BC Ferries unveils Coast Salish art for newest vessel
BC Ferries and the First Peoples' Cultural Council revealed the artwork that will decorate the side of the newest Salish Class ferry.
The design by Penelakut artist Maynard Johnny Jr. shows a heron in flight and will be displayed on the exterior and interior of the Salish Heron.
Along with the artwork, ferry passengers will also be able to read about the relationship that Coast Salish Peoples have with the Salish Sea.
“For me, the story was to present something that people would know by seeing it what it was, but still had to study the piece to understand that it is a majestic bird,” said the artist. “In my territory of Chemainus and Penelakut, before contact, herons were very prominent and we followed them because they were our guide for where all the fish were.”
“Stories from our traditions and our culture can be very basic or they can be very powerful and spiritual,” he said.
Johnny Jr. says his heron design uses vibrant colours like yellow, purple and turquoise, along with varying shades of blue, to express his signature style of Coast Salish art.
“I wanted to create something that was playful, colourful and appealing to the eye,” said Johnny Jr. “I’m taking my art and using it as a vehicle so people can understand how history has affected [First Nations people], because there are so many things that have kept us down and art is a brilliant way to express the beauty of our culture and open the door to talk about these hard topics.”
The design was selected by a committee of Indigenous artists and representatives from BC Ferries. The criteria considered by the committee was the ability to express the vessel’s name through artwork in the Coast Salish artistic style.
The Salish Heron is the fourth Salish Class vessel to display Indigenous art.
BC Ferries says the names of the ferries and the artwork not only recognizes the first people to navigate the Salish Sea, the art also honours indigenous history and culture.
“It's one of the ways our two cultures can connect,” said BC Ferries president and CEO Mark Collins. “We can gain a deeper understanding, get to know one another and that leads to all kinds of potential solutions on more difficult issues.”
Johnny Jr. says he hopes when people see the vessel sail by, they will see his depiction of the heron and ask questions about the culture of the Coast Salish people.
“Being able to share our stories and share our culture and the history of our people is very important to me,” said Johnny Jr. “This is a great way to do that. It’ll open people's minds to listen more about what is happening and what needs to change.”
BC Ferries expects the Salish Heron to join the three other Salish Class vessels on the Gulf Islands routes beginning in the spring. The Salish Heron has the capacity to carry up to 138 vehicles and as many as 600 passengers.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Half of Canadians have negative opinion of latest Liberal budget: poll
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
NEW 'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Canadian couple among tourists on sinking sailing boat tour abroad
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their “extremely dangerous” experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
An Ontario senior called Geek Squad for help with his printer. Instead, he got scammed out of $25,000
An Ontario senior’s attempt to get technical help online led him into a spoofing scam where he lost $25,000. Now, he’s sharing his story to warn others.
Accused of burglary at stepmother's home, U.S. senator says she wanted her father's ashes: charges
A Minnesota state senator and former broadcast meteorologist told police that she broke into her stepmother's home because her stepmother refused to give her items of sentimental value from her late father, including his ashes, according to burglary charges filed Tuesday.
Twins from Toronto were Canada's top two female finishers at this year's Boston Marathon
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.