Northword 2013 - 10

bc’s top read

free

discover what’s new at www.northword.ca

Oc

tob

er

/ N

ove

mb

er

20

13

Look UpHaida

pole-raising

Look Downsavvy

seed-saving

Look Smithers

art

Look DownBabine Riverarchaeology

Look Upboreal

BC

2 | OCT/NOV ‘13 | www.northword .ca

100,000 Alumni

Across cAnAdA100,000 anciens athlètes

UP To

4,500 volUnTeer hosTs

4 500 hôtes bénévoles

over

800 commUniTies rePresenTed

Plus de 800 communautés rePrésentées

Over15,000VisitorsPlus de 15 000 visiteurs

19 officiAl sPorTs

19 sPorts officiels

over

3,400AThleTes, coAches,

TeAm sTAff & officiAlsPlus de 3 400 athlètes, entraîneurs, gérants

et officiels

18 daysof sPorTs, ArTs, cUlTUre

& enTerTAinmenT18 jours de sPorts, arts,

culture et divertissement

2015 GAmes Are forecAsTed To GenerATe

$70-90 million in economic AcTiviTy

70 à 90 millions $ de retombées économiQues Prévues

february 13 – march 1, 2015 / 13 février – 1 mars 2015

2015 Canada Winter Games canada Games house - 545 Quebec streetPrince George, Bc v2l 1W6 250. 596 . 2015www.canadagames2015.ca / jeuxducanada2015.ca

Journey With Us embarquez dans l’aventure

@2015canadaGames

JOurney With us embarQuez dans l’aventure

CWG Ad 11"x13.75".indd 2 11/07/13 12:23 PM


www.northword .ca | OCT/NOV ‘13 | 5

Cover Photo

24 Spectacular Spatsizi:Vast wilderness with a rich history and uncertain futureBy Tania Millen

29 Forests for the WorldMap and trail guideBy Nancy Alexander

st

or

y p

ag

e 8

st

or

y p

ag

e 1

2s

to

ry

pa

ge

20

st

or

y p

ag

e 2

4s

to

ry

pa

ge

14

Depa rtmen ts

8 Gwaii Haanas Legacy Pole:First monumental pole in 130 years celebrates Haida past and futureBy Dave Quinn

12 Excavating Wu’datUNBC and Lake Babine Nation dig up historyBy Matt J Simmons

14 Lost in definitionArt lives in SmithersBy Matt J Simmons

20 Lost in the borealIn search of BC’s northeast cornerBy Matt J Simmons

22 Seed saving:A heritage tradition for the futureBy Emily Bulmer

7 In Other WordsEditorial and cartoon from the seasoned and the silly

19 Top CultureExplore the rural route to northern culture with UNBC’s Rob Budde

42 Resource DirectoryServices and products listed by category

46 The Barometer A seasonal reading of the Northwest by Char Toews

Fea tures

Story Commen ts?

Why did the chicken cross the piano? To see what wood be there. Photo by Paul Gover

Tell us what you’re thinkin’. Comment on any story at www.northword.ca

st

or

y p

ag

e 2

2

issue no. 50

con

ten

tsOctober/November 2013


Shannon Antoniak ADVERTISING [email protected]

Sandra Smith LAYOUT, AD DESIGNER, NATIONAL ADVERTISING [email protected]

Joanne CampbellPUBLISHER/ADVERTISING SALES [email protected]: 250.847.4600 f: 847.4668toll free: 1.866.632.7688

Amanda Follett [email protected]

Nancy Alexander has been mapping the wild for nearly 30 years. She lives in the woods of Prince George with two dogs, two cats and her trail-running, berry-picking husband, Roger.

Charlynn Toews has published in daily and weekly newspapers, national magazines, and loves a good regional. She writes a regular column for Northword from her home in Terrace.

Dave Quinn uses boots, backpacks, kayaks, canoes, skis and a keyboard to explore the interface between society and wilderness. Dave is a Wycliffe, BC-based dad by day and Outdoor Guy on CBC’s Radio West by night.

Matt J Simmons writes about BC’s incredible landscapes, both natural and cultural. Author of The Outsider’s Guide to Prince Rupert, Matt is always seeking his next big adventure, but has a habit of choosing cold, mosquito-infested landscapes...and loves every minute.

