Bandstands to Backdrops
Early days
From the very beginning, arts and culture were central to Sointula’s vision. In 1903, the community had 238 residents, including 88 children. The original agreement stated that shareholders in the Kalevan Kansa company would receive five percent on their investment—half of which was to be set aside for education, music, and other cultural activities, while the other half was to be shared among workers, both men and women. However, a 1905 report revealed that no colonist had actually received wages, likely due to the company’s bankruptcy.
Photo above: Kalevan Kansa with band in front, 1903. Linda Sjoberg Collection, #285. Sointula Museum.
“Getting a piano is already a certainty, there is already a drama group, and an orchestra is still on the wish list, but without a doubt it will be formed in no time. We are sure to have lectures and ennobling discussions, so that intellectual pursuits in Sointula will be livelier than anywhere else among our countrymen. He, who wishes to acquire something extra, for example a book or newspaper which is not subscribed to with join funds, can get it privately, most profitably through the company. The same goes for music instruments for private homes.”
Photo above: Ken Homer, Ray Pillman, Harold Malm, Ralph Jarvis, Alan Hilton, Teresa Pillman with instruments in the F.O. Hall., circa 1940s. Wilma Laughlin, #367. Sointula Museum.
Music
One of the highlights in this display is a historic Mason & Risch piano, the second piano brought to the F.O. Hall was played at many Saturday night dances, where pianists like Aileen Wooldridge provided music for gatherings that drew people and boats from across the archipelago. Sheet music from those dances, donated by the late Alfred Williams, remains part of the collection. Another instrument is a wooden accordion with pearl buttons, once played by Yelmer Mittenen, known as the “Howling Finn” of Minstrel Island.
Theatre
Theatre was also an important part of life in early Sointula, with plays frequently produced—some of which are now available for reading in the Book Nook. In the Museum’s archives there are 150 hand written scripts. Play scripts were hand copied so actors could learn their lines. We imagine there must have been one play a month.
A hand-painted mural by Tovio Aro hangs at the museum entrance, showing a powerful message of freedom and self-sufficiency. In the painting, Lady Liberty, (an affectionate name) wears a red dress and leads the Finnish people away from the industrial factories and the control of the Russian Empire toward a simpler, more traditional life. The mural reflects the hopes of Sointula’s early settlers, who came to Malcolm Island to escape oppression and build an independent community.
Photo above: Lady Liberty mural painted by Tovio Aro
Keeping the Arts Alive
Music, theatre, and performance continue to be woven into Sointula’s community fabric. Put on by the Sointula Recreation Association, Saturday night town dances are still a feature of major celebrations, including during the Annual May Long Baseball Tournament and Sointula Salmon Days in August. Sisu Theatre Society presents theatrical experiences and opportunities for and by the community. Click here to learn about our collaboration with Sisu Theatre, happening summer 2025! The Sointula Art Shed’ offers an artist-in-residence program for artists working in various mediums and offers the opportunity to exhibit in the shed window. BC Movement Art Society brings professional, local, national and international dancers from around the world to perform. A local choir remains active.
plan your visit
Every journey to Sointula begins and ends with a boat trip – it’s part of the adventure!
Sointula Museum
280 1st Street
Sointula BC
V0N 3E0
Museum Hours
By appointment October 1st 2024 to May 2025. Open 12-4pm during summer 2025.
Admission by donation
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The Sointula Museum and Historical Society respectfully acknowledges that we operate in the unceded Kwakwaka'wakw territories of the 'Namgis, Mamalilikala and Kwagu’t Nations.