A billboard stands at the north end of Duck Lake, presenting powerful images of an alternative perspective to the Canada 150 celebrations planned for this year
The vision shows Okanagan/Syilx peoples forming the land with their bodies, a medicine wheel rests on a man香蕉视频直播檚 shoulder, a tall ship represents the encroaching colonialists, oil runs through the waters and flames lick at a church in the background.
Bears and salmon sit on the outer edge of the board and at the bottom lies the words 香蕉视频直播淩ethink 150: Indigenous Truth.香蕉视频直播
Two billboards were created by members of the Rethink 150: Indigenous Truth Collective and have been erected in the the Okanagan to foster reconciliation between Syilx/Okanagan people and non-indigenous Canadians.
The first billboard was unveiled in May on a Lower Similkameen Indian Band reserve near Keremeos.
The second can be seen on Highway 97 at the north end of Duck Lake near Kelowna, on Okanagan Indian Band reserve land and was placed Saturday, June 17.
The artist who created the design, Crystal Przybille, grew up in the Okanagan. But she wasn香蕉视频直播檛 aware of the indigenous history before she began researching a previous historic sculpture.
香蕉视频直播淧art of my research for that sculpture brought me to a sort of raised awareness of the problematics of settlement, of colonialism and of indigenous culture that was here in the valley,香蕉视频直播 she said.
The research led her to the Westbank First Nation, and then to a connection with the indigenous truth collective.
Przybille wants to create a dialogue with the billboards, showing the marginalization of indigenous peoples amid the celebrations of Canada香蕉视频直播檚 150th birthday.
香蕉视频直播淔or a whole culture of people it was an incredibly painful 150 years and let香蕉视频直播檚 think about that,香蕉视频直播 she said.
The image was developed through conversations with the Syilx people and the collective, determining what 150 years means to them, she said.
Dixon Terbasket is a member of the Syilx Okanagan tribe and the Rethink 150 Collective. Terbasket and his family wanted to bring the dark history of Canada and its aboriginals to light.
香蕉视频直播淗ere in the Okanagan it香蕉视频直播檚 a little different, it香蕉视频直播檚 harder to see. We香蕉视频直播檙e urbanized, we香蕉视频直播檙e surrounded by the settlers, for lack of a better term,香蕉视频直播 he said. 香蕉视频直播(But) there香蕉视频直播檚 a lot of things we have on reserves. People are poor, they have health issues. People say 香蕉视频直播榳hy don香蕉视频直播檛 you just get over it?香蕉视频直播 (or call us lazy.) I香蕉视频直播檝e worked hard all my life.
香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 so many things that haven香蕉视频直播檛 been told; the history of the Okanagan people itself.香蕉视频直播
The billboards are supposed to make people think, he said, adding he hopes people will be curious about the billboard, with its visual message, and start asking questions.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 made to make to make you uncomfortable if you know the history. You can see the anguish and despair in those faces,香蕉视频直播 said Terbasket.
The billboard will stand for two months on the side of highway. Northbound traffic have a chance to see it before they enter Lake Country. The collective has been developing the project since January, which was created through fundraising efforts.