Peter (Malidi) Livesay Macnair

Peter (Malidi) Livesay Macnair was born on April 19th, 1940, in Vancouver and passed away peacefully on June 22nd, 2026, in Nanaimo.

Peter grew up in North Vancouver with his father Duncan, mother Dorothy Livesay and his younger sister Marcia. He graduated from North Van High and then from UBC. He began his long career at the BC Provincial Museum (now Royal BC Museum) in 1965 as an Assistant Anthropologist, later to become Curator of Ethnology. He retired from the Royal BC Museum in 1997, at which time he was appointed Curator Emeritus. Following his time at the RBCM he joined with his wife Jay and continued to work with First Nations communities in British Columbia and museums throughout Canada and the US.

In the 1950s, as a young teenager, he spent summers working on Gabriola Island on Somerset Farm, creating treasured friendships with the Boulton family. In his early twenties, he worked for the International Pacific Halibut Commission as an observer on Japanese fishing vessels, a job that inspired his lifelong passion for the sea and boats.

Peter, Malidi to his Kwakwaka’wakw friends, established a rare bond with indigenous communities throughout British Columbia. At the BC Provincial Museum he was instrumental in the creation of the First Peoples Gallery and the exhibit The Legacy: Continuing Traditions, both of which were guided by the voices of indigenous communities. During the 1970s, he played a pivotal role in some of the first repatriations of Indigenous regalia and cultural objects in Canada.

One of his seminal experiences was in April 1967 spent in Dzawadi (Knight Inlet) making t̕łi'na, eulachon oil, in the traditional way. This experience anchored his lifelong relationship with Ławit̕sis Chief Peter and Alice Smith and the Kwakwaka’wakw community.

He was a captivating storyteller and singer of folksongs; he loved to regale friends, family and others with tales around the campfire, on a boat or any spot that drew people together. Humour or a surprise ending often played a central role, harkening back to the mischievous nature he developed as a child.

When he wasn’t working, one of his favourite pastimes was evenings on the softball field. Great times were had with the Museum’s team, “The Animals,” of which Peter was one of the power hitters. He fondly recalled those days and the friendships he had with his fellow Animals.

Peter first explored Aotearoa (New Zealand) in 1990 as a member of the Commonwealth Games cultural delegation from British Columbia. When his youngest son Galen moved there in 2004, it provided an opportunity to visit more often and spend time with his grandchildren, combining his adventurous spirit and his love of family. Often frequenting local thrift stores–or op-shops as they are called in New Zealand–on his travels, he had a knack for finding treasures that he passed along to those who were important to him.

Peter loved to learn through research and reading, but mostly from the people around him. He cherished shared knowledge and enthusiastically passed on information and skills to others. He delighted in creative pursuits, inspired by and supportive of the skilled artists who were part of his personal and professional life.

One of Peter’s legacies will be the countless hours of recordings and notes he and his team made of songs, ceremonies and Indigenous histories. These resources are invaluable and will be an important source of knowledge for generations to come. Peter viewed himself as a vessel, a temporary repository of knowledge, that was to be passed on to those to whom it belonged.

Peter is survived by his wife, Jay Stewart; his children, Randal (Lisa), Jason, and Galen (Holly); and his grandchildren, Wylin, Mira, Kieran, Elliott and Freya.

He was predeceased by his mother, Dorothy; his father, Duncan; his sister, Marcia; and Daisy, his beloved family dog.

A gathering in Peter’s honour will be held on Saturday, July 25th at 1pm at the Blue Heron, 3501 Newfield Road, Nanaimo V9S 5V6. This event will also be live streamed.

RSVP to email [email protected]

A second gathering in Peter’s honour will be held in Alert Bay at the U’mista Cultural Centre on Wednesday, July 29th at 4pm.

Donations in Peter’s memory may be made to the Jay Stewart and Peter Macnair Fund at the Vancouver Foundation to benefit the U’mista Cultural Centre. https://give.vancouverfoundation.ca/s/give?ID=a0eAh000000WTjFIAW