04/19/2026
Cultural significance surrounds us...
In photos that might be representative of a distant past, two shishalh Nation canoes cross the gap between the Trail Islands and the mainland on Friday evening. Even from a distance, the sight of these large canoes on the ocean draws the eye's attention and impresses. The ocean was the highway for First Nations many years ago and there is an effort to bring back water travel and perpetuate important cultural knowledge and traditions that could easily have been lost due to interventions of recent times.
The ocean is a place of healing, and it was the desire of the late xwu'p'a'lich Barb Higgins, who was a respected local knowledge keeper, to return canoes to the area's waters and create an inclusive canoe 'family' so people from all walks can paddle together, heal together, and learn together. That desire is being continued today by Barb's daughter kwa’tle’maht Holly-ann Higgins and a canoe family committee along with the larger canoe family as a whole.
The lighting and the moment in the first photo seemed appropriate that it should be in black and white, giving the image a sense of timelessness. The second photo remains a colour image to bring the moment into current times. No buildings are visible in either shot, symbolizing a return to an unchanged time despite our knowing that change is hidden within the trees.