Issuu

FEATURE ARTIST

TOTEM DESIGN HOUSE & KWIGWATSI STUDIO

FIN D Y OU R PL A CE

O S L EE P

The North Island’s only premier First Nations four-star destination hotel, oﬀering 85 guestrooms and featuring a curated selection of authentic local Aboriginal arts and culture.

Kwa’lilas a traditional word meaning ‘ a place to sleep’ was chosen by the Gwa’sala ‘Nakwaxda’xw elders for this hotel, in hopes that travelers and guests would ﬁnd peaceful rest here after a day of exploration in the North Island. After exploring, refresh with lunch or dinner from our Aboriginal-inspired west coast menu in Ha’me’, our restaurant. Relax with an Island brew, glass of ﬁne wine and tasty snacks in Nax’id’, our comfy, nautical-themed pub.

Located in downtown Port Hardy, all our rooms host complimentary high-end amenities and services. In addition to viewing our local traditions, stories and culture throughout the hotel, visitors can partake in locally guided, First Nations eco-tours and cultural experiences. At Kwa'lilas, you can enjoy your stay your way

With over 4,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space, we are also the business function partner of choice - from more intimate gatherings, boardrooms and workshops to larger Christmas parties and ballroom soirees, Executive Chef Karl Cordick and his team skillfully cater events of any size.

WALKING IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS

The First Time I saw Campbell River

Bud Logan

OFF THE BEATEN PATH

The Salmon Brewster Horse Trail

Bud Logan

OCEAN CHRONICLES

Pelagic Ecosystems: Life in the Blue

Josh McInnes

ARTIST FEATURE

Erin Brillon | Totem Design House

Kealy Donaldson

WELLNESS ARTIST

The Beaded Dolls of Georgina Ann Logan

Bud Logan

CREATURES OF THE NORTHWEST COAST

Pacific Mole Crabs

Bud Logan

NATUROPATHIC INSPIRATIONS

Starting the Year off Right

Ingrid Pincott, ND

SHIFT HAPPENS

Healing Our Inner Child

Andrea Wagemaker

PUBLISHER'S NOTE

A Time to Move Ahead

It's that time of year when the days are short and the air is crisp. Snow is upon the mountains and the land is getting ready for the long winter. The holiday season is just ahead and families will come together with joy and happiness.

We are at the end of this year and can reflect back on the wonders we were part of. I am sure we all had ups and downs, sadness and joy. Now the new year is just ahead and it's a new beginning; a time where we can make changes, a time to move ahead. In the coming year, we have the chance to change what we can, to make our lives better and to share our love and hopes with family and friends.

So Happy Holidays to all, and may this coming year be as wondrous as this year has been.

Gilakasla – Marsii!

Cheers

Bud Logan

INTERIM PUBLISHING EDITOR

compassmagazine@ourmail.com www.compassmagazine.ca

COVER

Erin Brillon in Black Hills, South Dakota

CONTRIBUTORS

Josh McInnes

Bud Logan

Taunya Holland

Andrea Wagemaker

Ingrid Pincott, ND

James L. Anderson

Nick Bowman

Joseph McLean

Kealy Donaldson

Melody Charlie

Jason Gowen

CONNECT WITH US Facebook | LinkedIn

Kealy Donaldson

Bud Logan

Josh McInnes

WALKING IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS

Bud Logan

I spent the first six years of my life living on various military bases. You see, my dad was a military man and we moved around a lot. We were living in Ontario when my dad retired in 1961. Dad packed up our house and we headed out West, headed for a small Vancouver Island community called Campbell River.

It was not like today, traveling across Canada; there were no freeways. Dad had an old '37 Plymouth that was stuffed with all seven of us kids, and our gear, and on top, we had a big army bell tent that we set up each night. All our household belongings were being shipped by a transport company. It was a long trip and going over the Rockies was very exciting for a young man of six years of age. The wild life was incredible; I can still see the elk and grizzlies that seemed to be around every corner and the incredible mountain views that were reflected in the emerald green lakes.

THE FIRST TIME I SAW

ampbelliver C

R

such excitement in his eyes that you could just imagine the beauty of this little island village, and now we were there. We were all very excited. It was everything my dad had said it was and more.

My dad had first set his eyes on Campbell River back in 1946 when he had traveled to Victoria, BC on official military business. My dad was travelling with Mr. Armstrong, who would become my godfather when I was born nine years later. After they had concluded their business in Victoria, they decided to locate a vehicle and travel a bit. They had some time off coming and the Island had always looked enticing to my dad, so he bought the '37 Plymouth and off they went. When they reached Campbell River, my dad was so taken with the little village that he declared that when he retired from the army, he was moving his family here.

Eventually we arrived on Vancouver Island and were finally at our destination. My dad had always talked about Campbell River with such wonder, such amazement,

Growing up in Campbell River meant lots of fishing, hunting, hiking and canoeing. All us kids had boats, or at least access to one, and we spent as much time out on the chuck as we did on land. The salmon fishing

Photos Public Domain; Bud Logan

was great back then and nothing beat fighting a big spring on light tackle. Most of us were accomplished fishermen (boys) by the time we were 12 or 13—we were very much at home on the water. I spent days on end canoeing our lakes and rivers where trout were huge and steelhead fishing in our rivers was the best in the world.

Not long after arriving in town, my dad met an old cou ple who had first started fishing here at the turn of the century. I remember his name was Paddy but I can't remember his wife's name. I do remember her cook ing and her incredible smile. Paddy took a shine to us all and began to take us to all his hidden fishing holes. Paddy was the first environmentalist that I had met al though I don't think he knew he was one—he just had some radical ideas about respecting the land that cre ated in me a new understanding of proper forest eti quette that has stuck with me throughout my life.

