Long before European explorers arrived on the Canadian West Coast, First Nation’s people had been sustaining their growing populations for thousands of years.
Securing reliable food sources was a key component of survival. Alongside hunting, fishing and plant gathering, the ability to cultivate seafood was an essential knowledge. The remains of Quadra Island’s forgotten clam gardens are a testament to early people’s ingenuity.
The Museum at Campbell River, in partnership with the Discovery Passage Aquarium and the Nuyumbalees Society, will present Prof. Dana Lepofsky of Simon Fraser University on Friday evening, Feb. 7, from 7-9 p.m. Dr. Lepofsky will share the little known story of the clam gardens on our coast and the research work taking place. The talk will address how early First Nations people managed to enhance the growth of shellfish in order to secure their food and livelihoods. Dr. Dana Lepofsky is Professor at the School of Archaeology at Simon Fraser University and a founding member of the coast-wide Clam Garden Network. She has published dozens of papers on the effects of human interaction with their environment and has supervised a great number of students. Entrance is by donation. To reserve a seat, call the Museum at 287-3103.