Oh you know just the usual blog posts here on foods and medicines.

Was so excited when Leigh from The Wild Botanicals had reached out to me requesting me to capture their Indigenous Foods Celebration

in their traditional territory of Skwxwú7mesh
. 

Some friends of mine have been organizing Annual  Indigenous Foods Gatherings too on the island for

about the last 10 years & lucky me has gotten to capture them all!  

So of course I was eager and excited to get to do so with this one too!

protocols, are always powerful and beautiful. 

we are all so very much the same with our own different languages. 

Something so very grounding about the beats of the drums, 

the sounds & songs that have been carried for generations. 

Had I not had cameras to hold,

my hands would have been on my heart. 

My eyes closed

& 

Heart wide open. 

I can only imagine the impact these gatherings will have on the next generations. 

thankfully there are some putting in the work.

asking, learning, trying their very best to ensure some of

these ways 

 & 

these foods

& 

their language 

somehow survive for those yet born. 

So many beauty products today are loaded with harmful ingredients 

so plants are how I care, cleanse, protect & moisturize my mug. 

So of course I"m all about adding that 

Indigenous Plant Knowledge into my daily beauty and self care rituals.

(pretty sure it started with my momma way back when as she was the queen of home remedies) 

As huge of a fan I am of these gatherings, 

I couldn't keep a plant alive if my life depended on it!!

just ask my son, he'll be the first to share how many have died on my watch :O 

To the trees 

that give us air to breathe 

 bark to wear

 roots to return to.

& places to pray. 

indigenous world wide 

share these teachings 

these values 

that respect. 

I always remember late Mary Hayes (Tla-o-qui-aht) whom I used to spend time with regularly years ago, 

used to say,

Even the trees have spirit. 

So maybe we're really spirits protecting and connecting with other spirits that are plants & trees. 

Either that or we're magic,

they're magic

or it's all magical?

either way, I'm a believer it in all!  

Then of course I freak out!   

Who are going to be the next 

magical medicine people? ! 

how are they preparing

to ensure our traditional medicines 

continue to heal.

Who will take over for her? 

Oh right... 

Them. 

They are being taught. 

Living and learning right now. 

so to the teachers that taught 

the learners that shared 

to the ones who spoke to their plants 

&

to the ones who believed

thank you Skwxwú7mesh
for receiving such sacred gifts

& for sharing them with us!