Jane Emerick
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Learning about one another through cultural sharing has led two Squamish Nation artists to Scotland for the construction of totem poles, story telling, traditional ceremonies and eventually deportation.
Xwa-Lack-Tun and Aaron Nelson-Moody, both from Squamish and Howe Sound Secondary grads, were traveling to Scotland for a cultural artistic exchange when they ran into problems with immigration.
"We told them we were carving totem poles and they were like, 'Yeah, right,'" said Nelson-Moody, who was on his second trip to the country acting as Xwa Lack Tun's assistant.
Xwa-Lack-Tun has been working with the National Museum of Scotland for the past three years. He was on his sixth visit to the country and it was the first time either of the artists had received any trouble, which they believe was the result of recent changes made to Scotland's immigration laws. According to authorities in Scotland, Xwa-Lack-Tun and Nelson-Moody didn't carry the proper work permits to be in the country.
Fortunately for the artists, Kenny Grieve, a Scottish artisan who helped organize the pair's trip to Scotland, pleaded with authorities to give the carvers a special exemption from new laws regarding non-Scottish workers.
"There was a lot of community support and in the end we were granted a three and a half week stay," said Nelson-Moody. "But at the end of our stay we were officially deported."
Both Xwa Lack Tun and Nelson-Moody have worked as First Nations educators and said their work in Scotland is a way of learning about another group of people. During their most recent trip a Red Cedar tree was donated from the municipality of Chemainus and was carved into an 11 metre, West Coast-style totem pole, raised in the town centre of Prestonpans.
"By sharing our culture we encourage them to remember their own," said Xwa Lack Tun. "At the same time we were learning about one another through cultural sharing. Learning from one another is a source of richness."
Nelson-Moody also said their work was reminding the Scottish people of their own culture.
"We weren't carving First Nation stories up there, we were there to help them carve their own," he said. According to Nelson-Moody the Scottish people shared a similar experience with First Nations people in Canada in terms of their loss of land.
"Their land used to be filled with great forests, and now that has been made into farm land. They are trying to reintroduce, bears and beavers and other forest animals," he said. "They don't have anything like we have in Squamish."
Both Xwa Lack Tun and Nelson-Moody have left Squamish and now live in North and West Vancouver respectively. However, at one time both of the artists worked in the School District 48 as First Nation educators.
Xwa Lack Tun said educating people about the Squamish Nation is important for everyone in the community's sense of identity.
"It is good to know the background of the history of the soil you are standing on," he said. "I want people to know what a Coast Salish person is."
Nelson-Moody was proud of the way First Nation culture was promoted in the local school system."Squamish has been ahead of the game for many years in terms of First Nation education," he said.
Despite their deportation, Xwa Lack Tun plans to return to Scotland to continue his work. However, Nelson-Moody said in the future he was not sure if he could afford the time.
"I have a lot of work to do in our nation so in terms of time it was expensive," he said. "If I don't go back I hope someone else will. There was mention of involving First Nation youth and so I hope that happens."
