ÍY SȻÁĆEL HÁLE (SENĆOŦEN)/ eyʔ skʷéčəl helə (lək̓ʷiŋiʔnəŋ)/Good day everyone,
PEXSISEṈ (The Moon of the Opening hands, the blossoming out Moon) is a time when “the trees open their leaves in welcome, just as the W̱SÁNEĆ People open their hands to show thanks” (W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council). It’s also a time when some of our hosts are starting to express their gratitude with time on the land, stewarding those relations in the plant nations that are being choked out by invasive species. That means the restoration season is about to get growing!
As settlers, this is a good time for us to renew our commitment to being responsible for our being here through “showing up.” The start of the restoration season is a great way to build relationships and connections with members of the communities on who’s territories we’re displacing/living (in my case the unceded territories of lək̓ʷəŋən, W̱SÁNEĆ, T’sou-ke, Sc’ianew, Pacheedaht mostly), to show gratitude for our being here, and to – as Sarah Jim says – physically decolonize the land.
Here are the first bunch of events that have come my way for this moon:
Saturday 20 April (and others, see the poster!), PEPÁKEṈ HÁUTW̱ is hosting another awesome invasive species (removal) gathering as part of the SṈIDȻEȽ Resiliency Project, restoring the first W̱SÁNEĆ Village site that was/is devastated by Butchart Gardens/Vancouver Portland Cement Company. Bring lunch, water, and some hardy pants and the rest will be provided! Register by emailing Hannah: hannahglass96@gmail.com- Friday 26 April 10-2, Sarah and her W̱SÍ,ḴEM Ivy Project & HAT will be hosting the first ivy pull in the W̱SÍ,ḴEM forest 😀 Bring a lunch, water, and some decent shoes and pants (tools and gloves will be provided) and get your hands in the Earth and support a great local project with a fantastic community! Register at: https://hat.bc.ca/volunteer/wsem-ivy-project-healing-the-place-of-clay-april-26th-2024
- Saturday 27 April, time TBD. The lək̓ʷəŋən Community Toolshed and Cheryl Bryce are inviting volunteers out to support the removal of invasive species at one of the Songhees reserves at the end of April, just as the kwetlal (camas) will be starting to blossom. This event is also supported by HAT! More Details will be added as they come, and a registration link.
This is only the beginning, and it’s looking like it will be a good season for getting out and honouring our reciprocity responsibilities as settlers.
If you’re reading this for the first time, and are concerned about being a settler (especially if you’re of European descent) and aren’t sure of how to show up in Indigenous spaces, please have a look at these really awesome resources:
- W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council’s Resources for Settlers page.
- PEPÁKEṈ HÁUTW̱ (a restoration organization associated with the W̱SÁNEĆ Tribal School, ȽÁU, WELṈEW̱) has a great page on engaging with community.
- This website has a First Steps for Settlers page that might be a bit longer-winded.
See you on the land and, as they say in W̱SÁNEĆ territory, QENSET SW̱ OL HÁLE (you all take care) 🌱