Edible Vancouver Island Summer 2022

to include them in the sea garden monitoring efforts, including the Ts’uubaa-asatx, Halalt, Lyackson, Penelakut, Cowichan Tribes, Stz’uminus, Tsartlip, Pauquachin, Tseycum and Tsawout First Nations. Elliott says she hopes for a future where her two sons will regularly enjoy beach-harvested clams and other traditional foods. She recalls one community event she attended with her sons, where they were practically fighting over the local clams because they loved them so much. “It’s just a core memory for me,” she laughs. “You know, if my kid’s biggest problem is fighting over clams with his brother because he loves them, then we’re in a good place.” As for Norris, she says she hopes to gain and maintain access to all the sea gardens within her traditional territory so they can be restored to their former bounty and provide nourishment for generations. “I’m hoping we will revive those stocks so we can harvest and eat from the sea as we once did,” she says. LESSONS MOV I NG FORWARD Moving towards these goals is a collaborative effort. It benefits us all, says Erich Kelch, who is manager of the Sea Garden Restoration Project and of European descent. He says one thing that’s important to him about this work is realigning Western society’s relationship to food and place, which is often greatly disassociated. “As a result, we care more about these places and have an interest in preserving them and making sure they’re healthy,” Kelch says. “You wouldn’t just walk into somebody’s grandma’s house and start messing around in the kitchen,” Norris says. “Be mindful, be respectful. It’s a cultural fabric of everyone that has come before us that ties us to these gardens.” Clearly, all these issues are larger than any one person, but we all have an impact, Norris says. Whether you’re grocery shopping, visiting one of the Island’s many gorgeous beaches or actually finding yourself at a sea garden, consider taking a moment to reflect on the bigger picture and how the ecosystem plays a role in food security, culture and society as a whole.