There has been a fair amount of press coverage about a mass exodus of Americans heading to Canada if Trump becomes president. I hope this isn’t the case. It’s not because I think people should stay and soldier on with their lives. You see, I have fallen in love with a slice of Canadian heaven, my new true north, and I want it all to myself.
Since the beginning of my project to document the landscape and people of the entire Columbia, I have spent far more time returning to the headwaters region than the rest of the river. The spectacular and wild nature of this place is thrilling. But it has been my encounters with the people and their warm embrace of me and what I am trying to accomplish that has been the greatest gift of this journey.
One of my earliest encounters was with Kaylene Earl, manager of the Akis”Nuk First Nation Lakeshore Campground near Windemere, where I have spent many a night during my forays into the headwaters region. Her kindness and enthusiasm for my project is an extension of her appreciation for her work. “The First Nation’s people have taught me so much!”, says Kaylene. “From the spirituality, respect for animals, land, and water. I do not take for granted that I am non-aboriginal and employed, but instead feel it a great honor to be employed and working side by side with them, and learning of their ways.”
At the National Aboriginal Day festivities in late June, I met Deb Fisher, Metis First Nation member and education coordinator for the Shuswap nation. We spoke about the loss of the salmon runs that came all the way to the headwaters before the era of dams. No one told the first nations that the salmon would suddenly stop arriving like they had for thousands of years. Deb likes to explain her feelings this way. “What would it be like if Martians arrived on North America today and tomorrow they zapped all the cows away with no notice, no opportunity to discuss or plan for it. It just was done without any thought of how it would affect us as humans. How would that change our lifestyles, how would we move forward, how would we feed our families this winter when nothing grows and we were counting on the beef we were going to butcher tomorrow.”
Deb says this act opened the eyes of local youth and they tend to say, ”But that isn’t fair, it’s wrong, why would they do this or a big . . .are you kidding me, that happened here?”
And then there is Morley, the genial owner of Beeland, an eclectic organic food store and espresso bar in the northern reaches of the wild river section in Spillimacheen. I stopped there this summer one evening while waiting for magic light at a location I had scouted. We spoke of many things, including the upcoming election and the predictions of Americans fleeing to Canada. Morley spoke of the mass exodus during the Vietnam war days. “We got the best of America,” says Morley. “Your poets, writers, artists, and deep thinkers – and we are so glad they stayed.”
He kindly allowed me to sleep in my truck at his store before heading out before dawn to hike up to the Conrad Kain Hut in the Bugaboos, an iconic destination for rock climbers drawn to the incredible spires of monolithic rock formations. I had planned for this just to be a day hike to scout for a future shoot. When I arrived at the hut, I was greeted warmly by Heidi Keillor, the seasonal custodian of the mountain hut. After explaining why I was here, I was invited to spend the night. I had no overnight gear or food. There was a group of young alpinists staying there and there was plenty of food that was to be prepared by a backcountry chef and extra sleeping bags so I was thrilled at this opportunity. Heidi invited me to go on a short trek up to a pristine glacial tarn with a commanding view of glaciers and several of the more famous spires like Snowpatch and Houndstooth. The creeks and rivers that flow from this region of the Purcell Mountains all feed into the Columbia and add to the volume and flow as it winds north. This is Heidi’s second season as hut custodian and it is clear that she loves both the isolation, on days when the hut is empty, and the opportunity to share this sacred place with first timers like me.
I rose early and rushed out to wait for the first light on Hounds Tooth Spire. The massive glacier beneath it glowed in the morning light and the shadows raking across as the sun rose was a joy to behold.
By choosing to listen to that inner voice that said this is the project you are meant to do, I have been rewarded in ways I could not have imagined. It was the river and the story of the loss of salmon that drew me to the region but it has been the kindness and warmth of so many people that has forever bonded me to this place.
I may not abandon the U.S. if Trump wins, but I have embraced Canada’s legendary hospitality and their national anthem, excerpted below, stirs my heart
O Canada! Our home and native land.
True patriot love in all thy sons command
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free
From far and wide
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!
(Editor’s Note: Peter Marbach will give an evening program on opening night of his exhibit, Born Free – The Wild Columbia, on Nov 2 at the Hood River Library, reception at 6:30, program at 7 p.m.)
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