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An Act to encourage the gradual Civilization of the Indian Tribes in this Province, and to amend the Laws respecting Indians, 1857
This source is an extract of a government report to produce legislation to ‘civilise’ the native peoples in Canadian provinces. The document sets out that for the natives to have equal legal distinction to other Canadian subjects (European colonists)…
Announcing a Potlatch
This source is a painting of a costumed bird and rowers on a ceremonial dugout canoe, made from a single cedar log. The purpose of the scene depicted was to announce a potlatch which would celebrate a birth or wedding or commemorate a death. The…
Beren to Lytton
The letter denotes the story of a violent skirmish between Native peoples and American colonial settlers. This was not uncommon due to the late 1850s seeing a rise in expansionist movements of colonial settlers. The colonists would come into direct…
British Columbia Tribune
This newspaper article assesses the governmental mismanagement of British Columbia and Vancouver Island’s structure as colonies. The article saliently concludes that foreign trade for New Westminster and Victoria will be diminished, and Vancouver…
Canadian Pacific Railway arrival of the first through train at the seaboard of British Columbia
This photograph shows the arrival of the first through train to British Columbia from Canadian Pacific Railway to port moody, and many men surrounding C.P.R. locomotive 371. This photograph shows the fanfare and attention that was given to advances…
Correspondence relative to the Canadian Pacific Railway
Due to British Columbia agreeing to build transport links as per the agreement to join the Canadian confederation, this book of papers contain the context surrounding the “pacific scandal”. A scandal which saw a bribery of the first government of…
Hunting for gold: reminiscences of personal experience and research in the early days of the Pacific
The book details the life of a gold rush miner as he travelled through various regions in British Columbia search of gold. The context surrounding his travels through Montreal, San Francisco and other cities, is at a time where the gold rush was in…
James Douglas’ first message to Earl Grey, secretary of state after obtaining position of Governor of Vancouver Island
This source is a letter from the newly appointed James Douglas, governor of Vancouver Island to the secretary of state in England. This letter discusses the immediate occurrences and issues in the colony at the time, including the decision of Douglas…
Kwakwaka’wakw Chief’s mask
This item is a chief’s mask, from the Kwakwaka’wakw tribe in British Columbia. The design of the mask involves human hair and exaggerated facial features supposed to represent a woman in the woods. This item was created in traditional style, to be…
Letter from Stephen Freemen to James Goldie
A letter from Stephen Freemen to James Goldie detailing his intention to sell his half of the plot of land they share in Vernon, BC. Goldie was the manager of an independent fruit ranch in the Okanagan. The favourable climate of the Okanagan area was…