Paddy was the gatekeeper up at the Upper Campbell Lake trestle when we met him. Paddy and his wife had a sweet cabin over on Paterson Lake. They would stay all week in a small trailer at the bridge and then spend the weekends at their cabin on the lake. We quite often would visit them in their cabin to spend a few days fishing the lake.

After a day of fishing, Paddy would spend the evening telling us stories of his pioneering days on Vancouver Island. He was a railroad man for the logging companies during his younger years and his stories reflected this. At times you would wonder where the truth stopped and the imagination of the storyteller took over. It mattered not to me, I could sit for hours listening to his tales; quite often I would fall asleep in front of the fireplace as I imagined living through the times of his stories. Even though this was some 60 years ago, these memories are still fresh in my mind and live on through my passion for local adventure on Vancouver Island. The magic I felt at age six seeing Campbell River for the first time lives on in me still.

Bud Logan has lived on Vancouver Island since 1961 and has a deep love of the Island’s wild places. Visit Bud at www.gohiking.ca

TREASURES

UNIQUE & BEAUTIFUL THINGS

10AM-5PM SEVEN DAYS A WEEK

Welcome to House of Treasures, a magniﬁcent contemporary interpretation of a First Nations Big House. With 18 years’ experience in o ering beautiful things, we have something for everyone and for every budget. We proudly feature original artwork by First Nations artists of the Northwest Coast, with a focus on Vancouver Island.

OFF THE BEATEN PATH

Bud Logan

THE SALMON BREWSTER HORSE TRAIL

The Memekay Horse Camp is located in the Sayward Valley, along the Memekay River. This site was created to serve as the north end campsite for the Salmon-Brewster Horse Trail.

To reach it, head north from Campbell River toward Sayward. Keep your eyes open after you cross the Amour De Cos Creek highway bridge, and watch for the Big Tree Main on your left. It’s a gravel logging road and there will probably be a pick-up or machine parked at the highway junction. Turn left and follow this road going across the Salmon River bridge about five km down, then cross a couple of little bridges. Further on you will see another logging road on your right, and this is the Salmon River Mainline. Turn right here and you will immediately see a logging bridge that goes over the Memekay River. Just past this bridge on the right you will see a metal gate, which should be unlocked, at a secondary road. This is the entrance to the campsite.

The 2-hectare rec site has a total of 11 campsites that are about 25 meters in length, big enough for all the horse trailers, trucks and recreational vehicles you bring. Each campsite has two horse corrals. There are outhouses, non-potable water for horses and manure containment bins, picnic tables and a big covered shelter with a wood stove to cook on.

The Salmon Brewster Trail Corridor runs between Brewster Lake and the Memekay River. It is 40 km long and runs through a working forest and follows old railway grades. There is another camp at the Brewster Lake Horse Camp Rec Site. The trails are mostly wellgroomed by volunteers and the camps are awesome. You can hike this trail by foot, but be warned, there are

river crossings where it will be difficult getting across without a horse. The trail that leaves the Memekay site goes for about 5km before running into a crossing on the Memekay River; it’s a very nice trail to hike.

There are plenty of awesome vistas as you ride along the trail with a variety of bird-life to see along the way. You have a great chance of seeing herds of elk or some blacktail deer. Black bears frequent the area and you always need to watch for cougars. Bring a camera so you can take home some incredible memories.

The southern horse camp is located at Brewster Lake, right at the narrows on the west end of the lake. This is the location of the old camp 5 location. The 1.5 acre Brewster Horse Camp has more open camping and larger horse corrals. There is also a wilderness campsite located halfway between Brewster and Memekay.

This trail is the first equine-friendly trail and campground formally established on Vancouver Island. Trail riding enthusiasts on the Island have ridden the route, now officially designated the Salmon Brewster Horse Trail, for many years. Built on a historic logging grade, the trail had never been properly mapped and did not have any amenities. As a result, it was used primarily by locals.

To encourage equestrian tourism on the Island, the Salmon Brewster Horse Trail and Campsites project completed a 40km multi-use trail linking equestrian campsites at each end. The trail travels through crown land, running from the junction of the Salmon and Memekay Rivers to south Brewster Lake. It is just what was needed for the horse riders of Vancouver Island.

Photo © Bud Logan

Make sure you have a bowel movement every day and taking a fiber, such as flaxmeal or psyllium, treats endotoxicity which are toxins created in the body in the bowel. Pectasol, a form of modified citrus pectin, has been studied to remove heavy metals. Colonics are also available (in Courtenay) if required and reduces endotoxicity.

Saunas, either radiant heat or infrared, are effective at increasing the ability to sweat, eliminating toxins through the skin: the second kidney. Exercise also falls into this category. People such as hair dressers can smell chemicals exuding from their skin after sauna therapy.

Avoid non organic dirty dozen foods that contain the highest organophosphate neurotoxic pesticide residues according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) ie peaches, bell peppers, apples, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, grapes and lettuce.

Greens in the form of cilantro, spirulina and green vegetables rich in chlorophyll can bind with toxins such as PCB’s for easier elimination, so add a “Greens Drink” to your daily routine. See “Clean, Green and Lean” by Dr. Crinnion.

Use air filters in the home to improve air quality. Don’t forget toxins come into the home on the furniture and other household items.

Don’t store food in plastics or microwave in plastics.

Eat foods that help eliminate toxins: Cruciferous vegetables, resveratrol and quercitin foods (ie: blueberries, apples, onions, kale), celery, garlic, ginger, green, black, peppermint, rooibos and chamomile teas.

Use chemical free make up and skin care products: ie Lei Lani Makeup (Save On Foods) or Jane Iredale.