Tania Millen is currently under the spell of Spatsizi where she wrangles horses every fall. Once the snow flies, she migrates south to Terrace—to research, write and dream of roaming the wilderness on horseback.

Facundo Gastiazoro is a freelance designer who focuses on logos, posters, layout and illustrations. Originally from Buenos Aires, Facundo is currently living in Smithers. His illustrations appear in every issue of Northword Magazine.

Emily Bulmer is a longtime Smithereen who enjoys subjecting herself to unscientific experiments in living. She occasionally records her findings and reports positive results most of the time.

Hans Saefkow is an award-winning editorial cartoonist, illustrator and set designer. If you see this man, do not approach him, feed him, or listen to his idle chatter. It is simply best not to encourage him.

Rob Budde teaches creative writing and critical theory at the University of Northern British Columbia. He has published seven books (poetry, novels, interviews, and prose poems). His most recent book is Finding Ft. George from Caitlin Press.

con

trib

uto

rs

MAIN OFFICE | SmithersBox 817, 2nd floor - 3864 2nd Ave, Smithers, BC, V0J 2N0 tel: 250.847.4600

fax: 250.847.4668 | toll free: 1.866.632.7688 | www.northword.ca

Northword Magazine the only independent, regional magazine that covers northern BC from border to sea. Our goal is to connect northern communities and promote northern culture; we put a vibrant, human face on northern life with great articles and stunning images. Northword Magazine—BC’s top read, for a reason.

DISTRIBUTION | 10,000 copies are distributed four times a year, for FREE, to over 300 locations in 33 communities across northern BC, reaching close to 40,000 readers. For a complete list of distribution locations, log on to www.northword.ca, and click on “subscribe/find a copy.”

SUBSCRIPTIONS$30 per year within Canada, $40 in the U.S., and $50 everywhere else. Go to www.northword.ca and click on “subscribe.”

Ad deadline for December/January 2014 issue: November 1, 2013.

Legalities and limitationsCopyright © 2013. All rights reserved. No part of Northword Magazine, in print or electronic form, may be reproduced or incorporated into any information retrieval systems without written permission of the publisher. Information about events, products or services provided is not necessarily complete. The publisher is not responsible in whole or in part for any errors or omissions.The views expressed herein are those of the writers and advertisers, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher, staff or management. Northword assumes no liability for improper or negligent business practices by advertisers, nor for any claims or representations contained anywhere in this magazine. Northword reserves the right to cancel or refuse advertising at the publisher’s discretion. In no event shall unsolicited material subject this publication to any claim or fees. Northword welcomes submissions but accepts no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Copyright in letter and other materials sent to the publisher and accepted for publication remains with the author, but the publisher and its licensees may freely reproduce them in print, electronic and other forms. Please refer to www.northword.ca for contribution guidelines.

DISTRIBUTION: Bell II • Burns Lake • Chetwynd Dawson Creek • Fort St. John • Dease Lake • Dunster Ft. St. James • Fraser Lake • Granisle • Hazelton (Old Town) • Houston • Jasper • Kispiox • Kitimat • Masset McBride • Mackenzie • Moricetown • New Hazelton Old Massett • Port Clements • Prince George Prince Rupert • Queen Charlotte City • Quesnel Sandspit • Skidegate • Smithers • South Hazelton Stewart • Telegraph Creek • Telkwa • Terrace • Tlell Topley • Valemount • Vanderhoof • Wells

BC’s Top ReadNORTHWORD MAGAZINE

www.northword.caCURRENT ARTICLES • PAST ISSUES EVENT CALENDAR (COMING SOON)

READERS’ CONTRIBUTIONS CBC NEWS – BC, CANADA, WORLD


On the African plains, antelope know that when the lions slink outof sight, there’s trouble on the way, and they are being hunted.

There is a modern equivalent

Work to live...or live to work?

ed

itor

ialIn Other Words

N

by Joanne Campbell

edi tor ia [email protected]

There are two types of modern day pioneer that make their way here in north-central BC. There are the kind whose work is their life and the kind whose life is their work.

In his column, Rob Budde praises two of Prince George’s literary heroes, one of whom—Jim Brinkman—I’ve known for many years and is a fine example of the first type. In Char Toews’ column, she smacks her lips over some of her favourite places to eat, including a spot on Haida Gwaii called Bud’s Diner in Massett. I ate a great breakfast at Bud’s this past August, but that’s not the story I want to tell—it’s about the people who run a little place called Harmonie’s Place just down island in Port Clements, people who exem-plify the second type. But first, let me tell you about Jim.

