Tag Archives: Chief Tom Puglas

Ancient clam gardens nourish the Mamalilikulla’s past and future

Mamalilikulla Chief Winidi, or John Powell, wiggles his pitchfork back and forth to loosen the sand and gravel along a remote stretch of beach in the Broughton Archipelago, sandwiched between Vancouver Island and the BC mainland.

As he churns over layers of sediment, a fistful of clams surface with a couple of disturbingly large, fiery red marine worms that flail hundreds of legs to rapidly burrow back into the sand.

“Look at all those worms. That’s a good sign,” Powell said.  

“You see those a lot when you’re digging. They seem to aerate the soil.” 

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