Musqueam Through Time - Part 1

Summary

The Musqueam people, indigenous to the Fraser River and Vancouver's inlets, have lived there for thousands of years. Known for their rich traditions of fishing, weaving, and ceremonies, they defended their territory from invaders and adapted to new challenges brought by European explorers, diseases, and settlers. Their deep spiritual connection to the land and waters remains integral, as does their commitment to preserving fishing rights and cultural practices. Today, they continue to honor their heritage and protect their resources for future generations.

Takeaways

• 🏡 The Musqueam people have lived along the Fraser River and Vancouver's inlets for thousands of years, with a rich history tied to the land.
• 🌾 The Musqueam are traditionally a hunting, trapping, and fishing people, with a bountiful food supply at the mouth of the Fraser River.
• 🏰 Historically, the Musqueam were known as the 'people of the rivergrass,' and their location at the river delta echoes a global pattern of the wealthiest living in such areas.
• 🛡️ The Musqueam were vigilant against invaders, using a system of warriors and lookouts to protect their territory and prepare for potential battles.
• 🧵 The Musqueam are known for their unique weaving techniques, using mountain goat wool and other materials to create blankets with distinct cultural designs.
• 🎨 Weaving, once a forgotten art, was revived by Musqueam women in the 1980s, preserving a vital part of their cultural heritage.
• 🌲 Cedar weaving and harvesting are traditional practices being revived by the Musqueam, with a focus on sustainable and respectful use of natural resources.
• 🤝 The Musqueam have a history of peaceful interaction with newcomers, but also a readiness to defend their territory and way of life.
• 🦠 Disease in the mid-1800s had a devastating impact on the Musqueam and other First Nations, leading to significant changes in their traditional lifestyle.
• 🎭 Despite external pressures, the Musqueam have maintained their cultural practices, including ceremonies and rituals that connect them to the land and their ancestors.
• 🎣 The Musqueam are actively involved in the management and protection of fish stocks in the Fraser River, reflecting their long-standing relationship with the river and its resources.
• 🏛️ The Musqueam have been successful in asserting their Aboriginal and treaty fishing rights through legal battles, setting precedents for indigenous rights in Canada and beyond.

Q & A

Who are the Musqueam people?

The Musqueam people, also known as the Musum, are an indigenous nation who have lived along the Fraser River and throughout Vancouver's inlets for thousands of years. They are traditionally known as the people of the rivergrass.

Why are river deltas significant to the Musqueam people?

River deltas are significant to the Musqueam people because they have historically been areas of abundant food supply. This is similar to the pattern observed globally, where the richest nations lived at river deltas.

What role did the Musqueam warriors and lookouts play in their community?

The Musqueam warriors and lookouts were responsible for the defense of their territory. They would run to various village sites to inform the heads of families about incoming guests, determining whether they were friends or enemies.

What is the significance of the 'gray wall' mentioned in the script?

The 'gray wall', also known as Point Grey, was a landmark used as a warning for potential invaders. It was advised to stay away or go around it unless coming in peace and bearing gifts, as the Musqueam people were prepared for battle.

How did the Musqueam people maintain their culture and traditions despite contact with newcomers?

The Musqueam people maintained their culture and traditions by adapting to new circumstances, such as working as farmers and fishermen, while retaining their cultural ways and spiritual teachings. They also adapted their ceremonies to continue practicing them despite restrictions.

What was the significance of weaving in Musqueam culture?

Weaving was a significant art form in Musqueam culture, with unique designs for spiritual articles of clothing like mountain goat wool blankets and robes. The art of weaving was revived in the early 1980s by Musqueam women.

What traditional materials were used in Musqueam weaving, and how have they adapted over time?

Traditionally, Musqueam weaving used mountain goat hair and dog hair. Today, they use sheep wool mixed with other materials like finely beaten cedar bark to continue the weaving tradition.

How do the Musqueam people's traditional harvesting practices of cedar relate to their current circumstances?

Due to the scarcity of cedar in their now urban territory, the Musqueam people need to travel at least an hour away to find the bark they need for traditional harvesting. They still use traditional techniques that leave the trees standing.

What impact did diseases in the mid-1800s have on the Musqueam people and other First Nations?

Diseases in the mid-1800s took an enormous toll on the Musqueam people and other First Nations, significantly impacting their populations and way of life.

How have the Musqueam people been involved in the recognition of Aboriginal ancestral and treaty fishing rights?