Ocean

Chronicles

PELAGIC ECOSYSTEMS: LIFE IN THE BLUE

Josh McInnes

It was July 2011, and I was departing the sleepy town of Ucluelet, BC on an offshore expedition to collect data on open ocean fish populations, and how they might be affected from bottom trawl fishing. This was my fourth two week trip to the pelagic waters off Vancouver Island. For days on end I would scan the horizon without seeing a spec of land, or life for that matter. In comparison to the ecologically productive nearshore waters, the open ocean often felt like a blue void of endless waves. Studying the pelagic ecosystem also presented our team with numerous challenges in the form of unpredictable weather, locating marine life, funding and time.

To many this may seem unexciting, but the open ocean conceals an extraordinary and ever changing environment. When locating marine life, oceanographers and marine biologists look for key physical and biological signs. For instance, oceanographic fronts where warm water and cold water meet are important areas where birds, fish, and marine mammals congregate. Benthic complexity in the form of deep water canyons, shallow sea banks, ridges, and sea mounts are also productive areas supplied with nutrients that are upwelled to the surface from bottom currents. Oceanographers

also scan the horizon for birds, which can provide details on where to find fish. For instance, tuna fisherman often look for sooty shearwaters (Ardenna grisea) and black footed-albatross (Phoebastria nigripes) on the horizon, as these birds are commonly associated with tuna feeding on pelagic baitfish.

The open ocean is also a major highway, crisscrossed with surface currents like the California Current which transports oxygen, nutrients, and organisms over enormous distances. Many of these organisms are planktonic, and rely on ocean currents for transport. Plankton are classified as either phytoplankton or zooplankton. Phytoplankton are algae like organisms that rely on nutrients and sunlight to obtain energy. They are the basis of all marine food webs and provide the majority of oxygen to our atmosphere. Zooplankton are animals and rely on phytoplankton for energy. Many species like copepods (small crustaceans) are highly abundant and important food items for other pelagic animals like jellyfish. Plankton can also be differentiated based on size from ultraplankton, chiefly bacteria, to megaplankton like jellyfish.

Animals that utilize ocean currents, but have their own

Photo Risso's dolphins (Grampus griseus) & Pacific white-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens) traveling in the open Pacific © Josh McInnes

form of locomotion are known as nekton. Nekton can resemble anything from squid to dolphins.

The open ocean is split vertically into multiple zones that differ in depth. The Sunlit Zone, within the first 200m of water, is the most productive as sunlight penetrates below the surface fueling photosynthesis. Below the sunlit zone is the Twilight Zone that extends to 1000m, where little to no photosynthesis occurs. Many of the marine organisms inhabiting this zone migrate daily to the surface to feed on phytoplankton with the retreat of the sun. The Dark Zone extends from 1000m to 4000m, where no light penetrates. Many of the animals inhabiting this area rely on bioluminescence to find prey and mates.

Once you leave the coastal waters and cross the continental shelf, deep water abyssal plains extend over vast distances. The abyssal plains can reach depths of up to 6000m. The deepest ocean habitat is the Hadal zone, where the sea floor plunges into deep water canyons and trenches. Animals inhabiting the Hadal Zone are adapted to dealing with extensive pressure, as depths may reach 11000m.

Many species in the open ocean are streamlined and built for swimming long distances in search of food. Tuna are a spectacular family of fish species that cover entire ocean basins. Fifteen species have been identified, with the best known being the Albacore (Thunnus alalunga), Skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis), yellowfin (Thunnus albacares), and Bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus). They are one of a few species that are able

to maintain a higher body temperature then the surrounding water, and are capable of reaching swimming speeds of 75km/hr.

While looking for prey in the open ocean, tuna often are associated with dolphins. Tuna will often follow dolphins to find food, or will travel with them for protection against sharks. Other fish species like the ocean sunfish (Mola mola) follow ocean currents feeding on jellyfish. Sunfish can often be encountered resting motionless at the surface where marine birds will pick pelagic parasites and barnacles from their skin.

Open ocean ecosystems cover the majority of our planet, but our poorly understood. Most of our knowledge regarding them comes from extensive surveys made through technological advancements in the last few decades. We now know that humans are having a major impact on open ocean habitats. Overfishing has decimated many fish populations, including tuna, anchovy, and sardine. Giant current driven gyres of plastic and garbage like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch threaten the lives of sea turtles and marine birds. By consuming plastic many of these species starve to death, as plastic blocks the digestive tract. Climate change and warm water anomalies like the “warm blob” that appeared in the Northeastern Pacific in 2014 have changed the movements and distribution of marine organisms.

The open ocean is an amazing dynamic ecosystem. Unless we limit our impact on it, many of the incredible species that are found there may disappear.

Josh McInnes is a cetacean ecologist and research coordinator at MarineLife Studies in Monterey Bay, CA. He taught ocean sciences at the Bamfield Marine Science Centre from 2014-2016. He lives in Victoria, BC.

Photos Ocean Sunfish (Mola mola) ; Leatherback Sea Turtle; Albacore Tuna © Josh McInnes

DEATH CAP MUSHROOM

Recently I wrote about mushrooms—more specifically, the lobster mushroom—in my Eat Local column. I find that I need to once again write about a specific mushroom: The Death Cap Mushroom, Amanita phalloides. You see, during the last five mushroom walks that I have given, I have been asked about the Death Cap Mushroom. People have read about two puppies who died this year from eating these mushrooms in the Victoria area and a child who died in 2016, and this has raised concerns. With misinformation being presented online and in news publications, one can hardly blame them. So I would like to present some facts about this mushroom in regards to North America in general and Vancouver Island specifically.

