Beverley McEwan is a First Nations artist from the West Coast of Ahousaht B.C. Beverley’s family clan crest is of the “Kaa-kaa-wiin,” what folks recognize as the Orca.
Beverley was born and raised in their community by her grandparents and extended family; learning of their valuable and sacred cultural teachings. Teachings of survival, living off the land, sea, and air, by hunting, trapping and harvesting.
Beverley was sent away as a teen after attending Indian Day School and was moved to boarding homes and Residential School. She notes that those years away from her family changed the course of her life. She found a way to carry her identity within her being and that was through Native art and contemporary art through High School. Beverley had moments where she put it aside and the visions and Creativity would come back and not realizing; it was her healing journey, it was and is her purpose to share with others, through this “Decolonization” process.
Beverley states that now she has taken a positive approach to the Arts and Crafts that she does, she has added more to it, such as adapting to other indigenous practices, like using medicines, cleansing, harvesting, learning songs and dance. All this has brought her an abundance of inner peace and balance.
Beverly feels more than happy to share and so blessed for the networking organizations that are creating a strong bridge to move forward on Indigenous teachings.