THE CITY BEFORE THE CITY

This exhibition is a feature at the Musqueam Cultural Education Centre, located on the reserve on the banks of the Fraser River. The bright, airy space opens onto views of the land and focuses on stories of respect, technological innovation, tradition, and resilience.

The design weaves together cedar, the blue colour tones of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) palette, and references to blueprint technology. Through video and displays of belongings, it describes traditional practices for fishing, architecture, and canoe building, Clear acrylic cases, framed in modern cedar structures juxtapose ancient belongings with contemporary tools.

Client: Musqueam Cultural Educational Resource Centre
Location: Musqueam, BC
Scope: Interpretive planning and exhibition design

Recognition:

  • Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Museums

  • Western Museums Association, Charles Redd Center for Western Studies Award for Exhibition Excellence

  • Canadian Museum Association Michael M. Ames Prize for Innovative Museum Anthropology

  • Canadian Historical Association Public History Prize

    Awarded to the entire project team, which included Musqueam Indian Band, Museum of Vancouver (MOV), Museum of Anthropology (MOA) at UBC, and Dr. Susan Roy, University of Waterloo.

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Video and interactive media play an important role in forefronting the community and language. The exhibit was considered innovative for it’s close collaboration with Musqueam both in terms of content and design.

A key feature of this installation is the focus on the protests that the community engaged in to save traditional lands, including burial spots of their ancestors. A galvanizing moment for Musqueam, this story is told through photos, videos, and the display of banners carried in marches against encroachments by developers.

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