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A DAY I N T HE L I F E
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Can you remember the date that you arrived in Canada, and how it felt to be here? I certainly remember it very well: it was Thursday, April 18, 2019. I came first to get settled and prepare for my family to come afterwards, so I travelled alone that first trip. I arrived in Victoria late at night, and the very next day I was in the office. Coincidentally, there were some delegates from Egypt visiting the office, and because of my Islamic connections I was asked to come in and assist with the conversations. I vividly remember that first week in Victoria— the difference in the smell of the air, the difference in temperature. It was April and I was freezing. I had on four or five layers of clothes. There was also a mix of emotions, and more questions in my head than I knew the answers to. I constantly asked myself, Did I make the right choice? I knew where I was, and I knew why I came, but I was still questioning whether we had made the right decision because it certainly didn’t look, feel, smell, or even taste like what I was used to. The differences were vast. So I started networking, figuring things out on my own. I developed new relationships, and I explored and tried to understand Victoria, to see if I could understand Canada. That I am still working at. What was it like for the children when they arrived later? It was sheer excitement for the children. We had planned a family vacation months before, so we all had a wonderful time in Florida—and then my two eldest children and my mother-in-law returned to Canada with me. We flew into Vancouver and took the ferry over to Victoria. That sailing turned out to be an experience of a lifetime for them because, from the ferry, we saw a whale and her calf. The excitement was memorable—but that didn’t last long when the reality hit that they would not have their mother, grandparents, or their friends here.
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K a b i r a n d h i s w i f e, K e ci a .
(t o p ), l ef t to r ight : K ai, K ecia, K ab ir ; ( b o t t om) , lef t to r igh t : K ameela h , K a d i r a , K a r d i a n .
What has been the hardest thing for you here? The hardest thing for me individually is getting people to understand my identity. I have had experiences here where my country of origin was questioned after I told them where I was from because I didn’t fit their image of what a Trinidadian or Caribbean person should look like, or how they should speak or act. My family and I have experienced racism on account of our skin colour and our faith, through Islamophobia, and we have had to deal with that as a family. I aspire to raise awareness of such cultural sensitivities, and understanding of insensitivities, in Victoria. I intend to do this in small steps as I connect with my community in Victoria; I know it’s going to be a long journey.
What is it like being a minority and the realities that come with that? The best way I can articulate this is to say that people need to unlearn some of what we think we know. So, again, in the areas I can influence—through education, networking, and building partnerships—I am putting myself out there and interacting with various groups to change the narrative. Then I sit back and reflect on how I can actively work through some of the discrimination that exists here. The Jamaican cricketer Micheal Holding always uses this quote: “History is written by the conquerors, not the conquered.” That is something I have taken on as a personal motto within the areas that I can influence, in my own way, which is through sports and physical activity.
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Liberty In the heart of Quadra Village sits Liberty Barbers, a local barbershop with a piano in one corner and a beer fridge in the other. The shop is owned and operated by Lorian Maendel, a woman with kind eyes and warm energy. Her shop is thriving: people fill the seats and laugh, chat, and play music. But it’s been a long road for Lorian to get to where she is now.
Words by Carli Van Stolk Photography & illustration by Tracy Guinchard
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Snaw-Naw-As Market: Working towards reclaiming power and place
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P R E S E N T D AY
Words by Avigail Olarte Photography by John-Evan Snow Illustration by @salchipulpo_ 39
¿HABLAS ESPAÑOL? Building these types of relationships can be complicated by cultural and language differences—but this hasn’t stopped Ricardo and Ruperto (and it helps that “Gregorio” speaks Spanish); they don’t see language as a barrier, more as a tiny hiccough. Ruperto admits that “of course” language was a challenge at the beginning of the journey; however, he says both he and Ricardo have both been learning and improving, and they get excellent support from the translators and the Canadian coordinators. “They too have made the effort to learn our language. They have definitely made our journey better,” Ruperto says.