The Musqueam people have been on the front lines in getting Aboriginal ancestral and treaty fishing rights acknowledged, thanks to the 1990 Sparrow decision, which set the groundwork for Aboriginal rights across Canada and influenced indigenous rights globally.

What is the current state of fishing for the Musqueam people, and how does it compare to the past?

Fishing remains an important tradition for the Musqueam people, but there have been challenges such as a drop in fish stocks. They continue to fish and patrol the Fraser's waters to ensure sustainable practices, maintaining a connection to the river that has nourished them for centuries.

Outlines

00:00

🌊 The Rivergrass People and Their History

The Musqueam people, known as the 'people of the rivergrass,' have lived along the Fraser River and Vancouver's inlets for thousands of years. Rich in resources, their land provided a bountiful food supply. As skilled hunters, trappers, and fishermen, they thrived by harvesting salmon. They spoke Hun'qum'i'num' and were part of the Coast Salish cultural group. Despite welcoming peaceful guests, they defended their territory against invaders. Their warriors were physically fit and always on alert. When fur trader Simon Fraser arrived in 1808, the Musqueam, wary of European explorers, attacked to protect their territory. Their villages were strategically placed to access resources and defend their land, with a strong community structure ensuring the preservation of their people and culture.

05:04

🧶 Revival of Traditional Weaving

Traditional weaving, a significant aspect of Musqueam culture, saw a resurgence in the early 1980s. Using materials like mountain goat hair and cedar bark, Musqueam women revived the ancient art of Salish weaving. Cedar bark weaving also made a comeback, with traditional harvesting methods being practiced despite the scarcity of cedar in urban areas. These techniques produce various objects such as baskets and mats. The Musqueam people adapted to changes brought by disease, missionaries, and the Gold Rush while maintaining their cultural practices. Their spiritual connection to the land and water remains strong, with ceremonies in longhouses and outdoor potlatches marking significant life events.

10:06

🎣 Fishing Traditions and Rights

The Musqueam people's deep connection to the Fraser River continues through their fishing traditions. Families have fished specific spots for generations, passing down the practice. The 1990 Sparrow decision recognized Aboriginal fishing rights, setting a precedent for indigenous rights worldwide. Despite challenges like declining fish stocks, the Musqueam continue to fish, emphasizing the river's integral role in their culture. Their generational bond with the river underscores its importance in their identity, ensuring that the Musqueam will always be tied to the Fraser River.

Keywords

💡Musqueam

The Musqueam are an indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest, specifically located in and around the Fraser River and Vancouver. The video narrates their rich history, cultural practices, and connection to the land and water, emphasizing their longstanding presence in the region.

💡Fraser River

The Fraser River is a major river in British Columbia, Canada, and central to the Musqueam people's way of life. The video highlights its significance as a source of food, cultural activities, and spiritual practices for thousands of years.

💡Weaving

Weaving is a traditional craft practiced by the Musqueam people, involving materials like mountain goat wool and dog hair. The video discusses the cultural importance of weaving, its revival in the 1980s, and the stories and identities woven into the blankets.

💡Salmon

Salmon is a crucial food resource for the Musqueam, symbolizing sustenance and cultural heritage. The video covers the traditional fishing practices, the impact of declining fish stocks, and the continued efforts to protect and maintain salmon populations.

💡Simon Fraser

Simon Fraser was a fur trader who first traveled overland and down the Fraser River in 1808. His arrival marked the beginning of a new kind of interaction with European settlers, leading to conflict and adaptation for the Musqueam people.

💡Cedar

Cedar is a vital material for the Musqueam, used in various traditional crafts such as basket weaving and ceremonial objects. The video highlights the traditional harvesting methods, the scarcity of cedar in urban areas, and its continued cultural relevance.

💡Potlatch

Potlatch is a ceremonial feast central to the social and cultural life of the Musqueam, involving the distribution of gifts and the celebration of important events. The video describes how the Musqueam adapted their ceremonies to continue practicing them despite colonial bans.

💡Sparrow Decision

The Sparrow Decision is a landmark Supreme Court of Canada ruling that affirmed the Musqueam's Aboriginal right to fish. The video discusses its significance in recognizing and protecting indigenous fishing rights and its broader impact on indigenous rights across Canada.

