Bella Bella

Behind the scenes of the Bella Bella trip.

ByKeri Coles

My trip to Bella Bella involved beautiful landscapes, good friends, small world run-ins, and fabulous boat rides. Thank you, Yoey, for being such a wonderful friend, host, and inspiration. It was so great seeing your place and all the incredibly beautiful work you have put into it. It is a little slice of heaven. Thank you, Anna, for being such a fun, passionate, and thought-provoking friend and adventure buddy. I look forward to our next project. Bella Bella Wharf: The wonderful Yoey: Anna capturing the seascape: Yoey’s place and our home away from home for the week: I *heart* adventure…

Joint Review Panel Hearings in Bella Bella.

ByKeri Coles

After the JRP inappropriately and disrespectfully cancelled the first day and a half of the hearings in Bella Bella, the hearings finally began on Tuesday afternoon. I was so impressed with the poise and resolve of the Heiltsuk people. They refused to be intimidated by the panel’s actions yet they were equally determined to prove the panel’s negative assumptions and prejudices wrong. They were respectful and complied with the panel’s requests in regards to how the hearings should proceed yet they cleverly showed their solidarity in ways that were not forbidden by the panel. A great example of this was…

Bella Bella rally against Enbridge pipeline.

ByKeri Coles

I flew to Bella Bella yesterday to witness and photograph the Joint Review Panel Hearings being held there for Enbridge’s Northern Gateway Pipeline. Sharing my flight were the panel members as well as Heiltsuk’s high ranking Chief Woyala. The community came to the airport to greet their chief and to stand in solidarity against the pipeline. The demonstration was powerful, respectful, and peaceful. The panel members were taken in a van from the airport into town and over to a resort called Shearwater.  The rest of us walked into town where there was a feast, speeches, and dancing. The afternoon was a moving…