Indigenews

Invasive plants affect our way of life — here’s how we can lessen the impacts

Published

2 weeks ago

May 21, 2023

Me as a child, picking huckleberries with my mom and grandpa.

When I was a child, as soon as I could walk, my dad began taking me out onto the land to hike, hunt and gather.

There are pictures of me as a toddler with my family learning how to pick huckleberries on a mountainside. I remember at a young age being told what we could take — and what not to take — from the land.

My dad was always clear about warning me which plants were dangerous or poisonous along with teaching me which plants were edible or used ceremonially.

He showed me different insects and plants that could catch on my clothes, and how, if I wasn’t careful, they could be mistakenly brought back home with us. That was how I first learned about invasive species.

Burdock burrs pictured near kɬúsx̌nítkʷ (Okanagan Lake). Photo by Sage Flett Kruger

From the Okanagan where fields of sp̓iƛ̓əm (bitterroot) grow, to the oceans where coastal nations harvest seaweed, all the way to the prairies where sweetgrass is collected, we can see how our ways of life are being impacted by invasive plant species.

This goes back to when settlers first arrived here with cattle that would have burdock — or Russian thistle — stuck to their fur or hooves. Any farm animals from other continents can be carriers of plants or insect species.

Birds inadvertently spread seeds of Russian olive trees, as the seeds can be ingested and expelled while still remaining viable. This type of plant spread is natural and can be a positive thing, if the plant is natural to the ecosystem — but not if the plant is native to somewhere else.

As a child, I recall burdock burrs getting stuck onto my pants and my dad picking them off and telling me: “Daughter, if you keep walking with seeds on your clothes, it could spread weeds when they would drop off somewhere else.”

There were a variety of invasive plant species that were spreading through our territory and I was taught to be mindful of that.

I am Okanagan and Secwepemc on my father’s side, and Swampy Cree and Métis on my mother’s. I was raised in the Okanagan Nation territory with my people’s cultures and traditions.

Our Okanagan origin story, our captikʷł, has deep meaning about our roles and responsibilities to the land, water and animals. We are stewards of Mother Earth: we take care of her and she takes care of us.

My little sister and I picking Indian tea on a school field trip.

My dad’s teachings about invasive plants continued as I got older — I recall riding in the truck bed with my cousins for a day trip up the mountain to harvest our foods and medicine and ceremony plants, like sp̓iƛ̓əm (bitterroot), Indian tea or sage.

If we saw fields of gumweed or Russian stinging nettle, my dad would use this as a time to teach us what happens when an invasive plant species takes over.

“They take the land where our native species were natural to and the noxious weeds over-populate and push out our native species,” my dad tells me now.

“Because they aren’t natural to the land, the ecosystem doesn’t have natural predators or systems to moderate their growth.”

How invasives impact harvesting

Recently I was talking to Ryan Fowler, a field technician from the Penticton Indian Band (PIB) Natural Resources Department, about the challenges of invasive plants when it comes to traditional harvesting.

Patches of noxious weeds and other invasive plants taking over poses a problem for many Indigenous people trying to gather medicines from the land, he explained.

“For one thing ‘invasives’ generally start invading from roads and trails, overtaking the native species,” Fowler told me.

“This creates physical barriers for the community’s eldest and the youngest harvesters and community members with mobility challenges.

“It limits their access to the harvesting sites. This also impedes the transmission of knowledge from generation to generation and overall makes harvesting take more effort, time and energy for any community member.”

A Russian olive tree pictured near kɬúsx̌nítkʷ (Okanagan Lake). Photo by Sage Flett Kruger

The evolution of these noxious weeds has been centuries in the making for what we see here today in “Canada” — from the lands to the water and every ecosystem in-between.

And it’s not just invasive plants, but other species, too. In the Okanagan, salmon now have to compete for territory, food and nutrients — fighting against Mysis shrimp, bass and carp, to name a few. For example, carp can mate up to four times a year and will eat salmon eggs as a food source.

The ripple effect

In 2021, I started working for my band, PIB, as a forestry technician. I was a part of a crew that was tasked with pulling invasive weeds and replanting native species.

