Adriel Yusgiantoro

If you stand on the shores of Chá7elkwnech (Gambier Island), you may be lucky enough to see a pod of orcas that have made the waters of Átl’ka7tsem (Howe Sound) their temporary home. Each pod is intergenerational, typically consisting of an older female and her offspring. Even when the children start their own families, they often linger close to their mother’s pod as they travel through the sea.

Western traditions have long been prioritized in science, whereas Indigenous experiences, perspectives and ways of knowing have often been tokenized or sidelined.

On April 19 the Chan Centre hosted Ichiko Aoba for the Japanese singer-songwriter’s first concert in Vancouver. Known for her unique combination of sparse folk melodies, virtuosic jazz rhythms and ambient soundscapes, Aoba embarked on her 2025 world tour this February in support of her new LP Luminescent Creatures. Entering the Chan centre for Aoba’s concert, I was struck by $60 price tags on the shirts at the merch table.