The role of the arts in creating social change is a history that stretches far back into time. Artists in cultures and countries around the world have used their mediums to inspire and incite the viewer to examine a particular issue in a new way. Frida Kahlo, one of Mexico’s most famous artists, used her paintings to move forward her politics (socialism), LGBTQ and disability rights, as well as women’s rights. Australia’s Omar Sakur uses poetry to discuss the intersection of his spirituality, gender, and sexuality, subverting stereotypes and taboos with his powerful and creative ...
On Tuesday, November 7th, during World VIU Days, there will be a showing on campus of “Chasing Coral” about the worldwide coral reef crisis. The film was directed by James Balog of National Geographic and of the documentary, “Chasing Ice,” which examined the retreat of glaciers and ice shelves resulting from climate change. The film will be shown in Building 355, Room 203 on the Vancouver Island University Nanaimo campus at 5 p.m. This will be following by a panel consisting of Stephanie Archer and Anya Dunham from the Pacific Biological Station in Nanaimo, and Roy Mulder, President of ...
Identity: Art as Life features work from three local artists: Mulidzas-Curtis Wilson, Richard “Tomahawk” Thomas, and Vince Smith. The exhibit boasts a diverse range of stand-out pieces such as painted drums, a paddleboard, thunderbird tapestry, and carved wood walking sticks. The show is sponsored by TimberWest as part of their First Nation Cultural Art Showcase Program, and is on display until November 3 in the View Gallery, located in bldg. 330 at Vancouver Island University.
My best friend, Emily, is a woman and has never doubted that she was one.
“What’s it like to have a gender?” I have asked her multiple times.
“What’s it like to feel sexual attraction?” she has asked me.
I am nonbinary. I have never felt comfortable calling myself a woman or a man. A more specific label I identify with is ‘agender,’ which describes a person who utterly lacks a gender. My gender is not a rejection of my body or biology. I know what my body looks like and I know its attributes. I just don’t think my hormone levels, chromosomes, or body parts define me. My brain is ...
Bishop Seghers’ apparition is one of Vancouver Island’s most terrifying visages. He is said to appear in full priest attire, gliding across the cathedral’s floor from out of the shadows. Instead of a face, or hair, or flesh of any kind, however, the priest has a bare-boned smiling skull set upon his shoulders.
Waves of people arrived in Victoria during the gold rush of 1858, numbering in the tens of thousands: Americans, Australians, Polish Jews, Italians, Chinese, Eastern Canadians, Britons, Hawaiians (Kanaka), and others. Many of the people were only passing through, but thousands of ...
This pumpkin loaf recipe yields two soft, spiced pumpkin loaves that are perfect as a side with your favourite comfort foods, or as a midday snack with tea. You can also wrap individual slices in plastic wrap to freeze for later.
Ingredients
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup salted butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
2 large eggs
440 ml pumpkin puree
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 325F. Grease and flour two regular-sized (approx. 8x4 inch) loaf pans. (Or prepare one loaf pan, bake ...
Anyone can do yoga. It doesn’t matter your age, shape, size, or gender. However, just because you have a will and a way, doesn’t mean you’re getting the most out of your session.
When simply going through the motions, both your form and sense of awareness suffers. This reduces the benefits that can be gained from your practice and can increase your risk of injury. Whether you're a newbie or more experienced, everyone can benefit from some fine-tuning. To help you get started, check out these common mistakes:
Taking Things Seriously
A successful yoga regimen requires commitment ...
So, after two and a half years of not owning a car, I finally decided to bite the bullet. I bought a 2007 Suzuki Swift. It’s an adorable little hatchback with all the horsepower of a sewing machine engine. At first, I mused about how easy it would be to park my little car -- but then I remembered that I go to VIU, and from the horror stories I’ve heard, parking here is anything but easy.
Sarah Segal, Student Advocate and Organizer with the VIU Students Union (VIUSU), has heard many complaints about parking.
“I’ve had multiple students come to discuss concerns about parking on ...
A creamy treat for the vegans on campus, this recipe has a stronger pumpkin flavour than traditional pumpkin pie.
3 cups pureed pumpkin (without added sugar or spices)
3/4 cup non-dairy milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 prepared pie crust, uncooked
1. Preheat oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Mix together all the ingredients (except the pie crust, because that would be weird) in a medium sized bowl, or a blender if you don’t feel like using a fork.
2. Give it a taste-test and see if you like the ...
Oh, Halloween. That time of year when young adults use the holiday as an excuse to dress up in cheesy costumes and get super-drunk all weekend long. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE Halloween. I love the spooky energy in the air and sitting down for a horror movie binge. This October we even got a Friday the 13th! However, I’m not a huge partier who likes to go out to the clubs, so if you’re anything like me and hate going out on Halloween, here’s a list of ten things to do instead of getting sloshed:
1. Go to a corn maze. McNab’s Corn Maze & Produce Farm in Cedar is $8 to enter. You ...
The 2017-18 VIU women's basketball team returns this year with several key players.
Avery Snider is on her way to making a full recovery from a leg injury last season and the squad will be looking for her to be the impact player she is. Victoria Brown will also need to have a big year up front if the team hopes to be a contender.
The loss of All-Canadian Sienna Pollard is obviously a big one, and very hard to replace. Instead, Coach Tony Bryce has added depth and says he feels this will be a big strength for them as the season progresses.
There will be about six or seven new ...
There are a lot of divided opinions about which adaptation of Stephen King’s 1986 horror classic is better. The television miniseries from 1990 receives a tremendous amount of nostalgic love, particularly when it comes to the performance of Tim Curry as Pennywise the Dancing Clown. I’m here to tell you now, that series is not nearly as good as you remember. It doesn’t hold up, and the 2017 adaptation feels less like a remake and more like a genuine attempt to adapt King’s book again. The resulting film this time around is—well, it’s just an all-around better movie.