The very first recorded sighting of a Death Cap Mushroom in North America was at the Del Monte Hotel in Monterey, California, in 1938. In 1945 another was spotted growing on the lawn of the Berkeley University Grounds. The Death Cap then worked its way up the coast, and in 1997 it was spotted in the Fraser Valley, where it is now common. It is currently showing up on southern Vancouver Island, some Gulf Islands and on the Sanich Peninsula.

This mushroom is of European descent. It is believed to have come here as mycelium on a host tree. Although it has been found growing on the roots of Cork Oaks, its origin is still unknown. The best we can do is understand that it came here as a dangerous invasive species, and is first recorded in Monterey. What we do know for sure is that the Death Cap found on the Island is genetically identical to the European one.

Since the reports on social media and various news outlets about finding this mushroom, people are reporting seeing them all over the Island. The majority of the time the reported mushrooms are leucoagaricus leucothites or, more commonly, the White Dapperling Mushroom.

There have also been statements that you should never handle these mushrooms, or any mushroom for that matter, as you can be dermally poisoned. According to mycologists worldwide there is no danger in handling essentially any mushroom under any normal circumstance.

Jason Gowen, from the Vancouver Island Mushroom Group on Facebook, and I recently had a conversation about

Bud Logan

Photo © Vladyslav Siaber / AdobeStock FOOD FOR THOUGHT

this mushroom. Gowen told me that he spoke with mycologist Dr. Berch who, along with several other mycologists, is involved in tracking these mushrooms. Dr. Berch states there have been no confirmed sightings of the Death Cap (Amanita phalloides) on the North Island at this time.

The fact is that the North Island does not have the required host trees at sufficient maturity or quantity. Primarily, in Europe, we see them with Hornbeam, Oak, Hazelnut and occasionally Chestnut. Most common of those are the Oak and the Hornbeam trees. They are predisposed to European hardwoods, some of which has been planted around the South Island.

This mushroom has only been shown to form mycorrhizae with the Gary Oak, as it appears to be our only indigenous tree that they are readily adapting to, which is why, for now, their distribution is relatively contained to the South Island.

COMMUNITY IN ACTION

CAMPBELL RIVER COMMUNITY FOUNDATION AND RBC FOUNDATION CELEBRATE PROJECT BRINGING YOUTH AND SENIORS TOGETHER WITH $15,000

Campbell River Community Foundation and the RBC Foundation are providing a grant of $15,000 to support Brighter Day, a youth-led project bringing young people and seniors together to promote understanding and a sense of belonging.

“It is very exciting to have support from the Campbell River Community Foundation and RBC Foundation for this project,” says Chloe Valentine, Youth Leader. “The idea for Brighter Day came from our passion for improving mental health in our community. I can’t think of a better way to build resilience and belonging than by bringing youth and seniors together to share positive experiences and connections.”

As a part of the RBC Future Launch Community Challenge, grants like this one are awarded to youth-led projects in 150 small and medium-sized communities across Canada. The goal of the program is to shift the power to young leaders making positive social or environmental change in their communities, while gaining valuable skills and experience.

“Young people are not future leaders— they are leading social and environmental change right now. We are honoured to play a role in the bold change that youth are leading across the country through this national initiative with RBC,” says Andrew Chunilall, CEO of Community Foundations of Canada.

www.crfoundation.ca

Taunya Holland

Photos © Jason Gowen

Photo © edb3_16 / AdobeStock

ARTIST FEATURE

ERIN BRILLON

is of Haida and Cree ancestry. Her work experience has been in deep connection to her people. From the age of 14, Erin assisted her mother, Edna Brillon, in promoting, marketing, and selling Northwest Coast Native art. Growing up in the field of a thriving and internationally revered art form has had a lifelong impact.

Being a close family friend and distant relative to Haida artist Bill Reid has profoundly inﬂuenced her life. Art show openings, urban feasts, and Indigenous gatherings were a regular part of her life.

Erin has always held a deep sense of pride and reverence for her culture. As a young adult, Erin moved into the area of developing and coordinating healing programs on First Nations reserves throughout B.C. These programs addressed the intergenerational effects of colonization and the traumas of the Indian residential school system. This provided her with an in-depth experiential understanding of the issues that are at the heart of the disempowerment of Indigenous people.

For nearly a decade, Erin worked for an Aboriginal non-profit organization, which provides a variety of social programs in Courtenay, Vancouver Island. Erin’s work focused on the development, administration, and facilitation of a variety of Indigenous youth and family-based empowerment programs. Three years into this work Erin realized that her ability to create a positive impact was limited due to her lack of higher education. So she spent the next 3.5 years completing a Liberal Arts Degree with a minor in psychology. Erin completed her studies while working part-time at Wachiay, and parenting her three active kids. Erin went on to create an art program and social enterprise called OneTribe, a youth artist collective, where she taught both the making and the marketing of art based products.

Since 2015, Erin has focused all her energy into growing her business, Totem Design House. This has allowed her to collaborate on a clothing line with her brother, Haida Artist Jesse Brillon. Totem Design House has been an all-consuming labor of love for Erin and has stretched her skills and abilities on countless levels. She has single-handedly designed, produced, marketed and administrated every aspect of the business, from making one of a kind traditional regalia, hemp and organic linen home decor textiles, uniquely designed bamboo women’s apparel, to t-shirts and hoodies, and seal fur and dentalia shell jewelry.

Totem Design is founded on Indigenous values and is careful to not “trinketize” or devalue the art form. Erin explains that the market for northwest coast giftware products and clothing is ﬂooded by mass-produced,

mostly made overseas goods, where native artists are paid only nominal royalties.

"We are the antidote to the ongoing commodification of our culture, by what has largely been dominated by non-Indigenous business owners,” she says.