I knew Jim when he lived in Smithers before he sold Interior Stationery and packed himself off to Prince George in the late ’90s. He bought a huge building that had previously housed a Danish furniture store and installed Books & Company, a funky independent bookstore with a little coffee shop called Café Voltaire. I had also just moved to PG from Smithers and was publishing Forte Magazine—similar to Northword in content, but focused on the Prince George area. Our first edition featured a story on Jim’s new art gallery space that he was putting the final touches on for opening in June 1999.

In the Forte article Jim said, “I always have these visions of what I want, and I end up trying to put it together. The vision doesn’t really change…I’ve had this idea for the bookstore for the last 15 or 20 years. I always wanted the coffee bar incorporated into it, a jazz club in the basement would be nice too, but this little gallery project is basically the next step toward the original vision.”

His “little gallery project,” now called ArtSpace, would feature a big open showroom in the middle that would serve as the gallery. All around the showroom were satellite rooms that could serve as offices and/or studios for working artists. Forte was located in one of those offices, right over top of Café Voltaire. I was pregnant for a portion of my time there and, to this day, the warming smell of chai tea evokes morning sickness memories.

In addition to a working gallery, Jim also envi-sioned using the space as a performance venue. Mark Perry played ArtSpace many times (in fact, he’s playing there again, Oct. 5) and he was always a favourite, as was Fred Eaglesmith, another early headliner. The first time Fred played ArtSpace, we brought our boys, who were then about five and seven, expecting the same folky-style delivery we listened to at home. We’d never experienced Fred Eaglesmith in concert.

Obviously. When Fred took the stage and saw the kids bouncing in their seats in the first row his eyebrows raised up mightily. After a quick consult with the other band

members, it was decided that in deference to the raucous university crowd that had also paid to see them they would not change their rocky, raunchy and extremely loud musical line-up, but instead kindly rounded up some ear plugs for the kids. Thankfully, due to a combination of stimulation overload and sensory shutdown, the boys slept through most of the show, with their Fred Head buttons and earplugs in place, curled up next to me on one of the ArtSpace couches.

Jim followed his dream and made it a success. In a typically northern way, he knew what he wanted and worked it. He doesn’t just facilitate other people’s creativity; his business creativity is a work of art in its own right.

But sometimes, if your lifestyle is your dream, you’ll work at whatever it takes to make it.

On a misty late-August day in Port Clements, I stopped by Harmonie’s Place for lunch. It’s a cozy place, built in 1911 to accommodate the local newspaper. Today, it’s home to the café and monthly music coffee houses.

I ordered the mushroom cheeseburger. Kazamir, husband of Harmonie, informed me that I could indeed have the mushroom cheeseburger, right after he went to the market to get some fresh

mushrooms. He was sole cook/dishwasher/waiter that day while Harmonie was in Smithers getting the kids swimming lessons—she was camping with the kids at Tyhee Lake, about a kilometre from my house. (It is a weirdly small world!)

Kazamir sprinted across the street, brought back the mushrooms, thawed out the hamburger to make the patty, sliced the onions and put them on to fry, and apologized because he didn’t have time to make the buns fresh as he usually does. As he cooked, he chatted about what an amazing place Port Clements is to raise a family, the state of the local economy, the relative personalities of the island communities... and his wife Harmonie who, it turns out, is more than just a café owner. She’s also a musician. Paramedic. Volunteer fire-fighter. Canadian Ranger. Artisan (knitted toques, etc). Did I mention she has six kids including a toddler? And Kazamir, much as he touts his wife’s many virtues, is—as far as I could tell—just as crazy-busy as she, doing whatever it takes to stay where they love.

By the way, that mushroom cheeseburger was the best I’ve ever eaten. Juice-running-down-your-chin delicious.

ha

ns

sae

fko

w


I first visited Haida Gwaii nearly 20 years ago with three friends, before the temporary moniker Queen Charlotte Islands was returned to BC, respectfully gift-wrapped in a cedar box, in 2010.

Road tripping across BC on a late-September, early-20s adventure, four borrowed kayaks strapped to the roof of my truck, we held on for dear life as the ferry from Rupert bucked like a colt through a Hecate Strait gale.

