By columnist Diana Pearson
Expressing sexuality and finding intimacy are incredibly important for health and well-being. But let’s be honest—many conversations about sex prioritize able-bodied sexual beings, leaving people who have physical disabilities behind. People with physical disabilities face much more stigma around sexuality, namely the myth that they are non-sexual, infantilized beings. These assumptions often leave them with limited space to explore their desires.
But today, more and more organizations in Canada are finding ways to support people who have physical ...
By News Editor Aislinn Cottell
WHAT
On April 12, VIU Sustainability is hosting researcher Jackie Hildering, from the Marine Education and Research Society, to speak about humpback whales
WHERE
Nanaimo Campus
Malaspina Theatre
7 – 8:30 pm
WHY YOU SHOULD CARE
Recently taken off the endangered species list, humpbacks are still at risk for net entanglement and boating collisions. Attend to learn how you can assist their rehabilitation.
WHAT
On April 12, the Faculty of Arts and Humanities is hosting 12 panelists from various disciplines to discuss “Teaching in the Post-Truth ...
Above: ???? courtesy of exclaim.ca
By Managing Editor Molly Barrieau
Last year, Light in the Attic released a compilation album Native North America (Vol. 1): Aboriginal Folk, Rock, and Country 1966–1985. This led to a Grammy nomination, and a review on CBC Music, which is how I came across the one-of-a-kind compilation.
It is unique in its attempt to gather and share Aboriginal songwriting in a time of civil unrest across the continent. Like many other songs written during the 70s, these all connect on levels of anti-government, anti-war, and activism.
Willie Dunn opens the album ...
By Arts Editor Cheryl Folland
WHAT
Three time Juno Award Nominee, Jenn Grant, with special guest Rachel Sermanni
WHEN
April 5, at The Queen’s, 34 Victoria Cres. Early show, doors open 7 pm, show begins 8 pm.
WHY YOU SHOULD GO
Last time Jenn was here, she was in a duo, this time she’ll be performing with a full band. Tickets are $20 in advance, plus s/c. $25 at the door, available at Lucid, Desire Tattoo, The Queens, and online at ticketzone.com.
WHAT
Old City Laugh Lounge, featuring Dylan Rhymer of Vancouver, BC.
WHEN
April 14, at Old City Station Pub, 150 Skinner St. Two ...
Above: ???? courtesy of HYPE music
By Arts Editor Cheryl Folland
It only takes one listen to hear the depth of life experience and heartache in Kendall Patrick’s lyrics. A Nanaimo native, Patrick can be found most evenings working at The Vault Cafe. In this supportive community, with it’s creation-stimulating aesthetic, her strength as a poet and musician is well received and proclaimed.
The sound pours out with a sultry soul-soothing vibe felt in the core of listeners. Patrick creates original folk melodies to tell her story with humble artistry.
“The first time I played a song, ...
By Arts Editor Cheryl Folland
At the end of every school year, the Visual Arts department creates space for its graduating students’ work. This year,The Grad Show will take place from April 13 to May 1 at The View Gallery (bldg. 330 on VIU campus). The Nav reached out to art graduates to gain a deeper understanding of the artist behind each piece.
Denise Tierney
Denise works across a wide range of media including paint, wax, wood, metal, clay, and re-purposed objects to produce both two-dimensional and sculptural artwork. She uses layers of content to tell a story and strives to ...
By contributor Kelly Whiteside
I can’t count the number of times I’ve had customers from my workplace get legitimately upset with me when I inform them our store is not pet friendly, and that any non-service animals must be left outside. I don’t understand it. I love my animals as much as the next person, but the thought of bringing them shopping with me seems absurd. Even with the warmer weather coming, just leave your dog at home when shopping—not outside a store and not in your hot car.
“What if I keep her in my cart?”
“But he’s so friendly and well-behaved!”
No. I don’t care. ...
Above: VIU's Nanaimo campus. Photo courtesy viu.ca.
By contributor Joshua Chumsa-Jones
VIU is known to be an accepting and welcoming campus for students of different faiths, cultures, identities, abilities, and sexual orientations. We have a Positive Space Alliance on campus as a safe space for LGBTQ+ students, as well as stairs painted the colours of the pride flag. VIU has many international students studying here from across the globe. There is The Gathering Place (Shq’apthut) on campus as a resource for Aboriginal students.
