Bee in the Bonnet - An Opinion Piece by Bernie Bates

This opinion piece by native writer Bernie Bates so incensed Jim Hawkins, President Elect of the Kelowna Ogopogo Rotary Club that he sent email to North of 50 advertisers and posted comments on advertiser's Facebook timelines, asking "... do you want your business to be associated with a magazine that publishes articles so demeaning to Christianty as that on page 12 of the July/August issue." We are not amused.

 

Bernie Bates

Bee in the Bonnet
WHAT WAS LOST AND FOUND

We Natives may no longer wear feathered bonnets as part of our daily attire - but, we've gained when it comes to the knowledge in our bonnet. We may have lost sight of the sacred circle, but we've created our own path in the 'new' circle of life.

Natives of today may no longer hunt for meat on the hoof, but that's not to say we don't scour the bargain bins for the best deals to feed our families.

In the name of the father, the son and the holy ghost; what ever happened to the circle, the mighty sun and the human spirit? Natives of yesteryear believed in good ol' mother nature then along comes these religious zealots and poof there goes thousands of years of traditional history.

Natives believed in something we could experience; like the Great Sun Spirit. We traded something that we could actually feel and see for something 'up there'. Native people could witness the Great Sun Spirit grow the flowers of summer. The Sun Spirit was a real hands on kind of god.

The Circle fed the people for countless generations and we turned our backs on creation for some son of a god, who supposedly fed multitudes with a few fish and a loaf or two of bannock. Yeah, like that really happened!

And why in the name of the Great Spirit didn't this mega-Messiah ever pull off any of these so-called miracles here in North America?

Maybe he could've put a hoard of locusts down General Custer's pants or maybe part the sea of red tape. So far all he has ever done for Aboriginals across the globe is cultural devastation, child prisons and the naughty men in black.

If you get some comfort from your belief in a god then all the more power to you. If you draw strength from the word of the lord and if it has instructed you to do the right thing, then, Amen to you brother. All I'm trying to do here is shed light on the ancestral ways of the Native people. The rest of the World is finally taking a closer look at the ways of the circle. The way Natives showed their respect to the animal kingdom. We also acknowledged: plants, water, fire, family and even to the dirt under their feet.

In recent years monstrous forest fires have ravaged the forests. Only after tremendous monetary losses are the powers that be taking a closer look at the old ways.

Natives used to burn the dead grasses and under brush in the spring. The result was a carpet of lush green grass growing between trees so large that three adults couldn't reach their arms around them. Other benefits included: controllable fires, low insect infestations, larger more valuable trees and less erosion.

I've heard stories from some elders about salmon runs so massive it would take days for a single run to pass a given point on the river. Now an Indian needs a fishing licence, a big damn net and a boat full of luck just to catch sushi for two.

Native families and communities have also suffered over the loss of our traditions. Take a look around most reservations today; count how many single mothers there are. Count the number of homes that have been destroyed by firewater or the new scourge drugs. Times have changed. "Remember when?"

In my humble opinion, I think if everyone came together and took a serious look at the old ways of life. It's not too late to live in peace under the Great Sun Spirit - and live within the 'Circle'. If we use unity as a shield and education as an arrow we can all regain what was lost.

Today, Natives wear shoes, not moccasins. Ride in cars not on horses. We now learn about the old ways in modern classrooms.

Natives may no longer crap in the woods, but we should still give a sh*t about the environment.

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Bernie Bates is a writer and an artist
Please feel free to contact, B. H. Bates at: beeinthebonnet@shaw.ca

Askews - A Truly Sustainable Grocery Store

Askew’s Uptown: Sustainability in a Beautiful Package

By Don Sawyer

What saves money and has a great view? No, it’s not a frugal giraffe. It’s the new Salmon Arm Askew’s Uptown grocery store, most likely open for business by the time you read this. In keeping with this issue’s theme, if we want an example of sustainable architecture and green building principles, we need look no further than the Shuswap, where General Manager David Askew’s vision of a truly sustainable grocery store that is also beautiful to look at -- and look out from -- is nearing completion.