We were put on restoration programs to help our lands to build these ecosystems back to how they would have been seen pre-settler interaction.

This work taught me so much — like how something so small, like a little seed, can affect an entire field. This is something that can be overlooked in today’s world.

Something like gumweed or sulphur cinquefoil can overtake a field where milkweed would otherwise grow. If milkweed can’t grow there, it affects a host of other species, such as Monarch butterflies, which only lay eggs on milkweed. Their larvae (caterpillars) won’t eat any other plant.

The milkweed also contains a poisonous substance that helps Monarch caterpillars deter predators. So without it, it becomes difficult for them to survive.

A milkweed plant. Photo by Sage Flett Kruger

While invasive plants pose a problem — many of our communities are actively working to find solutions.

Many First Nations have forestry and natural resources departments, which often employ or work with biologists, guardianship programs or stewardship programs to help stop the spread of noxious weeds.

Another example of this is fishing the bass out of the lake and leaving it for bears or coyotes.

Fowler told me that his work at PIB has included removing invasive weeds and transporting them in a sealed container to the landfill to be buried.

“In a season, our team removes thousands of pounds of invasive plants,” he said.

sp̓iƛ̓əm (Bitterroot). Photo by Sage Flett Kruger

Learning about these invasive plant species is a step forward in understanding how to prevent these species from spreading. Fowler reiterated the same knowledge I’ve learned from my dad, which is that, when harvesting, we must take the initiative to inspect our clothing for any seeds or pieces of vegetation — and dispose of any invasive plants or seeds properly.

In Penticton, the landfill takes invasive plants for free, and buries them where they won’t germinate and spread.

There are other resources available such as Okanagan Invasive Species Online and Invasive Species Canada that go into detail about the wide array of invasive species.

In addition to regional parks, there are also organizations such as the Invasive Species Council of BC, which offers free online workshops. The Invasive Species Council of BC has declared this month, May, as Invasive Species Action Month — which makes it an ideal time to talk about how invasives impact us and how we can protect native plants and animals.

As Indigenous peoples, we are the ones to continue our traditions of harvesting and gathering, so it is our responsibility to continue these traditions mindfully to lessen the impact of these invasive plant species and repair the damage already done.

My nation, the Okanagan Nation, exercised our stewardship rights, by creating policies to protect lands where our natural medicines grow.

Gathering wild rose, petals and rose hips. Photo by Sage Flett Kruger

These small steps can make an impact that helps even the smallest of creatures. It goes a long way in the way of living before this land was changed and altered.

It is important to help these lands of ours as we continue to gather our traditional medicines and foods, for the generations to come.

“I think raising awareness at a community level has been on the rise and is a fundamental key to getting invasive plants species under control,” Fowler added.

“The more community members that are aware of the problem, the more we can chip away at it.”

The post Invasive plants affect our way of life — here’s how we can lessen the impacts appeared first on IndigiNews.

Indigenews

‘They invented them or what?’: Parksville councillor under fire for comment about Indigenous plants

Published

2 days ago

June 2, 2023

Parksville Coun. Adam Fras, as pictured on the City of Parksville website.

Community members are raising concerns over a City of Parksville councillor’s “unacceptable” Facebook comment which appears to mock the recognition of Indigenous plants.

An account belonging to Councillor Adam Fras made the remark on May 17 in response to a CHEK News story about a local Indigenous plant. The story featured the lək̓ʷəŋən name for the plant that most English speakers know as camas.

In the article, a Songhees expert shares cultural knowledge about the nutritional benefits and history of kwetlal, as it is known in lək̓ʷəŋən. kwetlal blooms with purple flowers and has been farmed and harvested by Songhees people for thousands of years.

In the comment section under the Facebook post, one reader wrote: “Thank you, I’m looking forward to learning the Indigenous names for plants and trees. After all, these are Indigenous plants and trees.”

In response to this comment, Fras replied: “Indigenous plants and trees? They invented them or what?”

The comment upset Jessica Linford, who was scrolling through Facebook when she happened upon the story and his reply.

“For me, I wouldn’t want an elected official saying anything that could be construed as dismissive of a community that they might represent,” she told IndigiNews.

