Publisher's Synopsis
Standing Up with G_a'ax_sta'las tells the remarkable story of Jane Constance Cook (1870-1951), a controversial Kwakwa_ka_'wakw leader and activist who lived during a period of enormous colonial upheaval. Working collaboratively, Robertson and Cook's descendants draw on oral histories and textual records to create a nuanced portrait of a high-ranked woman, a cultural mediator, devout Christian, and Aboriginal rights activist who criticized potlatch practices for surprising reasons. This powerful meditation on memory and cultural renewal documents how the Kwagu'l Gix_sa_m have revived their long-dormant clan in the hopes of forging a positive cultural identity for future generations through feasting and potlatching.
