Gabriola Petroglyphs

In late October of 1999, the elders of the Snuneymuxw (Nanaimo) First Nation told us that some of the petroglyphs are sacred to them, and should not be copied. Not knowing which these were, the museum removed all petroglyph images from its website, and stopped providing materials for taking rubbings from the reproductions on the museum grounds.

In September, 2000, Geraldine Manson joined the museum board as an extraordinary Director, responsible for liason with the Snuneymuxw Nation. With her assistance, we arrived at an agreement that would allow visitors to the museum to make rubbings from the reproductions, as long as they were done by individuals, for personal use, and not for sale or profit. The same rules would apply to petroglyph images on this website.

In the spring of 2002, rubbing kits were again made available at the museum. We are still working on getting the website changed and posted. Some images are available (some with comments, others without). More images will be added in time.

Geraldine has a long-standing interest in the history and archeology of this area, and has been involved in several digs. She has also served as the Coordinator for the Snuneymuxw Elders for a number of years, in which role she has become very familiar with their history. An elected member of the Snuneymuxw Council, she has also been involved with treaty issues, and has worked with the Royal BC Museum and others on the repatriation of ancestral remains.

Her role on the board includes being our liason from the Snuneymuxw, providing us with information about the long Snuneymuxw presence on Gabriola, and assisting in the design of some displays. She has also given several well-attended public talks at the museum about the history and legends of the Snuneymuxw and other Salish peoples, including some of the stories attached to the petroglyphs.

She has been a valuable member of the board. Her involvement with us has given us a much better understanding of Snuneymuxw history and culture and their connection to Gabriola Island. We hope that the museum will be able to incorporate this understanding into its operations.