Down2Earth 1.3 - Cheryl Bryce (Lekwammen)

Summary

The video script highlights the significance of traditional plants, particularly the Camas plant, to the health and cultural identity of indigenous communities on southern Vancouver Island. Cheryl Bryce, a Coast Salish community member, shares her personal experiences in harvesting traditional foods and the importance of maintaining these practices for future generations. The script also touches on the challenges faced in preserving traditional food sovereignty and the need for active involvement in harvesting and protecting these natural resources.

Takeaways

• 🌱 Traditional plants, such as the Camas plant, are integral to the health and wellness of indigenous communities on southern Vancouver Island.
• 👵 The role of women in these communities is to harvest traditional foods like Camas, a practice passed down through generations.
• 🌳 The Camas plant is not only a food source but also plays a significant cultural and social role in Coast Salish communities.
• 🏞️ The speaker emphasizes the importance of maintaining traditional food harvesting practices for the future and the role of stewardship in managing ecosystems.
• 👥 The Camas plant is a part of the Garry oak ecosystem and was a central food item in trade and celebrations among First Nations communities.
• 🍲 The harvesting of Camas and other traditional foods is a communal and celebratory activity that reinforces community bonds.
• 🌾 The speaker recounts personal experiences of harvesting, highlighting the challenges faced by indigenous people in maintaining these practices.
• 🌿 The speaker mentions the impact of invasive species and lack of management on the Garry oak ecosystem, which has depleted the Camas plant population.
• 🛡️ There is a call to action for indigenous and non-indigenous individuals to protect and restore traditional food sources and ecosystems.
• 👶 The younger generation is encouraged to take an interest in traditional food harvesting, recognizing its importance in cultural identity and health.
• 🌳 The script concludes with a reminder of the importance of food sovereignty and the active involvement in preserving traditional food practices and ecosystems.

Q & A

What is the significance of traditional plants to indigenous communities on southern Vancouver Island?

Traditional plants are essential to the health and wellness of indigenous communities, serving as valuable food resources with both cultural and social roles in Coast Salish communities.

Who is Cheryl Bryce and what does she explain about the Comus plant?

Cheryl Bryce is presumably an indigenous community member or an expert on the subject. She explains that the Comus plant is not only a food resource but also plays a significant cultural and social role in Coast Salish communities.

What role did Thomas play in the traditional harvesting practices?

Thomas' role was to look long in the women to harvest chemists, which implies that he was involved in the traditional practice of harvesting plants for food and possibly other uses.

What is the importance of harvesting areas known to the family and community?

Harvesting areas known to the family and community are important because they are traditional sites for gathering specific types of food, maintaining the connection to the land and preserving cultural practices.

Why is it crucial for Cheryl Bryce to reinstate her role as a looking and managing these ecosystems?

It is crucial for Cheryl Bryce to reinstate her role to ensure the preservation of traditional foods, maintain the landscape, and protect the right to food sovereignty for her community.

What is the significance of the Camus plant to the identity of the indigenous people?

The Camus plant is a part of the indigenous people's identity as it represents their interaction and connection to the land, contributing to their well-being, health, and cultural heritage.

Why was the Camus plant an important food for trading among First Nations?

The Camus plant was a staple food and was highly valued, leading people from different First Nations to trade for it, which also facilitated social gatherings and celebrations.

How has the Camus plant been affected over the past 150 years?

The Camus plant has been depleted over the past 150 years due to a lack of management, invasive species, and encroachment on the Garry oak ecosystem.

What is the importance of traditional harvesting practices like stripping bark from trees?

Stripping bark from trees is an important traditional practice that provides materials for various uses, such as making tools or for medicinal purposes, and maintaining a connection to the land.

What challenges have the indigenous communities faced in maintaining their connection to traditional foods and lands?

Indigenous communities have faced challenges such as modernization, the ease of obtaining food from stores, and the need to protect and manage traditional harvesting sites to maintain their connection to the land and traditional foods.

Why is it important for the younger generation to take an interest in traditional harvesting practices?

It is important for the younger generation to take an interest in traditional harvesting practices to ensure the continuation of cultural practices, maintain food sovereignty, and protect the environment for future generations.

