Indigenous-Settler Relations and the Emparkment of the Broughton Archipelago Marine Park

Since 2011 I have been working as a sea kayak guide in the Broughton Archipelago, off the north eastern coast of Vancouver Island. Meanwhile, I have spent the last two years learning about settler-colonialism, the cultural production of spaces and places, and the politics of Indigenous-settler relations. My presentation will address the confluence of these experiences. In order to provide context, I will summarize some of the literature on the displacement and dispossession of land from Indigenous peoples in order to create protected and park lands in a settler-colonial context. In so doing, I will address how spaces, such as the Broughton Arhcipelago, have been redefined as “natural” “wilderness” landscapes despite their occupation by First Nations. What are the lasting impacts of the creation of park lands by branches of the provincial government? How has the removal of Indigenous people from the land produced an empty area for recreation and “exploration”? Current policies and cultural artifacts presented by BC Parks have been the stepping stone into the discussion of this displacement and dispossession. I will aim to highlight the gap that has emerged between what is said and claimed by Parks and what takes place on the ground. An outcome of this project will be to educate and facilitate a discussion among guides who work in the Broughton Archipelago. As someone who has benefited from the Broughton Archipelago Marine Park and the surrounding area, I feel compelled to give back to the place that has given so much