Embracing Tradition
Bartering with vendors. Cascais, Portugal
There is something special about a farmers market. It feels like a timeless absolute in the human story. In every civilization, there has been a central place for people to barter, trade, sell, and purchase their goods.
Imagine for a moment: You’re walking down an ancient street. Wooden booths line both sides of the road. Your eye is drawn to the flashy silk fabrics and the brightly coloured produce. The air is alive with smells, some pleasant and some not so much..
The vendors shout to be heard over each other, all vying for your attention.
For the well-traveled, this isn’t that hard to imagine. Markets like this still exist around the world. And here in North America, the importance of a farmers market remains just as vital.
Village Market in Cascais, Portugal
Dried Garlic Hanging at a Market, Cascais Portugal
The Palace Hotel, Nanaimo B.C, 2020
The last five years or so have been incredibly challenging. Our sense of community — already strained by an increasingly digital lifestyle — was further fractured by lockdowns, fear campaigns, social unrest, and an unimaginably divisive political climate. A generation of students moved to online learning, and many jobs went remote. It was a deluge of digital disconnection. Add to that the rise of anti-social media, and it’s no wonder we feel so disconnected from one another.
Modern Cafe, Nanaimo B.C, 2020
During this time, much of our commerce also moved online. Small businesses were forced to adapt, and many didn’t survive. Enormous wealth was transferred into the hands of billionaires who profited from the “new normal.” Now, as we hurtle toward a cashless society, I can’t help but wonder what we’re at risk of losing.
Sometimes it feels like the world is broken. We’ve lost touch with the old ways and grown dependent on soulless systems that separate us from nature and one another. We stumble through Walmarts and Costcos, consuming more than we need. We spend our hard-earned money on plastic-wrapped products that barely qualify as food. We spend nearly every waking moment under a constant barrage of marketing from billion-dollar corporate giants.
I’ve spent a lot of time in my own mind wondering how we can rebuild our broken communities.
This is where the farmers market comes in.
Commercial Street Night Market, Nanaimo B.C
This past week, I was hired to do some photography for a new friend Joe Lyons, a brilliant ceramicist originally from Seattle. Joe has settled well into the Vancouver Island artist community and can frequently be found at markets around the Nanaimo area. When we first met, I proposed a trade: a bundle of fresh photos of him and his work in exchange for one of his soup bowls.
*On a side note - How awesome is his Ghost shirt in this photo?? 😂
Joe Lyons of Kick Back Relax Pottery at Nanaimo Veg Fest
He agreed, and then shared with me about an upcoming project. Working with the Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce, Joe would be hand-making ceramic tiles and inviting local people and businesses to decorate them as part of a community mural for the Vancouver Island Conference Centre in downtown Nanaimo. He offered me more handmade pieces in exchange for documenting the project. I happily accepted.
Bartering feels like a perfect act of rebellion as we hurdle towards a cashless society.
Painting Tiles for the Art Project
On a sunny Thursday in July, rather than setting up his usual booth at the Commercial Street Night Market, Joe set up a small table with some paint and brushes and invited the market-goers to decorate tiles around the theme of “What I Love About Nanaimo”. I was there to capture some of these moments and was pleasantly surprised with how many people took time out of their day to contribute to the project.
Local Artist Denny Prevost painting a tile for the art project
Arrangement of the finished tiles for Joe’s Art Project
I knew that while I was there, I would eventually wander around, camera in hand, documenting the experience.
Looking down Bastion Street during the Commercial Street Night Market
The vibes were high as locals and tourists alike took in the event. Mouth watering aromas filled the air as I strolled past the diverse brigade of food trucks. My personal favourite is Van Isle Poutinerie. Not only is the poutine delicious but also entirely gluten free and boasts an assortment of vegan and vegetarian options. It also doesn’t hurt that the owner Danielle is, like me, a devoted Oilers fan.
Danielle taking food orders for Van Isle Poutinerie
People from all walks of life come together in this moment enjoying a wholesome side of Nanaimo’s night life. Craig the Magician has been a staple of the Commercial Street Night Market since its inception in 2019 and this night was no different. I stopped for a few moments to take in part of his show. Craigs magic shows always draw in a good crowd made up mostly of young families. It’s really great to see an act that offers lots of participation for the kids.
Craig the Magician in the audience
Craig the Magician
As a musician myself, I always love to take in the local artists in this kind of intimate street performance. My love of playing music was undoubtedly born in my childhood when I watched my grandparents sing and play songs together. Welsh immigrants with a deep passion for Celtic folk music, There was always a tuned guitar in their home along with a bodhrán (a small Irish drum), and a basket of penny whistles, harmonicas and tambourines. There was many days that mom would drop me off with her parents on her way to work and I would pass time experimenting with the different instruments.
It also wasn’t uncommon for my mom to bring me along to the Old Strathcona Farmers Market in Edmonton where I would occasionally see my grandparents or their friends playing to the crowds. These cherished memories are stoked back to the front of my mind when I experience folky musicians busking or playing at markets.
Laura Kelsey performing at the Commercial Street Night Market
The Commercial Street Night Market is still fairly new in Nanaimo. Its beginnings were humble but exciting for the growth of the city. Like all great things, it takes time to refine and grow. Now in its sixth year, I believe the Night Market is at its best. There are a few corporate vendors that have started to show up, and while I’m not convinced McDonald’s or Costco need a booth, it’s still an excellent opportunity to showcase and celebrate local artists, farmers, and performers and bring our community together to dance, eat, and enjoy live music on a weekly basis.
That night I realized how important these markets are to our community. An age-old tradition that is well worth keeping alive. There is truly no better way to support local and come together.