Outlines

00:00

🌿 Indigenous Plant Harvesting and Cultural Significance

The first paragraph discusses the importance of traditional plants, particularly the Comus plant, to the health and cultural identity of indigenous communities in southern Vancouver Island. Cheryl Bryce explains that the plant is not just a food source but also plays a significant role in the social and cultural life of the Coast Salish communities. The role of women in harvesting these plants is highlighted, as is the practice of returning seeds to the soil after harvesting to ensure sustainability. The paragraph also touches on the historical and ongoing challenges faced by indigenous people in maintaining their connection to the land and their traditional foods, including the impact of invasive species and societal pressures. The importance of food sovereignty and the role of younger generations in continuing these practices are emphasized.

05:00

🛡️ Protecting Indigenous Food Sovereignty and Cultural Practices

The second paragraph continues the theme of indigenous food sovereignty, emphasizing the importance of maintaining traditional harvesting practices and protecting the areas where these resources are found. It stresses the role of each family in continuing these practices and the significance of food in defining their identity and ensuring their future. The paragraph also serves as a transition, inviting viewers to join a journey to the west coast of Canada to meet the indigenous guardians of the West Coast Trail, suggesting a continuation of the exploration of indigenous culture and environmental stewardship.

Keywords

💡Indigenous

Indigenous refers to the original inhabitants of a particular region, often with a deep cultural and historical connection to the land. In the video, the term is used to describe the Coast Salish communities of southern Vancouver Island, emphasizing their traditional relationship with the land and its resources, such as the Camas plant.

💡Camas plant

The Camas plant is a bulbous perennial plant native to North America, traditionally harvested by indigenous peoples for its edible bulbs. In the script, it is highlighted as a valuable food resource with both cultural and social significance in Coast Salish communities, symbolizing their identity and connection to the land.

💡Health and wellness

Health and wellness encompass the overall well-being of individuals, including physical, mental, and social health. The video script discusses the importance of traditional plants like the Camas plant to the health and wellness of indigenous communities, suggesting that these plants contribute to their holistic well-being.

💡Cultural role

Cultural role refers to the part that something plays in the customs, traditions, and social interactions of a community. The script explains that the Camas plant has a cultural role in Coast Salish communities, being integral to their identity and traditional practices.

💡Social role

Social role pertains to the function or purpose that an individual or group plays within a society. In the context of the video, the Camas plant has a social role as it was historically traded and celebrated, fostering social connections among different First Nations communities.

💡Harvesting

Harvesting is the process of gathering mature crops or plants. The script mentions that the role of the women in the community was to harvest plants like Camas, which was a significant activity for sustaining the community and maintaining their traditional food sources.

💡Food sovereignty

Food sovereignty is the right of communities to define their own food systems and practices. The video emphasizes the importance of food sovereignty for indigenous communities, including the right to harvest traditional foods like Camas and manage their ecosystems.

💡Garry oak ecosystem

The Garry oak ecosystem refers to a specific type of habitat characterized by the presence of Garry oak trees and associated plant species. The script mentions the Camas plant as one of the main foods within this ecosystem, indicating the ecological importance of preserving such environments.

💡Invasive species

Invasive species are non-native organisms that can cause harm to the local environment, economy, or human health. The video discusses the impact of invasive species on the Garry oak ecosystem, leading to the depletion of traditional food resources like Camas.

💡Traditional foods

Traditional foods are those that have been consumed by a community for generations and are often tied to cultural practices and identity. The script highlights the importance of maintaining the connection to traditional foods like Camas for the well-being and cultural continuity of indigenous communities.

💡First Nations

First Nations is a term used in Canada to refer to various Aboriginal peoples who are neither Inuit nor Métis. The script discusses the role of First Nations women in harvesting and trading traditional foods like Camas, underlining their historical and ongoing contributions to their communities.

Highlights

Traditional plants are essential to the health and wellness of indigenous communities on southern Vancouver Island.

The Camas plant is a valuable food resource with cultural and social importance in Coast Salish communities.

Women's role in the Lushootseed community is to harvest plants like Camas for food and trade.

The speaker has been harvesting traditional foods all over the island since she was a little girl.

Maintaining the connection to traditional foods is important for the future and food sovereignty.

The speaker wants to reinstate her role in managing ecosystems and encouraging others to do the same.

Camas is a key part of Coast Salish identity and well-being, beyond just being a food source.

Camas was a main food traded among First Nations communities, leading to celebrations and gatherings.

The speaker recalls her grandmother's struggles to harvest traditional foods without being caught.

The Camas population has been depleted over the past 150 years due to lack of management and invasive species.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of harvesting responsibly, returning seeds to the soil.

