On today’s episode of Around the Table, we are in conversation with members of Feasting for Change, an Indigenous-led project in Coast Salish territories in the area that is also colonially known as Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Feasting for Change, focused on community building, Indigenous resurgence, and decolonization through the revitalization of traditional knowledge about the healing power of foods, this intergenerational land-based project took place from 2007 to 2012 and held more than 51 feasts and events in the 9 South Island Coast Salish communities and a large urban community served by the Victorian Native Friendship Center. The voices that you will hear in this episode were recorded over 2 gatherings, with members of Feasting for Change in May and December of 2023. In May, the Around the Table research team myself, Cindy, along with my colleagues Fionna and Leslie, gathered with the following members of Feasting for Change:  W̱SÁNEĆ Elders Earl Claxton Jr. XEṮXÁṮEN, and Anna Spahan and Scia’new First Nation Elder Isabelle Charles, along Tina Tehano of the Scia’new First Nation, Raven Hartley, of the Rainy River First Nation, and collaborator Fiona Deveraux, a white settler of Irish ancestry. We gathered outdoors at TIX̱EṈ, a very important place for W̱SÁNEĆ people, on the traditional territory of the Tsawout First Nation. TIX̱EṈ is where we shared food, stories and laughter and learned about their innovative project and the importance of revitalizing traditional Coast Salish knowledge about food and feasting. In December 2023, some members of the group gathered again to record additional stories to share, and we bring these two recordings together in this important episode about Feasting for Change.

Participants:

Elder Earl Claxton Jr., XEṮXÁṮEN, SȾÁ,UTW_ (Tsawout)  First Nation

Elder Anna Spahan, (née Anna Paul), Tsartlip First Nation.

Elder Isabelle Charles, Scia’new First Nation (Beecher Bay)

Tina Tehano, Scia’new First Nation (Beecher Bay)

Raven Hartley, Anishinaabe (Rainy River First Nation) and mixed European ancestry, who has lived in lək̓^wəŋən territories for 15 years.

Fiona Deveraux, a white settler of Irish ancestry, who has lived in the territories of the lək̓^wəŋən, W̱SÁNEĆ and the Sooke and Beecher Bay First Nations for 20 years.

Resources:

Journal Article on Feasting for Change

Bagelman, J., Devereaux, F., Hartley, R. (2016) Feasting for Change: Reconnecting with food, place & culture. International Journal of Indigenous Health 11(1), 6-17.

Feasting for Change Plant identification cards

WSÁNEĆ-English Online Dictionary

PEPAKEṈ HÁUTW̱ (Land-based education & ecosystem restoration on WSÁNEĆ homelands)

Information about TIX̱EṈ in the territory of the Tsawout First Nation

Indigenous Food Systems Website

Transcript available here.