Sq’éwlets: A Stó:lo-Coast Salish Community in the Fraser River Valley Virtual Museum

Dara Kelly is a post-doctoral research fellow at the Peter B. Gustavson School of Business at the University of Victoria.

Dara’s doctoral research entitled, "Feed the people and you will never go hungry": Illuminating Coast Salish economy of affection” explores Coast Salish philosophy of freedom, unfreedom, wealth and reciprocity and how that shapes Coast Salish philosophy of economy. Economic unfreedom emerged with introduction of the Potlatch Ban across Canada, and its residual impacts are prevalent today reflected in an aspect of the research findings that honour Xá:m! Crying, weeping—the affective expression of grieving that shapes how the Coast Salish wisdom keepers in this research talk about gatherings. Economic freedom from within Coast Salish worldview is inherently spiritual by virtue of the interrelated nature of exchange between Xá:ls, the Creator, Sólh Téméxw, the river environment, and Xwélmexw, the river people. She conducted this research using research methodology emerging from Coast Salish philosophy, protocols and worldview.