B.C. artist showcases stories of Black Canadians in rural areas

A new theatrical production coming to Vancouver will explore the stories of Black people living in Canada's countryside. 

Kaslo-based oral storyteller Shayna Jones is the writer and performer of Black and Rural, a production that will share her life story and the story of those who played a crucial role in her journey to rural B.C.

"Those who come to witness this piece will have the opportunity to hear the real reflections recorded from interviews with Black Canadians," said Jones. 

"It's so valuable to create something that pierces through jargon and political speak. And have a piece that can try to touch the hearts of people who are listening."

Jones hopes her show will highlight the importance of listening to Black stories and looking beyond the assumptions of the Black experience in rural B.C. She says people outside of the Black community will also have space to reflect during the show on the choices they've made regarding the places where they've chosen to live.

"It is my deep hope … [the audience] will see something of themselves and their own choice to live where they live, be it urban or rural, and inquire of themselves why and how they want to live in [those] spaces," she said. 

According to Statistics Canada, 61,760 people in B.C. identified as Black in the 2021 census, 41,180 of whom were in the Greater Vancouver area. 

'Living close to the land'

Born in Chicago and raised in Vancouver, Jones says 10 years ago, she decided to leave her urban life to settle in a small town. 

Now she's lived in Kaslo, B.C., a town of 800 people, about 70 kilometres northeast of Nelson, for seven years. Jones says aside from herself and her three children, there are only two other Black people living in the area. 

She says her experiences in a quiet setting outside of the city buzz have allowed her and her family to grow closer to their roots. 

"[I discovered] that living rurally, living close to the land, close to the trees was exactly the healing I needed to discover my ancestry and my heritage more deeply. And I've never turned back."

She says the shift in lifestyle fuelled her storytelling and inspired her to listen to others who had made a similar choice. 

"The question of why somebody chooses to remain in such a setting becomes extremely interesting," she said, adding many of the stories she's heard are not what people would expect. 

Jones says the narratives she's collected explore how Black people have found power living closer to the land.

"[Those experiences trump] the discomforts and the grief and the pain that can sometimes come from being the only Black face in a sea of rural white faces."

Diverse stories

Richard Wolfe, the director of Black and Rural, says he joined Jones's project after hearing about it two years ago. 

"I thought it was the kind of story that I would want to see myself if I was an audience member in a theatre because it seemed to me a completely untold story," he said, adding the show is broken down into three parts featuring folk tales, personal anecdotes from Jones's life and voice-overs from other Black Canadians. 

Wolfe says showcasing artists like Jones and their stories is important to help audiences understand the lived experiences of Black Canadians. 

"Art should tell as many stories as possible. Because for audiences to encounter things that are not familiar to them can only help them grow as people," he said. 

"It can bring people together on a much more essential level because they're sharing the space with others."

The show, which is playing at Vancouver's Pacific Theatre until April 15, will continue to tour in Courtenay and Victoria this year. 

Wolfe says there are plans to take the production around the Interior next year. 

Jones says it is important to her to tour the production in rural locations, given her inspiration came from these communities. 

"It is deeply important for rural settings to hear these stories collected from Black people who live in those kinds of settings … To really honour the mandate of the spirit behind this whole process," she said.

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.