A movement that’s been woven into the threads of our time. Humans are diverse organisms. Shape-shifters that can view experiences from very opposing angles and perspectives. As the saying goes, there are two sides to each coin. The queen on one side, and the elk on the other. The queen on one side, the loon on the other. The queen one one side, and the polar bear on the other. Opposing ways of seeing the natural world. Exploit, drill, well, pipe, cut-back, control, contain, clear-cut, go go go. Slow down, preserve, listen, give-back, beauty is this.

In 2020 I spent a significant amount of time on Vancouver Island, which is located off the coast of British Columbia. During this time I participated in a protest against old growth logging that took place on Pacheedaht and Dididaht territory outside of Port Renfrew. My role naturally steered me towards one of documentation. Being a photographer, documenting and sharing out what I saw seemed like the right course to take.

Conversations and policies that surround how lands are managed, and even more so with how Indigenous lands are managed, are incredibly complex. The decision making process is not in any way cut and dry, Band Council vs. Hereditary and Matriarch decision making. Community wants can conflict with Band Council decision making. At Fairy Creek or Ada’itsx, the local territories Band Councils did make agreements with the government and with Teal Jones Logging Corporation that agreed to the logging of old growth forests in their territories. Offering limited and narrow options for Indigenous People’s to participate in the economy by inviting and pushing destructive and exploitative industries doesn’t seem like a reconciling act. Perhaps the government should instead be supporting Indigenous led initiatives that participate in sustainable and forward thinking economies like that of restoration, conservation and eco-tourism. Land and environment are closely tied to the cultures that come out of them. If the land changes, the cultures within them change as well.

The harsh realities of climate change are becoming increasingly apparent. Clean water, pure air and healthy land. The most valuable resources of all. 2.7% high productivity old growth remaining. We are here, now. Changing the trajectory of a warming planet due to fossil fuel resource extraction and deforestation seems impossible if we are still logging the beautiful giants of this glorious planet.

More than a thousand people were arrested during the stand that took place at Fairy Creek, the protest lasted for more than a year and in many ways still continues, although no longer on the front-lines at Fairy Creek. The stand at Fairy Creek is one of the largest acts of social disobedience in Canada’s history. We are at a place in time where land and Indigenous rights defenders are putting their bodies into very vulnerable and risky positions to protect some of the last stands of old growth forests in British Columbia.

The protestors were invited onto the lands by hereditary chief Victor Peters and Elder Bill Jones. 

More writing about my experiences at Fairy Creek related to these photographs can be found on my instagram account.