Â鶹ӰÊÓ

Entertainment

    • A tale of history and humanization unfold in colourful 'Haida Manga'

    Author of 'JAJ: A Haida Manga' Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas is shown along with the cover of the book in this combination handout image. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, Karolina Turek, Douglas & McIntyre) Author of 'JAJ: A Haida Manga' Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas is shown along with the cover of the book in this combination handout image. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, Karolina Turek, Douglas & McIntyre)
    Share

    On a ship with torn sails, tossed by churning waters, the first of many Europeans needing rescue arrives along the coast of what is now British Columbia, before a Haida canoe brings an outstretched paddle and the warm light of salvation.

    So begins the latest book of "Haida Manga" by artist and author Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas, as he reaches into the history of his own family and of colonization in a work that blends Indigenous artistic influences with Japanese manga comic-book story telling.

    The colourful watercolour panels of "JAJ: a Haida Manga" leap off the page as they draw the audience inside the world-spanning story.

    Released in May, the book traces the journeys of both Yahgulanaas's ancestors and the eponymous Norwegian mariner Johan Adrian Jacobsen, who visited Haida Gwaii in 1882 in search of cultural items for a German museum during a time of escalating colonial violence against Indigenous Peoples.

    Yahgulanaas -- whose works are in institutions including the British Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art and Vancouver Art Gallery -- said the story represents an invitation to humanize each other and forge a path toward a better future.

    He said he found himself empathizing with Jacobsen, a young man who was "promised much and given little" by those who hired him.

    "I discovered that, like myself, he comes from a small fishing village. His family would harvest seabird eggs for sale and eating, and I've done the same," he said.

    The artist's mission is to create artwork that "allows people who don't know us to see us as humans," which he said hasn't been the case for Indigenous Peoples and people of colourthrough colonization, and to a significant degree still isn't.

    "I thought, if people could see the 'other,' whoever the other is, as a son or a daughter, that would go a long way to humanizing and alleviating the violence."

    The panel style of "JAJ" is common to Japanese Manga and graphic novels, but instead of rigid boxes, Yahgulanaas's story inhabits window-like spaces opened by a sinuous black line ebbing and flowing through the pages.

    Unfold the dust cover and a surprise is revealed -- the book's 108 pages combine to form a single mural. The black line delineating the panels expands and contracts symmetrically across the mural, forming the image of a creature that recalls an old Haida weaving design.

    It's a style Yahgulanaas has employed in previous Haida Manga works.

    The original "JAJ" mural, four metres in length, now hangs in the Humboldt Forum, a museum in Berlin whose representatives approached Yahgulanaas to see if he was interested in creating a piece of artwork reflecting on Jacobsen's story.

    Also on display at the German museum is the Haida totem pole that Jacobsen brought back with him.

    Yahgulanaas's work is at once playful, mischievous and serious; he depicts an encounter between Jacobson and one of his real-life ancestors, George, as a key part of the narrative.

    Some encounters like this are imagined, but real historical figures play an active role in the story, overseeing the spread of smallpox that devastated Indigenous communities.

    While doing research for "JAJ," Yahgulanaas said he discovered that ancestors on his father's side came from the same part of Norway as Jacobsen, making the story even more personal.

    "It became more important to humanize all the characters," Yahgulanaas said.

    Jacobsen went to Berlin to try to establish a career, improve his circumstances and start a family, and Yahgulanaas said he moved to Vancouver with similar desires.

    Yahgulanaas comes from Masset, on the northern tip of Haida Gwaii, where artwork has long been an economic driver.

    He said that artwork has tended toward the "monumental," often ending up in privileged places like grand institutions and private collections.

    That bothered Yahgulanaas.

    "We reduce ourselves as individuals. We make ourselves small in the presence of that which is grand and great," he said.

    The scale of Yahgulanaas's murals preserves a sense of grandeur, but transforming them into books makes them accessible and engaging.

    "A book can live in your hand. You can flip the page forwards and backwards. You are in control of the flow of the story it is subject to your interpretation."

    Comic books and graphic storytelling can also span barriers of ethnicity, class, language and education, Yahgulanaas said.

    The artist said "JAJ" is an invitation to start a conversation, and forge new relationships that put an end to violence.

    "It's the Haida belief that if you make friends first, if you establish the human relationship first, then those difficult questions can be resolved much easier."

     

    This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2023.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago. The former Hedley frontman had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.

    Police have arrested a Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides and investigators say that they believe two of the victims may have been 'randomly targeted.'

