(73 min) Colonization; Human Rights; Indigenous Studies - Musqueam; Urban Planning

The Musqueam First Nation struggles to prevent destruction of a 400-year-old ancestral village for a condo development in Vancouver BC revealing once massive territory now reduced to the smallest of reserves.

cə̓snaʔəm, the city before the city commemorates the resolution of a dramatic and compelling moment in the history of this place now known as metro Vancouver, British Columbia. In late 2011, the Musqueam First Nation learned that a 108-unit condo development was being planned at one of their ancestral village sites without prior consultation with the nation.

The ancient site, dating back over 4,000 years, has always been known to the Musqueam as "cə̓snaʔəm", and has commonly been referred to by others as the "Eburne Midden", the "Marpole Midden", the "Great Fraser Midden", and "DhRs-1". Following the news of the planned condo development, the Musqueam learned that ancestral remains were unearthed during an archeological "investigation" prior to development. This led Musqueam community members to physically halt construction by holding vigil at the site round the clock for over 200 days while Musqueam leaders, the City of Vancouver, the BC Provincial Government and the condo developers struggled to find resolution.