Above: ???? Cheryl Folland
By Arts Editor Cheryl Folland
On January 29, I was invited to attend my first Contemporary Dance (hosted at The Port Theatre in Nanaimo) show in a long while.
As we took our seats, Artistic Director for Crimson Coast Dance Society, Holly Bright, described the society’s theory of dance. Likening their style to poetry of the body, she invited us to “let it wash over you, sit with you, and change your emotions.”
In preparation for exploring love’s theme, a basket of love notes was passed through seated guests, each with a unique handwritten message.
...
By Arts Editor Cheryl Folland
What
VIU CREATE Conference. January 30 to March 19
Where
Nanaimo Campus. Free.
Why be there?
Recognize the diversity of programs at VIU, either as a participant getting your work out there, or as a lover of all things artistic and creative. Contact research@viu.ca for more information.
What
The Pack A.D, with Wakesiah and The Daisy Stranglers
Where
The Queens, 34 Victoria Cres. February 3 *Early Show*
Doors 7 pm. Show begins at 7:45 pm. Tickets $18 in advance. ticketzone.com.
Why be there?
You might find your new favourite band! Each of these ...
By contributor Chantelle Spicer
99% Invisible
If you are at all curious about the world around you, this is an amazing place to start digging for answers and stories. From technology and architecture to sounds and objects, host and network Radiotopia founder, Roman Mars, explores the life of our designed world, and how it affects us. Since the show’s humble beginnings in 2010, Mars and his staff have been bringing us well-researched and thought-provoking shows—without a single repeat. Since then, the show has gained great notoriety, having 150 million downloads through iTunes. Not ...
Above: ???? iStockPhoto
By contributor Chantelle Spicer
Things have seemed a little unsettled, crazy, wacky, absurd, scary, but, above all, the activities of North America have felt the exact opposite of normal over the past few weeks. I am already exhausted from the constant upsetting headlines coming out of the Oval Office this week, as well as decisions made by our Nanaimo city council, and BC Liberal government. As a lover of women, the land, and rights in general, I know I am going to have to keep paying attention. Though the thought of this is exhausting, I find a strange kind ...
By News Editor Aislinn Cottell
The three-year term of Naomi Beth Wakan, Nanaimo’s first ever Inaugural Poet Laureate, has come to an end. Instated in 2013, in her time as Laureate, Wakan was a prolific writer, and established several successful creative projects in the city, including starting a high-school poetry competition, and establishing Nanaimo’s Poetry Map and Poetry in Transit programs. Her absence will be missed, however, two new faces have arrived to carry on her efforts—Kailey DeFehr (filler of the brand-new position of Inaugural Youth Poet Laureate), and Tina Biello, to be ...
By Arts Editor Cheryl Folland
Opened on February 1, 2016, The Nanaimo Bar has been steadily gaining popularity. Speaking with hostess and bartender Lauren, proved that TVs, pool tables, and Keno aren’t necessary to fill the doors. The Nanaimo Bar is sweet, simply because it feels like home.
Located next to Pirate Chips at 2-75 Front St., with local beer on tap, and friendly, welcoming staff who greet patrons with hugs and handshakes, it is quickly becoming a sought after venue.
“We haven’t stopped since we opened,” Lauren said, “I absolutely love it here. Sonia hired me with no ...
Why it’s time to pick up the slack and support students with invisible disabilities.
“Because they’re not obvious to spot, invisible disabilities may be overlooked and misunderstood,” The Rick Hanson Foundation states. “And unfortunately, this can lead to discrimination or exclusion of those with an invisible disability.”
VIU supports and accommodates students with invisible disabilities in many ways, but a lack of knowledge on the effects of invisible disabilities, and other nuanced biases, pose unique challenges for these students. Generally speaking, there is a severe lack of ...
By News Editor Aislinn Cottell
What
On February 6, Rose McCulley from J&R Farm will be presenting a seminar on Mason Bee care. The workshop will run from 6:30 pm – 9 pm.
Where
Bldg. 355, rm 203.
Admission is $2 for students and $5 for non-students.