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ON HAND
MI CASA, SU CASA The Mexico-Canada arrangement has worked so well for many reasons. One of them, say the two men, is that the fire season differs between the two countries; this situation makes it ideal for the Mexican firefighters to come to Canada without neglecting the needs of their home country. Ricardo explains: “In Mexico, the season has different stages: In the center and south, it starts in February and ends in June; then, in the north, northeast of the country, it starts at the end of February and ends in July.” Also, the way the fires present themselves is another aspect that works for both countries. Ricardo tells us that some of the ecosystems he has worked in in Mexico are very similar to the British Columbian ecosystem, helping them to successfully fight the fires and adapt to specific environmental conditions here. However, the ecosystems in Ontario and Alberta differ from what they are used to, and sometimes the conditions become more challenging. “Ontario was very surprising,” Ruperto says, “There was a lot of humidity in some parts of the territory, and on the other side, it was on fire. In Mexico, the whole territory is typically dry, but in Ontario we found places with a lot of humidity and other very dry places in close proximity. In Alberta, the fuel we found was very deep and very thin; it took a long time to extinguish it. There was water accumulated on top and below was the fire, which for us was something different.”
Not knowing what to expect can be very dangerous; the firefighters have to frequently remind themselves to keep safe, stay focused, and always pay attention to the surroundings because the fire’s behaviour in unfamiliar places can be extreme and unpredictable. Ricardo recalls that sometimes the flames can be ten to fifteen centimeters tall and a moment later be as tall as the trees around you. Firefighters risk their lives to keep people and property safe, and wildland firefighters in particular are being tested to new extremes every day. They are often hailed as heroes who deserve praise and appreciation. The gratitude goes both ways, however, as the opportunity to come to Canada means a great deal to the Mexican crew. They express how meaningful it is to them to have a voice, to be seen, and to contribute their knowledge. “We are here helping a country, and for that very reason, we must do everything in our power to demonstrate the role we are playing as ambassadors of Mexico,” Ruperto says. “We have this unity with all Canadians. When we are here, they have greeted us in the street; they recognize us, and we are very proud of that. We always try to give the best of ourselves, every single day.”
unable to support each other as they had in previous seasons. To exacerbate things, the pandemic curtailed support to Canada from Australia and New Zealand as well. Kim Connors admits the situation was unfortunate and that the partners are “heartbroken” when they can’t support one another. Kim emphasizes that “constant communication” keeps the relationships strong even when the international partners are unable to deploy support resources in times of need. The feeling that they are part of something bigger than themselves and also part of a critical, and growing, global network at the frontlines of climate change both motivates and humbles Ruperto and Ricardo: “Yes, we are part of this movement; we know fires [will] become more and more erratic and stronger, and these organizations contribute so that the forces of one country and another can serve at the moment they are needed. So we feel part of it, we are part of it, as are all the participants, from coordinators, fighters, to the many people who are in Mexico who have worked for this— because here they see us. They see 103 Mexicans who are in B.C., but there are many people in Mexico working so that we can show our faces.” •
Because of the severity of both Canada’s and the U.S.’s 2021 wildland fire season, the two countries were
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Punjabi Mela Words by Parminder Kaur Virk Photography by Mary Kaye Abellana & Tracy Guinchard
Community organizer Parminder Kaur Virk, along with her husband Jagir Singh Virk and adult children Mantek (Monty) Singh Virk and Sonia Kaur Virk, helps coordinate monthly events celebrating Punjabi heritage across the Greater Victoria region with the groups Punjabi Cultural Community of Victoria and Punjabi Women of Victoria.
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Caribbean Chat Words by Kareece Whittle-Brown Illustrations by Kat Tzingounakis
Jamaica Quote: “One one cocoa full basket.” Interpretation: Success is never achieved overnight; it always takes small steps. Every little bit in the right direction counts. Quote: “Trouble nuh set like rain.” Interpretation: Problems come unexpectedly; there is rarely any warning. Quote: “Blood ticka dan wata.” Interpretation: Blood is thicker than water; never get involved in family affairs because the bond between relatives is very strong.
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LANGUAGE
Trinidad and Tobago Quote: “Anytime is Trinidad time.” Interpretation: Time does not matter on the social scene, as long as you show up to your destination. Quote: “Monkey know what tree to climb.” Interpretation: A bully will always know exactly who they can target as their victims. Quote: “Goat doh make sheep.” Interpretation: Children usually grow up to exhibit similar traits as their parents.
Bahamas
Quote: “Don’t holler before you get out of
the bush.”
Quote: “Fisherman never smell he
Interpretation: Don’t celebrate a victory prematurely; wait until the situation has been fully resolved.
Interpretation: It is always easy for human beings to see the faults in others while not acknowledging their own.
Quote: “Time and tide ain ga wait fa nobody.” Interpretation: A warning that time waits for no one, so use your time wisely.
own basket.”
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