THE INTEGRATION OF INDIGENOUS AQUACULTURE PRACTICES
Supporting Indigenous aquaculture practices is a central focus for the Swinomish Shellfish Program. In addition to the clam garden project, program staff joined a network of key stakeholders and traditional stewards including First Nations in British Columbia; Washington Sea Grant, Hawaii Sea Grant, and Alaska Sea Grant; local non-profit organizations; Hawaiian communities; universities; and Northwest Indian College. The goal of the network is to promote Indigenous aquaculture practices in the broader Pacific region to enhance local, ecosystem-based marine food production. The Shellfish Program, with assistance from Sea Grant funding, were able to support tribal members, leadership, and tribal staff travel to Oahu with Pacific Northwest tribes, First Nations in British Columbia, Pacific Islanders, and Sea Grant staff to learn about loko i’a, a traditional Hawaiian aquaculture system, from Native Hawaiians. Opportunities for communities to directly share knowledge strengthens partnerships and advances efforts to revive Indigenous practices that enhance food security, sovereignty, and community health and wellbeing. PART 1
A DAY WITH THE ANCESTORS ALANA QUINTASKET
AUGUST 31, SALT SPRING ISLAND, CANADA — It was August, the best month of the year. Life is busy, there are always things to do, places to be – Canoe Journey, Omak Stampede weekend, Swinomish Clambake, the employee picnic, my birthday, and anything else that can be squeezed in during those shortening summer days. I remember how excited I was when I was invited to a clam garden. I had no idea what to expect, and I didn’t understand how such a large part of who we are had been kept from me my entire life.
It was a cold, grey morning when we met at the marina in La Conner. I was not prepared for a breezy boat ride, but I toughed it out. Going through customs to cross the “border” was much simpler than going by car. On the canoe, like our ancestors, we see no “border” and we usually paddle across with no disturbance from the Coast Guard or U.S. Customs. When we arrived at the clam garden, we were dropped off at the rock wall that we would later learn that the oldest relics were carbon-dated to be about 4,000 years old!
A CLAM GARDEN, what?! Clams are one of my favorite foods – I couldn’t wait to learn more about our ancestors’ We started with a circle, where we learned about how relationship with the clam garden! work was resumed at this clam garden just over a decade 16
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