Canadian botanical gardens, as a social institution, have played a role in aboriginal dispossession and nationalist projects. These botanical gardens selectively erase and appropriate aboriginal knowledges and histories in ongoing projects of nation formation. "
- Bardia Khaledi
Overview:
This months dialogue will delve into the topic of parks and their relationships to ongoing colonialism. We will use the example of Bloedel Conservatory to think into questions of what it means to house "exotic plants" from all over the world, plants that have no relationship to each other prior to colonization and the ways that botanical gardens have been used historically to uphold western science and nationalism. We will also talk about one particular art installation in the park and its relationship to the institution of marriage and the State. Some of the questions we will be asking are: What does it mean for this park to be named "QueenElizabeth Park?"
What does it mean for "exotic" birds, plants and microbes to be cohabiting in a space together with no prior relationship together? And what does it mean that this is a tourist attraction? Why is his "attraction" to captivating?
Resource: This month's resource comes from a graduate researcher at SFU. If you're interested in coming, and have the time and energy to read pages 63-73 in Bardia Khaledi's piece titled "The colonial present: botanical gardens as sites of nationalism, environmentalism and aboriginality in British Columbia".
Meeting Place: Date: September 28th Time: 11:00am-2:00pm Meeting Place: Entrance of Bloedel Conservatory *We recognize that this hike is taking place on unceded Coast Salish territories and we aim to create a space where we can think into these complications, address them, and/or re-think what outdoor learning might look like.
"Yearning for openness and freedom" Graphic Design by Megan Lo
What to bring:
What to bring?
Please dress weather appropriate! We will be exploring the trails rain or shine. In terms of the dialogue portion of the day, alternate arrangements will be made if necessary. Please bring whatever ensures your comfort throughout the day. For more information on what to bring, please visit our website.
Accessibility:
Please reduce your use of scented products on the day of the event as some people in the group have sensitivities and allergies!
The hike will be primarily on paved areas of the park, but there may be sections that are quite steep inclines and it may be icy. I hope to go to my house (located 2 blocks from the park) for lunch. Unfortunately my house has stairs so this event is not fully wheelchair accessible.
We will focus a lot of time discussing colonialism and its current implications on Indigenous populations and more-than-humans. I understand that discussion like this can be really taxing on certain bodies. If there are any ways I can, as a facilitator, meet your emotional or physical needs with respect to having difficult conversations like this please don't hesitate to email me at [email protected].