Totem Design House is the culmination of a successful family effort: the clothing and accessories are featured in Smithsonian Museum Gift Stores, and other museums such as McCord Museum in Montreal and the Haida Gwaii Museum.

In 2015, Andy Everson, acclaimed Northwest Coast artist, joined forces with Erin. All aspects of their lives melded: personally, professionally, and culturally. The fruition of this creative connection is the expansion into a brand new studio. Erin designed every square inch of the space from the ground up, from the working studio and showroom to their living space above the waterfront studio on Comox Avenue on K’omoks First Nation.

Erin has been driven to expand on the work she has done in nonprofit empowerment work by establishing the Copper Legacy Indigenous Empowerment Society. Erin has always donated to Indigenous youth projects, from supporting local girls empowerment workshops to aid in the suicide crisis facing Cree youth in Attawapiskat. “With an equal passion to what I have for the art and culture, so too is my passion for uplifting Indigenous people from the aftermath of genocide, colonial oppression, and loss of culture. Through Copper Legacy, we plan to have a broader impact in Indigenous

communities through developing programs and projects that focus on cultural and language revitalization, NWC art development, healing/health/wellness, and environment/food sustainability," she says. "Totem Design House donates a percentage of profits to Copper Legacy, to expand programs. As our business grows, so too does our ability to create a larger positive impact."

Erin believes we are facing a pivotal time in human history—and now is the time to work creatively outside the status-quo culture to support and develop innovative solutions to empower Indigenous people to strengthen communities and protect the environment. “I believe that change begins in small movements that catch on, then grow to eventually change the cultural norms that have previously disempowered or limited us," she says.

"I am convinced that now is the time for the wisdom of Indigenous peoples to inﬂuence the mainstream towards a truly natural sustainable way of life that involves ecological harmony, greater food security, local economies and so on. If I, through my small business, can be a model for local, sustainable development—one that gives back to my culture and my people—then we’ve created a winwin, and that is really what it's all about."

In December 2019, Erin and Andy will be opening their newly built home and production studio and showroom, named Kwigwatsi Studio, on the K’omoks First Nation. The showroom will be open by appointment via their website.

Connect with Erin at totemdesignhouse.ca

Photos L-R Courtesy of Erin Brillon Erin Brillon; Totem Design House shawl, tshirt & necklace; Dogfish Motif Regalia, modeled by Erin's daughter Marlo; Dentrillium shell earrings.

ARTIST FEATURE

BEING HUMAN James L. Anderson

THE TRUTH

The truth is simply this.

What we all need to do now. And what is needed to be said is: “Why?”

Why? Is our world now disintegrating all around us into terror and hate, savage inhumanity, murder and chaos with all hope and faith for a better, more Human world slipping away from us all?

And if we as the walking legends of our Human Life Force on this planet can finally see what the deadly problem is...the only thing that matters is- do we have the faith and the dream still inside us to evolve and transform once again...

To evolve another New Way to be Human on Earth?

Can we step through that door and survive once more into the future by becoming a New Human Species on this planet, and allow our children’s children to survive and walk upon this earth in a new golden age for all Humankind...into the future?

This is the Problem that is threatening us with black oblivion and Dark extinction for all eternity:

Each of us spend our lives in a primal prison we never escape all our lonely, separate lives. You and I spend the sublime mystery of “life” in a private, unspoken prison that we can never truly share with anyone else. No one can ever truly LIVE, experience and feel the world that we separately and in tragic isolation really “know.” And to survive now, we desperately need something more.

The enemy that is tearing our world and our biosphere apart is not “out there” in the world at large. The truth is the enemy is inside us. Every one of us. Each of us spend the magnificent wonder of “life” in a forever discrete lonely sanctuary we can never reach out of to really try to share. Though God knows we try.

And what has kept us in that primitive private prison of I, “me”, ego and self is fear. It is simply the Primal Fear that lurks secretly deep within us all. The threat to survival that drove us deep inside ourselves long and long ago in a primitive, savage and prehistoric dark age of monstrous peril.

But we are living today in another age of terrifying peril and savage threat to the survival of our Human Life Force on earth for all eternity. To survive we can

no longer rage to hide ourselves behind the walls we surround ourselves with. Somehow we must dare to transform and somehow reach outside of our “Solitary One” lives to try to begin to evolve the care and the empathy to form a United Human Life force we will need to face the catastrophic crisis thundering down upon us all. We must now truly comprehend that to save ourselves we can no longer save ourselves by hiding from each other. We can no longer be afraid to reach out to each other...to discover that we are all the same...which we really are.

We must somehow gather together to find the way to begin to see and know each other for who we really are. To truly live and “share” the incomparable wonder of life, itself.

And all of the agony, tragedy, ruthless inhumanity and desperate ignorance now raging all over this earth today are only because the time has come to now escape, or none of us will survive.

We try to escape, but we cannot. Not yet. But it is now, or never.

So what we now need to do, as a Human Life Force, and as the whispering, living legends that still carry the Human Dream is this:

The simple answer, and the only way out of this hopeless, monstrous world today is that we must learn and finally evolve the ultimate form of Communication. We must stand together and conquer our primitive,

prehistoric fear and learn to evolve the unbelievable ability to experience, live, truly know and perfectly “share” another Human life- and ultimately all life. For the very first time, ever. And from that moment on, this earth will transform and change almost beyond imagination and Human Beings will never be the same again. And our Life Force will survive.

Beneath the surface now for centuries we have been secretly transforming towards this metamorphic evolution. We just haven’t realized it yet.

But when we do- nothing will ever be the same again. We will have escaped and have left this hateful, savagely inhuman and wretched primitive world behind us forever.

What if meeting and enjoining another Human Being in the future would be like coming Home?

