Oral history interview with Betty Krawczyk (audio recording and transcript)
In this interview, Betty discusses how she first heard about Clayoquot Sound and the peace camp, why she chose to get arrested and the time she spent in jail. She describes growing up in Louisiana and her family life. She talks about her children and husbands, sharing how she became involved with the women's movement. Betty also describes her work and activism for women?s equality and environmental rights and shares her views on feminism, how she came to learn about it and what it means to her.
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Oral history interview with Valerie Langer (partial audio recording and transcript)
In this interview, Valerie discusses her work in environmental activism. She shares how she came to work for the Friends of Clayoquot Sound (FOCS). She describes her role within FOCS as well as the origins of the organisation and its structure. She discusses life and work before, during and after the Clayoquot peace camp, speaking about activist burn out and various tensions within local activism. Valerie also describes how she became involved in activism and shares her views on the relationship between feminism and ecofeminism.
Oral history interview with Miriam Leigh (audio recording and transcript)
In this interview, Miriam talks about her life before, during and after the Clayoquot Sound peace camp. She describes growing up in Virginia, going to university, moving to Vancouver and then to Denman Island. She discusses raising children, activism and motherhood, and her time working with different theatre groups. Miriam shares her relationship with nature and her experience providing training in non-violence through workshops at the Clayoquot peace camp, as well as gender politics at camp. She also describes her work with women?s rights activism in British Columbia.
Oral history interview with Norleen Lillico (audio recording and transcript)
Norleen talks about her involvement with activism at the Walbran, leading up to Clayoquot, and discusses differences between the two actions as well as experience with other blockades and with getting arrested and being in jail, and then on house arrest with electronic monitoring (Clayoquot Arm). Norleen stresses the importance of patience in activism, the role of the media, and the lasting impact of direct actions. She talks about the planning of the peace camp at Clayoquot and the decision to close the camp, camp life, the importance of consensus and accessibility, as well as self-care and activist burn-out.
Oral history interview with Chris Lowther (audio recording and transcript)
Chris discusses her experiences of violence in the family home and how her personal biography influenced her interest in injustices. She also discusses her eventual move to England, where she got involved in Greenham Common and animal rights activism. She discusses her experiences of returning to Canada and her involvement in the Clayoquot blockades, specifically her experiences of the gender politics of the camp and problems with men and drumming. Sexuality is also discussed in her interview, and her feelings about women only spaces.
Oral history interview with Jean McLaren (audio recording and transcript)
Jean discusses her intense involvement with the campaign at Clayoquot Sound and the routines of daily life at the camp. She talks about running non-violence workshops, peaceful action and the importance of feminist principles. She also talks about her life story, her relationships, as well as the various types of activism and campaigns she has been involved with both before and after Clayoquot.
Gabriola Island, British Columbia, Canada
Oral history interview with Mike Morrell (audio recording and transcript)
Mike talks about his experiences of living in the camp at Clayoquot Sound, attributing the camp’s success to its leadership and consensus-based principles. He reflects on feminism, ecofeminism and gender related issues and tensions at the camp. Mike also discusses the tensions and polarisation between loggers and environmentalists, his environmental activism in fishery and life after the Clayoquot campaign.
Oral history interview with Maryjka Mychajlowycz (audio recording and transcript)
In this interview, Maryjka discusses how she came to be involved with the Clayoquot peace camp and describes working with the Friends of Clayoquot Sound (FOCS). She talks about how and why the peace camp was set up, and also discusses the rationale behind the decision to close the camp. She also discusses the organisational structure of FOCS and provides insight into FOCS activities before and after the peace camp. Maryjka shares her views on feminism, ecofeminism and activism.
Oral history interview with Inessa Ormond-Twist (audio recording and transcript)
Inessa discusses her road to feminism and environmentalism. She touches upon her early years and her often difficult and violent relationships with men. She talks about how the deaths of her mother and child affected her health, and finding grounding in spirituality. Her involvement with the campaign at Clayoquot Sound is mostly discussed in terms of her experiencing arrest.
Oral history interview with Sergio Paone (audio recording and transcript)
Sergio talks about his participation in urban actions in Toronto protesting the logging of Clayoquot Sound. This includes shutting down the Toronto Stock Exchange for a day and the Commonwealth Games protests in Victora in 1994. He talks about some of the tensions in this blockade also, and difficulties in achieving consensus. Sergio went on to work in the offices of the Friends of Clayoquot and discusses some of their work since the camp.
