c̓əsnaʔəm, the city before the city
Susan Rowley and the c̓əsnaʔəm research team are one of two UBC research initiatives to be recognized by IDEA for 2015. c̓əsnaʔəm is an ancient village and cemetery of the Musqueam people located in the heart of Musqueam traditional, unceded territory, dating back over 4,000 years. The c̓əsnaʔəm team seeks to encourage the Vancouver community to consider place in relation to historical and cultural meaning, in particular, the location of the University of British Columbia, which is situated on the ancestral land of the Musqueam people. The c̓əsnaʔəm research team explores language, storytelling, artifacts and culture, in relation to continuity, and the ongoing traditions of the contemporary Musqueam communities living in British Columbia today.
Support from UBC Library
UBC Library has supported the c̓əsnaʔəm research project in a variety of ways:
- Library staff assisted with the c̓əsnaʔəm exhibit at IKBLC.
- Library resources have been used throughout the research project: videos, ebooks, etc.
- Rare Books and Special Collections provided high quality imagery for the project.
- Various library staff and training from the i-school provided support for the success of the project.
The c̓əsnaʔəm Team
The c̓əsnaʔəm research represents a collaborative effort between diverse research communities at UBC:
Larry Grant, Adjunct Professor/Elder-in-Residence, First Nations and Endangered Languages/First Nations House of Learning
Leona Sparrow, Adjunct Professor, School of Community and Regional Planning
Susan Rowley, Associate Professor/Curator, AnthropologyMuseum of Anthropology
Jill Baird, Curator/Associate Faculty, Museum of Anthropology/Faculty of Education
Jill Campbell, Adjunct Professor, First Nations and Endangered Languages
Jordan Wilson, MA student, Anthropology
Jason Woolman, PhD student, Anthropology
Vanessa Campbell, Teaching Assistant, First Nations and Endangered Languages
Larissa Grant, Guest Lecturer, various
Community Impact
One aspect of the c̓əsnaʔəm research project has been a series of four collaborative exhibits between the Museum of Anthropology at UBC, Museum of Vancouver and the Musqueam Cultural Education Resource Centre and the Ike Barber Learning Centre. c̓əsnaʔəm, the city before the city, is a groundbreaking exploration of an ancient landscape and living culture. The exhibitions opened in2015. These multimedia experiences included belongings, video, , interactive elements including a tangible table and soundscapes.
Legacy aspects of the c̓əsnaʔəm research project include an education kit created for elementary and high school students, featuring a highly interactive design introducing students to the land, hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ language and culture of Musqueam; a documentary film by Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers; and an interactive web-based resource connecting the ancient past to today.
The c̓əsnaʔəm research team intends to share the rich indigenous heritage of Musqueam with a wide audience and encourage education, as well as support new ways of thinking about place and space in a context connected with the past and present of the first peoples of Canada. The team is pleased to be recognized by IDEA, and look forward to the continued education and dialog inspired by the c̓əsnaʔəm project.