When we finally evolve the metamorphic ability to share another Human life, and then all life, we will have evolved into a New Human Species on this Earth. And our children will evolve onward and survive...for us all.

It is up to us. You and me.

We must survive, and evolve...and at last truly CARE for each other.

And make it so.

www.james-l-anderson.com

FITNESS,

Vitamin D: Essentials for WINTER IN CANADA

I’d like you to remember not too long ago: You’re outside, its 26 degrees out, you’re considering an iced drink to help combat the heat. I’m willing to bet you were in a good mood, you had plenty of energy and had no issues getting outside. So what can we thank for such a “feel good” feeling all summer that gets people so excited for it to show up? The answer is pretty simple, it’s the sun.

Once the sun comes out all of a sudden we get excited about being out in it. “I’m so stoked to go to the lake in this cold rainstorm,” said no one ever. But alas, December is here, and it's getting cold. You’re bundled up one way or another to try and stay warm. The sun goes down a lot earlier than it did before. And how much of that sun touches your skin has been drastically reduced.

So what does that have to do with vitamin D? I’m glad you asked!

Vitamin D is synthesized and absorbed through our skin from the sun. Vitamin D is also absolutely essential for hormone regulation, sleep regulation, maintaining bone health, Immune system support, mood regulation and stable energy levels. Therefore without that “D” all of those processes run sub par at best. I’m willing to bet that you don’t want all of those processes to be compromised for 6-8 straight months.

Sadly when you live this far north of the border there’s a huge chunk of the year where the sun isn’t in our favour.

Most of us also can’t go on a tropical vacation for 8 months of the year, and if you can you’re probably not reading this right now. So as beautiful as our country is and as much as I love living here, soaking up that sweet sunshine is against us most of the year.

So what can we do about it? I’m also glad you asked! Two good questions in a row! Good for you.

Conveniently, you don’t have to settle for a sub par running system all winter. You also don’t have to force yourself out into what little sunshine we get in a tank top in 4 degree weather for several hours a day just to try and get what little sun is available. Although you can do that if you want. I’m going to stick to supplementation.

Thanks to science and humans being as smart as we are, we have the ability to take parts of our lives where things aren’t quite how we want them to be, and we can fix it at will! As little as 2000IU’s of vitamin D3 in the morning can have all your systems running as if its mid summer, and you can maintain that all winter.

Vitamin D supplementation should be taken with food since nutritional sources of the “D” bond to fatty acids. If you’re going to do it lets make sure you get the most out of it! You have the ability to stave off the winter blues, having your body and mind running optimally every day of the year!

No better day than today to live a happier, healthier life.

Photo © ExQuisine / Adobe Stock

WELLNESS ARTIST

Born in Prince Rupert in the early '60s to an English mother and an Indigenous father, as a newborn Georgina became part of the Sixties Scoop. She was adopted by George and Elsie Prevost, who lived in Alert Bay.

Elsie was a Moody from Waglisla and George was a Namgis man who had been raised as a son by Sam Henderson. George was a fisherman, and Georgina grew up a fisherman's daughter. She instantly took to the water and loved being out on the fishing grounds with her mom and dad, as well as both her older brothers.

From a very early age Georgina loved her culture: the art, the masks, the regalia, the

songs, the dances. She loved to dance, and danced every chance she got. She was also very interested in art, and as a teen she loved to draw with a pencil, creating life-like drawings. She still loves creating pencil crayon drawings so fine and detailed they resemble photographs.

When Georgina was 20, she met and married Bud Logan, a Cree artist. At this time Georgina began to bead —and her creativity began to flow. She loved working with the loom but also felt very creative with free beading. She began to design birds and native doll necklaces along with loomed panels. She would join Bud at art shows, and would usually sell out during the show.

In the early '90s, Georgina joined, along with Bud, the Box Of Treasures Dance Troupe. Bud was the lead drummer and Georgina was one of the dancers. This was an incredible experience for Georgina,

GEORGINA ANN LOGAN THE BEADED DOLLS OF

who still carried her childhood love of dance—now she had the chance to dance at venues up and down the Island.

In 1993, Georgina and Bud, along with Max Chickite, came together for a show at the Aboriginal Journey Art Gallery in Victoria, where Georgina was a big hit. Georgina began to work out of her home concentrating on private orders—but she still loves to dance every chance she gets.

Georgina beads daily, filling orders from across Canada. She enjoys creating custom pieces for her clients. Her first nations doll necklaces are very popular, and she builds many of them in red dresses in honour of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Children of Canada.

Georgina loves going to First Nations gatherings to bead with the elders and youth. She offers help to all who ask, she enjoys sharing her skills and seeing the joy on the faces of those who learn a new beading trick from her.

Georgina and her family have resided in Sayward BC for the past three years. It’s a small community and it suits her love of the outdoors. When she is not beading, she loves to get out and go hiking with Bud.

TBIRDATTYEESPIT

VANCOUVER ISLAND, BC

Photos Georgina dancing in at the Victoria Art Gallery; Beaded ﬂoral bracelet; Beaded doll in red dress in honour of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Children of Canada.

PACIFIC MOLE CRABS

One afternoon, my wife Georgina and I were walking along the sandy beach in San Joseph Bay when I noticed a pair of antenna sticking out of the sand just at the water's edge. As a wave rolled over them, it uncovered a cool little creature called a mole crab.

Bud Logan

I was fascinated by these crustaceans as I had never seen them before. But there were many of them on our beaches that year—you could run your hand through the sand at the water's edge and find them in your hand. Those were the little ones; there were also some fairly large females with eggs, some as big as the palm of my hand.

