We’re almost halfway through the Shaker of the Leaves Moon, and we really are coming to a slow season for restoration events, and other events on the land that are lead by our Indigenous hosts in these territories (Coast Salish, primarily). That doesn’t mean there aren’t heaps of ways to connect.
The only restoration event that’s on any calendars that have made their way to me is:
Lekwungen Community Toolshed
This event will be taking place on the Maplebank Songhees Reserve lands and will see for sure some removals of invasive plant relatives, but it’s also a Planting Day! Come on down and support lək̓ʷəŋən restoration of a very sacred place.
- Friday, 1 December 2023
- 1pm-4pm
- Registration through HAT: https://hat.bc.ca/volunteer/restoration-at-maplebank
Bring a snack (there will be snacks), some water, and your eyēʔ sqȃ’lewen (good heart, good mind) and return some of the plant relatives salvaged from development sites around lək̓ʷəŋən, W̱SÁNEĆ, and T’sou-ke territory as they find a new home.
Other Resources
If you are still looking for Indigenous-led actions and projects to support, try signing up with our hosts, and with the Urban Indigenous community, and other orgs.
- W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council: https://mailchi.mp/f66b33131dd6/wsanec?fbclid=IwAR2S5SbYDPpOduRY0Gn_1LOriFXVQjtaUf0o-PBti05oOxEiFttXAAst4I0
- The Victoria Native Friendship Centre: https://vnfc.ca/community-action-and-learning/
- Contact Songhees if you want to try and get involved with their programming: https://www.songheesnation.ca/
- Surrounded by Cedar: https://surroundedbycedar.com/volunteer/
- Get on the PEPÁḴEṈ HÁUTW̱ volunteer mailing list: https://pepakenhautw.land/volunteer
- and do some googling!
More events will be posted here as they get posted elsewhere. Otherwise, see you in the late-winter/early-spring when the W̱SÍ,ḴEM Ivy Project, the Lekwungen Community Toolshed, and other restoration work starts up again.
QENSET SW̱ OL HÁLE (take care everyone)!