We like to think ourselves as living in a tolerant ...
By Sports and Lifestyle Editor Cole Schisler
I was at a local meditation group when I met Les Malbon, a VIU Professor of Sport, Health, and Physical Education. We ended up having a conversation about his course, Health of the Human Spirit, and he invited me to attend one of his classes.
Health of the Human Spirit is a 400-level course. This year, there were prerequisites, but Malbon has waived the prerequisites for next year. The course aims to teach students about spirituality through understanding and experience. Malbon teaches spirituality though different cultural lenses, and ...
By Managing Editor Molly Barrieau
Hi, my name is Molly. I am a klutz. Is that how it’s spelled? Anyway, unfortunately, my final editorial for The Navigator Newspaper ever, after four lovely years and 56 issues, is about my poor, sad laptop.
In truth, my laptop now stands as a metaphor for how well life goes a month before you graduate from university. I thought, hey, pay a little for that portable one, and you’ll never have to leave it at home. Here I sit, my final week of classes looming over me, as I stare at a cracked, smashed and miraculously still-functioning screen. A sorry ...
By Associate Editor Natalie Gates
I recently got back from the city so nice, they named it twice: New York, New York. NYC. The Big Apple. Between this and my roadtrip to Oregon this past summer, I find it a little strange how I’ve visited the States twice in less than a year, given that I hadn’t spent any time down there since a trip to Seattle six years ago—and the fact that the world is currently looking at the US with such a watchful eye.
I felt a twinge of guilt before I took off as I read news articles about Canadian Girl Guides canceling their trips to America to avoid any ...
By contributor Kelly Whiteside
When I chose to attend university for Creative Writing, my mom warned me I wouldn’t be able to find a well-paying job in my field. Two years into my degree, I decided to focus more on journalism in hopes of finding work easier afterwards.
I assured my mom that the work experience I acquired during university would help me find a good job. The other day, when I called her complaining about the lack of job opportunities in my field in Nanaimo, she said “I told you so.”
Print journalism jobs are diminishing at an alarming rate across Canada. In March, ...
By contributor Kiara Strijack
VIU students and the City of Parksville are proposing a new Community Park Master Plan to maintain and improve the Parksville Community Park and 53 other parks in Parksville.
The process has two parts—the Community Park Master Plan and the Parks Survey.
The plan will direct the city on how best to sustain and manage Parksville’s Community Park over the next 20 years, and the Parks Survey will include a detailed inventory of all the parks in Parksville using Geographic Information System (GIS) work.
All VIU team members, most of whom are Master of ...
By Production Manager Catherine Charlebois
Have you ever experienced a pleasant tingling sensation while hearing sounds like whispering or tapping? You were probably experiencing Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response or ASMR.
According to Wikipedia, ASMR is "an experience characterized by a static-like or tingling sensation on the skin that typically begins on the scalp and moves down the back of the neck and upper spine."
In recent years, an emerging genre of YouTube content has been exploding with a variety of ASMR-targeting videos.From soothing soap carving, mic tapping, and finger ...
By contributor Dallas Bezaire
You all remember gym class, right? Where you learn about sports and activities, nutrition, and general health. It is an important part of your education, even if you go on to mostly ignore it. Even if you end up unhealthy, you at least know roughly how to get healthy or lose weight. PE implementation is associated with better health and life outcomes, including better cognitive measures, better performance in school, and better socialization skills. It seems as if teaching kids how to be physically healthy is an absolutely invaluable part of giving kids a ...
By Sports and Lifestyle Editor Cole Schisler
Local basketball players Alex Staniforth and Anders Cederberg have joined the Mariners for the 2017/18 season. Mariners coach Avneet Brar has been coaching the pair for eight years, and is thrilled to have them on the team.
“I started coaching them at age 13, it’s a pretty rewarding feeling to be a part of the process of the decision of where they play in post-secondary,” Brar says.
The Mariners have a history of supporting local talent. They run summer training camps in the community, and many alumni and members of the Mariners coaching ...