    The body of a British Columbia mountain climber has been located and recovered after the 39-year-old man was reported missing during a solo climb on Washington state's Mount Baker earlier this week.

    A teen charged with the murder of another teen on Prince Edward Island last year has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter.

    A Saskatchewan man living in the United States has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography after he unknowingly provided disturbing videos to an FBI agent he thought was a pedophile.

    Canada

    • Police have arrested a Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides and investigators say that they believe two of the victims may have been 'randomly targeted.'

    • The body of a British Columbia mountain climber has been located and recovered after the 39-year-old man was reported missing during a solo climb on Washington state's Mount Baker earlier this week.

    • A Saskatchewan man living in the United States has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography after he unknowingly provided disturbing videos to an FBI agent he thought was a pedophile.

    • Melissa Duff-Shore, a Cambridge, Ont. woman who killed her daughter in 2020, has been ordered to a forensic hospital in St. Thomas.

    • Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago. The former Hedley frontman had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.

    • A northeastern Ontario jury has started deliberating in Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial, we can now tell you what they weren't allowed to hear.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    • A five-seat sushi counter located inside another restaurant is the latest Vancouver eatery to receive a Michelin star.

    • What does New Westminster's tÉ™mÉ™sewÌ“txÊ· Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.

    Sports

    Autos

    • A Pickering, Ont., student going to college to be a mechanic is shocked the engine in his two-year-old car will not be repaired under warranty after the dealership claimed he had been 'over-revving' the engine.

    • A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.

    Local Spotlight

    Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.

    From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.

    A husband and wife have been on the road trip of a lifetime and have decided to stop in Saskatchewan for the winter.

    The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.

    A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.

    Moving into the second week of October, the eastern half of Canada can expect some brisker fall air to break down from the north

    What does New Westminster's təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.

    The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.

    New data from Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley shows a surge in supply and drop in demand in the region's historically hot real estate market.

    • Chayton Point loved to dance. Just ask his mom.

    • As the provincial election campaign reaches the halfway mark, the party leaders made pitches to voters on bread-and-butter issues: housing, child care and jobs.

    • Vancouver police have deployed extra resources in anticipation of multiple protests planned for Oct. 7.

    • Police have arrested a Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides and investigators say that they believe two of the victims may have been 'randomly targeted.'

    • Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago. The former Hedley frontman had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.

    • Toronto Public Health has confirmed two cases of listeria in the city believed to be connected to ready-to-eat deli meat products sold by Summerhill Market.

    • Three Calgary businesses have been ordered to shut down after inspectors discovered evidence of uninspected meat.

    • A pedestrian is in critical condition after being struck by a vehicle in southeast Calgary on Friday night.

    • Alberta Health Services (AHS) says it is taking immediate action to expedite care for patients who had referrals to community health-care providers delayed.

    • The owner of a Gatineau, Que. café says it's 'silly' that Quebec's language watchdog is telling the business to write its Instagram posts in French.

    • Gas prices in Ottawa are set to rise this weekend after a slight uptick overnight.

    • Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago. The former Hedley frontman had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.

    • At least two people are dead and others are injured after a fire ripped through a century-old building in Old Montreal early Friday morning, sources told Noovo Info.

    • The owner of a Gatineau, Que. café says it's 'silly' that Quebec's language watchdog is telling the business to write its Instagram posts in French.

    • A 28-year-old female driver was seriously injured in a three-vehicle collision Friday afternoon in Saint-Rémi, Montérégie, reports the Sûreté du Québec (SQ).

    • A 79-year-old woman is dead after the vehicle she was driving crashed into an east Edmonton building late Friday afternoon.

    • A letter from Edmonton's mayor to the Alberta government detailing the city's fiscal wishlist ahead of next year's budget calls for fair treatment for the capital city, something several city councillors say isn't already happening.

    • A new docu-series that reveals what life is like for National Hockey League players on and off the ice during the playoffs is now out.

    • A teen charged with the murder of another teen on Prince Edward Island last year has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter.

    • The federal Fisheries Department says it is concerned about a "pattern" of violence and threats toward its enforcement officers after two tense incidents off southwestern Nova Scotia last month.

    • Friday marked the grand opening of 22 new seniors' apartments built from the ground-up on Pitt Street in Sydney Mines, N.S.

    • Brady Oliveira and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers continue to roll along. Oliveira ran for a season-high 147 yards and a touchdown to power Winnipeg past the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 31-10 on Friday night.

    • A new report from Doctors Manitoba is calling for major changes to the way sick notes are issued in Manitoba, saying they are a waste of time for doctors and employers.

