UVic Living Lab Project field trip

Living Lab Community of Practice: Team Day – Salish Sea, July 2019

On July 11th Living Lab team members Florence Dick and Darlene Joseph ( Songhees Nation) , Earl Claxton Jr,  Nick Claxton and Tiffany Joseph ( WSANEC) along with John Lutz (UVic History), John Taylor ( Biology), Judith Lyn Arney ( PEPAKEN HAUT’W)  and Maeve Lydon ( Staff)  had field trip / learning day out at Pender and Salt spring to visit the traditional territories of the WSANEC (Poet’s Cove- Pender Islands) and reefnet fishery site, to Burgoyne Bay ( XWAAQUAM) Cowichan Territory and Red Fish School of Change field school. The purpose was to come together as a community of practice to learn about current restoration and resurgence efforts on the land and for the reefnet fishery and to meet collaborators from the TETACES Climate Action Project on Pender Islands and the Redfish School of Change at XWAAQUAM.

Event Photos:

Coast Salish Gathering @ XWAAQUAM) (l to r) Joe ( Cowichan/ Settler), Darlene (Songhees), Earl (WSANEC), Tiffany (WSANEC), Nick (WSANEC) and Florence (Songhees)

Redfish School of Change Circle – XWAAQUAM

Earl and Nick – Pender Island- Poets Cove Reserve Boundary

Earl, Judith and Nick – Pender Island Reefnet – Reserve Site

John Lutz and Earl Claxton Jr with Saltwater People WSANEC Map

Living Lab Eco-Culture and Science Camp – July 2019

 

Living Lab’s 2019 Eco-Culture and Science Camp was our first regional effort,  building on last year’s  2 day Songhees Academic Youth Leadership (SAYL) – UVic  Camp.  16 youth aged 11-18 from Songhees, WSANEC and other indigenous nations from across Canada – and who now live in Coast Salish territory – came together with a diverse adult facilitation team  to enjoy two action and fun-filled days on and off campus.  Elders  Skip Dick and Frank Joseph (Songhees) and Earl Claxton Jr. (WSANEC) guided the youth and they experienced  ecological , cultural and biological diversity and hand –on learning on the beach and in the forest.  Swimming, ice cream, eco-art, and the amazing movie The Great Bear Rainforest at the local IMAX Theatre which features eco-cultural restoration and monitoring led by coastal First Nations was included. Feedback from the youth suggested (yes) more hands-on activities, options for different ages and exploring the creation of a year long club and/ or monthly activities.