– Nuu-chah-nulth artist Elizabeth George welcomed guests with warm hugs to the Tofino Arts Council (TAC) art space below the Tofino Legion on Sept. 30.
The special Orange Shirt Day dinner was planned to honour Survivors while showcasing the latest TAC Hallway Gallery exhibit, featuring residential school class photos and 27 beaded orange shirts.
George had many family members who went to residential school. Her dad, Billie George Sr., attended Alberni Residential School and her mom, Annie George, went to Cape Mudge Day School on Quadra Island.
Her husband Matthew Curley went to New Christie Residential School, which was located on the site that is now Tin Wis Resort.
“I’m in tears. It was heartwarming to see the support. It was really nice to see all my husbands’ workers show up. They didn’t realize that he went to residential school. They didn’t realize there are Survivors as young as my husband,” said George, noting that her husband was 10 and 11-years-old when he went to the New Christie.
George teaches beading and cedar bark weaving courses throughout the west coast communities. Most Thursdays, she’ll be at the Legion building at 5 p.m. to teach beading classes.
“I’ll teach anybody who is willing to learn because that is how my grandmother was,” said George.
Tofino councillor Ali Sawyer contributed eight out of the 27 beaded orange shirts. She says beading came naturally to her, perhaps because the fine finger dexterity follows a similar pattern to drawing on Ukrainian easter eggs, a technique she grew up practicing.
“It’s been one of the most meaningful things I’ve gotten to be a part of in this town,” said Sawyer about learning how to bead from George.
“It’s something I come to every week. You get to sit around the table and work on things that’s such a beautiful artform. Just to have the opportunity to get to learn that and participate; I didn’t think I would find new ways to be connected in this town, and this has really opened my eyes,” said Sawyer, who has called the west coast home for the past 14 years.
Residential school Survivor and Ahousaht tyee ha’wilth (hereditary chief) Maquinna (Lewis George) attended the dinner with his wife, Cathy.
Before the guests dinned on a home cooked meal of salmon, rice, salads, pasta and treats from Common Loaf Bake Shop, Maquinna gave a speech and lead the Dinner Song.
Maquinna spoke about abolishing the Indian Act and how residential schools are a “dark period in Canadian history”. He talked about the continued concern of bootlegging in their remote community and empathized that practice culture – like traditional art, song and dance – is going to be what heals.
Then Maquinna turned the channel to sports by quoting Canada’s legendary hockey player.
“I look at all the people here and I want to quote what Wayne Gretzky said when all the people were really mad at Ovechkin because of Russia invading Ukraine. Gretzky said, ‘don’t be mad at Ovechkin, he’s not driving the bus.’ And that’s what I want to say about you, you guys are not the ones driving that bus. I want to thank you for coming to listen,” said Maquinna.
George plans to keep adding to the wall of beaded orange shirt pins. Her goal is to have 76 pins on the wall to represent the number of different nations that were forced to attend Alberni Residential School.
Honouring Our Survivors exhibit runs until the end of October. For Hallway Gallery hours, visit: tofinoartscouncil.com.