Queen Charlotte City seemed like the prover-bial port in the storm in every sense of the word. The moist air was rich with verdant rainforest growth spiced with wind-born sea salt. Everyone we met seemed genuinely stoked to meet us. And kindness seemed to be the local modus operandi. The ferry captain even let us pilot the small ferry that runs from Graham to Moresby Island. Where does that happen?

Two decades later, on Aug. 15, I was honoured to join over 400 people, including BC conservation officers, federal fisheries officers, RCMP, Parks

Canada staff and hundreds of Haida of all ages, many draped in button blanket and cedar hat regalia, who braved rough seas to be part of the first monumental pole raising in Gwaii Haanas in 130 years.

Since 1993, I have been back to the islands at the edge of the world almost annually, guiding late spring sea kayak expeditions in an annual rendezvous with the migrating whales, breeding seabirds and eagles, and giant trees of Haida Gwaii. Much has changed since my first visit, but its beauty remains the same. Humpbacks in the hundreds pause here in their annual pilgrimage from Hawaii to the Alaskan fjords. The highest density of nesting bald eagles on the planet fills the air with squeaky clothesline calls, and nearly a million pelagic seabirds come ashore to nest.

The damage doneBut the fragile island ecosystem, undisturbed for tens of thousands of years, is under assault.

Raccoons—introduced as a potential source of income when Davy Crockett hats were the rage—and rats, those universal parasites, smuggled themselves ashore from logging barges and visiting ships; they’ve taken a heavy toll on seabirds, wiping out entire colonies tens of thousands strong in just a few seasons.

Another introduced character, the Sitka black-tail deer, has multiplied relentlessly in this pred-ator-free archipelago, to the point that native flowers and shrubs, once a thick carpet across the archipelago, are now only found on remote, rocky headlands. Locals fear for the culturally critical western red cedar, whose seedlings are gobbled up by the deer. A cull on two remote islands is attempting to restore balance, but even on Reef Island, 10 km offshore, hunters killed 75 deer over five years. They even enlisted the unlikely dachshund to help with the roundup. Weiner dogs hunting deer in the rainforest. Such is the mystery of Haida Gwaii.

First monumental pole in 130 years

celebrates Haida past and future

by Dave Quinn

daveq@wi lds ight.ca

Gwaii Haanas Legacy

Pole

The hands of a carver: Gwaai Edenshaw puts the f in ishing touches on the Haida Gwai i Legacy Pole pr ior to ra is ing.

dave quinn


The deep, timeless momentum of this rich archipelago continues in spite these threats, and Haida Gwaii is still known in many circles as the Galapagos of the North.

But despite the biological richness, it is Haida Gwaii’s human treasure that continues to lure me back. Islanders in general are known to be a friendly lot, but it seems like the Haida, who have called Haida Gwaii home for close to 10,000 years, take hospitality to a new level. While isolated animosities to off-islander non-aboriginals do exist (not surprising after over a century of the

Indian Act and its residential schools and potlatch bans), my sensory memory is alive with tastes of fresh, Haida-caught abalone, salmon smoked six different ways, fresh venison with wild cranberry sauce, sguu, dried seaweed and k’aaw, herring roe-on-kelp, fresh and smoked.

My mind’s eye squints into beach fires under the visage of greying totems, laughter and new language shared, a west coast sunset settling into the sea at our backs. One of the first words you learn in Haida, and the one you use the most, is

Pathways to Success

Ph: 250-692-1700 • Fax: 250-692-1750 Toll Free: 1-866-692-1943

545 Hwy 16 West, Box 5000, Burns Lake, BC V0J 1E0 • [email protected]

2014 Programs & Courses

See what CNC is offering in 2014 or view some great Continuing Education courses: www.cnc.bc.ca/lakesdistrict

TargETEd InITIaTIVE For oLdEr WorkErS (SouTHSIdE) – January 6 – March 28

If you are 55 to 64 years of age you can get paid to learn more skills to return to work!

unIVErSITy/CoLLEgE CrEdIT CourSES

On Campus – Jan. 6 - aPr. 25

• SoC 206 Social Problems• SSWk 271 health and Wellness

Self care Lab • WMST 101 Intro to Women’s Studies I

OnLInE – Jan. 8 - Mar. 19

• FaSd 300 FaSD Support Strategies • FaSd 301 Fundamentals of FaSD • FaSd 325 Developmental Disabilities • FaSd 335 FaSD Prevention • oaSW 102 culturally appropriate Practices