IndigiNews reached out by email and phone to Fras to ask him about the comment and about his response to community concerns but did not receive a response.

A screenshot of the comment made by Coun. Adam Fras.

Linford brought the comment to the attention of her friend Cindy Robinson, a local resident and member of the Kitasoo / Xai’xais First Nation.

Robinson said that the comment was especially upsetting because recognizing Indigenous knowledge has been highlighted as a priority in response to efforts such as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

“And those remarks are very harsh and unacceptable for someone in his type of leadership role,” she said, adding that all of these incidents build up to break trust.

“One little incident such as that it just kind of sets us back and you know, makes me kind of resistant to to want to proceed with helping or initiating ways of doing things together.”

Jessica Linford was upset by the Facebook comment made by Fras. Submitted photo

Linford, a non-Indigenous woman, was upset to see laughing icons on the post, so went to look at the comments. That’s where she saw that Fras had responded with a laughing emoji to the reader comment thanking CHEK News for the article. Linford recognized his name and confirmed that he is on Parksville city council.

Other members of the public who saw Fras’s comment also replied to it, with one remarking: “scary he is on council in PV.”

Councillor Fras’s comment has since been deleted, although the responses are still visible.

According to the provincial government website on the conduct of locally elected officials, “Responsible conduct is grounded in elected officials conducting themselves according to principles such as integrity, accountability, respect, and leadership and collaboration in a way that furthers a local government’s ability to provide good governance to their community.”

When contacted by IndigiNews, Parksville Mayor Doug O’Brien said, “I believe that the person that should be commenting on this posting would be Adam Fras. In all honesty, I do not follow Facebook, nor comment on posts that are brought to my attention.”

Fras is a second-term elected member of the Parksville city council and the city liaison to the Parksville and District Historical Society. According to their website, the objectives of the society are to gather and preserve information of educational, historical and cultural value associated with the area.

Fras, who began his second term as a Parksville city councillor in October of last year, is the city liaison to the Parksville and District Historical Society. In the post on Facebook announcing his decision to run again for a seat on city council, he wrote, “After years of learning the role and processes involved, I am ready to lean into my experience with the genuine, kind, and commited nature I am known for.”

For Linford, that kindness was not on display in his comment. “It feels, minimally, very inappropriate to react that way publicly.”

As for Robinson, she says Fras’s comment conflicts with his responsibilities as a city councillor. “You think about who he is and, I mean, it’s just unacceptable.”

The post ‘They invented them or what?’: Parksville councillor under fire for comment about Indigenous plants appeared first on IndigiNews.

Indigenews

Hundreds march in memory of Carsyn Seaweed as community seeks answers

Published

3 days ago

June 1, 2023

Carsyn Mackenzie Seaweed’s family wore white t-shirts with the teen’s photo on it. Carsyn was from the Na̱mǥis Nation on her mother’s side and Cowichan Tribes on her father’s side. She had strong family connections to both communities. Photo by Shalu Mehta

CONTENT WARNING: This story includes content regarding “Canada’s” ongoing genocidal epidemic of MMIWG2S+. Please look after your spirit and read with care.

As a dark cloud loomed overhead, hundreds of people took part in a march in Quw’utsun’ territories to show support for the family of Carsyn MacKenzie Seaweed on Wednesday.

The event in “Duncan” was held as a call for justice for the 15-year old Na̱mǥis and Quw’utsun’ girl whose suspicious death is now under investigation.

The march began at the Quw’utsun Cultural Centre and made its way through town past city hall. As the march wove through the streets, people stopped on the sidewalk and came out of shops, many with hands on their hearts, in a show of solidarity for Carsyn and her family.

Community members stopped on the street and came outside of shops to pay respects as the march walked by. Photo by Shalu Mehta

The march ended at the Cowichan Tribes soccer fields where Carsyn’s mom, Marie Seaweed, last saw her daughter.

“I gave my daughter her last hug right over there,” Seaweed said following the march. “I just want people to see Carsyn as the beautiful, happy teenager she was. She deserved to live a long life and she deserves justice.”

