
June 17 – November 21, 2020
Legacy Downtown | 630 Yates St.
Lekwungen territory
Watch the opening prayer and territory acknowledgement for this exhibition by Songhees Elder Frank George. Special thanks to Frank George for making this possible.
View the Online Tour and Curators’ Discussion
Curated by XEMŦOLTW̱ Dr. Nicholas Claxton, UVic, School of Child and Youth Care (UVic Alumni, BSc ’00, MA ’03, PhD ’15) and Katie Hughes, UVic Department of History, graduate student (UVic Alumni, BA ’06, Graduate Professional Certificate, Cultural Heritage Studies ’17).
With artists: TEMOSEN Charles Elliott, J,SIṈTEN John Elliott, Chris Paul, Dylan Thomas, Sarah Jim (UVic Alumni, BFA ’19), Temoseng, aka Chasz Elliott and Colton Hash (UVic Alumni, BSc ‘18).
To Fish as Formerly tells the story of the SX̱OLE (the Reef Net Fishery) through contemporary art, traditional knowledge and historical documentation. The exhibition shares the story of the efforts of generations of W̱SÁNEĆ people who are revitalizing the belief systems, spirituality, knowledge and practices inherent to the SX̱OLE.
To W̱SÁNEĆ (Saanich) people, the SX̱OLE is more than a fishing technology. Challenged with no substantial salmon bearing rivers in the territory, the W̱SÁNEĆ and other Straits Salish peoples developed a unique and sophisticated fishing technology that formed the basis for their way of life. Though the Douglas Treaty of 1852 promised that the W̱SÁNEĆ would be able to “fish as formerly”, the SX̱OLE was systematically reduced by colonial systems and finally was banned altogether in Canada in 1916. In recent years, XEMŦOLTW̱ Nicholas Claxton is undertaking community-based work that has brought new life to the restoration of the SX̱OLE that continues today. Through collaboration and reconnection with their U.S. based Xwelemi (Lummi) relatives, the W̱SÁNEĆ people fished using traditional reef net technology for the first time in more than 100 years.
This program is generously funded in part by the Salish Weave Collection.

Teacher’s Guide

The exhibition Teacher’s Guide and associated Slide Presentation are free to download and use as reference in the classroom.
Online Programming
To Fish As Formerly | Artist Interview Series
What role can art play in eco-cultural revitalization?
Learn more about the artwork and artists featured in To Fish As Formerly in this interview series featuring local emerging artists Temoseng aka Chasz Elliott, Sarah Jim, and Colton Hash. Hear how art can be a research tool, connect us with community knowledge, and allow us to explore new perspectives.
Check out all three interviews on our YouTube channel.

Online Tour and Curators’ Discussion
To Fish As Formerly: A Story of Straits Salish Resurgence
with curators XEMŦOLTW̱ Dr. Nicholas Claxton, UVic, School of Child and Youth Care
and Katie Hughes, MA Public History, UVic, 2020.
Thursday November 12 | 7-8 PM
Online via Zoom
View the recording of this event here.
Join us for a tour and curators’ discussion of the exhibition To Fish As Formerly: A Story of Straits Salish Resurgence. Gillian Booth, UVic Legacy Galleries’ Curator of Academic and Community Programs, will conduct a 25 minute online tour through To Fish As Formerly followed by a Curators’ Discussion with XEMŦOLTW̱ Dr. Nicholas Claxton, UVic, School of Child and Youth Care and Katie Hughes, MA Public History, UVic, 2020.
Whether you have already seen To Fish As Formerly or are unable to visit in person, this program offers an insightful overview of the exhibition and a unique opportunity to participate in a discussion about W̱SÁNEĆ eco-cultural resurgence with curators Nick Claxton and Katie Hughes.
To Fish as Formerly tells the story of the SX̱OLE (the Reef Net Fishery) through contemporary art, traditional knowledge and historical documentation. The exhibition shares the story of the efforts of generations of W̱SÁNEĆ people who are revitalizing the belief systems, spirituality, knowledge and practices inherent to the SX̱OLE.
This event features a pre-recorded tour followed by a live discussion and Q+A period.

Nick Claxton teaches at UVic in the Department of Child and Youth Care. His research is centered on the revitalization and resurgence of Indigenous knowledges through community-based and land-based healing. Nick’s doctoral research focused on the revitalization of his community’s traditional fishing practice. His doctoral research project focused on the revitalization and restoration of the SX̱OLE during which he worked to pull together the disappearing knowledge of the SX̱OLE, reinvigorate cross border cooperation between the W̱SÁNEĆ and their Xwelemi relatives, and coordinate the community-based creation and fishing of the first SX̱OLE on Canadian waters in 100 years. This project involved reconnecting with many elders, youth, and community members. It marked the beginning of a longer-term journey of resurgence and intergenerational resilience that continues.

Katie Hughes is a recent graduate of the Public History MA program in the UVic History Department and a museum professional. Her graduate research focussed on sharing the W̱SÁNEĆ story of the revitalization of the SXOLE with the public. Collaborating with Claxton, Katie’s research involved working with a broad range of Indigenous and non-Indigenous community members, elders, and artists to develop content and artworks for the exhibition. Drawing from Indigenous cultural and oral histories and colonial historical sources, Katie focused on capturing the history of the Reef Net and it’s resurgence in the exhibition text, artworks and objects. Katie is currently on maternity leave from her position as Community Engagement Coordinator at UVic Legacy Galleries.

Gillian Booth is the Curator of Academic and Community Programs at UVic Legacy Galleries. Gillian brings 15 years experience working as an art gallery educator. Her work entails developing challenging and engaging public and academic programs that expand on exhibition themes. She collaborates with Indigenous and non-Indigenous staff to develop and deliver K-12 and post-secondary Gallery tours related to Indigenous education using First Peoples Principles of Learning and BC’s new curriculum. Gillian is interested in how museums can support societal change through meaningful public engagement that challenges societal norms and institutional power structures.