OnLInE – Jan. 15 - aPr. 9

• FaSd 305 FaSD Brain & Behaviour

OnLInE – FeB. 26 - May 7

• FaSd 260 Overview of FaSD

OnLInE – aPr. 16 - Jun. 25

• FaSd 320 human Development

ConTInuIng EduCaTIon

• occupational First aid Level 1 nov. 13, nov. 23 (SS) or nov. 30

• H2S alive nov. 25• Winter defensive driving nov. 26• oFa Transportation Endorsement Dec. 1

... continued on Page 10

Sea kayak guide Robson Gmoser admires some of the last of the or ig inal poles at the ancient Haida vi l lage and Unesco World Cultural Her i tage Site of S’Gang Gwaay,

da

ve q

uin

n


Haw’aa: Thank you. Proud, strong, independent and welcoming are some of the essences of the Haida Nation.

The rising up of a nationBut in 1985 the welcome mat was rolled up, as members of the Haida Nation tired of watching island after island stripped of their old-growth blankets from sea to skyline. Some of these alder-choked hillsides and the open sores of landslides continue to ooze today, nearly 40 years later.

The 1985 logging blockade on Lyell Island resulted in over 70 Haida arrests and international attention. The Haida declared the southern third of Moresby Island, called Gwaii Haanas, a Haida Heritage Site. Robert Wilson, known as Captain Gold, founded the Haida Watchmen program that same year. After nearly a century of abandonment, the ancient village sites once again had seasonal Haida caretakers to safeguard these cultural treasures and deepen the connection between the modern Haida Nation and its past.

Years of intense negotiations, political scandal (BC Premier Bill Bennett and most of his 1985 cabinet were shareholders in Western Forest Products, who held the timber licence for the area) and international pressure ensued. Finally, the historic 1993 Gwaii Haanas agreement protected the area under the shared oversight of the Government of Canada and the Haida Nation. Despite a major difference of opinion regarding ownership, Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site was born. With the addition

... continued from Page 9

The Haida Gwai i Legacy Pole stands up as 800 hands heave the l ines.

da

ve q

uin

n

Yellowhead Highway

Motz Road

HW

Y 37 to

Kitim

at

flying fishcooking

Nanaimo Terrace

www.flyingfishnanaimo.comwww.flyingfishterrace.com

living

givingFlying Fish

Reflectionz Hair LoungeThe Lodge at Skeena Landing& Blackstone’s RestaurantSunRonkai Chartered AccountantsMountainside Gallery & FramingCafé Zesta

Café Zesta250-635-3696

250-641-2509

778-634-3860

250-638-0444

SunRonkai LLP CHARTERED A CCOUNTANTS

TAX – AUDIT – ADVISORY

Terrace, BC Phone: 250-635-3333

www.sunronkai.com

Terrace


of National Marine Conservation Area guidelines in 2010, it became the world’s only mountaintop-to-seafloor protected area.

To acknowledge the 20-year anniversary of the groundbreaking Gwaii Haanas document, Parks Canada commissioned Masset carver Jaalen Eden-shaw to create the Gwaii Haanas Legacy Pole.

What goes upOn that sun-streaked August day, 30 youth from Masset and Skidegate, paddling traditional Haida canoes, made their first-ever visit to the park. Their paddle song, ceremonial request to come ashore, and welcome by the local hereditary chief was an emotionally charged highlight. Accompanied by a frightening visit by the mischievous spirit Gogit, a blessing of eagle down and water, and drumming and singing, the pole literally leapt upright, as hundreds of hands heaved together on six thick ropes.

Alongside the pole’s traditional grizzly bear, raven, eagle and sculpin, five figures with linked arms represent those who took a stand in the 1985 blockades, and Sacred-One-Standing-and-Moving is a mythical figure who holds up the archipelago, shaking it when he moves. His last dance resulted in last October’s 7.7 magnitude

quake that temporarily blocked Gwaii Haanas’s famous hot springs, which are now slowly returning.

