Indigenous Longshoremen, Labour Heritage Moment Video
The story of the “Bows and Arrows” Indigenous longshoremen is a prominent part of BC’s labour history. A significant portion of British Columbia’s early workforce until the late 19th century was Indigenous, excelling in various physically demanding jobs including mining, logging, cannery work, and agricultural labour.
This video is part of our Labour Heritage Moments series.
Indigenous longshoremen were particularly skilled on the waterfront, performing the arduous task of loading and unloading ships. Simon Baker, Red Baker’s father, was one of the first Indigenous longshoremen, loading three-mast sailing ships with lumber destined for England.
These early Indigenous longshoremen established one of the first unions on the Vancouver waterfront, known as the Lumber Handler’s Union. In 1906, they joined the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), a radical union organization committed to overthrowing capitalism and unique in its belief in racial equality.
William Nahanee served as president and his son Edward Nahanee as vice president. Although the IWW’s presence on the waterfront was short-lived, Indigenous longshoremen became enduringly known as the “Bows and Arrows”.
Waterfront jobs were often passed down through Indigenous families, from father to son. John Cordocedo recalls going with his father to the hiring hall on the Indian Reserve, where the “Bow and Arrow Gangs”, Squamish Nation (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw) members, loaded lumber. Many Indigenous longshoremen, including Cordocedo’s father, would work on the waterfront in the winter and transition to commercial fishing when salmon returned. Sam George, another Squamish Nation longshoreman, observed the strong solidarity among his fellow workers on the waterfront; if conditions were unsafe, they would collectively shut down operations.