By Sports and Lifestyle Editor Cole Schisler
Across the country, costs of tuition have been steadily rising, year after year. According to a report published by Statistic Canada, the average Canadian will pay $6,373 for tuition in the 2016/17 year, a 2.8 percent increase since the 2015/16 year.
In British Columbia, the cost of tuition has increased 2.5 percent. BC students will pay $5,534 on average for tuition. Simka Marshall, chairperson of the BC Federation of Students (BCFS), believes that there needs to be a reduction in tuition fees.
“There is a very limited amount of ...
By contributor Brian MacDonald
After 19 years of business, Jumpin’ Java and VIU came to a mutual agreement to close the cafe on campus by April 2017. This piece was written by Jumpin’ Java owner, Brian MacDonald.
Where would such a story, such a recapping, be without a headliner. There can be only one, and it’s clear and defined in a single word. That being the name of our past star, our past friend and beloved cat, Malcolm.
Thrown to the elements, to the challenges, and yet also to a loving following, he won our hearts. And that little bundle of feline joy can be best depicted ...
By Sports and Lifestyle Editor Cole Schisler
The Mariners experienced incredible success across all sports this year. As we come to the end of the Mariners athletic year, we are taking a look back at some of the Mariners who shined on and off the court.
Catie Hegglin
Catie Hegglin has been with the Mariners for just two years, and has already won a CCAA National Championship. This year she won the PACWEST Provincial Championships with her team, she says the experience with the Mariners has been amazing.
“I loved it. The whole season we were looking forward to playing provincials ...
By News Editor Aislinn Cottell
For the most part, Glenda Hunter is very happy with the university at which she works. A professor of chemistry and biology in the Adult Basic Education department, Hunter loves the community, values, and environment of the VIU campus. However, in December of 2016, she faced a dilemma. When walking past one of the new construction zones, she saw several workers surveying a grove of five Douglas Fir–“skam-alk”–trees. When she inquired as to their intention, she was informed that the trees were to be removed to make way for the new Health and Science Centre ...
By Arts Editor Cheryl Folland
Light, fun, soulful, and engaging. Countermeasure a cappella vocal group used their 14 voices to entertain around 80 guests March 14. With a mixture of originals and well-known covers, attendees were taken on a musical journey that was both touching and comedic at times. Nanaimo was the third stop on Countermeasure’s first tour through British Columbia. In August last year, they competed in Edinburgh, Scotland-—to have them on home turf was a feast for the eyes and ears. With dynamic teal costumes, choreographed numbers, and up to 14 part harmonies, it was ...
The fleur de lys, found on the Quebec flag, is a symbol for francophones everywhere. ???? Catherine Charlebois
By Production Manager Catherine Charlebois
French Canadians and anglophones have a fairly long history of disagreement, and though it has largely died down, small snippets of longstanding unease remain throughout society. From snide remarks in schools to gaps in service, being a francophone on Vancouver Island has its struggles.
I moved from Montreal when I was five, and have lived in BC for the past 16 years, but I still consider myself Québecoise. Though I may have been ...
Above: ???? Courtesy youngfoxband.bandcamp.com
By Chris Adam
Young Fox was founded in 2012. After two years of writing and honing their craft, the band released their Predecessors EP in July 2014. Nearly three years later, the next evolution of the band is here. March 10 marked the release of their debut full-length album Sky Beats Gold via Spartan Records. The Pittsburgh natives know how to create a catchy, yet moody, alternative rock album.
Sky Beats Gold kicks off with the song “Sometimes the Monsters Win”, beginning with a dark and groovy guitar riff. As the chorus hits, ...
Above: ???? via Pacific Threads Youtube
By contributor Krista Meckelborg
After listening to hours of lectures each week, it’s understandable if you choose to avoid your professors outside of classes. But doing so can prevent you from accessing one of the greatest assets you have while at university: mentors.
VIU student, Andrew Labun, and recent graduate, DJ Levy, recently began an online clothing company called Pacific Threads. Their new brand celebrates self-expression through personalized apparel. The two partners started the business from the ground up, overcoming many ...
