[Bcma-l] What to Do with the Begbie Statue at UVIC Law

[bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca]

Apparently the Elders of the local Aboriginal community have dealt with this issue way back in 1996 long before current law students were even aware.  The balance is in place with an aboriginal spindle whorl and blanket.  One of the Professor's wrote:

I have been reading the messages to the list serve and listening to the talk about the Begbie statue with interest.  To help your thoughts on this matter, I hope that you will consider the following information.

This is not the first time the issue of the Begbie statue has arisen.  The appropriateness of the statue was raised by Indigenous students and discussed a lot in 1994/96.  The issue was raised with Dean David Cohen and a request was made to him for its removal.  The students and I also asked for advice from the local elders.  These elders consulted with two specialists from Cowichan, Esther Bear and Andrew Canute.  Esther and Andrew are specialists in cleansing and bringing balance back to places that have become unbalanced.  Esther and Andrew, with full support of the other elders, advised against removing the Begbie statue.  They told us, in part, that Indigenous people can not create balance in themselves by creating imbalance in others; that even though we did not like the statue as a symbol of the oppression of British and Canadian law, other students (and members of the bar) attached their own meanings to the Begbie statue.  They advised us to bring balance to the area instead of destruction.  We decided to follow their advice and attempt to bring balance to the foyer by building up instead of tearing down.

We began by publically cleansing the area.  Using powerful Shulmuxstes, songs and prayers, Esther and Andrew, with about 100 members of the law school community, drummers, elders and Indigenous community members as witnesses,  cleaned the area in April 1996 in an “opening of the way” ceremony.  It was decided that a Sul-Sultun (spindle whorl) and  a Swaqwa’l (blanket) would be commissioned to recognize the relationship of the traditional peoples with the land on which the law school sits and our legal traditions (read the plaque on the side of the display case for more information).  The Dean at the time, David Cohen, raised the money from members of the local bar and a significant sum from his own pocket to pay the elders and artists for their work.  The law school paid for the stairs to be redesigned to accommodate the display case and the display case.

The Swaqwa’l was made, using traditional methods, by Philomena Pagaduan (Cowichan), her family and friends.  The white background on the blanket represents purity and women’s contribution to the sacred.  The black fringes and chevron pattern represent thunder which gives the wearer strength and protection.  Black wool represents the male contribution to the sacred.

Charles Elliott from Tsartlip, did the carvings.  Like the blanket, the carved items were designed with the theme of balance.  A Sul-Sultun represents male energy and it is used to spin wool, a female energy.  The carvings represent cleansing and rebuilding (beaver), new beginnings (frog).  The frog and beaver are helpers to the human figure in the carving and the three act as one in order to spin wool.  Charles chose these figures to represent his hope that that an attitude of hope and a positive spirit would prevail at the law school. The raven on the mat creaser represents a message of transformation.  The eagle represents positive strength.   It was Charles’s hope that the carvings would renew our faith in a positive future and that negative feelings would be transformed to those of hope and communication.

For a few days before the installation ceremony, the elders prayed and fasted to ensure that their prayers and energies would be powerful.  In the early hours of the morning of October 4th, two elders came to the law school to install the items in the case.  They gave very powerful prayers and blessings on the items so that they would be a powerful source of positive energy and balance.  I was told that these prayers and blessings are almost never made for items on public display but the elders had decided that these items would have that power.       

The carvings and blankets were publically installed on October 4, 1996.  Approximately 200 students, faculty, elders, and local people squeezed into the foyer.  Once again, Esther Bear and Andrew Canute conducted a powerful cleansing and opening ceremony in order to dispel any negative energy in the area.  Prayers of hope and healing were offered by several elders.  We were told that, although there is much healing to be done before Indigenous and settler legal systems can exist in harmony and balance with each other, we all have a responsibility to carry this task forward positively.

I hope you find this information helpful.

This matter raises some important questions that I have been asking of myself;

1)    When elders give us their teachings, under what circumstances is it appropriate to ignore those teachings?

2)    What kind of foundation am I building for my values if I talk about destroying a symbol of someone else’s values?

3)    Am I giving the Begbie statue power over how I carry myself?

4)    If the statue is removed, will the balance the elders and artists attempted to create be totally or partially destroyed and how will I deal with that imbalance?

 As of this message, I have no answers to these questions, and they may not even be the correct questions to ask at this time.


Migwich!       
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> To: bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca; cathi@fphlcc.ca; uvic-ilsa@googlegroups.com; titleandrightsalliance@lists.onenw.org
> From: bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca
> Subject: [Bcma-l] What to Do with the Begbie Statue at UVIC Law
> Date: Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:56:12 -0700
> 
> Troy Hunter wrote:
> 
> 
> I think it is nice idea to get rid of the statue but I do admire the fine artistic details of it that show what he looked like way back when he was a riding judge for BC.  I guess, I am a bit of a history buff, my undergrad is in cultural resource management.  My recommendation would be to put it into some facility where the true story is told about what he did in regards to hanging people.  I am sure that he was doing what a judge at that time and in his position would do.  It really isn't (I don't think) about Begbie's personal beliefs, it was probably more to do with his job.  Which then points the finger of blame directly at the Province of British Columbia.  Considering that they (BC) covered over the native images at the Legislature building, that there is a New Relationship and post residential school apology, maybe Begbie's stern statuette should be replaced.
> 
> 
> 
> The Maritime Museum of BC is downtown Victoria and in the upstairs is the original courtroom where Begbie presided.  I think that the statue would probably best be displayed in that space.  Perhaps, with some help from the Cultural Resource Management Program and the law school, a proper exhibit could be developed.
> 
> 
> 
> As for what to do with the space left behind at the former Begbie Building, (law school), maybe something that is more on the idea of transformation, of change, of the future.  I think that the time has passed to stop putting historical murdering judges on a pedestal and to put something with a little more deference to the Aboriginal peoples of Canada, something that would represent indigenous law.  What that would like, I really don't know but maybe that would the basis for a new call for artwork.
> 
> 
> 
> ANY TAKERS?
> 
> I would be pleased to sit on a committee or such.  But somebody or organization must take the lead.
> 
> 
> 
> Troy Hunter
> 
> Box 374
> 
> Merritt BC V1K 1B8
> 
> hunter@uvic.ca
> 
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