Squaw Hall Project In association with urban ink productions of Vancouver. Squaw Hall was an all night, open air dance hall on the grounds of the Williams Lake Stampede. Squaw Hall had originally been an Indian Dance Hall, “a place to let your hair down, drink refreshments and do almost anything that your morals will permit you to do.” In later years it became famous for its violence; for the wooden floor deep in broken glass from bottles flung in the air. In January 2008, urban ink of Vancouver, a professional company that produces aboriginal and diverse cultural works of theatre, was approached by Twin Fish of Nelson, a theatre collective interested in community based arts practice, to co-develop The Squaw Hall Project, which looked at the legacy of colonization in the community of Williams Lake and surrounding Secwepemc, Carrier, Tsilhqot'in First Nation communities. Artists from both Twin Fish and urban ink have personal ties to this region and this motivated the project and ultimately, the collaboration. Squaw Hall burned to the ground in the mid-seventies. Thirty-five years later a plaque commemorating the infamous hall was mounted on the hill behind the Stampede grounds. The “story” of Squaw Hall depicts a place filled with wildness with no mention of its violent underside. Williams Lake, a town of 11,000 in the central interior of British Columbia, serves a vast area that includes three distinct First Nations, consisting of fifteen band communities in an area that extends 300 km west to the coast, and over 100 km north, east and south. Because of the vast region served by the town, Aboriginal youth from outlying areas must board in town during the school year―leading to disconnection from family and in many ways recreating the residential school life that decimated the culture and lives of their parents and Elders. Two major youth gangs have developed along tribal lines. In the spring of 2010 the two companies initiated the first of three artist residencies in Williams Lake. Bessie Wapp and Nicola Harwood of Twin Fish along with First Nations videographer Terry Haines joined urban ink’s Aboriginal Community liason, Rosemary Georgeson, to conduct youth media and performance training. During this six-week process seven Aboriginal and Métis youth created their own short play about growing up and living in Williams Lake and began a video story collection process with Elders. In the fall of 2010, Diane Roberts, Artistic Director of urban ink, supported by Rosemary and artists Mutya Macatumpag and Emilie Monnet, led a four-day Arrivals Personal Legacy Workshop with the seven youth and six adults exploring the stories of their ancestors. In the spring of 2011, Bessie and Nicola returned with Rosemary and Mutya to develop the youth play and integrate the Personal Legacy work. A final video and interview process with Elders was supported by mentorship from local writer Sage Birchwater, filmmaker Helen Haig-Brown, and editor Jessica Hellenbeck. Mason and Reanne, two youth from year one, were the videographers. The Elder’s stories of Squaw Hall were numerous and funny. The Williams Lake Stampede was an important place and time for First Nations people to gather. The open air dance hall was built in 1947 as a place for Aboriginals to celebrate since they were not allowed in town drinking establishments. Stories in the video tell of spending days traveling by horse team and wagon to come to town for Stampede. Through the Elder’s eyes, Squaw Hall is transformed from its wild reputation in its later years to its original position as a place of community gathering and fun. It became obvious that what changed Squaw Hall was when, in later years, white people began to come down after their dance shut down at 2am. The outcome of the Squaw Hall project culminated in a public presentation of the youth play and video to a packed hall of community leaders, Elders, Chiefs and Williams Lake community members. The project then toured to two band communities. The expanded film, mediated and shot by youth, contains 35 minutes of interviews and archival photographs, documenting the old days of the Williams Lake Stampede, Squaw Hall, the hard work, community and family life, as well as struggles with racism, residential school survival and drug and alcohol addiction. The final message is one of pride, humour, and resistance. The two pieces together, form a First Nations perspective from today’s youth and Elders about growing up and living in the Cariboo Chilcotin and Williams Lake area. For further information about ordering or booking a screening of the video - please contact: Cathy McDonald of urban ink productions: cmcdonald@urbanink.ca

Squaw Hall Project

In association with urban ink productions of Vancouver.

