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In this new body of work, Raluchukwu (Ral) Ojah explores cross-cultural exchange and the immigrant experience through fashion and dance. Drawing on the traditional Ekpe masquerade from his hometown of Amaekpu, Ohafia, Nigeria, Ojah reimagines this spiritual ritual through life-size, wall-mounted dancing figures that reflect his roots and the ways ancestral practices are expressed in contemporary Nigerian and Western fashion. His figures capture the dynamic movements of Igbo, Enugu, and Ohafia dances, which have influenced contemporary dance, including hip-hop and club culture.
The Ekpe masquerade occurs alongside community events throughout the year, marking times of renewal and celebration. These include the Ota Omu Age Grade, a traditional retirement ceremony that passes knowledge from elders to younger generations, and seasonal planting rituals that celebrate growth and harvest. Ojah connects these rites to his own experience of leaving Nigeria and moving to Canada in 2021, where he recently completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts at Thompson Rivers University.
Ojah incorporates colourful Dutch wax fabric to reference its colonial history in Nigeria. Introduced by the Dutch in the 1880s, the fabric was adopted across Central and West Africa and adapted with local designs, proverbs, and symbolic codes to preserve cultural traditions. Today, it remains central to Nigerian regalia and contemporary fashion.
Through this work, Ojah considers how global exchanges of people and material culture influence art and fashion, while also telling a personal story of heritage and migration.
Visit the Kamloops Art Gallery website here.
Richmond Art Gallery presents a solo exhibition by Manuel Axel Strain, xʷən̓iwən ce:p kʷθəθ nəw̓eyəł ((((Remember your teachings)))), from Sept. 13–Nov. 9, 2025. The artist — of Musqueam, Simpcw, and Syilx descent — celebrates the cedar longhouse as an important architectural form and philosophical framework that reflects the collectivist and relational values of their ancestors and communities.
“Richmond Art Gallery first worked with Manuel Axel Strain for a public artwork featured in the Capture Photography Festival in 2020, and we are thrilled to continue supporting this talented artist,” says curator Zoë Chan. “The Musqueam shed-style longhouse is at the heart of their new exhibition. It is not only an important architectural structure, but also an important spiritual, philosophical, and cultural framework profoundly embedded with the collectivist, relational values of their family members and larger community. The artist also invites viewers to critically consider what dominant structures are being upheld in mainstream Canadian society, whether in terms of architecture or ideology.”
xʷən̓iwən ce:p kʷθəθ nəw̓eyəł (Remember your teachings) will feature new and recent works, including paintings, video, and sculpture. The central longhouse installation pays tribute to a style of home central to the collective life of the Musqueam people and used as a gathering place for culturally significant events, such as marriages and potlatches. The red cedar plank-built edifices are designed to be flexible and modular in order to accommodate multiple and extended families. Before their attempted erasure by colonial powers, longhouses were once found all along the coast.
Strain is a 2-Spirit artist from the lands and waters of the xʷməθkʷəyəm (Musqueam), Simpcw and Syilx peoples, based in the sacred region of their q̓ic̓əy̓(Katzie) and qʼʷa:n̓ƛʼən̓ (Kwantlen) relatives. Strain’s mother is Tracey Strain and father is Eric Strain, Tracey’s parents are Harold Eustache (from Chuchua) and Marie Louis (from nk̓maplqs), Eric’s Parents are Helen Point (from xʷməθkʷəy̓əm) and John Strain (from Ireland). Although they attended Emily Carr University of Art + Design, they prioritize Indigenous epistemologies through the embodied knowledge of their mother, father, siblings, cousins, aunties, uncles, nieces, nephews, grandparents and ancestors. They have contributed work to the Vancouver Art Gallery, Surrey Art Gallery, the UBCO FINA Gallery, were longlisted for the 2022 Sobey Award, and were a recipient of the 2022 Portfolio Prize.
Visit the Gallery’s website and social media for the most up-to-date information on upcoming programs and registration.
Vancouver Heritage Foundation's Heritage Hour Lectures are back and the registration is now open for three fall sessions: Heritage Hour - Vancouver Heritage Foundation
Join us at University Women’s Club at Hycroft from 7pm to 8:30pm to enjoy fascinating pieces of Vancouver’s heritage with a selection of local speakers. You may purchase tickets here.
Uncovering a Lost Chapter of Canada’s History: An Evening with Catherine Clement
Tuesday, September 23rd, 7pm - 8:30pm
$20/15+tax
Many of us think we know Canadian history. But sometimes we can discover a dark story that has been silenced, buried and lost to time. Historian and award-winning author, Catherine Clement will share the story she uncovered of a monumental yet tragic and largely forgotten chapter in our nation’s and in Vancouver’s past: The quarter century of Chinese exclusion.
