Robert and Birgit Bateman are brought ashore to Royal Roads Thursday by members of the Scia'New Nation.
To most people, the weedy plantains, ferns, and skunk cabbage sprouting under canopied trees are nothing more than the green background flora of the forest. To Cowichan First Nation’s Della Rice Sylvester, each leaf and each root is cure for what ails the body and mind.
Della, sporting traditional aboriginal garb and a mischievous smile, demonstrated an encyclopedic knowledge of traditional plant medicines in Royal Roads University’s forest, just prior to Thursday’s welcoming ceremony for acclaimed ecological artist Robert Bateman.
For Della, healing and improving health can be found in the roots, the leaves, the feel and the smell of the plants. Della described tacking branches of a maple tree to her sick auntie’s wall — the odour and sight can help a depressed body. Fern leaves laid out in a bed can help aches and sprains. Skunk cabbage is for general pain; roots of prickly Oregon grape plants hold antibiotics.
Della, sporting traditional aboriginal garb and a mischievous smile, demonstrated an encyclopedic knowledge of traditional plant medicines in Royal Roads University’s forest, just prior to Thursday’s welcoming ceremony for acclaimed ecological artist Robert Bateman.
For Della, healing and improving health can be found in the roots, the leaves, the feel and the smell of the plants. Della described tacking branches of a maple tree to her sick auntie’s wall — the odour and sight can help a depressed body. Fern leaves laid out in a bed can help aches and sprains. Skunk cabbage is for general pain; roots of prickly Oregon grape plants hold antibiotics.
Della Rice Sylvester unearths the medicines of the forest.
“Each plant has got its own way, its own personality like each of us and each of our children,” said Della to the parade of people following her through the forest. She moved through the forest with a preternatural familiarity, seemingly infused with wisdom built from a culture established long before Robert Dunsmuir built his estate.
“I know I am a visitor to this land but I know I am of this land,” she said. “We as visitors moving through the forest give thanks and respect the plants and their space. Walking through is like walking through someone’s living room.”
Before European contact, the Dunsmuir estate was common ground for south Vancouver Island Coast Salish Nations. That tradition was revived Thursday when members of the Esquimalt, Songhees, Scia’New (Beecher Bay), and T’Souke First Nations gathered and officially welcomed Robert Bateman to the land.
The event played a dual role: First Nations re-established their connection with the land that one Elder said held at least two longhouses prior to first contact; and Bateman announced his gift of original art, prints, giclees (high- resolution reproductions), archival materials and a bequest is worth $10.7 million. The collection will be housed in the $11 million Robert Bateman Art and Environmental Education Centre, due for construction at Royal Roads.
The RRU Foundation also announced today that Bateman and Victoria's Dockside Green developer Joe Van Belleghem will co-chair a design committee that will set environmental building standards that are expected to surpass the highest level of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) buildings.
Bateman paddled across the Esquimalt Lagoon in a Coast Salish canoe with members of Scia’New under the brilliant-mid afternoon sun. To a throng of First Nations drummers, media, Royal Roads staff and the public, Scia’New Chief Russell Chipps formally requested permission to come ashore for rest and food. And not surprisingly, permission was granted and all were welcomed to the temporary bighouse on the Hatley Castle lawn.
“Now the celebration can begin. We welcome Robert, his family and the Elders,” announced Greg Sam, a Tsartlip member and RRU’s aboriginal relations coordinator.
“It’s a great time for reconciliation and the potential to understand each other better,” said Joshua Guilar, an RRU professor in the School of Communication and Culture, and who is working with the Saanich Tribal School on aboriginal education.
First Nations drummers lead the procession to the bighouse.
Under the bighouse, members of the Esquimalt, Songhees, Scia’New, and T’Souke First Nations, and everybody else, performed songs and ceremonies, some of which have not been conducted at this ancient aboriginal gathering site since European arrival.
“Robert Bateman understands the spirit of our animal relatives and he is a champion of Mother Earth in all her inter-connectedness,” said Charlene George (Qwa’ste’not) from the T’Souke Nation and coordinator of the welcome ceremony. “It seemed appropriate that our First Nations communities, as stewards of this land, stand with its current caretakers to honour his work.”
“Robert Bateman understands the spirit of our animal relatives and he is a champion of Mother Earth in all her inter-connectedness,” said Charlene George (Qwa’ste’not) from the T’Souke Nation and coordinator of the welcome ceremony. “It seemed appropriate that our First Nations communities, as stewards of this land, stand with its current caretakers to honour his work.”
See the YouTube videos of Robert Bateman speaking about his art and sketchbooks.
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