In two decades—but a hemlock needle on the sea of Haida Gwaii’s tremor-rattled history—I

have seen the tentative return of the humpbacks, testing rich waters where a handful of whaling stations once decimated their numbers. But every shed-sized stump, every man-width, saw-cut, wasted log on the beach, every landslide and alder-carpeted hillside still breaks my heart. I will not live to see a true Pacific rainforest here again. Nor will my children, or theirs.

It has been with mixed feelings of under-standing, twinged with my own culture’s obses-sion with accumulation and preservation, that I have watched rotting-red chunk after chunk fall from the last of the ancient, standing poles at the Gwaii Haanas villages of S’Gan Gwaay and Skedans. They were always designed with the impermanence of nature in mind, and their destiny, despite their compelling beauty as monu-mental art, is to return to the earth.

Edenshaw’s Legacy Pole will look out past the rocks of Windy Bay for a century of North Pacific sunrises, to a future for Gwaii Haanas that prom-ises to be as exciting as its past.

N

Repair, Rentals and Sales of BRASS,

WOODWIND & STRING INSTRUMENTS

Northern BC’s Professional Repair

Service

Smithers | 250.847.0318Michael Nelliganwww.horncraft.ca | [email protected]

CONTACT US FOR ALL YOUR MUSICAL INSTRUMENT NEEDS

Tel: 250-771-3119

Clean & comfortable, satellite TV, Free WiFi, major credit cards, all rooms non-smoking,

walking distance to all services

[email protected] • www. arcticdivide.ca

together we practice health medicine

#4-1175 Main St. Smithers 250-877-3528 humanhealthproject.com

Pain? Stress? Try Somatics, the intelligent solution.

Offering individual sessions, classes and workshops.

together we practice health medicine

One of the first words you learn in Haida, and the one you use the most, is Haw’aa:

Thank you.

Gogit , the Haida’s wi ld man-sasquatch spir i t channel led by dancer and art ist Donny Edenshaw, works his mischief at the pole ra is ing, t ry ing in vain to sabotage the pole ra is ing.

da

ve q

uin

n


In 2010, the Lake Babine Nation and the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) joined forces to excavate an archaeological site at the north end of Babine Lake. Working closely with representatives from the community, the Department of Anthropology at UNBC put together a field school. They spent several weeks that summer at the site, living and working alongside community members.

Last summer, following the success of this initial excavation, UNBC revis-ited the site about 100 km northeast of Smithers with a second field school, gathering data about one small, but very interesting, piece of the greater site. These recent excavations uncovered over 400 artifacts, ranging in age from well before Europeans set foot on western soil right up to relatively recent times.

The site is an extensive village traditionally known as Wu’dat. Resource-rich—especially in salmon—the location is perfect for a settlement and archaeological evidence suggests it was actively used for thousands of years. In fact, it would probably still be lived in today, if events hadn’t unfolded the way they did.

Living with the salmonAs a means to exploit the abundance of salmon, the village inhabitants had set up extensive fish weirs. In 1904, a Fisheries representative named Hans Helgerson said he saw the fishers catching 500 to 600 fish a day—at the end of the run. Skeena River cannery operators complained and put pressure on the Department of Marine and Fisheries to do something.

“They convinced the government to come and destroy the weirs,” says Farid

Rahemtulla, the archaeologist and professor at UNBC who headed up the field school.

With their main food source stripped away, it’s not hard to imagine the villagers leaving shortly after. Rahemtulla’s report for the 2010 excavations talks about how Helgerson praised the quality of the fish weirs, saying their construction was based on sound scientific principles. He also pulls from various historical accounts that point to the location as being a prime spot for fish.

“These descriptions indicate that the Babine River/Nilkitkwa Lake corridor was a highly productive zone for salmon harvesting and processing in antiq-uity,” he writes. He goes on to point out that “the communities in this area had the technology and social organization to harvest and process very large quantities of salmon.”

Having advanced technology and refined social structure means that the community’s culture was vibrant and varied. Which, in turn, means the archaeological record of Wu’dat should be pretty interesting. But, according to the personable UNBC professor, you don’t need to know any of this or dig in the ground to be impressed by Wu’dat. Simply going there is enough.

“When I first went out there and saw it, my jaw just dropped,” Rahemtulla says. “It’s such a huge site. The guy who initially recorded this site recorded over 1,000 cultural depressions.”

By cultural depressions, he means the imprint left where a house once stood. Over 1,000 houses. That’s a pretty big community. But why there? Large sites like this are more commonly found in coastal areas.

