FN Murals in the BC Legislature: 1932 vs. 2007

Weblog #3: Entry #2

Further to Entry #1, this website explores the term ‘Redwashing’ and the implications of murals commissioned in 1932 illustrating FN in Victoria and BC. As it turns out, these 4 murals were removed as they were highly offensive and degrading, to touch on a few aspects of the discussion. Of interest to me is how the removal of these murals highlights how FN groups in Victoria continue to shape the culture of the city/community. In this case, the 1932 murals in the BC Legislative Buildings depicted a primitive and stereotypical version of aboriginal peoples. It took until 2007 for the murals to be removed as a result of a parliamentary motion. This example shows us that with concentrated and continued effort, past wrongs can sometimes be corrected.

Site: http://www.firstnations.de/indian_land/misrepresented.htm