Why you should care
The bee species has never been at a more critical point than it is now, and this is an excellent opportunity to learn more about this important keystone in our ecosystem.
What
The next VIU Indigenous Book Circle meeting will be held on February 6, and discuss the book Half-Breed by ...
By columnist Diana Pearson
For centuries, the presiding cultural climate has accepted the heterosexual, monogamous couple as the most “valid” kind of relationship. The nuclear family (the perfect picture of the man, woman, and two children living middle-class, suburban lives) became popularized in the 1950s with the image of the American Dream. But, let’s be real: to only accept heterosexual monogamy as a valid relationship, is to be caught in a prudish, moralizing trap. Whether by orientation, preference, or choice, today many are choosing to cultivate relationships that do not ...
Above: The Mariners gather around Coach Avender. ???? Cole Schisler
By Sports and Lifestyle Editor Cole Schisler
The Mariners added to their near perfect season by defeating the Columbia Bible College Bearcats in back-to-back matches over the weekend.
The Mariners have suffered only one loss this season to the Capilano Blues back in November, where they lost a hard-fought match 3-2. Over winter break, the Mariners travelled to Los Angeles for skills training camp. Since then, they have developed their depth, built chemistry, and are harnessing their confidence into success ...
By Associate Editor Natalie Gates
The Canadian Press: “A brash businessman-turned-reality TV star turns his outsized appetite for success towards the most powerful position in federal politics.”
Please don’t tell me history is already preparing to repeat itself.
The day after January 17’s debate in French, Dragon’s Den and Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary announced he was entering the race to become leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. The businessman and TV personality (who doesn’t speak French, but is taking lessons) was quickly met with Trump comparisons in the ...
By Production Manager Catherine Charlebois
A lone gravestone sits under the protection of a willow in the Bowen Cemetery, moss creeping up its side, with the name James M Brown engraved on its rocky surface. Below it, in a faded and barely legible script, the text reads:
In loving memory of his beloved wife who departed this Life May 22nd, 1875.
Nameless on her own gravestone, Leah Brown née Westwood lies in her final resting place in a Dunsmuir family plot. One hundred yards down, her husband lies in a grave with his second wife, Louisa Rumming, and two of their children, ...
By Arts Editor Cheryl Folland
Nanaimo’s music scene is alive and well. On any given night, there is at least one live show happening in the downtown core.
Moments after arriving at The Vault Cafe, at 8:20 pm for the 9 pm show, a sign marking sold out was taped to the door. A small crowd began to gather outside in the -1°C evening in hopes to snag a seat. One member mentioned, “We’re happy to stand on the street and listen to them.”
Stel, the opening band from Victoria, BC, made sure to appreciate those left in the cold. The band (comprised of brother and sister Adam and ...
Power hitter Andrea Cankovic spikes the ball. ???? Cole Schisler
By Sports and Lifestyle Editor Cole Schisler
Since returning from a tournament in San Diego California over the winter break, the Mariners have been a force to be reckoned with on the court.
“We’re definitely more balanced,” Head Coach Shane Hyde said. “We have offense coming from all positions, whereas before San Diego, we were only putting the ball to our outside hitters. Now, we’re spreading the ball around a lot more.”
Coach Hyde was impressed by the work ethic of the girls down in San Diego. He thought that ...
By Sports and Lifestyle Editor Cole Schisler
When Kenny Brault joined the Nanaimo Songwriter’s Circle in 1997, it had been running for only a year. Since then, he says that the people may have changed, but the style of the Circle has stayed the same.
“The styles are the same in that they are undefinable,” Brault says. “People come sharing songs from their hearts.”
The Songwriters Circle was founded by late Vancouver Island folk musician Jerry Paquette, along with singer-songwriter Ric Lafontaine, children’s performer and banjo player Ian Johnstone, as well as Jim and Jannette ...
By Sports and Lifestyle Editor Cole Schisler
On January 26 and January 27, the VIU Satyr Players acting club is hosting their annual One Acts play festival at Malaspina Theatre.
Tickets are $5, and the proceeds will go towards supporting VIU student theatre. The festival will feature five plays that are written, directed, performed, and technically-designed entirely by students.
