Nimama hates fish but worked in the cannery. My mom is Cree from Kinuso, in northern Alberta and a member of Wapsewsipi (Swan River) First Nation. Her parents became enfranchised in the forties so their children would not be forced to attend residential school as they did. They no longer lived on their reserve and moved around Alberta looking for work. My mom moved out to BC in the seventies, before I was born, for better employment opportunities. She worked in the Richmond cannery, even though she hated fish, as it was a necessity for her family’s survival. Our family has had to navigate a transition into our new roles as guests on this territory. We live with a sense of displacement and loss of our community and language. I was the first of our family born on the west coast and now I raise my son in the traditional, unceded territory of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. This piece explores how we relate to the land we live on and also acknowledges our presence as visitors.

Beaded Cuffs Top to Bottom: Creations for Continuity, Kaylyn Baker, Carmen Miller

nimama is a tough cookie installation photo by Daniel Paquet