    • With winter right around the corner, thousands of feathered friends are flying south. New technology in Assiniboine Park is helping researchers around the world unlock the mysteries of this migration.

    • A Saskatchewan man living in the United States has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography after he unknowingly provided disturbing videos to an FBI agent he thought was a pedophile.

    • A group of climate activists is challenging SaskPower's move towards natural gas, arguing it violates their Charter rights.

    • Regina kids facing mobility issues were gifted toy cars through the Go Baby Go program.

    • Police have laid charges after a car crashed into the side of a Kitchener home early Friday morning.

    • The K-W Symphony may have played their last concert but the musicians who made up the ensemble aren’t ready for their curtain call.

    • Melissa Duff-Shore, a Cambridge, Ont. woman who killed her daughter in 2020, has been ordered to a forensic hospital in St. Thomas.

    • The Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation hosted a virtual election forum on education Thursday evening, giving candidates in the provincial election a chance to share their thoughts and answer questions on issues teachers find most important.

    • A Saskatchewan man living in the United States has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography after he unknowingly provided disturbing videos to an FBI agent he thought was a pedophile.

    • Saskatoon police arrested a homeless person at the scene of an encampment underneath the University Bridge on Friday morning.

    • Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago. The former Hedley frontman had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.

    • Two police officers in Greater Sudbury required medical attention for injuries they received arresting a man for the second time in just two days.

    • Police have arrested a Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides and investigators say that they believe two of the victims may have been 'randomly targeted.'

    • The Ministry of Labour is investigating a workplace incident that claimed the lives of two people in Georgian Bluffs, south of Owen Sound.

    • Eleven victim impact statements were submitted into court during the proceedings.

    • Middlesex OPP have shuttered a road between Mount Brydges and Komoka today - Amiens Road is currently closed between Glendon Drive and Oriole Drive.

    • A woman whose son died last month while at a Penetanguishene, Ont. beach with another family member wants to see safety increased at the beach.

    • The Ministry of Labour is investigating a workplace incident that claimed the lives of two people in Georgian Bluffs, south of Owen Sound.

    • Provincial police are investigating a collision along Highway 400 in Tay Township Friday afternoon.

    • A London, Ont. man, who pleaded guilty earlier this year in a harassment case, has been sentenced to two months in jail for criminal harassment of a Windsor, Ont. family.

    • Hike Metal has added more security since a $20,000 ship propeller was stolen, while Crime Stoppers is still looking for tips on possible suspects

    • The City of Windsor is on the right path to adding much needed housing inventory to the stock, according to city officials.

    • We haven't heard the candidates talk much about education during B.C.'s 2024 election campaign, but the teachers' union is trying to put the spotlight on that issue.

    • The body of a British Columbia mountain climber has been located and recovered after the 39-year-old man was reported missing during a solo climb on Washington state's Mount Baker earlier this week.

    • Many British Columbians were shaken awake early Friday morning when an earthquake struck in the Strait of Georgia, about 18 kilometres southwest of Tsawwassen.

    • Three young suspects have been arrested in connection with a swarming attack on a teenager in B.C.'s Okanagan last week – and authorities have asked the public to stop circulating disturbing videos of the incident.

    • A father in Kelowna is furious after his 13-year-old daughter was brutally beaten on Gyro Beach. He is calling for criminal charges in the devastating attack, which was caught on video by multiple bystanders.

    • The officer who shot and killed a forcible confinement suspect in Kamloops two years ago was justified in doing so, according to the Independent Investigations Office of B.C.

    • A person was airlifted to hospital following a serious crash in Taber, Alta., on Friday morning. Taber RCMP responded to the scene on Highway 864 around 10:30 a.m., for a crash involving an SUV and a semi-truck.

    • To enhance inclusivity at Lethbridge Polytechnic, the institution has launched a new accessibility micro-credential.

    • WestJet has changed its operations at the Lethbridge Airport, and it means there's now only a single daily flight from Lethbridge to Calgary, down from three flights a day, as offered previously.

    • Two teens, ages 14 and 19, have been charged with arson in connection with a July 14 fire in Cat Lake First Nation that destroyed $500,000 in construction materials.

    • A northeastern Ontario jury has started deliberating in Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial, we can now tell you what they weren't allowed to hear.

    • A suspect who accused Thunder Bay police of being responsible for his throat injury actually hurt himself when he swallowed a large amount of drugs.

    N.L.

    Shopping Trends

    The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at Â鶹ӰÊÓ. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.

    Stay Connected
    Follow Â鶹ӰÊÓ