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“We Were Here, We Were Always Here”: A Holistic Approach to the Pictographs of lekw’emin (Jervis Inlet)

Date

2024-09-13

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

ORCID

0009-0009-1059-4555

Type

Thesis

Degree Level

Masters

Abstract

Rock-art serves as a cultural memory, providing valuable insights into the perceptions and connections that ancestral peoples held with their surrounding environment. On the Northwest Coast of North America, over six hundred rock-art sites have been identified, with a high concentration in the Coast Salish region. Within the swiya (world, birthplace, lands, waters) of the shíshálh Nation, forty-nine such sites exist, with fifteen of these sites along the shores of lekw’emin (Jervis Inlet). This thesis focuses on these fifteen sites, aiming to examine the utilisation, creation, dissemination, and significance of the pictograph sites within lekw’emin. Guided by questions on rock-art utilisation, landscape insights, and shíshálh worldviews, this study employs a holistic approach combining field documentation, community-guided interpretations, and archival research to express the intricate ways in which the shíshálh have utilised rock-art to communicate, navigate, and reinforce their relationship with the land and their cultural heritage. The rock-art of lekw’emin is deeply interwoven with the daily life and practices of those who traversed its landscape, serving as a medium for cultural expression, practical guidance, and communication of traditional knowledge. This research emphasises the broader contextual significance of these sites, extending beyond individual pictographs to encompass the entire cultural landscape. Its significance transcends aesthetic or utilitarian considerations, serving as a locus of cultural memory, knowledge, and spiritual connection within the collective lived experience of the shíshálh peoples.

Description

Keywords

Rock-Art, Pictograph, Northwest Coast, Archaeology

Citation

Degree

Master of Arts (M.A.)

Department

Archaeology and Anthropology

Program

Archeology

Part Of

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DOI

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