Though a visit to the store with its spectacular views through soaring windows on all sides and a sweeping ceiling constructed entirely of locally-accessed fir is truly stunning (my comment when I first entered: “Wow! Look at this! Holy Smokes!”), Askew is more than a dreamer. He is also a savvy businessman. He points out one energy-saving device after another: the hot water for the in-floor heating comes entirely from the heat produced by their refrigeration and freezer units; the abundance of natural light is backed up by full-spectrum lighting automatically regulated by an energy-saving rheostat. While the initial cost per square foot of Askew’s innovative design is somewhat greater than most groceries, based on BC Hydro assessment, he says they can expect to save 400,000 kilowatts per year, enough to power 36 homes for the same time period.

“That’s the point of sustainability,” David tells me. “It’s about looking into the future and acting responsibly and seeing that an investment today can pay off in many ways down the road. We seem to always be looking only at the immediate cost, not the long-term environmental or even business costs.” As an example, he points to research that shows sustainable commercial buildings have lower vacancy rates, higher rents, increased property values and happier, more productive employees.

There isn’t a whole lot that is conventional about the Askew’s Uptown store. Unlike most supermarket buildings, which are simply designs taken off the shelf and plopped down on a lot, the Askew’s structure is “site specific.” That means it was purposely designed for the 6.7-acre parcel where it sits. As a result, the building, a giant crescent, is set into the bank below the TCH, which provides natural insulation for the refrigeration units. To further help reduce refrigeration needs, the section built into the ground is covered with a “living roof” that will be planted in shrubs and ground cover. The north-facing floor-to-ceiling windows at the front of the store provide a gorgeous view of Shuswap Lake and the mountains beyond.

What about rainwater? Just send it down the drain? No way. All water is collected on the roof, routed through a watercourse that runs over the main entrance, tumbles in a cascade into a feature pool in the parking area, and is then directed into an underground reservoir. From here the water is used for irrigating the landscaped gardens and the living roof. Virtually all rainwater that falls on the site will be used on the site.

The Uptown store is already having a positive impact on the area’s economy. Except for the architectural firm, Allen and Mauer, which is based in Penticton, and some specialized engineering services, virtually all tradespeople, suppliers, contractors, technical services and construction workers are local. One local contractor, who was applying a final seal-coat to the unique cement floors (designed to retain the heat from the hot water circulating in imbedded pipes) told me proudly that the floor would last 100 years. “You can drive a front-end loader on it and never scratch it. We usually do garage floors, so it was a real pleasure to get this job. Thanks to David for giving us the chance.”

After getting over my initial amazement, I asked Askew if there was any other supermarket like it in BC. He shook his head.

“So does that scare you? To be, well, so far out there?”

Askew gave a hearty laugh. “No!” he answered emphatically. “My ideas derive from research and from our more than 80 years of experience in the grocery business. For example, I discovered that health care facilities built with lots of natural light enjoy better therapeutic outcomes than those that use artificial light. There are also studies indicating that products in store areas that have natural light sell better. I think our existing Downtown store has a great feel to it, partially as a result of the abundance of natural light. It is a good place to work and has been a great success. In planning and designing our new store, I wanted to create the same ambiance that exists downtown. We consulted with our employees about what they and customers most valued about the Downtown store and incorporated their ideas into the Uptown store.

“We also hired Fast and Epp, one of the outstanding structural engineering firms in the country.” Askew went on. “They’ve built award-winning sustainable buildings all over the world as well as in BC, including the 2010 Olympic Speed Skating Oval and the Armstrong Arena. And Perkins and Will, who were architects for Vancouver’s new VanDusen Botanical Garden Visitor Centre, which is getting all kinds of attention as a model of sustainability, designed our living roof.” Askew laughed again. “So we know what we’re doing.”

Located near Salmon Arm’s growing residential area of east of the city and adjacent to the arena and recreation centre, the store is located where people live. When finished, it will become a neighbourhood centre with a deli, coffee bar and seating inside and out.

And it might just be the most beautiful and energy efficient supermarket in Canada.