💡Longhouse

A longhouse is a traditional dwelling and ceremonial space for the Musqueam people. The video explains its role in hosting winter ceremonies, secret societies, and spiritual practices, maintaining the community's cultural and spiritual life.

💡Cultural Revival

Cultural revival refers to the efforts to rediscover, preserve, and promote traditional practices and knowledge among the Musqueam. The video showcases examples such as the revival of weaving and cedar harvesting, emphasizing the importance of cultural continuity and resilience.

Highlights

The Musqueam people have lived in the Fraser River area and throughout Vancouver's inlets for thousands of years.

The Musqueam were known for their rich food supply, particularly salmon, and engaged in hunting, trapping, and fishing.

The Musqueam are traditional Hun'qum'i'num-speaking people, part of the Coast Salish cultural group.

Historically, the Musqueam defended their territory against invaders and were vigilant in protecting their resources.

In 1808, fur trader Simon Fraser was the first European to travel overland and down the Fraser River, leading to conflict with the Musqueam.

The Musqueam had 40 village sites across present-day Greater Vancouver, which helped them access resources and protect their territory.

The Musqueam's leadership and government structure were crucial for the protection and education of their community.

Mountain goat wool blankets and robes were significant cultural and spiritual items for the Musqueam, with unique designs identifying family and community.

Salish weaving, once a forgotten art, was revived by Musqueam women in the early 1980s.

Traditional materials for weaving included mountain goat hair, dog hair, cedar bark, and other natural fibers.

Cedar bark weaving is experiencing a resurgence, with Musqueam people revisiting traditional harvesting methods.

Musqueam people adapted to changes brought by disease, missionaries, and the Gold Rush while retaining their cultural practices.

Musqueam ceremonies, including potlatches and longhouse rituals, were adapted to continue despite bans by missionaries.

The Fraser River remains central to Musqueam life, providing physical and spiritual sustenance despite modern challenges to fish stocks.

The 1990 Sparrow decision recognized the Musqueam's Aboriginal fishing rights, influencing indigenous rights globally.

