In Sheet’ká, Łingít fishers share herring harvests with a surprise influx of grey whales

By Amy Romer, IndigiNews, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter.

Growing up, Yanshkawoo (Harvey Kitka) never saw many grey whales in the waters of Sheet’ká Sound.

The Łingít (Tlingít) Elder and subsistence yaaw (herring) fisherman recalled harvesting gáax’w (herring eggs) in his territories before “Alaska” became a “U.S.” state in 1959. It was a time when yaaw were plentiful and sightings of whales were rare — just a handful at most.

“There was food everywhere,” mused Yanshkawoo, tracing a slow circle in the air with his hand — a gesture toward the abundance the ocean once held. He sat at a crowded café in Sheet’ká (Sitka), his voice calm but thoughtful.

“They had no reason to come into the Sound back then.” 

But things changed in 2019, when fishers, researchers and community members began noticing an influx of grey whales, an order of magnitude larger than in previous years.

Continue reading In Sheet’ká, Łingít fishers share herring harvests with a surprise influx of grey whales

Why War? – The Quadra Project

“Why war?” is a question that haunts everyone, including both Albert Einstein and Sigmund Freud. For Einstein, it was a question that had no rational answer. For Freud, war was an expression of the “death drive” for violence and destruction that was inherent in every human. If Einstein was hoping for optimism, Freud was drawing from his theoretical insights into the human character, a conclusion confirmed by the unequivocal message of history.

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Signals in the dark: How Comox Valley volunteers monitor bats against a devastating disease

By David Flawse, The Discourse, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

In a flurry of wings, six mother bats drop from their roost and take to the half-lit sky. 

“Wow!” says Heather Thomson. “They’re early tonight.” 

Thomson, program manager for the Cumberland Community Forest Society, sits with five other citizen scientists in folding camping chairs near a rural Comox Valley home on June 18. 

It’s a clear, still night, and they’re tucked into sweaters while positioned under three bat boxes.

The six bat enthusiasts are here for the B.C. Annual Bat Count, an initiative launched in 2012 for researchers to monitor bat health across the province. 

Continue reading Signals in the dark: How Comox Valley volunteers monitor bats against a devastating disease

Squamish Nation regains 20,000 hectares of ancestral land

By Ina Pace, The Squamish Chief, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

For the video, see: https://www.squamishchief.com/local-news/icymi-squamish-nation-regains-20000-hectares-of-ancestral-land-10871229

Two decades of planning and negotiations result in an historic land use agreement with the province.

History was made Thursday with a massive land agreement between the province and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation).

Continue reading Squamish Nation regains 20,000 hectares of ancestral land

Carney’s controversial major projects bill becomes law

By Natasha Bulowski, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Bill C-5 is now law after the Senate passed the bill without any changes.

Continue reading Carney’s controversial major projects bill becomes law

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