (Burnaby, North Vancouver, etc).

 

This project takes direction from Musqueam’s community driven Comprehensive Sustainable Community Development Plan (CSCDP) – to “take pride in our culture,” “put a Musqueam ‘face/brand’ on everything we do (celebrate/capture pride)” and “support the language and culture of Musqueam people.” In addition to those objectives outlined in the community plan, this project aligns with an action area identified in the plan to ‘Musqueamize’ our Traditional Territory with art, signs, symbols, information and Musqueam names.

 

 

Currently there is no central source that showcases Musqueam cultural art installations. In collaboration and partnership with Mukurtu Content Management Systems (a library, archives and museum database being implemented within the Musqueam Archives), and the Fetzer Institute (a charitable organization) we will be able to display the art through an online map and web based exhibition site accessible through the Musqueam Website in February 2014. We, the Musqueam community, will be able to tell our own stories, our way, with our own words.

 

We invite your contributions, feedback and thoughts on how the mapping project and website could invigorate and celebrate our shared experiences. The success of this project depends on the degree to which it inspires us to participate, contribute, learn and educate through a new, living, digital resource that reflects our ideals and dreams.