Arc’teryx Backcountry Academy returns to Whistler from February 23-25 with an increased focus on Indigenous stories, perspectives and art.
Words :: Feet Banks // Sponsored by Arc’teryx
For decades, a century even, we’ve been getting it wrong. Marketing teams, tourism boards, brand copywriters, outdoor journalists like myself—we’ve long touted the remote and beautiful landscapes that inspire us as “pristine and untouched wilderness.”
The reality is these natural spaces have been touched. They’ve been travelled, hunted, foraged, enjoyed, turned into art, and lived alongside for millennia by the Indigenous peoples of each area.
Thankfully, the gatekeepers of outdoor culture and stoke (this magazine included) have begun to realize this oversight, and make moves to change the way we talk, and think, about the true history of the lands we love. And this February 23-25 in Whistler—the shared territory of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh and Lil̓wat7úl peoples—the Arc’teryx Backcountry Academy is breaking trail with a full program of film, art, music and education showcasing Indigenous talent.
“We make gear for recreating in the outdoors,” says Monika Tesiorowski, Brand Experience Lead for Arc’teryx. “So it is important to ensure we are reminding people that whether they’re heading out on their own or as a community like we do at these events, it is important to remember that we are on unceded territory, that these lands have been inhabited since time immemorial and these mountains have had names for just as long. To be leaders in truth and reconciliation work, we feel that showcasing Indigenous stories and inspiration is an essential part of all our events. It’s a good reminder of how lucky we all are to be able to enjoy the things we love in this territory. We are not the first to recreate here.”
“It’s a good reminder of how lucky we all are to be able to enjoy the things we love in this territory. We are not the first to recreate here.”
Everything kicks off at 12 pm on Friday at the Whistler Conference Centre for the first look at the Academy Backcountry Art Show, a one-of-a-kind showcase of Indigenous and ancestral art that weaves together traditional stories and perspectives with contemporary expression. Featuring nine artists working in an assortment of media (painting, weaving, printmaking, sculpture and more), the show will give many people their first look at contemporary Indigenous art—a blend of traditional art forms with non-traditional elements such as current events, social commentary, or pop culture to create new takes on the Indigenous experience.
“I relate to the world mostly through an Indigenous lens,” says Levi Nelson, a Líl̓wat artist, told Mountain Life in 2021 before heading to New York to get his master’s degree at Columbia University. “So I create Indigenous art, but with a contemporary aesthetic—Sitting Bull could be on the same painting as Snow White, which is something I did in a piece called Hunter Gatherer. I guess that sort of thing is an attempt not to be pigeonholed as simply Indigenous. Plus, I’m an oil painter, and that’s a European tradition, so I think about that every time I work.”
The Academy Backcountry Art Show will give many Sea to Sky residents their first chance to see Nelson’s work in person since his return from university. Other artists in the exhibition include fish skin tanner and revivalist Janey Chang, multi-disciplinary artist Randall Bear, weaver, drum maker (and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh favourite) Tsawaysia Spukwus/Alice Guss, and more. For full artist details click here.
After the ski hill closes, the athletes, ambassadors and participants of the on-snow clinics (sold out, sorry) converge on the Whistler Conference Centre for the Vendor Village Happy Hour from 3-5 pm for gear demos, knowledge sharing, live DJs, beverages, and good times in preparation for the Arc’teryx Backcountry Academy Film Nights, which have become one of the most popular components of the weekend. Friday night’s schedule continues to focus on Indigenous storytelling and inspiration, with two films and a special live presentation on the bill.
First up is the Whistler premiere of ÆTHER 5, a visual tour de force featuring snowboarder and Olympian Ku’laang Jaad /Spencer O’Brien riding the backcountry captured on a super slow-motion camera capable of shooting 1000 frames/second.
“Spencer has such a strong turn,” says director Leo Horne, who had previously worked with O’Brien on a film highlighting her reconnection to the Kwakwaka’wakw and Haida sides of her ancestry. “I saw how powerful she is in the snow and just wanted to slow everything down to reveal these little moments and details you would never get to see in real time. We wanted to make a different type of film.”
The second film of the evening, Slides on the Mountain, features Líl̓wat snowboarder Kelkeláokik/Sandy Ward as she trains and guides two young Líl̓wat skiers—Talon and Riki Pascal—to ski Tśzil, the sacred mountain they were raised beneath. Just a year prior, Ward became the first Indigenous snowboarder to ride the mountain, known in English as Mount Currie and considered one of the most iconic ski routes in the southern Coast Mountains since its first recorded descent in 1985. “People come from all over the world to challenge this mountain, yet not one local had been given the opportunity,” Ward says. “I had to fight my way up through the snowboard industry—finding a mentor, sponsors, opportunities—and I wanted to help ensure the youth didn’t have to face the same industry hurdles I faced.”
To close out Friday’s Film Night, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh hereditary Chief Sekyu Siyam/Ian Campbell will make a special presentation delving into the historical and contemporary significance of the Indigenous community’s relationship with the Sea to Sky. As the outdoor industry continues to evolve and expand, Chief Campbell will speak on how the industry currently juxtaposes with traditional practices, and what it can look like in a future with increased Indigenous participation. Get tickets to the Friday Films and Chief Campbell’s talk here.
And of course, Whistler is never a town to go to bed early so the Arc’teryx Backcountry Academy Music Series kicks off Friday night with Anishinaabe Métis and North African music producer/DJ Handsome Tiger throwing down at Garfinkel’s Whistler. Known for blending traditional Indigenous songs and sounds into global electronic bass music, Handsome Tiger has played at (Whistler-favourite music fests) Bass Coast and Shambhala and was named one of the top six Indigenous artists to listen to by the CBC. Get ready to groove.
“It’s going to be a special couple of days,” says Spencer O’Brien. “I’m hosting two clinics on the hill and then there’s all this incredible stuff happening at night. It’s really great to have this creative space and these opportunities to showcase Indigenous talent. Arc’teryx has always been very open, just asking us what we need and how we want to show up. Mountain culture is so rich in Whistler; it feels like the perfect place to share these stories and voices.”
Get tickets and all the information on Arc’teryx Backcountry Academy here. February 23-25, 2024.
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