Carysn’s dad, Benny George of Cowichan Tribes, also spoke to the crowd after helping to lead the march.

Supported by family and community, Benny George sang and helped to lead the march in honour of his daughter, Carsyn MacKenzie. Photo by Shalu Mehta

“There’s just no words to express how I feel. I have my family here supporting me and carrying some of that burden,” said George, who added the display of support has been ongoing since he and Marie first received the news.

He thanked those that travelled to be at the march, including chiefs who arrived from “Alert Bay.” Carsyn lived in and had ties in many communities across “Vancouver Island,” and George says her loss has been felt across the Island.

She came from nobility

According to a statement by North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP, Carsyn was found in a “semi-conscious state under suspicious circumstances” on May 15. Family members of Carsyn have said she was found covered under pallets, cardboard and twigs. Tragically, Carsyn died after being found.

As previously reported by IndigiNews and the Discourse, police initially told the Cowichan Valley Citizen there was no criminality involved in her death. At a rally outside of the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP headquarters on May 26, Insp. Chris Bear said that this was a “miscommunication”, and apologized to Carsyn’s family.

In an email statement, RCMP said Carsyn’s death is not being investigated as a homicide, but that the circumstances leading up to her discovery are considered “suspicious,” and are being investigated. The BC Coroners Service is also investigating the death.

Carsyn’s family members from both the Cowichan Valley and Alert Bay showed up at the march to support each other and call for justice and answers for Carsyn.

From left to right, Chief Rick Johnson of the Kwikwasut’inuxw Haxwa’mis First Nation, Sandy Seaweed (Carsyn’s Grandmother), Ella (Carsyn’s younger sister), and Carsyn’s mother, Marie Seaweed. Photo by Shalu Mehta

“Carsyn comes from nobility from the four tribes of Kingcome,” said Chief Rick Johnson of the Kwikwasut’inuxw Haxwa’mis First Nation.

Johnson said that on both sides of Carsyn’s family, she came from a long line of chiefs.

“The family wants some answers. Carsyn comes from a really strong family. There needs to be an investigation. We need to find out what happened.”

The family is seeking justice, Johnson said, advocating for First Nations people to have a voice in colonial systems that fund and dictate how investigations are carried out.

“The very basics of reconciliation is for First Nations to have a voice and we’re asking that from the powers that be,” Johnson said. “We’re asking that resources be put forward to the family, to the Cowichan Nation here, so an investigation can happen.”

Calls for justice and safety

Community members spoke before and after the march, including organizers Monica Patsy Jones and Joe “Bingo” Thorne.

“It saddens my heart that we had to come together as one because we lost a loved one,” Jones said.

Jones’ sister, Catherine Joe, was murdered in 1977 and the case is still unsolved. Jones now heads the non-profit Cowichan Missing and Murdered Women, Men, and Children. She and other volunteers follow tips and search areas in the Cowichan Valley to find missing community members and surface answers for families. Jones said she does this advocacy work so that no one has to carry the heavy burden of losing a loved one.

Thorne addressed the crowd before the march began, calling for people to work together — including with RCMP — to build a safer community.

“I stand with my grandchildren when I look at all the beautiful kids here, I’m honoured by your presence. We’re not just standing by you. We’re standing for you,” Thorne said.

Cowichan Tribes Chief Lydia Hwitsum noted that the harm that has been caused to Indigenous people — particularly Indigenous women who have been targeted — has been ongoing for generations. She said community members need to support each other to stay safe by looking out for others and following safety tips such as not walking alone or by sharing their locations with friends and family.

Chief Lydia Hwitsum walked with Chief Rick Johnson after she stood to raise her hands to the hundreds that participated in the march. Photo by Shalu Mehta

Colonial institutions, such as the RCMP, also need to educate themselves on the history and role they’ve played in causing harm to Indigenous communities, Hwitsum said.

“This is a call for justice,” Hwitsum said as she addressed the crowd after the march, her voice growing louder and stronger as her speech progressed.

“Our people are being targeted. We need to all stand together for the safety of this community and reach out together and lift each other up. Recognize when someone needs help and be that helping hand and heart.”