About the Speaker:
Catherine Clement is an award-winning historian, curator and author whose work focuses on memory and excavating the stories of ordinary people in extraordinary times. She is renowned for her landmarks public history projects that crowdsource memories and materials to help reveal the forgotten stories of our country’s past.
Blood in the Boonies: Crime and Misadventure in Old South Van
Tuesday, October 28th, 7pm - 8:30pm
The southeast corner of the city has always had its perilous moments. The working class neighbourhoods that comprised the formerly independent municipality of South Vancouver spread across a steep hill, where one flank dove sharply to a river lined with sawmills. It was the perfect booming ground for harrowing accidents, tragic bridge mishaps, and fatal tram slams. Join local historian Rob Howatson for a chilling journey through South Vancouver, where every road seems to end at Mountain View Cemetery.
Rob Howatson is a writer, local history buff and lifelong South Van’er. He caught the heritage bug in 2007 when he discovered a time capsule hidden in the old Sunset Community Centre. (It contained rare Bing Crosby footage!) Rob also works for the City of Richmond at Steveston’s heritage sites.
An Imaginary Line: the HBC, the US, and the Fight against the 49th Parallel
Tuesday, November 25th, 7pm - 8:30pm
How did the Pacific Northwest get divided between the U.S. and the British Empire? Where does British Columbia’s name come from? Why are there two Vancouvers? From 1821 to 1846 the Hudson’s Bay Company attempted to carve a British claim west of the mountains. The result is a gripping story involving Métis emigrants, legacy-hungry billionaires, and a wandering artist. A dive into the little-told tales of the Pacific Northwest.
About the Speaker
Tom Long has worked in museums and heritage spaces for 25 years, including Fort Edmonton Park, Mangawhai Museum (NZ/Aotearoa), and the Amelia Douglas Institute. He loves storytelling and history and combining the two. He is a Certified Interpretive Guide from the National Association of Interpretation with a particular interest in the 19th century Canadian fur trade. You can find him, his blogs, and his other offerings at northwindheritageconsulting.ca .
Doug Mayer, Vice-President of the Revelstoke Heritage Railway Society, has received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Railroad Historical Association.
The award is given to a person who has demonstrated "significant contribution over a period of years" to the preservation of Canadian railway history. Doug has written a series of books on the Canadian Pacific Railway in the Revelstoke area, and is the President of the Revelstoke Model Railway Club.
Congratulations to Doug on this award!
For more information, contact your local host!
The Vancouver History Society tours the Chung/Lind Collections at the University of British Columbia.
The Chung collection comprises over 25,000 rare items highlighting the history of the Chinese community in North America. The Lind Klondike Collection documents the transformative events of the Klondike Gold Rush.
Presentations by Matthieu Caron and Denise Jacques.
Watch the full video here.
"City in Colour: Rediscovered Stories Of Victoria's Multicultural Past" tells the story of some fascinating but little-known "first" explorers, significant female pioneers, and of course, ethnic groups who have left lasting cultural legacies.
Music. Fashion. Art. A Karaoke Stage! Welcome to "Dream Factory: Cantopop Mandopop 1980s to 2000" — on now at the museum! This is the story of many celebrities who grew up or had ties in Vancouver and Canada. It's the story of a Chinese Canadian population who grew up listening to their songs and really made it part of their identity and their lives. From powerhouse ballads to unforgettable pop idols, this immersive exhibition uncovers the golden era of Cantopop and Mandopop — and reveals Canada’s unexpected role in shaping the soundtracks of a generation.
Don't miss out on this one-of-a-kind exhibition! Learn more at www.chinesecanadianmuseum.ca/exhibitions
The call for proposals for Digital Museums Canada is now open! Submit your proposals before the December 25th, 2025 deadline.
For more information, visit the Digital Museums website.
From the BC Museum's Association:
"With 68 wildfires currently burning in BC, 7 of which are out of control, it is important to prepare your site and staff for an emergency response. Museums, galleries, and cultural spaces have important roles to play in keeping their staff, volunteers, and communities safe during extreme weather events.
Explore BC HERN resources and learning opportunities here."
British Columbia Historical FederationPO Box 448, Fort Langley, BC, Canada, V1M 2R7Information: info@bchistory.ca
With gratitude, the BCHF acknowledges that it carries out its work on the traditional territories of Indigenous nations throughout British Columbia.
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