The speaker shares a personal memory of harvesting bark with her family in a park.

There are other plants like kinnikinnick and snowberry that can be used for tea.

The younger generation is showing more interest in traditional foods and practices.

It's important for First Nations people to take on their roles in the community and maintain traditional harvesting practices.

The speaker encourages everyone to get involved in protecting the sites and ecosystems that provide traditional food resources.

Join the journey next week to learn about the indigenous guardians of the West Coast Trail in Canada.

Transcripts

traditional plants are essential to the

health and wellness of every indigenous

community here in southern Vancouver

Island the Comus plant is more than a

valuable food resource as Cheryl Bryce

explains it has both a cultural and

social role in Coast Salish communities

Thomas was our role is look long in the

women to harvest chemists and those are

things that went we could with your

family your family would be knowing to

harvest these areas are known to harvest

plants or certain foods type in

harvesting since I've been a little girl

my grandma married into look women she's

helping him so we would harvest all over

the island all kinds of traditional

foods including Cadmus which we're here

today to talk about so I've been

harvesting even here in Meighan which is

no snowing now today as you can Hill

Park I guess I was raised just with a

lot of our traditional foods and to me

it's really important that it's there

for the future and as Lacroix in I want

to reinstate my role as a looking and

managing these ecosystems including the

gary-oke ecosystems and encouraging

others to do the same to reinstate their

roles and to reinstate the landscape and

to reinstate the traditional foods and

our right to food sovereignty Camus is a

part of many things it's a part of who

we are it's a part of our identity as

look long in as look long in women it's

our interaction and connection to the

land and I think it's important for that

for the identity but all our well-being

our health the Camus is just one of many

of our traditional foods within the

Garry oak ecosystem as one of the main

foods it was one of the foods that

people came from all over of First

Nations from up the coast and down the

coast to trade for chemists and it was a

huge time to celebrate the food when we

would trade and this was the woman's

role to do and it was theirs to trade

and I'm harvesting I pulled back to soil

and I'll harvest the bulbs that I'd like

to harvest and put the seeds into the

soil back into the soil when I'm done it

is really depleted over the past hundred

and fifty years and it's been encroached

by

and lack of management invasive species

there's a lot of impacts to the gary-oke

ecosystem we would come here really

early in the morning and we would go all

over for her bark off of the trees but

this was one spot we came because it was

getting harder and harder to find

certain barks and so we came here really

early in the morning just before the

sunrise thinking no one would be around

and walking in with knives to strip the

bark just being caught by somebody who

was up early jogging they were totally

startled to see these Indian woman

coming through the park with nothing so

that's one of my memories here of

Meighan there's some Nick who rose and

Snowberry those are shrubs that you find

usually buffering where kamas meadows

are so you could use that for a tea the

struggles that we've went through in

this modern time to continually have an

ongoing connection to our homelands but

also to our traditional foods and I can

imagine my grandma's time and how much

that would have been so heartbreaking

for her to have to come into places like

this and worry about being caught

harvesting our traditional food or

traditional teas or medicines here we go

here's one it's pretty small looks like

it's been split before see how it has

that kind of that look like an onion a I

guess it was about ten years ago I

started realizing that I need to be more

public about what I'm doing and sharing

that with not just my family but other

First Nations and non First Nations so

it was more creating an awareness going

out to the schools talking about the

importance like it's not just a history

it's not something you read in the

museum it's not something you go and

look at this is who we are I bring my

family here my my nephew's my nieces I

bring them all over our homelands and we

harvest I'm finding more the younger

generation is stepping up and taking

more of an interest well it's easy to go

to the grocery store and buy some

potatoes and onions and it's a lot

easier than going out managee systems I

think that's a big

part of it is taking on your role in the

community as First Nations as laconian

is really important and what your family

would know and have harvesting places to

go I think it's really important for

everyone to ensure that they have that

on a regular basis whether it's

harvesting chemists or clams or hunting

whatever those food resources that their

family was known to go and get and to

harvest it is important that they

maintain those roles and pass that down

and protect the areas that they utilize

for those food resources and food it's

part of our food sovereignty and as a

part of who we are and it's a part of

our future and I think it's really

important that we actively get involved

not only in doing the harvesting but

protecting those sites join us next week

when we travel to the west coast of

Canada where we'll meet the indigenous

guardians of the world-famous West Coast

Trail

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