Squaw Hall was an all night, open air dance hall on the grounds of the Williams Lake Stampede. Squaw Hall had originally been an Indian Dance Hall, “a place to let your hair down, drink refreshments and do almost anything that your morals will permit you to do.” In later years it became famous for its violence; for the wooden floor deep in broken glass from bottles flung in the air.

In January 2008, urban ink of Vancouver, a professional company that produces aboriginal and diverse cultural works of theatre, was approached by Twin Fish of Nelson, a theatre collective interested in community based arts practice, to co-develop The Squaw Hall Project, which looked at the legacy of colonization in the community of Williams Lake and surrounding Secwepemc, Carrier, Tsilhqot'in First Nation communities. Artists from both Twin Fish and urban ink have personal ties to this region and this motivated the project and ultimately, the collaboration.

Squaw Hall burned to the ground in the mid-seventies. Thirty-five years later a plaque commemorating the infamous hall was mounted on the hill behind the Stampede grounds. The “story” of Squaw Hall depicts a place filled with wildness with no mention of its violent underside.

Williams Lake, a town of 11,000 in the central interior of British Columbia, serves a vast area that includes three distinct First Nations, consisting of fifteen band communities in an area that extends 300 km west to the coast, and over 100 km north, east and south. Because of the vast region served by the town, Aboriginal youth from outlying areas must board in town during the school year―leading to disconnection from family and in many ways recreating the residential school life that decimated the culture and lives of their parents and Elders. Two major youth gangs have developed along tribal lines.

In the spring of 2010 the two companies initiated the first of three artist residencies in Williams Lake. Bessie Wapp and Nicola Harwood of Twin Fish along with First Nations videographer Terry Haines joined urban ink’s Aboriginal Community liason, Rosemary Georgeson, to conduct youth media and performance training. During this six-week process seven Aboriginal and Métis youth created their own short play about growing up and living in Williams Lake and began a video story collection process with Elders.

In the fall of 2010, Diane Roberts, Artistic Director of urban ink, supported by Rosemary and artists Mutya Macatumpag and Emilie Monnet, led a four-day Arrivals Personal Legacy Workshop with the seven youth and six adults exploring the stories of their ancestors.

In the spring of 2011, Bessie and Nicola returned with Rosemary and Mutya to develop the youth play and integrate the Personal Legacy work. A final video and interview process with Elders was supported by mentorship from local writer Sage Birchwater, filmmaker Helen Haig-Brown, and editor Jessica Hellenbeck. Mason and Reanne, two youth from year one, were the videographers.

The Elder’s stories of Squaw Hall were numerous and funny. The Williams Lake Stampede was an important place and time for First Nations people to gather. The open air dance hall was built in 1947 as a place for Aboriginals to celebrate since they were not allowed in town drinking establishments. Stories in the video tell of spending days traveling by horse team and wagon to come to town for Stampede. Through the Elder’s eyes, Squaw Hall is transformed from its wild reputation in its later years to its original position as a place of community gathering and fun. It became obvious that what changed Squaw Hall was when, in later years, white people began to come down after their dance shut down at 2am.

The outcome of the Squaw Hall project culminated in a public presentation of the youth play and video to a packed hall of community leaders, Elders, Chiefs and Williams Lake community members. The project then toured to two band communities. The expanded film, mediated and shot by youth, contains 35 minutes of interviews and archival photographs, documenting the old days of the Williams Lake Stampede, Squaw Hall, the hard work, community and family life, as well as struggles with racism, residential school survival and drug and alcohol addiction. The final message is one of pride, humour, and resistance. The two pieces together, form a First Nations perspective from today’s youth and Elders about growing up and living in the Cariboo Chilcotin and Williams Lake area.

For further information about ordering or booking a screening of the video - please contact:

Cathy McDonald of urban ink productions: cmcdonald@urbanink.ca