Pacific Mole Crabs, (Emerita analoga) live along sandy beaches on the west coast of North America, usually bur ied in the sand with only the breathing antennae sticking out. They are common along the California Coast but do show up on our Westcoast Vancouver Island sandy beaches occasionally, usually arriving as larvae by riding the north ern currents. There is the distinct possibility that the water has warmed up enough that local populations have begun to procreate, and we are now seeing the end result of this. I have seen several females with eggs and this seems to support the theory of local procreation.

WISHING

Mole crabs are herbivores, and they feed on dinoflagellates and diatoms. They bury themselves in the sand at the ocean edge, and when a wave goes out, the crab curls its large, feathery second antennae backward and uses them as nets to capture the phytoplankton. The food is scraped from the antennae by specialized appendages and delivered to the mouth. They can bury themselves in less than two seconds—they use the waves to move up or down the beach by letting go just as a wave rolls over them, and then the crab will quickly bury itself again in the surf zone.

On our beaches here on Vancouver Island, there are years where you will see none, and other years where they are everywhere. From 1958 to 1960, west coast beaches were awash with them, but since then they have only shown up in large invasions occasionally. In 2016, at San Joseph Bay, we observed many and some were quite large—one must have been close to 10cm long. It was my first time seeing them, and now I am always on the look out. Once in a while, I might find one or two specimens.

There are many predators that feed on these little crabs. Seabirds are quick to grab one if it becomes unburied, and fish will feed on them at the water's edge. Fishermen will use them as bait when they are surf fishing.

Mole crabs can carry the parasite known as the spiny-headed worm, and these parasites are passed on to their predators. Sea otters and birds can eat large quantities of crabs per day, and sometimes they will consume enough of the spiny headed worms that it kills them.

Closed for Christmas • December 21 to January 6

NATUROPATHIC INSPIRATIONS

Ingrid Pincott N.D.

What better way to start the New Year

than by putting your health first! You are the best person to keep track of your complete health history. Certainly if you are 50 years or older this article is for you. When was the last time you had a really good physical check-up from your health care provider?

General Fatigue: over the years in my practice I found that fatigue can relate to simple things such as anemia. A serum ferritin blood test gives more information regarding iron deficiency anemia and if below 50 may contribute to fatigue. Taking an iron supplement such as ferrous fumurate is an easy fix. So in addition to a CBC ask for a serum ferritin. If your ferritin is too high that is a problem too! Low thyroid function can also contribute to fatigue so naturopathic physicians look for a TSH in the range of 1.5 to 2.5 along with checking T3 and T4. Ask for all three of these tests to determine your thyroid function. Your MD may only order TSH but your ND will order all three.

Liver Health: Did you know that Vancouver Island has one of the highest rates of Hepatitis C with over 985 people in the North Island living with it. You can ask for Hepatitis C screening at clinics, health units and hospitals. Many people are living with the virus and don’t know it. Treatment with antivirals is very effective and if treated early prevents irreversible liver damage. Also ask for liver enzymes such as AST, GGT, ALT, bilirubin and LDH. Optimal liver function helps

Starting the Year off RIGHT

your body detoxify which is important for good vitality and prevention of many chronic diseases of aging.

Heart Health: Measuring blood sugar, Hemoglobin A1C, CRP, homocysteine, lipids, height, weight, waist circumference and blood pressure will provide useful indicators of insulin resistance which is a precursor to diabetes and cardiovascular problems.

Men: Have prostates examined and PSAs measured. If there is a fast changing PSA you want to know about it!

Women: The monthly breast exam is still best but a regular mammogram can pick up pathological breast changes such as calcifications that nothing else can. PAP smears every three years and a yearly pelvic exam assesses the health of your uterus and ovaries. If an ovary is enlarging you want to know as early as possible.

Bowel Health: A FIT stool test done every two years picks up blood in the stool that you cannot see. If detected a colonoscopy is recommended and if there is a polyp in your colon, removing it before it is cancerous is always ideal.

Cancer and heart disease are the two highest causes of mortality in Canada. Making sure these tests are included in your regular check -ups helps you make decisions on how to change your lifestyle to improve these parameters. Your greatest investment is your health!

GROWING UP COASTAL

This article is dedicated to my mother in law Anne Celila, a kind and generous woman who was like a second mom for our kids. Anne passed away recently, and we all miss her very much. Here is a treasured memory from our family, the story of the Surprising Anne Adventure.

I am a democratic dad. When we go on our outings, I offer my sons a world of choice: the bubbling creeks of Lemony Park, the climbable relics of Willing-Beach Trail, the legendary swing that hangs beyond the Seawalk’s end. I made a spreadsheet with walking & biking times to every known playground in Powell River, and some of the unknown ones too. More than anything, variety is the stuff of adventure.

But it’s not exciting—

“Surprising Anne is very exciting!”

One day it was Kevin’s turn to choose. Would it be the beaches or the forests, the creeks or the mountains?

“I choose Anne’s house!”

But, you were just there—

“It’s my turn to choose, and I choose Anne!”

Ok, let me just check if we can drop in—

“NO! If you tell her it won’t be a surprise!”

Now the thing was, Anne didn’t much care for surprises. Anne liked to know what was going on. And Anne was often tired in the evening, for some reason, having watched over my boys all day.

But Kevin was adamant. And so we set out, covertly, on the Surprising Anne Adventure.

It is more than 5 kilometres return to Anne’s house, and the deal was that Kevin had to get there on his own power. No Daddy shoulders, no whining, no demands. Whatever: once

Joseph McLean

his plan was approved, Kevin set off determinedly, dragging Ryan and me along with him like a maniac. We followed a perfect zigzag course, charging up hills and zooming along sidewalks, barely pausing for adventure treats. In record time we were there, tiptoeing across Anne’s yard.

