By Chadd Cawson, The Columbia Valley Pioneer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
An untouched piece of Indigenous land called Halibut Island, also known as SISȻENEM, near Salt Spring Island, will be the first piece of land given back to an Indigenous community through a land trust. The nearly 436,000 square foot island has been stewarded by the Saanich, or W̱SÁNEĆ, Peoples for thousands of years.
Continue reading SISȻENEM will be the first land trust returned to a First NationBy Chadd Cawson, The Columbia Valley Pioneer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
‘Tis the season that we all go a little batty – at least with Halloween décor – to either scare away or entice trick or treaters as October 31 creeps up.
While black bats may be part of Halloween decorations in windows and doorways, big brown bats are the species of winged marvels that can be found flying or hanging around the unceded territories of the Secwépemc and Ktunaxa Peoples and the land chosen as home by the Métis Peoples of B.C.
Continue reading Going batty: big brown batsBy Chadd Cawson, The Columbia Valley Pioneer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
As we kick off the month of Halloween, let’s talk about one of nature’s spookier birds, the crow. While there are 40 different species worldwide, the species we most commonly see flying above the unceded territories of the Secwépemc and Ktunaxa Peoples and the land chosen as home by the Métis Peoples of B.C., is the American crow. Despite its name, this member of the Corvidae family, can be found soaring across Canada (along with most of the U.S.) except on the Pacific Coast, where its close cousin, the Northwestern crow, flies in its place. The Corvidae family has many members which include jackdaws, rooks, and ravens, which look almost identical to crows at first glance but are slightly bigger in size.
Continue reading Cawing CrowsBy Chadd Cawson, The Columbia Valley Pioneer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Many people have heard about residential schools but are uneducated about them. And too many have known about the horrors and injustices that happened within the walls of them, but for too long their voices were never heard. First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children were taken from their families, communities, and culture for over 150 years. During this period, over 150,000 children attended what were then called Indian Residential Schools. Many never returned home to their families.
Continue reading The History of Residential and Day SchoolsBy Chadd Cawson, The Columbia Valley Pioneer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Believe it or not, there are over 20,000 species of bees worldwide. Most are solitary, and don’t live in hives or make honey. There are eight recognized species that do.
Continue reading Western honeybee: Queen, her workers, and drones
