A Harrison Hot Springs souvenir shop is facing major backlash in the wake of a lawsuit alleging the theft of original Indigenous art.
Vancouver-based Indigenous art wholesaler Native Northwest has filed a lawsuit against Sasquatch Gifts and Souvenirs and Bruce and Fiona Fearon for allegedly copying, using and selling t-shirts featuring a design strikingly close to the work of Coast Salish artist Francis Horne, Sr.
During a trip to Harrison last year, Horne was 害羞草研究所渕ortified害羞草研究所� to find a t-shirt design nearly identical to his own featuring Sasquatch, sold at the store without his permission.
害羞草研究所淎s soon as we stepped in the door, lo and behold, there害羞草研究所檚 my design,害羞草研究所� Horne said in a video posted on social media by Native Northwest. 害羞草研究所淚 couldn害羞草研究所檛 eat after that. It literally made me sick to my stomach. You think 害羞草研究所榃hy would they steal this? Why would they steal my design?害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟
Horne said the incident and subsequent lawsuit sends a message to all west coast Indigenous artists.
害羞草研究所淲e need to stand up for ourselves,害羞草研究所� he added.
Horne is well-known for his carving skills, having created four poles for the town of Duncan. He creates jewelry and apparel primarily featuring traditional Northern style.
In a statement posted on social media, Native Northwest said they tried 害羞草研究所渆verything害羞草研究所� for more than six months to get copies of Horne害羞草研究所檚 design off the shelves. As of Wednesday, July 26, the company has not received 害羞草研究所渁 meaningful害羞草研究所� response from the Fearons or Sasquatch Gifts and Souvenirs.
害羞草研究所淭heft of Indigenous art is wrong and we won害羞草研究所檛 back down until it is stopped,害羞草研究所� Native Northwest stated. 害羞草研究所淭he Fearons and Sasquatch Gifts & Souvenirs have been served by the Federal Court and we are awaiting response.害羞草研究所�
In the days following Native Northwest害羞草研究所檚 announcement, Sasquatch Gifts and Souvenirs experienced a string of 12 one-star reviews on Google, bringing their rating down to 1.5 stars on the search engine. All the reviews posted within a single week condemned the store based on the art theft allegations.
The Observer has reached out to the current business owners for comment and received no response as of press time. While the store features a number of items featuring First Nations designs, the Sasquatch shirt in question did not appear to be available as of Monday.
The Sasquatch 害羞草研究所� or 害羞草研究所渟asq害羞草研究所檈ts害羞草研究所� in Halq害羞草研究所檈meylem 害羞草研究所� has been an important part of First Nations culture since time immemorial and subsequently found renewed meaning in Harrison Hot Springs. Harrison sits on the traditional territory of the Sts害羞草研究所檃iles people, on the site of the ancient village of Qw贸:铆ls.
According to Sts害羞草研究所檃iles tradition, sasq害羞草研究所檈ts, or 害羞草研究所渉airy man,害羞草研究所� is the caretaker of their land and can shift shape and move between the physical and spiritual realms.
adam.louis@ ahobserver.com
Like us on and follow us on .