Oral history interview with Wendy Pope (audio recording and transcript)
Wendy describes the camp and the environmental devastation of the area. She speaks of life in the camp, the gender-related tensions she observed at and beyond Clayoquot, and the frictions caused by the term ecofeminism. She reflects on her arrest and her experiences, voicing her worries and hopes about political/ environmental issues, especially forestry.
Oral history interview with Amy Simpson (audio recording and transcript)
Amy discusses hearing about Clayoquot Sound, her early relationship with the environmental movement and with direct activism, and how she came to get involved with Friends of Clayoquot Sound. Amy shares her experience working on site and discusses politics issues and challenges at/of the peace camp, such as sexual harassment and assault, First Nations relations, class issues, post-traumatic stress and activist burnout. Amy also confronts ?ecofeminism? and discusses what it means to her. She also discusses involvement with activism after the camp, coalition building and community.
Oral history interview with Síle Simpson (audio recording and transcript)
Síle discusses life before Clayoquot, and the experiences that lead here there. She talks about growing up in Ireland, starting a feminist theatre group, and first encountering Clayoquot Sound and the west coast of Vancouver Island. S¡le describes her connections with nature and animals, spirituality, and feminist consciousness. She talks about gender politics and life at the peace camp, as well as her experience getting arrested, and shares her views on First Nations' cultures and history.
Oral history interview with Judith Thompson (audio recording and transcript)
Judith discusses life before Clayoquot and first encountering nature through her grandparents. She reflects on motherhood and on raising two children on her own, her relationship with nature and with First Nations in BC, and on traveling. She describes first encountering Clayoquot Sound and her decision to become involved in activism, through letter-writing campaigns and other forms of protest, and then involved with the Clayoquot peace camp. Judith also reflects on being at the camp with her son, getting arrested and on her experience with the court system as well as with activist burn-out.
Oral history interview with Diana Wilson (audio recording and transcript)
Diane discusses how her personal biography led to her becoming interested in the environment and women’s studies separately. She discusses some of the gaps she sees between the ‘mainstream’ feminist movement and environmentalist movements, and spends considerable time discussing her engagement with ecofeminism. Diane also touches on sexuality, heternormativity and whiteness at the camp.
Oral history interview with Christine Hayvice (audio recording and transcript)
In this interview Christine shares her knowledge and experience working within unions in British Columbia, Canada, and draws connections between social justice and workers' rights issues and environmentalism. She discusses the politics of language, and how the academic terminology that surrounds feminism and activism may be unfamiliar to women identifying as feminists, both within and outside of the union movement. Christine also talks about the politics of environmentalism and ecofeminism within unions, as well as sexism and racism within the environmental movement. She also discusses tensions between corporate privatisation and government legislations.
Comox Valley residents blockade in the dark early morning, with the Process Server serving the court injunction from a Macmillan Bloedel truck
Comox Valley residents blockade in the dark early morning, with the Process Server serving the court injunction from a Macmillan Bloedel truck. Protesters holding signs: 'Comox Valley Expedition for Clayoquot'; 'Stumped'; 'Paradise Plundered'; etc. Photographers there. Dark outside.
Clayoquot Sound, British Columbia, Canada
protesters waiting for the morning blockade
protesters waiting for the morning blockade, carrying placards: 'Stop'; 'This is a moral issue'; 'Save our forests save our jobs'. One woman is holding a child. Three women wearing pink arm ties.
the entrance to the Clayoquot Sound Peace Camp
the entrance to the Clayoquot Sound Peace Camp, with information stalls and protesters and members of the public mingling around. Placards read: 'Welcome'; Victoria Business People for Clayoquot Sound Preservation'; 'Stumps or Old Growth: You Choose'; 'Protecting Clayoquot Sound'; 'Stop'; etc.
residents of Comox Valley at the Clayoquot Blockades
residents of Comox Valley at the Clayoquot Blockades. Holding signs: 'Comox Valley Expedition for Clayoquot Sound'; Beautiful British Columbia'; Rainforest Rip-off'; Brazil of the North; No Jobs on a Dead Planet!'