A Harrison Hot Springs souvenir shop is facing major backlash in the wake of a lawsuit alleging the theft of original Indigenous art.

Vancouver-based Indigenous art wholesaler Native Northwest has filed a lawsuit against Sasquatch Gifts and Souvenirs and Bruce and Fiona Fearon for allegedly copying, using and selling t-shirts featuring a design strikingly close to the work of Coast Salish artist Francis Horne, Sr.

During a trip to Harrison last year, Horne was 91裸聊视频渕ortified91裸聊视频� to find a t-shirt design nearly identical to his own featuring Sasquatch, sold at the store without his permission.

91裸聊视频淎s soon as we stepped in the door, lo and behold, there91裸聊视频檚 my design,91裸聊视频� Horne said in a video posted on social media by Native Northwest. 91裸聊视频淚 couldn91裸聊视频檛 eat after that. It literally made me sick to my stomach. You think 91裸聊视频榃hy would they steal this? Why would they steal my design?91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�

Horne said the incident and subsequent lawsuit sends a message to all west coast Indigenous artists.

91裸聊视频淲e need to stand up for ourselves,91裸聊视频� he added.

Horne is well-known for his carving skills, having created four poles for the town of Duncan. He creates jewelry and apparel primarily featuring traditional Northern style.

In a statement posted on social media, Native Northwest said they tried 91裸聊视频渆verything91裸聊视频� for more than six months to get copies of Horne91裸聊视频檚 design off the shelves. As of Wednesday, July 26, the company has not received 91裸聊视频渁 meaningful91裸聊视频� response from the Fearons or Sasquatch Gifts and Souvenirs.

91裸聊视频淭heft of Indigenous art is wrong and we won91裸聊视频檛 back down until it is stopped,91裸聊视频� Native Northwest stated. 91裸聊视频淭he Fearons and Sasquatch Gifts & Souvenirs have been served by the Federal Court and we are awaiting response.91裸聊视频�

In the days following Native Northwest91裸聊视频檚 announcement, Sasquatch Gifts and Souvenirs experienced a string of 12 one-star reviews on Google, bringing their rating down to 1.5 stars on the search engine. All the reviews posted within a single week condemned the store based on the art theft allegations.

The Observer has reached out to the current business owners for comment and received no response as of press time. While the store features a number of items featuring First Nations designs, the Sasquatch shirt in question did not appear to be available as of Monday.

The Sasquatch 91裸聊视频� or 91裸聊视频渟asq91裸聊视频檈ts91裸聊视频� in Halq91裸聊视频檈meylem 91裸聊视频� has been an important part of First Nations culture since time immemorial and subsequently found renewed meaning in Harrison Hot Springs. Harrison sits on the traditional territory of the Sts91裸聊视频檃iles people, on the site of the ancient village of Qw贸:铆ls.

According to Sts91裸聊视频檃iles tradition, sasq91裸聊视频檈ts, or 91裸聊视频渉airy man,91裸聊视频� is the caretaker of their land and can shift shape and move between the physical and spiritual realms.

adam.louis@ ahobserver.com
Like us on and follow us on .