Your car is suspended on a sacred site
Okay, so you know how sometimes things happen here and you just have to shake your head and wonder, "How did we get here?" There's a story unfolding up in Squamish right now, just north of us on the Sea-to-Sky, that's got that particular flavour. Someone, and the details are still a bit hazy on who and why, managed to get a car suspended precariously on a rock face. Not just any rock face, mind you, but on what the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw – the Squamish Nation – has identified as a sacred site within their traditional territory.
This isn't just some unfortunate fender-bender or a car taking a wrong turn off the highway near the Stawamus Chief. This is a car, a literal vehicle, hanging out there on a significant cultural and spiritual place for the Nation. It’s the kind of thing that makes you pause and think about the layers of history and meaning in this landscape, and how easily that can be overlooked or, worse, disrespected. There are crews working to remove it, which isn't a simple task, given the location. It's a logistical nightmare, sure, but the deeper issue, the *ikigai* of this particular moment, is the profound disregard for sacred ground.
### What This Means for Vancouver
* **Sacred Sites:** This highlights the ongoing tension and lack of awareness around Indigenous sacred sites, not just in Squamish but across British Columbia. Many places we drive past every day, from Stanley Park to the Fraser River, hold deep significance. * **Cultural Disrespect:** The act itself, whether intentional or not, speaks volumes about the need for greater cultural understanding and respect for the land's original caretakers. It’s a good reminder that this isn't just scenic wilderness; it's ancestral land. * **Environmental Impact:** Beyond the cultural aspect, there's the very real environmental concern of a vehicle's fluids potentially leaking into a sensitive ecosystem.
Beautiful out here. Complicated in here. That's the coast.
Fiona and the crew dig into these stories every weekday morning. Catch them live at mornings.live.