‘Bigger than a march’

Liza Haldane was at the march as a representative of the Tears to Hope Society. The society supports family members of missing and murdered loved ones. Haldane is from Nisga’a Nation, one of the communities along the Highway of Tears.

Haldane said she was at the march as a mother of two Indigenous girls — two girls who she said will not become statistics.

“I just want to honour everybody here that came to fight for that justice,” Haldane said. “Not just for the injustices of all of the missing and murdered, but for the injustices of just being able to be free on our territories.”

Residential “school” survivor Eddie Charlie and friend Kristin Spray — co-founders of Victoria Orange Shirt Day — were at the march as well. Charlie said he felt compelled to attend after seeing the news about Carsyn online. Charlie and Spray presented Carsyn’s mother and grandmother with blankets.

Eddie Charlie, co-founder of Victoria Orange Shirt Day, said he felt like he needed to show up for the march and speak after seeing the news about Carsyn Mackenzie online. Photo by Shalu Mehta

Charlie said one thing he believes everyone needs to do is listen to each other and the stories everyone has. He spoke about the impacts of intergenerational trauma — particularly trauma caused by residential “schools” — and said that in order to heal, people need to talk about it.

“We need to stand up and start talking. We need our people to listen. That’s how we’re going to be able to work together, be strong as a community, be strong as family again,” Charlie said.

After the march, Cowichan Tribes council member Howie George spoke on behalf of Joe Thorne and addressed the crowd. He raised his hands to Carsyn’s family and the Chiefs who travelled to Quw’utsun lands from Alert Bay and said that the community wants to help the family heal.

March for Justice co-organizer Joe “Bingo” Thorne (left) stands beside Cowichan Tribes Council Member Howie George after the march. Photo by Shalu Mehta

George spoke about how the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous people has touched communities across “Canada” and the “U.S.” for generations. He said he hopes the feeling of love and support felt at the march makes its way to people in power so change can happen. He also called for more funding and support from RCMP to lead investigations into the missing and murdered and said people need to come together to solve this issue.

“This is way bigger than what we can do ourselves. It’s bigger than a march,” George said. “But the march we have is from true love. We can send that. We have the magic to send that feeling straight to the top.”

Family seeks answers

Standing with her youngest daughter, Ella, after the march, Marie Seaweed remembered her daughter Carsyn as a “beautiful 15-year-old girl.” She said Carsyn was a “natural caretaker” who loved her family and siblings and always made people laugh. Carsyn loved soccer, had goals to become a nurse and was excited to get her driver’s licence next year, her mother said.

Carsyn’s mother, Marie Seaweed (left) stands with her eight-year-old daughter Ella and her mother, Sandy following the march. Photo by Shalu Mehta

RCMP have been keeping in contact to the extent that they can regarding the investigation into Carsyn’s death, Seaweed said. Seeing so many people spreading the word about Carsyn’s case and sharing posters about it leaves Seaweed feeling hopeful.

“I just want justice for my daughter,” Seaweed said. “I want to find out who did that to her, who left her there, because someone meant for her to be there. I just want to know.”

In a plea for justice, Cowichan Tribes Chief Lydia Hwitsum spoke the crowd after the march and asked anyone with any information regarding Carsyn’s case to “step up, call the police, use the online reporting [and] talk to someone.”

“Share what you know. It might be just that little bit of information that’s going to help us find justice,” Hwitsum said.

Anyone with information regarding Carsyn Mackenzie Seaweed’s case is asked to contact North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP at 250-748-5522. An online reporting tool to share information is also available.

A call to action for community safety, including personal safety recommendations, a list of crisis lines and supports and key safety and reporting contacts has also been shared by Cowichan Tribes on Facebook and the Cowichan Tribes website.

The post Hundreds march in memory of Carsyn Seaweed as community seeks answers appeared first on IndigiNews.

Indigenews

Community rallies for Carsyn Seaweed, as RCMP apologize for ‘miscommunication’ in her case

Published

1 week ago

May 28, 2023

Insp. Chris Bear, left, addressed advocates who rallied outside of the RCMP detachment in “Duncan” on May 26. Adrian Sylvester, right, was one of the event’s organizers. Photo by Shalu Mehta

CONTENT WARNING: This story includes content regarding “Canada’s” ongoing genocidal epidemic of MMIWG2S+. Please look after your spirit and read with care.