“BOO!” yelled the children, and with that announcement they ﬂung open Anne’s door and marched in like they owned the place. Their grandmother stared at them in wonder, well and truly surprised. “It’s the Surprising Anne Adventuuuuure!” the children howled, drowning out the gentle music she was playing.

“Well come in, come in!” Anne cried. In an instant the kids were gathered round the table, eating crunchy crackers and regaling her with stories of their daring escapades. Soon they brought out binders of their artwork to show me, then their favourite toys and books. It was a great tour of Anne’s House, adventure style.

“I wanted to surprise you, Anne,” Kevin said softly, looking up at her with shining eyes.

“Well Kevin, you did. And you know what? You can surprise me ANY TIME.”

She meant it too. And Kevin never forgot. He continued to demand Surprising Anne Adventures at every opportunity: while going for a supposedly brief stroll, or when asked what life goals he had, or (my favourite) while returning home from a previous Surprising Anne Adventure.

To my great regret, I did not approve every request. I should have known that no adventure destination lasts forever, and that seasons can change quickly, without cause or warning.

Still, we packed in quite a few. By bike, by scooter, by gumboot shuffle: most of Kevin’s speed and distance records were set on a Surprising Anne Adventure. His first time biking unassisted was down Anne’s back lane as we snuck in. He was undaunted by wind and weather, and true to his word he never asked for help. Kevin was motivated by the highest ideals of adventure: the adventure of striving to share joy with the ones you care for.

And the light in her eyes as she welcomed us in — really, that’s no surprise at all.

Joseph McLean lives in Powell River, spending his days with two young kids, a laid-back cat, and a fantastic wife named Katie. He has repaired a lot of computers; seen a number of mountain tops. Facebook.com/GrowingUpCoastal Photo © Joseph McLean

SHIFT HAPPENS Andrea Wagemaker

Inner Child

We all have secrets. And most of us have some wounding tied to our inner child. There are many reasons for our wounding; but regardless of whether it is physical or psychological abuse, a broken family, or another trauma, the deepest, nagging pain will live with us for the rest of our lives. We may be reminded of the pain unexpectedly and triggered without really understanding why. The subconscious mind remembers everything—chances are you are playing out your past events and feelings every day in your adult life without consciously being aware of it.

Often, the baggage we carry from our childhoods can be very difficult to shake, especially when we’ve been exposed to feelings of never being good enough, or constant judgment. This ultimately leads to attracting poor codependent relationships, feelings of sadness, and never fulfilling our dreams. When we decide to look at our inner-child work by connecting to the little boy or girl within us, we can reconnect and understand some of the reasons for our adult triggers, fears, and life patterns. Listening to and communicating with the inner child is also crucial for transformation to occur. This is the magic of inner healing and forgiveness.

The subconscious mind serves as a massive underground mental library, layers of permanently stored memories, habits, behaviors, programming, deep-seated emotions, and really everything that you have learned and experienced up to this point in your life.

It is through healing our inner child, by grieving the wounds that we suffered, that we can change our behavior patterns and clear our emotional baggage. We can release the grief with its pent-up rage, shame, terror, and pain from those feeling places which exist within us.

Inner wounds that need to be healed can come from being raised in a shame-based, emotionally dishonest and a hostile environment by parents or relatives stemming back from generational disease that is the human condition as we have inherited it. If your parents did not know how to be emotionally honest or how to truly love themselves, there is no way that you could have learned from them.

Lucia Light No 3 coupled with Hypnosis shuts down the mind chatter of your past and invites the mind to develop a new positive program so that you are no longer your worst enemy. This is when external and internal manifestation begins and you begin to start setting boundaries, seeing life and other people more clearly, letting go of trying to control and the worrying that accompanies those attempts, and stopping the legacy of your past with your own children. It is possible to feel your feelings without being the victim of them or victimizing others with them once you set your mind to it.

Life can be an exciting, enjoyable adventure if you stop reacting to it out of your childhood emotional wounds and attitudes.

EAT LOCAL

Crowberry

Bud Logan

The further north you go, the lower in elevation the crowberry can be found. In Alaska, you will find them at sea level. On Vancouver Island, you have to get up above 1000 meters to source them. With that said, I can say that they are quite abundant and easy to find on our island mountains. The black huckleberry grows in the same area, and they are pretty awesome to eat as well. I hike up in Strathcona Park to find crowberries as its easy-going on well-maintained paths and the berries are in abundance. Crowberries are usually found in bogs, heaths, barrens and on rocky outcrops that can be found along the boardwalks on the plateau.

The crowberry grows like groundcover and barely gets taller than 20cm. They form mats and are a heather like plant, prickly to the touch and the stems are covered by needle-like spines. The berries are black when ripe and each has a prominent dimple on the bottom. The berries start out red at first but ripen to a nice black color. They ripen late fall and can be found under the snow, you can pick them right through the fall and winter, but wait for the first frost before the first

picking, they sweeten up after a good chill. Up north there are crowberries that ripen in the summer.

A lot of folks will say that you should cook them for a better taste and that they are not so good fresh, but I totally disagree with this. I love the taste of fresh crowberry and will stop to devour them when I find them.

The crowberry fruit can be eaten raw, and I find that the flavor improves after a frost or being frozen. The Inuit and Cree believe that fruit that had spent the winter under the snow was incredibly delicious. The fruit can also be used to dye furs and to make a vitamin-rich beverage. You can use the stems to make braided rope, and this rope is surprisingly strong.

An interesting fact about the crowberry is that it produces a toxin that fights the growth of other plants. The leaves of the crowberry have small glands that produce Batatasin III. When the leaves die and fall to the ground, they slowly break down, releasing the toxin. This toxin has the power to stop other species from growing, this is why when you find them they form dense mats of growth.