Unpublished draft #5: This rare preliminary rendering by Robert Samuel (RS) Alexander shows a stylized depiction of a Haida scene, which I presume was the mural he painted for the old Grosvenor Hotel in the ‘Potlatch Room’. I was shown this drawing by Robert’s daughter when I presented my lecture on Illustrated Vancouver for the VHS back in 2014, and this post has remained as a draft ever since. I hoped to one day spot a photo of the mural in situ, but alas, this has not yet occurred. Finding photos of interior hotel murals is a decidedly challenging task! In spite of this shortfall, I wanted to make sure this work did not remain overlooked any longer. RS Alexander was not of Haida descent, so it’s a rather taboo subject matter to choose for non-native Canadian. Robert was born August 16, 1916 in Vancouver, and so he may have heard stories of the great potlatch of 1921, an event which caused the Canadian government to clamp down and ban the ritual. The Bill Reid Centre at SFU describes the event further:
The Canadian government’s ban on potlatching came to a head at Christmas in 1921 when Dan Cranmer held the largest potlatch recorded on the coast of British Columbia at the village of ʼMimkwa̱mlis (Village Island). Federal authorities caught wind of the event and forty-five people were arrested. The participants were given a choice of either surrendering their potlatch regalia— to prevent them from having future potlatches—or going to jail. Twenty-two people went to jail (U'mista 2015). The confiscated collection of masks, rattles, and other treasured regalia and family heirlooms totaled over 600 pieces. The treasures were transported out in the open by boat and were exhibited as trophies on benches in Parish Hall of the Anglican Church in Alert Bay. This was particularly difficult for the Kwakwaka'wakw as the items were considered sacred, and strict tradition required that they be stored away and out of sight when not in use (U'mista 2015).What’s worse, in the years that followed, the Gyro Club hosted their own ‘cartoon’ version of a potlatch called the Vancouver Tyee Potlatch at Brockton Point, not so named for it’s cultural sensitivity and inclusivity. I imagine it was more or less an exercise of ‘Blackface’ comedy, high on exaggeration, caricature, and comedy. It was ultimately a fundraiser for children’s playgrounds at a time where playing cowboys and Indians was still very much in fashion. Of course, the Indians depicted were more often “Plains Indians”, rather than the Haida natives local to BC.
Now I have a theory about this work of art…but it as yet, remains untested. I wonder if the Grosvenor Hotel decided to rename one of their rooms the ‘Potlatch Room’ shortly after the potlatch ban was repealed in 1951. The mural above does attempt to restore the dignity of the potlatch celebration, once again honouring the traditions of the local people. The Grosvenor Hotel prided themselves on their hospitality and authenticity, serving local cuisine in the dining rooms. If and when we find the news clipping boasting of the new Potlatch Room in the hotel, some of these unanswered questions may be revealed once again. If anyone finds any additional clues, please let me know!