Transcripts

we have always lived here since the

beginning of time we are the musum

people of the rivergrass and we've been

here on the Fraser River and throughout

Vancouver's inlets for thousands of

years history has described that every

nation of the world that those who were

the richest lived at the river deltas

the Roman Empire likewise with us here

in

musim as long as we can remember there

was a rich food supply here at the

Fraser's mouth and we hunted trapped and

fish the rivers and oceans harvesting

salmon we are traditional hunt kinum

speaking people and are descended from

the cultural group known as the coish

here in the Pacific

Northwest while we welcome peaceful

guests to our territory we also kept the

lookout for Invaders Northern tribes

looking for slaves or

resources when they'd come down they

always used to say you got to you got to

stay away stay right at the gray wall

that's what they call point greo there

the big gray wall you have to go have to

go around it if you go up that River

unless you're coming in uh peace and

bearing gifts uh you're in for a battle

because their Battleground is just down

by the Molly one of our old villages

there they found uh skulls and

arrowheads and all artifacts of the the

battles that went on there

we had our various warriors and Lookouts

and these individuals would run to the

various Village sites to inform those

heads of families that we had guests

coming and they would inform them

whether or not those guests were indeed

friend or

F you were always

prepared that they were the enemy

approaching

these Runners were our Warriors they

were individuals who had to be

physically fit because our lives

depended upon

it but in 1808 a new kind of visitor

arrived fur Trader Simon Fraser was the

first to come Overland and down our

River previous experiences with European

explorers kept Vancouver and gallano had

taught us to be wary of these strangers

so when Fraser arrived we

attacked in those days the musum had

some 40 Village sites spread out across

miles of present day Greater Vancouver

this allowed us to access the resources

and protect our

territory and the Warriors there from

each Village site

would uh amass in in strategic locations

ready to do battle and our government

structure depended upon it because we

could not lose our young and we could

not lose our women who were basically

the true historians of our community

they were the ones who were educating

our

children the power of our leadership was

represented in these mountain goat wool

blankets and robes unique to the co-

saish people and the mus

have always had their own distinct

designs for these spiritual articles of

clothing the blanket that the individual

would wear would be identifiable to his

place in his home his family his

community these more complex blankets

the ones that they wore when they

traveled and went to

meet King George in England would be the

best dressed that's what they're wearing

them for it's when we get ready to go

somewhere we wear our suits and our best

clothes and that's what they did

once a forgotten art weaving was brought

back to life by musim women in the early

1980s my grandfather one day said to me

you want to see some really nice stuff

and I said sure I must have been maybe

10 or

11 he went upstairs and he came down

with a a bag and in the bag he had an

old what they call SW blanket and it was

made from goat hair and uh dog hair and

it was a weaving like I had never seen

before and that's really where the whole

idea of Salish weaving for me came

around the story of who we are is woven

into the

blankets today we use sheepo however of

course what they were using were

mountain goat um but it was also mixed

with a dog hair different stayle

material um Cedar beaten very finely and

it might be the core of what the hair of

the mountain go would wrap

around cedar bark weaving has also been

making a comeback and today musqueam

people are revisiting the traditional

ways of harvesting

Cedar including the blessing of the

site due to the scarcity of Cedar in our

now Urban territory today we need to

travel at least an hour away to find the

bark we

need here our people strip the bark in

the traditional way a technique that can

be hard to master but ultimately leaves

the trees

standing good

one once gathered and dried these Cedar

strips will be used to make a variety of

traditional

objects like baskets bers and

mats Traditions like weaving continued

for many years after contact as we

continue to trade with the

newcomers but all of that changed with

the coming of disease in the mid 1800s

which took an enormous toll on all First

Nations then missionaries and the Gold

Rush followed as resources were

extracted all around us musan people

learned to adapt working as farmers and

fishermen while retaining our cultural

ways and spiritual

teachings we were fortunate we didn't

have a priest residing in our community

because the priests would only come in

the

summertime so when they banned and uh

the Potlatch and outlawed it our people

of the past were quite

smart they moved their summer ceremony

and merged it along with our winter

ceremony so that they could continue to

practice

nonstop uh what they have been

practicing for thousands and thousands

of

years beyond our long housee ceremonies

we had a spiritual connection to the

land and water around us the ocean

Rivers and Creeks fed us both physically

and

spiritually these bathing rituals are

important to musim people even

today combined with sacred dance song

and ritual in our long houses we have

always found a balance of mind body and

spirit we had two kinds of ceremony won

the winter ceremony with the long house

it was somewhat of a secret

society which only those people who were

initiated into it participated and

attended but also as well they had pot

latches in the summertime whereby

another ceremony where our masks were

used in the outdoor ceremony to Mark the

occasion of marriages namings memorials

uh Coming of Age within that spiritual

rights of Passage that allows you to

indeed reach to the other

senses that the Creator provided to you

that you know no longer you you almost

start

to see with your ears and hear with your

eyes that's the only way I can sort of

describe

it stretching some, 1400 km from its

source in northern BC the Fraser is one

of Canada's longest rivers and is the

heart and soul of the musan

people while technology has brought a

lot of change to our people we're still

tied to this river that has nourished us

for

centuries today like everywhere in the

world fish stocks are threatened and so

these Fisheries officers from musam and

toan First Nations Patrol the Fraser's

Waters to ensure that the right salmon

stocks are being fished I know this year

there's been a huge drop in the number

of Sakai on the river and so far only a

brief spring salmon run has been open to

fishing these mus grean people are

continuing a fishing tradition which has

run in their families for

centuries barbecue time fishing this

spot

for 22

years before that was my grandfather

before that was his his

father it's done our family well over

the

you know many many generations since

we've been here and uh hope to have it

for another 100 years to come for my

children and my children's

children musim has long been on the

front lines in getting Aboriginal

ancestrial and treaty fishing rights

acknowledged thanks to the 1990 Sparrow

decision it is now a part of the

Canadian

Constitution when we went to court we

said very strongly that our Aboriginal

right to fish is something that's been

here from time in Memorial and we went

through all of the the arguments and the

Supreme Court of Canada came down on our

side of

this the sparrow case set the the

groundwork for for abinal rights across

the country and I think throughout the

world because there's been people from

throughout the world indigenous people

coming and asking how they could could

come to the same place in their uh

communities I now been fishing on the

river here and on the coast of BC for uh

47 years now I started with my dad at 8

years of age and uh every year

since it's it's not

just not just salmon it's we're somewhat

in a decline in other stocks here

sturgeon

Hooligans they were a big part of our

our diet throughout the year and that's

now no more

more with

any any ethnic group in the world that

when you have a a lifelong and

generational

connection it it it becomes a part of

you and and this River certainly is a

part of us and it always will be