This Is Not a Game

Grand Theft Terra Firma is a guide to an imaginary video game. Enter the site to encounter the people, places, and tools of colonial power that shaped the history of Stó:lō Téméxw—now known as the Fraser Valley in British Columbia. Gain insights into the workings of colonization, wherever it occurs.

Disclaimer: While the content of the site is informed by real historical documents, Grand Theft Terra Firma is a fictional art project intended to introduce a different perspective and way of understanding colonial history.

THIS IS A GUIDE TO AN IMAGINARY VIDEO GAME

Grand Theft Terra Firma is an art project that started in the gallery and has now become an educational website.

Inspired by the video game Grand Theft Auto, the project reframes the history of colonization in Stó:lō territory—known as the Fraser Valley in British Columbia. Artists David Campion and Sandra Shields created this project with the help of many others in Stó:lō Téméxw and beyond. The show opened at The Reach Gallery Museum just as Canada marked 150 years of confederation. Grand Theft Terra Firma won the Award of Merit for Exhibitions from the BC Museum’s Association. The show toured across the country appearing at public galleries in Halifax, Peterborough, Saskatoon, Prince George, and Grand Forks. This website is a collaboration between the artists, The Reach Gallery Museum, and Trapeze Communications together with an advisory group and an Indigenous-led curriculum team.

MEET YOUR HOST

Delve deeper into the world of Grand Theft Terra Firma with Squatch streamer Ostwelve aka Ronnie Dean Harris aka Malō:yhleq. This Stó:lō, St’át’imc, Nlaka’pamux multimedia artist provides running commentary as you journey through the site.