Satyr Players president Hailey McConnel says that organizing the One Acts festival has been rewarding. She has gotten to work with many of her fellow students. Although the work can feel overwhelming at ...
Above: ???? iStockPhoto
By Josha Chumsa-Jones
By now I hope you have participated in or are least aware of the events on January 20 and 21. You may have also seen the hashtags “#InaugurateTheResistance,” “#J20Resist,” or “#DisruptJ20” floating around the news and social media. In case you are unaware, these hashtags refer to the various actions across the USA and Canada to disrupt the inauguration of Donald Trump into the oval office of the White House. Planning the action for J20 started as soon as the US federal election results came in last November, and it has brought together ...
The rushing waters of Millstone Creek beneath the upper Bowen Park Bridge. ???? Jonah Ferguson
By contributor Megan Wolfe
Think about your favourite places to explore around Nanaimo. If you’re like me and you’ve only lived here for a few years, the list is probably short. However, if you’ve lived in Nanaimo your whole life, your list is probably a lot like Jonah Ferguson’s. Ferguson is so familiar with the area that he can tell from a single Instagram photo where the photographer went. He recently realized that there are people like me, who don’t know where a whole lot of anything ...
Above: ???? iStockPhoto
By Associate Editor Natalie Gates
Each year, VIU students pack their bags and board planes to immerse themselves in far away lands, unfamiliar cultures, and daunting experiences—all for the chance to learn something essential and help other communities. From Students Without Borders, to the Red Cross; from internships as part of course credit, to extracurricular placements, and beyond, the opportunities to work or volunteer abroad are immense.
One student, Jaxxen Wylie, just got back from Uganda with a big bag of perspective.
Wylie spent four months in ...
By Managing Editor Molly Barrieau
Gruesome, I know.
That phrase has been repeated to me a few times throughout my university degree, and it always grosses me out. The idea was—when journalism was still a profitable job—if there was a shooting, murder, or fire, it likely made the front page or, in our case, page five. This concept has never changed, however, last year, it seemed that catastrophes, like the Presidential Election, always bled, and led.
Quantity prevailed over quality, time and time again, and, eventually, shouting from our windows about controversial tweets was the ...
Above: Pieces from artist Steven Laidlaw’s show SHIFT, currently being displayed at the VIU View Gallery. ???? Justin McGrail
By News Editor Aislinn Cottell
There are no labels on the artwork at the View Gallery.
The works are not titled, there’s no indication of medium, and certainly no price tags. For someone used to traditional galleries, VIU’s style may seem odd. But there’s a good, and artistic, reason for the deviation.
“People often come to a gallery and they’re going to look for the titles, because that’s the way in,” said Justin McGrail, professor of Art and Design, ...
By contributor Ado Moda
This article contains mature content.
Today my life trajectory has changed. I believe a door has been opened that cannot close; well not without getting my favourite body part injured in the process. I happened across a Facebook post about masturbation, and, of course, had to investigate. As is common Facebook practice, I creeped the profiles of the commentators. I was curious about who else would be so bold as to publicly share their opinion about masturbation. That’s when I came, so to speak, upon Ryan Levis. It was obvious fairly quickly that Ryan ...
By Sports and Lifestyle Editor Cole Schisler
Heightened demand for homes in Nanaimo has led to an increase in the cost of mortgages and rentals since 2015.
According to the 2016 annual sales summary published by the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board, (VIREB), the average price of a single family home in Nanaimo has increased 13 percent since 2015. Inventory of single family homes has hit a historic low for Nanaimo with 85 percent of single family homes occupied. The shift has also affected the rental market, as few rental properties are being developed, and available properties ...
By News Editor Aislinn Cottell
On February 3, the Year 5 Post Baccalaureate Education students are presenting the Education Expo, a day of workshops and presentations which will explore 40 different educational topics. The expo will be held on the second floor of bldg. 356, the room locations for individual workshops can be found on the event website at edexpo.ca.
Presentation sign-up is at 9:30 am, and the event will run from 10 am–2 pm. Presentations will be between 25–50 minutes long, and workshop sessions 5–10 minutes. Every station visited will improve chances of winning door ...