Let’s start where ...
Despite what most Canadian maps seem to suggest, Vancouver Island contains more than just Victoria and Nanaimo. The following off-the-beaten-path towns and parks are only a car drive (and sometimes a ferry ride) away from our Nanaimo campus. From skiing, surfing, hiking, and storm watching, to enjoying good food in scenic small towns, the Island has something for everyone.
Ladysmith
Just a half hour from Nanaimo, Ladysmith is famous for Transfer Beach, one of the most well-known beaches on the island. The rare sandy stretch sports a water park, beach volleyball courts, and a ...
I have mixed feelings about the opening of the new Starbucks coffee shop on campus in the old, expanded premises of Jump‘n Java. The decision was announced mid-August, when virtually no faculty or students were around. My initial concerns were that, on the surface, it seemed like we were turning our backs on a local entrepreneur, who had served the campus community for nearly twenty years. Even worse, we were turning in favour of an American multinational that would be sending all its profits back to head office, and has a somewhat blemished record of corporate social responsibility. I ...
Upon my arrival to VIU three years ago, one of the first questions I was asked by another faculty member was whether I planned to have children. Taken aback by this very personal query, I didn’t immediately respond. Seeing my hesitation, my colleague jumped in to explain that VIU has really great benefits for faculty, should I be thinking about starting a family.
This interaction, while supremely uncomfortable, came and went without further thought on my part. Then, a few months later when I went to the pharmacist, I learned that VIU’s faculty health plan does not cover contraception. ...
Fall is officially upon us, which makes me want to listen to dreamy, rainy day music all day long. Here are some of the newest tunes of October 2017, perfect for studying and settling into the winter vibe.
Cautious Clay - Cold War
This song has been on repeat for the last couple weeks—I can’t get over how addicted to it I am. I love the beat, his voice, the chorus… everything about it is perfect.
Kehlani - Honey
This song by Kehlani is simple, but so calming. The acoustic guitar is perfect for the rainy season approaching.
SATICA ft. Sakima - Dysfunctional
SATICA made ...
When meeting a person at the top of their particular profession, often the burning question we want to ask is: how did you get there? Last month’s event with the John Ellis New York jazz quintet, Double Wide, was inspiring because it addressed how to navigate the maze of establishing a professional jazz career. And as the workshop unfolded, it became apparent that the scope of comments given would resonate with anyone developing any kind of public career.
These five musicians all had their start in diverse regions of the jazz world—from cultural meccas like New Orleans and New York, ...
On September 16, Canadian Blood Services (CBS) hosted a four-hour discussion event at their blood donor clinic location in Vancouver. At the event, student leaders and representatives participated in a conversation about CBS donor screening policies, particularly about men who have sex with men (MSM).
In June 2016, Health Canada approved CBS’s request to reduce the blood donation ineligibility period for MSM from five years to one year, resulting in a change of CBS policies, which took effect in August.
Afterwards, CBS received complaints from the community saying the deferral ...
2016 was the year I learned that “jib” is a street name for meth; it’s also known as “side,” crack is “up,” and heroin is “down.” It was also the year I tried to rescue my little sister from the land of up-side-down.
I scoured the scene before me but tried not to look obvious. The summer sun lifted waves of odour from the pavement: a thick sweetness with hints of old booze and garbage. As I tiptoed across a cigarette-butt cemetery, I spied a young woman parked on the grass. She was thin, with black hair piled into a messy bun. My stomach lurched and I held my breath as I crept closer, ...
1.
Maroon hummingbirds
flap fall air under their wings,
soon they will depart.
2.
Summer’s last dry wind
sunlight fades, leaves crisp, and fall
into a solstice.
3.
In a brown twig drey
up a snow-covered pine tree
a famished squirrel waits.
Last month, members of VIU’s badminton team took to the court competing in the Nanaimo Open, a tournament that ran from September 29 to October 1. William Poon is a Mariners badminton player and competitor in the weekends' events. He took time between matches to discuss the finer points of the sport, and share how his ideal method of relaxation off-court involves climbing giant boulders.
How would you describe the Nanaimo Open?
A: This is an exhibition; the team competes primarily to get experience on the court, then we have tournaments later on in October, and November. The season ...
Everywhere you look, you’re in reach of a cup of coffee. In Nanaimo, there are roughly 45 coffee shops—not including restaurants or grocery stores. Where does this ritualistic morning beverage originate from? Deep down, we know it cannot all be locally manufactured, nor can it be beneficial for our environment. I never used to ask myself this question, but recently, it’s begun to clutter my consciousness.
Coffee exceeds the reputation of an average beverage. It’s one of the most traded goods in the world, and a relied-upon staple in the day-to-day lives of consumers. People have ...
I don't find anything surprising these days.
I suppose "anything" is an easily disputable exaggeration. Still, everything that happens seems to have happened before. Nothing feels original. Even new, unique creations are referential in some way. Maybe the world has run out of new ideas.
I've thought of many things that I believed were unique at the time, only to later discover that they had been thought of before. Not even recently—like, 500 years before. It's neat that 500 century old ideas are still relevant, but in a way it's also kind of sad. Haven't we progressed past that ...
Need a break from sitting at a desk all day? This October at VIU’s Nanaimo campus there will be yoga classes held every Tuesday from 12:05 PM - 12:50 PM, in building 355 room 211.
The classes will be by donation with all funds going towards United Way.
Laura Shanner, this year's staff representative from VIU, is working with United Way to lead fundraising campaigns with staff at VIU campuses, as well as with some of United Way's other season fundraising activities. Shanner explained that United Way collects data year-round to help narrow down how to progress with problem areas ...
