c̓əsnaʔəm, the city before the city

Summary: "Those in the province of British Columbia live their lives on land that was never ceded or sold by those who were living here at "first contact." Residents of Vancouver think of it as a relatively new city, when in fact Vancouver and the Lower Mainland region has been occupied for 9,000 years. This documentary aims to correct that with a meaningful reminder of the history and prehistory of this land and her first people. Located in the area now known as Marpole in Vancouver, c̓äsna7äm was first occupied almost 5,000 years ago and became one of the largest of the Musqueam people's ancient village sites. Generations of families lived at what was then the mouth of the Fraser River, harvesting the rich resources of the delta. Today, intersecting railway lines, roads, and bridges to Richmond and YVR international airport obscure the heart of Musqeam's traditional territory, yet c̓äsna7äm's importance to the Musqueam community remains undiminished. Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, in collaboration with the Musqueam First Nation and the UBC Museum of Anthropology's curatorial team, shares an important and well-researched reflection on a time when BC was indeed super and natural."--Cover.