Historians, researchers, and curious members of the public met to showcase discoveries and share historical items for an interested audience with the Nanaimo Historical Society.

The Nanaimo Historical Society hosted its annual Show and Share event allowing members and new guests to bring and share historical items of interest that might otherwise be unseen.

People showcased toys passed down through generations, historical children’s dance costumes that were once thought to be lost, and a bracelet made from small gold coins that date back to the 1800s. As well people shared stories of discovering past families’ letters sent during World War II and working on figuring out their family tree.

Gord Miller, secretary for the Nanaimo Historical Society, showcased a toy that was once played with by his father that has now been passed down to Miller’s grandchildren.

“What I have is a toy that my father and his brother played with in the late 1920s, it's called a Panama Pile Driver,” Miller told the group. “It was first built by an American firm called Wolverine Toys and it was the first of a whole series of kinds of construction toys.”

The toy is now almost 100 years old and has been at one point lent to the Nanaimo Museum to be put on display. Photo: Lauryn Mackenzie / CHLY 101.7fm

Miller explained to the group that when he was a kid the toy was discovered by him and his siblings at their grandmother's place where they would all play with the toy.

CHLY spoke with Miller about the pile driver toy after the showcase.

The toy is now almost 100 years old and has been at one point lent to the Nanaimo Museum to be put on display.

“We had it on display in the local museum at one point for Christmas toys and whatnot, and the people there liked it,” Miller said. “So I just thought maybe we will give an opportunity for me to talk about it in terms of my own connection with it.”

Susan Garcia decided to find the oldest thing in her house to share at the event. This ended up being a pillowcase with embroidery work of a woman holding an American flag with the text “The Girl of the Golden West.”

The Girl of the Golden West was an opera made during start of the 1900s that was later adapted into serval films throughout the 1910’s to 1940’s.

Garcia told CHLY she believes this embroidery was made at some point around when the opera came out.

She said it is important for the community to have a space to share historical items or moments.

“I think it just personalizes our passions for history, right? We share what really attracts us and also we get to know each other, and it just brings us closer,” Garcia said. “I think we're very cooperative in terms of– little societies are quite nice, little hubs of cooperation and community building, right? So I think it's so important to do that, if you're going to live somewhere, be part of the community.”

She said the show and share is great for curious people who want to learn more about history but also the area they live in.

“I am really curious about lots of things. Tonight, listening to all the talks about diverse things you realize you have a little bit in common with this one and a little more in common with that one,” Garcia said. “There's something you're related to your family, or your work, or whatever you know. So it's nice.”

Elder David Laxiya is a Knowledge Keeper for Snuneymuxw First Nation and has been a member of the Nanaimo Historical Society for ten years now. He shared his nobility blankets with the group.

He shared the history of Woolly Dogs and how the fur from the dogs would be used for blankets.

“These blankets were only made and gifted to people, we could never go out and purchase them,” Laxiya told the group. “If we went to what we called a Potlatch, we were gifted those. If we were gifted those blankets that were ours to bring home and keep for our life.”

Elder David Laxiya is a Knowledge Keeper for Snuneymuxw First Nation and has been a member of the Nanaimo Historical Society for ten years. Photo: Lauryn Mackenzie / CHLY 101.7fm

Laxiya shared that although Woolly Dogs have gone extinct, nobility blankets can still be made with regular wool.

“Those dogs all went extinct once the Catholic Church came here, and that's unfortunate past the dark chapter,” Laxiya said. “But we've turned the page now, and we're bringing forth. This is part of what reconciliation is, sharing some of the past, of some of the work that had been done, sharing some of the dark things that had happened, but also sharing the good things. We're celebrating good things together as people.”

Laxiya told CHLY after the presentation that it is important to at events to continue to share knowledge and history.

“This is part of what reconciliation is. If you didn't have any First Nations ever come and share, how would you ever know? How would you ever have an understanding?” Laxiya said.

The Nanaimo Historical Society hosts monthly meetings with presentations about the history of Vancouver Island. More information on their next event can be found at the Nanaimo Historical Society website.

Funding Note: This story was produced with funding support from the Local Journalism Initiative, administered by the Community Radio Fund of Canada.