People gathered outside of an RCMP detachment in Cowichan territories on Friday to demand justice for 15-year-old Carsyn Seaweed, whose sudden passing has rattled the community.

On May 15, Carsyn was found in “Duncan” in a “semi-conscious state under suspicious circumstances,” according to a statement from police issued Thursday. Family members of Carsyn say she was found covered under pallets, cardboard and twigs. Tragically, Carsyn did not make it.

Carsyn’s family have been advocating for answers about their loved one’s death. A hashtag, #JusticeforCarsyn, has also been created to raise awareness about what happened and how police are handling the case.

The Cowichan Valley Citizen reported that police initially told the outlet “investigators believed there to be no criminality involved” in Carsyn’s death — a statement which led to community outcry given the state in which the teen was found.

However at the rally on May 26, North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP Insp. Chris Bear said this was a “miscommunication” and that police have actually been investigating “since the onset.” He also apologized to Carsyn’s family.

“Our investigators have been in contact with the family,” he said. “If we have created any animosity or upset I sincerely apologize to them.”

In response to the miscommunication, and to bring more attention to the case, Cowichan Tribes community members organized the rally, including Adrian Sylvester — a relative of Carsyn and the founder of the Sasquatch Clan Patrol.

“I wanted to do this rally to [bring] more awareness to the RCMP so that they don’t give up on Indigenous ladies or any lady that’s found,” he said. “That’s not right. Everybody counts in this world. We’re all the same.”

People brought posters and signs to raise awareness about Carsyn Seaweed’s case. Photo by Shalu Mehta

Carsyn was from the Na̱mǥis Nation on her mother’s side and Cowichan Tribes on her father’s side. She had strong family connections to both communities in the “Cowichan Valley” and “Alert Bay.”

“Carsyn was a nice young lady. Always happy. Very helpful. A very caring person,” Sylvester said.

“Kids are just full of joy, full of love, but when we have stuff like this happen in town, they lose that because they’re scared.

“We have a lot of young people growing up here and if they see all this and say they can’t go to a police officer to get help, what are they going to do?”

‘Enough is enough’

Joe “Bingo” Throne, an unofficial community liaison and knowledge keeper with the B.C School Trustee Association, also spoke at the rally.

“They have a major crimes unit that should have been there immediately,” said Throne about the RCMP.

“I love this community. Right now, you can’t run at night. You can’t let the kids play in the yard. Enough is enough.”

“It’s a state of emergency,” added Monica Patsy Jones.

“We’re the biggest band. There should be resources, security, foot security, and programs to prepare our youth.”

Jones’s sister Catherine Theresa Joe was murdered in 1977. She said her dream is to have a Vancouver-Island-wide alert system that would notify surrounding communities when an Indigenous person goes missing.

People brought posters and signs to raise awareness about Carsyn Seaweed’s case. Photo by Shalu Mehta

Cowichan Tribes issued a statement on Thursday sending condolences and prayers to Carsyn’s family.

“The safety and wellbeing of Quw’utsun Mustimuhw (Cowichan people) and vulnerable populations in our region is a top priority for me and our entire council,” said Chief Lydia Hwitsum.

A spokesperson for Island District RCMP said in an email statement that Carsyn’s death is not being investigated as a homicide.

“The circumstances leading up to the discovery of the girl are suspicious and therefore being thoroughly investigated, including the RCMP Forensic Identification Service with the scene assessment and process,” the response said, in part.

“The investigation is ongoing and we are examining multiple criminal aspects”.

To continue momentum, Thorne, Jones, and Sylvester are coordinating a march for May 31. The march is set to begin at Quw’utsun Cultural Centre parking lot at 11 a.m.

Anyone with information about this incident is being asked to contact the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP at 250-748-5522.

The post Community rallies for Carsyn Seaweed, as RCMP apologize for ‘miscommunication’ in her case appeared first on IndigiNews.