Standing Up with G̲a’ax̱sta’las tells the remarkable story of Jane Constance Cook (1870-1951), a controversial Kwakwa̱ka̱’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 Gix̱sa̱m have revived their long-dormant clan in the hopes of forging a positive cultural identity for future generations through feasting and potlatching.