Today, on National Indigenous Peoples Day, we celebrate those who have lived on Turtle Island since time immemorial. The Roundhouse is built on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and Sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. We are an integral part of Canada’s colonial history.
A few years ago, we commissioned Indigenous curator, Kamala Todd, and three Indigenous artists, Jordan Gallie, Debra Sparrow, and Xuuyaah (1951-2019), to create artwork in the Roundhouse to reframe and expand the historical narrative of the Roundhouse into a larger context of place beyond the colonial history of the railroad and urbanization in Vancouver.
We invite you to view these works when you walk/roll into the facility, and reflect upon your connection to these histories, and your place within them.
Here are a few resources that you might find helpful.
Carnegie Centre Indigenous Learning Kits
Vancouver Public Library reading list
BC Teachers’ Federation classroom resources
Map of unceded First Nations Territories of BC
Image: Installing Framing History. Left: The Ripple Effect by Jordan Gallie / Right: Scháyilhen by Xuuyaah (1951-2019).
