W̱SÁNEĆ nation celebrates land transfer – Victoria Times Colonist
August 22, 2023
Family that had farmed the land happy wetland is returning to the First Nation
The WSÁNEĆ Nation plans to restore a former wetland near Stelly’s Secondary School to its original state after receiving a transfer of 18 hectares of land from a family.
The land, known as TIKEL (pronounced tsee-kull) or Maber Flats, has been owned by the Berglund family since 1989 and used for farming, most recently of barley until last fall. It’s now mostly overgrown with tall grasses.
The land was once cultivated by the WSÁNEĆ people to collect food and medicine. The pacific willow harvested at the site was used to make reef nets that allowed the community to fish at sea. Despite being drained for farming, the land is home to about 175 migratory bird species.
The transfer of the land is an example of “reconciliaction,” providing a place to harvest traditional plants and hold ceremonies again, said Don Tom, chair of the WSÁNEĆ Leadership Council and chief of the Tsartlip First Nation.
Read More: https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/wsanec-nation-celebrates-land-transfer-7438298
