Xwelíqwiya: The Life of a Stó:lō Matriarch

by Rena Point Bolton

Xwelíqwiya is the life story of Rena Point Bolton, a Stó:lō (or, as they are now called, Xwélmexw) matriarch, artist, and craftswoman. Proceeding by way of conversational vignettes, the beginning chapters recount Point Bolton's early years on the banks of the Fraser River during the Depression. While at the time the Stó:lō, or Xwélmexw, as they call themselves today, kept secret their ways of life to avoid persecution by the Canadian government, Point Bolton’s mother and grandmother schooled her in the skills needed for living from what the land provides, as well as in the craftwork and songs of her people, passing on a duty to keep these practices alive. Point Bolton was taken to a residential school for the next several years and would go on to marry and raise ten children, but her childhood training ultimately set the stage for her roles as a teacher and activist. Recognizing the urgent need to forge a sense of cultural continuity among the younger members of her community, Point Bolton visited many communities and worked with federal, provincial, and First Nations politicians to help break the intercultural silence by reviving knowledge of and interest in Aboriginal art. She did so with the deft and heartfelt use of both her voice and her hands.

Over the course of many years, Daly collaborated with Point Bolton to pen her story. At once a memoir, an oral history, and an “insider” ethnography directed and presented by the subject herself, the result attests both to Daly’s relationship with the family and to Point Bolton’s desire to inspire others to use traditional knowledge and experience to build their own distinctive, successful, and creative lives.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Lancakes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully, invaluably enriching. I learned so much from Rena's stories about herself, her family, her community and the land. Rena has lived an astounding life, from her unique upbringing learning the old ways from her grandparents, to her activism with the Indian Homemakers and pursuit of knowledge acquisition and sharing for Coast Salish art and craft. I now mention and link to the book as part of every land acknowlgment I give to the Sto:'lo, as a way to provide a non-Settler perspective on the territory.

I have highlighted and dog eared and snapped photos of so many passages, but I'll share the one that made me very emotional:

Rena mentions she did educational trips to schools, and then eventually classes began visiting the long house on field trips. She spoke of how children received the teachings on those afternoons, and the impression they were left with - that the Sto:lo are a people with a spiritual connection. I was one of those kids! My fourth grade class visited the long house and I still remember standing in awe in the shadow of a large boulder that features in the Sto:lo creation story, and braiding cedar bracelets in the peace of the long house. I have many, MANY critiques of the settler public school curriculum, but I am incredibly grateful to Rena and the Sto:lo community that I had the opportunity to learn from them that afternoon.

[K.A. Wiggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating perspective and life experience.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm glad I read this book. The author had a lot of wisdom to share.

[Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is very interesting, I really loved all the historical information that was shared in this book...