Agents of Change: Chief Dan George Legacy
Chief Dan George Connects the Past to Present Day North Vancouver
Chief Dan George Connects the Past to Present Day North Vancouver
By Andrea Terron, Curator at MONOVA
As curator at MONOVA, I am honoured to be presenting our feature exhibition, Agents of Change: Chief Dan George Legacy. This exhibition marks our continued commitment to MONOVA’s memorandum of understanding with the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh and Səl̓ílwətaɬ Nations focusing on meaningful cultural sharing of knowledge, improved communication, and respecting protocols that will lead to a strengthened relationship.
This exhibition is a sequel of sorts. The museum offers a travelling exhibit called “Chief Dan George Actor and Activist” that has been travelling around British Columbia since 2017. Now, it is coming home to the North Shore and will be the first exhibition on the calendar for 2024. I am looking forward to seeing where it can take us.
Chief Dan George was Chief of the səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation) in the southeast area of North Vancouver, BC. He also was an actor, musician, poet, author, and an activist for the rights of Indigenous Peoples. His best-known written work is “My Heart Soars” and one of his better-known pieces of poetry, A Lament for Confederation, has become one of his most widely known works.
As an actor, he is best remembered for portraying Old Lodge Skins opposite Dustin Hoffman in Little Big Man (1970), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, making him the first Indigenous American actor to be nominated for an Oscar. He was also known for his role as Lone Watie in The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976), opposite Clint Eastwood.
Get to know the animals around you,
get to know the birds,
Get to know the land,
the water…
Because what you don’t know
you won’t understand,
And what you don’t understand,
you will fear.
And what you fear, you will destroy.– A poem by Chief Dan George
Chief Dan George’s words and actions still resonate strongly today. This exhibition connects the past to the present, telling the history of Chief Dan George and Indigenous rights, while exploring his influence on activism.
Chief Dan George was a spokesperson for Indigenous People. He believed in the humanity within and wanted to bring everyone together, creating an understanding between humans and closing the gap. This was achieved by talking about similarities and not differences. He wanted truth and reconciliation before the same words took on a different meaning after 2015. He was redefining the “Indian” image and erasing stereotypes.
We added to the original exhibition projects from the great-granddaughter of Chief Dan George, Kayah George, and the work from Will George from səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation). We created an action nook, a space with questions and information that invites the visitors to consider other realities, encouraging the development of critical and constructive thought, which can cultivate diverse ways of thinking and new perspectives.
While creating the exhibition, it was important for us to give historical facts (it is wonderful to have an archive to complement your research!) and understand the background of Indigenous Rights in Canada. At the same time, it was imperative to have a dialogue on what we are doing now, how we are changing, how we see the future and how we can apply the United Nations Declaration of Indigenous Rights (2007) and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report (2015) in our everyday lives.
Having these dialogues and being involved may create discomfort, resistance, or criticism, but deconstructing the common framework is the tool for activists. Activism is understood as any action taken to uncover the truth, which leads us on a path of reconciliation within our histories.
We invite visitors to walk with us and discover a path and, maybe, a plan of action.
“The defense is to the land and resources that are threatened by the expansion of “progress”. Progress that should safeguard and defend the life in the inlet, the life of everyone and everything. It is like the teaching of throwing a pebble in the pond and seeing the ripples. We might not see the changes right away but we will start seeing the effects.” (Swaysən, Will George)
We rely on contributions, monthly or one-time gifts, to help MONOVA safeguard and expand our community’s archival and museum collections, build learning experiences and inspire future generations.
Donations are accepted through the Friends of the North Vancouver Museum & Archives Society, Registered Charity No. 89031 1772 RR0001.
REGULAR HOURS
Wednesday to Sunday
10:00 am to 5:00 pm
115 West Esplanade
North Vancouver, BC V7M 0G7
Tel: 604. 990. 3700 (ext. 8016)
Fax: 604. 987. 5688
REGULAR HOURS
Monday
Drop-in 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Tuesday – Friday
By appointment 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm
3203 Institute Road
North Vancouver, BC V7K 3E5
We respectfully acknowledge that MONOVA: Museum and Archives of North Vancouver is located on the traditional lands of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) First Nations, whose ancestors have lived here for countless generations. We are grateful for the opportunity to live, work and learn with them on unceded Coast Salish Territory.