Tag Archives: Meares Island

Food Security, Indigenous Nations

Nuu-chah-nulth youth restore clam gardens for future generations

Editor’s not: Another example of First Nations youth embracing and learning from their traditional wisdom.

By Alexandra Mehl, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

In late Spring, $80,000 was allocated to the Nuu-chah-nulth Youth Warrior Family Society with Ka:’yu:’k’t’h/Che:k’tles7et’h to support food security and the development of clam gardens throughout Nuu-chah-nulth territory. Since then, youth from across Nuu-chah-nulth have restored two clam gardens located in Tla-o-qui-aht and Huu-ay-aht territory with plans for more to come.

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Food Security, Indigenous Nations

First Nations youth make their mark by cultivating ancient food systems in their territories

An inspiring trend to watch:

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Two dozen young men spilled out of their tents just after dawn, pulled on gumboots and work gloves, and lugging shovels and buckets, trudged down a logging road to a remote bay on Vancouver Island’s wild West Coast. 

There was a moment of calm punctuated by the breaths of two killer whales breaking the surface of the bay while they waited for the tide to drop so they could begin work. 

The moment the waters retreated, the group of First Nations youth, their adult mentors and knowledge holders, squelched onto the tidal flat in unison to haul rocks, debris and shift shellfish as quickly as possible before the ocean waters flooded back in. 

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Indigenous Nations

‘Listening to the land’: Totem pole raised in Naa’waya’sum gardens

Editor’s note: Another example of the rebirth of First Nations culture on the West Coast.

By Alexandra Mehl, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Tofino, BC – On Tuesday, Aug. 1, Naa’was totem pole was raised at Naa’waya’sum garden in Tofino, depicting “responsibilities to future generations”.

“This here is like a legal document of our peoples,” said Joe Martin (Tutakwisnapšiƛ), Tla-o-qui-aht master carver.

The Naa’was totem pole was carved by Joe in collaboration with Gordon Dick, Robin Rorick, Patrick Amos, and Robinson Cook. 

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Animals, Indigenous Nations, Rivers & Oceans

Entangled humpback whale reported off the coast of Tofino

Editor’s note: Another example of humans negatively impacting nature, the story of the humpback whale’s comeback and a glimpse into the history of First Nations whaling.

By Alexandra Mehl, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Tofino, BC – On July 22 an entangled humpback whale was reported to be seen off the coast of Leonard Lighthouse, near Tofino. 

Since the initial sighting Fisheries and Oceans Canada, alongside Strawberry Isle Marine Research Society (SIMRS), have struggled to relocate the humpback and encourage community members to call the DFO marine mammal incident reporting hotline if seen, while remaining 200 meters away.

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Forests, Indigenous Nations, Parks, Tourism

Meares Island Big Tree Trail a labor of love for Tribal Parks guardians

By Alexandra Mehl, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Tofino, BC – In 2008, when the Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Parks Guardianship Program took over the maintenance of the Meares Island Big Tree Trail, they had lots of work to do.

Saya Masso, lands director for the Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Parks Guardian Program, has been a guardian since 2008 when the positions were first inaugurated to help implement the land vision outlined in the Tribal Park Declaration.

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