A "Spirit Bear" of the Great Bear Rainforest of British Columbia, October 2023.
It was an exceptional privilege to be allowed to sit in the same place from morning to afternoon over the course of several days to watch her, and to gain so much insight into her private life – and the lives, both human and non-human, around her.
A refuge.
Hartley Bay is one of 8 communities of the Gitga’at people of northwestern British Columbia. It is the entry into the Great Bear Rainforest.
The population is around 200.
Although it is connected to the mainland, there are no roads. It is accessible only by boat or by seaplane.
Every building, every home, in the village is connected by a boardwalk.
“There are colors we can't see, but they're connected to the ones we can, There's a connection between everything.”
— Wayne Shorter
