People around the world know the name Nanaimo because of the dessert bar which bears the city’s name, but some university students have put the area’s culinary scene under a microscope to determine the rest of what makes their food scene special.
The exhibit is called Beyond the Bar.
Vancouver Island University’s (VIU) History of Vancouver Island and Public History classes have taken on the task of uncovering the secrets behind the city’s food and their efforts have resulted in a new exhibit at the Nanaimo Museum.
The students did everything to create Beyond the Bar, including creating its design, revising research reports, organizing the layout and developing a publicity plan to bring people in and show them what the VIU class has uncovered.
“As a lifelong Nanaimo resident and food lover, researching the city’s historical gastronomy has been a real treat,” said student Samadhi Sukadana.
“I hope guests join in our culinary curiosity and find something in the exhibit to chew on.”
The two classes’ instructors, Dr. Chelsea Horton and Dr. Katharine Rollwagen, collaborated on this effort and this isn’t the first time that the university has partnered with the Nanaimo Museum.
In the past, students have created similar exhibits on the Spanish flu and the history of Nanaimo’s unique road names.
“Students learn a lot about communicating and working collaboratively through the process of researching and designing an exhibit, while also discovering the histories of this place,” said Dr. Rollwagen.
“We are fortunate to have such generous partners to work with at the Nanaimo Museum and Nanaimo Community Archives.”
According to VIU, Beyond the Bar will feature original artwork titled “Moths Dancing Around the Moon” by Snuneymuxw artist Eliot White-Hill, Kwulasultun.
This piece features four Coast Salish moths flying around a moon and is meant to speak to people’s impact on the environment.
This art is relevant to the exhibit because the VIU students say they hope that the area’s history and the food and cultures involved will be highlighted.
Beyond the Bar will run from April 20th until June 26th in the Nanaimo Museum’s Community Gallery.
This is a free and accessible part of the museum in the foyer between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Tuesday to Saturday.
