Saskatoon to Vancouver

I'm back in Vancouver with seven sleeps to go, staying at the University of British Columbia (UBC). I don't think I realised how pretty it is when I was here at the beginning of the month - I must've been so focussed on the conference (and running from building to building in the rain). But pretty it is - the pic is taken from campus - and the weather is lovely, fine and sitting in the low to mid 20s, so not as hot as other parts of the country, but still v.nice.

I think it's official: I'm all conferenced out. My paper the other day was average. I got a few questions which I usually take as a good sign. But it was still average. Good to make some more contacts though.

The weather at Saskatoon was fantastic. And the conferencing was broken up by a Neville Brothers gig and National Aboriginal Day.

The Neville Bros were fantabulous. And I know there have been plenty of opportunities to see them live in Aotearoa, but there was something extra-special about seeing them perform in the Beesborough Gardens, a short walk from where we're staying and on the river bank. It's a smallish outdoor venue, so it was a nice-sized laidback crowd. According to the media coverage, Aaron Neville hasn't sung since his wife died early last year. According to the review the next morning, the big hits that got the crowd going were Everybody Plays the Fool and Tell It Like It Is. Tell It... was pretty special, but my personal pick was Don't Take Away My Heaven. Aaron's voice seemed to crack with emotion, and he looked like he wiped away a tear, even though they all come across as far too cool for tears. But it's my blog/fantasy so I'll write it how I see/dream it.

All in all it was a fantabulous night - easy weather, venue, crowd as the backdrop to the relaxed funky groovy soulful Neville Bros. (So relaxed I thought Aaron was going to sing with his hands in his pockets).

Another highlight of the weekend was chancing upon a National Aboriginal Day event in a park just beyond where the Neville Bros performed. So we caught the welcoming dance, kai (including fry bread, yay). Apparently National Aboriginal Day used to be called National Aboriginal Solidarity Day until it was 'mainstreamed'. We trawled the stalls and I nearly traded an arm and a leg for a beautiful soft rich alpaca wool cape. Mmmm. Lucky for me I literally walked straight into Corrine, a first nations woman who I met in Vancouver and who I'd already planned to hook up with later this week. By the time I caught up with her and her husband it was time to get back to the conference and there was no time to leave my arm and leg behind after all.

The conference I went to was run in conjunction with a performing arts type festival. So the closing event was a night of poetry and readings and drumming/singing. It was a special night, but I found it hard to sustain my concentration after three days of conferencing. Might be a lesson in there somewhere. One of the conference organisers was kind enough to pick up fellow-panelist, Catherine, and I and take us to Wanuskewin, a traditional winter settlement for plains peoples. There's a buffalo jump there where the tangata whenua herded the buffalo and drove them over a bank. And I guess that was their kai for the winter. It's one of a handful of places where I was struck dumb. And it wasn't really about the buffalo like it seemed to be for others. It was more about the loss of culture stuff, that their tupuna would've been in that place for generations, all that. Things I can't really articulate. I liked it up by the medicine wheel too, watched an eagle sailing on the wind, and for some reason didn't tell my mates, just totally indulged myself watching it float high above the river until it disappeared somewhere between the plains and the sky. It was a gentle space. Nice.

Monday was last call for drinks in Saskatoon. So I had a pleasant walk in the sunshine, met one of the Native Studies dudes for lunch, and watched a bit of the Aboriginal People's Televsion Network, before crashing. Tuesday, Catherine and I were up by six to get to the airport by seven. So it was an early start to our day, and we were able to take in the Museum of Anthropology, at the University of British Columbia where I'll be staying (and researching) for the next week or so.

The Museum of Anthropology was interesting. The focus of the main hall seems to be the West Coast/Salish peoples, so it has a particular look, which is unlike what I've seen in other parts of the country. The museum itself is a fab building, and its reputation as a must-see is well-deserved. I guess that means it attracts lots of overseas visitors (like myself) and lots of cameras also, as you can see below.

Imager-takers at the Museum of Anthropology, UBC. Doll in the carving doesn't look too impressed.

It's back to work for me this week - there are a couple of archival collections I want to check out. Plus there are a couple of people I want to touch base with before I leave. And only seven days to do it in.