By Doreen Marion Gee

She trudged through the forest in her gumboots, carrying a shotgun at all times. One of our earliest pioneers, Cougar Annie was as tough as any man. This feisty woman takes her place beside all the other dazzling characters who make up the "Free Spirit" Exhibit at the Royal BC Museum. This exhibit celebrates all those colourful people who embody that western frontier "wildness" so unique to this beautiful province. "Free Spirit" is a mesmerizing exploration of the contributions made by both men and women - past and present - who have forged our west coast identity. Fascinating remnants of our past and rare collections abound. How about an electric hair curling machine from an early James Bay hair salon that could be straight from the Inquisition! Most importantly, the exhibit renews our pride in glorious BC and in all those free spirits who dance through our forests and mountains - and through our minds.

As the Director of Exhibits and Visitor Experience at the Royal BC Museum, Tim Willis has been actively involved in the creation of this exhibit. A very amiable man, his mix of humour and knowledge made for a pleasant visit. Willis revealed the essence of the exhibit and of its title, "Free Spirit: Stories of You, Me and BC." Besides being a tribute to BC's 150th birthday," it is about people who had a sense of adventure and real courage who truly are 'free spirits'." He says that it is not a chronological map of events, but an exploration of the people that put us on the map. At the core of the exhibit is "The Party" - 150 personalities, both famous and infamous.

Cougar Annie represents that wild frontier spirit that makes BC sparkle. Born in 1888, her real name was Ada Annie Rae - Arthur and she lived on 115 acres 30 miles north of Tofino. She got her nickname from killing 73 cougars as a bounty hunter for the Hudson's Bay Company. Her great grandson, Mur Meadows, recalls a woman who was "extraordinary and an inspiration." A master gardener, Annie cleared 15 acres herself and ran a mail order business selling plants and seeds. "We could not fathom having a life like that today" remarks Mur, adding that she was one of the first pioneers on the west coast. Another "party" person who typifies that free - thinking independence is Art Thompson. In 1948, he helped bring public awareness to the cruel abuses of native children at the Residential Schools. Hannah Maynard is another headliner, the female photographer who worked miracles with a camera in the 1890's.

Tantalizing spirits of James Bay's history are an extra bonus at the exhibit. There are actual pieces of the walls of the old Immigration Building on Dallas Road that show the anguished writings of Chinese immigrants detained against their will as their papers were cleared. The exhibit has an original "Permanent Wave Machine" from the "Beauty Shop" on Menzies Street, where it was a fixture by 1963. Right out of a Frankenstein movie, it has metal clips that heated the rollers through long cables leading to an electrical source.

The rare collections take us back in time to the early days of a virgin territory. They show the actual documents that appointed James Douglas as Governor of the Colony of British Columbia in 1858 and paintings done as far back as 1778. This is the mother of all spiritual journeys.

Tim Willis wants visitors to leave with a sense of appreciation for our province and that "our history is worth telling." Roll over, Jesse James. We have Bill Miner to inflame our curiosity. It is those free spirits - our weird and wonderful BC characters - who have shaped this frontier land. We can be proud of our wild, wild west.

The Free Spirit exhibit runs until January 2009. Anyone interested in telling their own BC story is invited to submit to the People's History Project, a part of the exhibit.

"The Entrance into Ship's Cove, King George's Sound" painted by William Ellis in 1778. Photo courtesy of the Royal BC Museum