A young Nuu-chah-nulth man who has grown up in the foster care system is learning about his Ditidaht roots through his love of art. A.J. Boerson, 16, says he got into art about five years ago with a passion for drawing cars.
Not long after he discovered the award-winning comic book artist Andrea Sorrentino, known for his work for comics I, Vampire and Green Arrow. A.J. switched from cars to superheroes, practising the style of Sorrentino.
With the support of his foster family, Boerson nurtured his artistic talents, eventually winning first place in a First Nations Art competition for School District 62. In the 10th grade he won Top Grade 10 Excellence in Art award from Belmont High School.
“My main drive behind my art is that each of us has an inner warrior; no matter who you are, the fight is worth it,” he said.
A.J.’s passion for art brought him in contact with Tla-o-qui-aht artist Hjalmer Wenstob, who was working on a longhouse art project in Victoria. Wenstob’s idea was to create four longhouse facades representing the styles of four indigenous language groups: Coast Salish, Kwakwaka’wakw, Nuu-chah-nulth and South Pacific.
Each 25-foot-wide house front was designed by youth who were selected through a design competition by a panel representing Pacific People’s Partnership.
Wenstob’s vision went ahead in collaboration with the Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations along with MediaNet and Pacific People’s Partnership.
The finished house fronts were erected on the lawn of the Legislature on Saturday, Sept. 16 for the 10th Annual One Wave Gathering sponsored by the Pacific Peoples’ Partnership.
The BC Legislature lawn was once an historic Lekwungen village site of the Kosapsum or Shweng’xwung peoples. The house fronts were designed to have canvas bodies, making them portable and easy to store. The four structures were erected over the weekend of Sept. 16 for the 10th Annual One Wave Gathering.
The project went ahead with the consent and support of the leadership of Esquimalt Nation, Songhees Nation, the Province of British Columbia and the City of Victoria.
Wenstob said that A.J.’s work impressed the selection committee and he mentored the young artist, helping him develop Nuu-chah-nulth context in his work. “He grew up in foster care and didn’t know his family and community and so I showed him Ditidaht designs from artists like the late Art Thompson,” said Wenstob.
Through his work with Wenstob, A.J. learned that the Nuu-chah-nulth-aht were the only coastal First Nation to feature stars in their historic art. A.J. settled on a whaler’s scene that included stars for his long house front design.
A.J. says he is proud of his design and happy to have met Wenstob. “He changed my life in an awesome way,” said A.J., who mentioned the entire Wenstob family was great to him. “A big highlight of One Wave was that I made new friends and even more so family; I consider Hjalmer Wenstob and his family my family now,” A.J. shared, adding that it was an honour working with everyone. “I hope I get an opportunity to work with the other three youth and Hjalmer and his family again,” said Boerson.
At the gathering he greeted people wearing a woven cedar and swamp grass hat that was given to him by Ditidaht elder Charlie Thompson.
Boerson liked that all the longhouses and their traditions came together during the gathering, just as all sorts of people came to join. “A big part for me was that everyone came together and that we all celebrated as one race, the human race; I hope that eventually more and more people come each year and that soon racism and stereotypes end for everyone,” said Boerson, adding that the sharing of cultures is a big reason for his interest in the competition.
With the support of his foster family, Boerson plans to go to Nitinaht Lake to learn more about his Ditidaht family and his culture. He also goes to powwows and other such gatherings, trying to keep the connection with his indigenous roots.
A.J. doesn’t know what will happen with the house front once the festival is over but said that his high school principal hopes to purchase it for permanent display at Belmont High School.
Wenstob says as lead artist and creator of the project he owns the works. “I will look after them from now on and hopefully bring them up again if people want to rent or use them for events or gatherings,” he said.
The One Wave Gathering is an international Indigenous arts and culture celebration hosted on Lekwungen Territory with permission of the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations. The event featured dance presentations by North and South Pacific groups, works by Indigenous artists, interactive displays and activities.
This project is produced in partnership with MediaNet and Nuu-chah-nulth artist Hjalmer Wenstob.
