Art offends First Nations' sensibilities

Page 13

"Don't call them paintings. Bad art," said Grand Chief Ed John of British Columbia's First Nations Summit in regards to work that hangs in the legislature in Victoria.

On June 23, the Summit sent a letter to Attorney General Andrew Petter requesting the paintings be removed. The First Nations are offended by the four pieces that hang in the rotunda. They feel they depict Native people with historical inaccuracy.

"The pictures are right in the entrance of the legislature where when you come in there is this big chamber with the paintings and that is where they bring the tourists first," said John. "It's the wrong impression and whether they are told that, I have no idea, which is the bottom line and plus it is demeaning and insulting to Aboriginal women."

The paintings are by George Sewell. One portrays Aboriginal women topless, they also portray Aboriginal men laboring to build Fort Victoria and have been hanging in the building since 1932. Another paiting presents an Aboriginal man awaiting sentencing before a colonial judge.

"Some people say it's art and others say that it is a depiction of issues related to justice," said John. "There are four murals and they are suppose to depict courage, enterprise, labor, and justice, but everything in that place is about colonialism. They make themselves to be heroes and it puts our people in no place of equality, but only as subservient and laboring types."

The First Nations have requested on several occasions in the past to have the paintings removed.

"As far as we are concerned it's a foregone conclusion," said John. "We've raised it over the years with various governments and they don't act on it."

John said they met twice with Andrew Petter on this issue. The want a response from the Petter no later than July 31.

"He said that he didn't understand that we found them offensive and he told us to send a letter so that he could take it to the next level," said John.

The speakers office and the premiers office are putting a working committee together to address the issue, said Kate Thompson, media relations for the Attorney General.

"How many committees do they need, have a hundred committees looking at it and they're gonna come to the same conclusion," said John.