“Mainly because of the incredible wealth of resources,” Rahemtulla explains.

by Matt J Simmons

thewr i ter@matt js immons.com

Wu’datExcavating

UNBC and Lake Babine Nation dig up history

Project director Far id Rahemtul la careful ly c leans birch bark remains on the house f loor.

un

ive

rsit

y o

f n

ort

he

rn b

riti

sh c

olu

mb

ia


“It’s a pretty amazing location.” But it’s not just the quantity of fish that makes this site so desir-able. “There are some spots in the Interior where fish like sockeye lose just enough fat to be easily processed. I’m wondering if the Babine is that spot.” He says the abundance and quality of fish running through the region likely contributed to diversification of the Babine culture, through trade and intermarrying.

“It led to all kinds of really inter-esting social things,” he says. “Babine married into Tsimshian and Gitxsan. There’s been lots of debate about this,” he adds, noting that the preva-lent academic theory says the Babine Nation didn’t adopt coastal culture until the fur trade. “To me, that doesn’t make a lot of sense. That interaction goes back a long way.”

Back to schoolWhen he was first invited to set up the field school, Rahemtulla didn’t have to think twice. UNBC signed an agreement with the Lake Babine Nation and an amazing working relationship began.

“We have a pretty unique field school where we partner with various First Nations,” Rahemtulla says. “We wanted this to be in full partnership with the community. All the projects we do are like this. In 2010, half the students were Lake Babine Nation students. They got university credits. I always like to say, we bring the univer-sity to their backyard.”

This approach to archaeology is one that engen-ders respect and builds lasting relationships—even friendships. “It breaks down walls on both sides,” he says. His university students get more out of a field school experience in a community than they could ever get in a classroom and any preconceptions they might have quickly dissi-pate. “We lived right there in the community. It’s a pretty amazing thing to watch. And in the end, you have people in the community who know what archaeologists do.”

When they excavated a small portion of the site they discovered not only how big the village was, but also how old it is. “The site goes back at least 1,300 years,” Rahemtulla says. This was enough to prompt the Lake Babine Nation to approach N

Northwest first NatioNs art...origiNal local art...local

products...full service framiNg...

TERRACE, BCunit 11 skeena landing

4065 motz road

(778) 634-3860mountainsidegallery@gmail.comwww.mountainside-gallery.com

www.facebook.com/mountainsidegallerywww.skeenalanding.com

UNBC a second time. “The community came and said they’d like us to go back and excavate more.” This time, Rahemtulla decided to focus on just one of the cultural depressions.

“We had students from UNBC, SFU, and UVic,” he says. “We spent several weeks excavating one house. I wanted to find out how far the houses go back. That village site was in situ, pretty much as the Europeans found it.”

But what sets this site apart from others is that it isn’t just an archaeological dig where the inhabitants have been long gone for thousands of years. “We found stone projectile points, but we also found musket balls and flints, and even modern cartridges.”

All this from one house. Which suggests that Wu’dat was continuously inhabited from pre-contact right up until the time of the so-called Barricade Conflict, when the weirs were destroyed and the village abandoned.

Sifting through the factsNow comes the hard part. Rahemtulla has set a pair of graduate students to work on sifting through the artifacts and data. “One is trying to figure out what parts of the house were used for what,” he says. “It’s going to take a long time to sort through all that data.”

At the same time, the Lake Babine Nation is already working on gathering ethnographic infor-mation—oral histories that fit into the story the archaeologists are slowly unravelling. It’s a side to the site that Rahemtulla wishes he could spend more time on.

“We’ve done very little,” he admits, “but now they’re doing their own research. Many commu-nities realize the value of it: the full integration of the various forms of knowledge.”

Locals have told Rahemtulla that some of the ancient fish weirs—or at least remnants of them—still exist. Wooden artifacts can remain preserved for hundreds, if not thousands, of years if they stay submerged underwater. That’s enough to entice the archaeologist up for another visit: “We’re going out there again, soon.”

I always like to say, we bring the university to their

backyard. Farid Rahemtulla

un

ive

rsit

y o

f n

ort

he

rn b

riti

sh c

olu

mb

ia

Excavating a “cultural depression,” or remains of a house, at the site of an old Babine f ishing vi l lage.


The creative process is a great and beautiful mystery. Art is simultaneously unknowable and immediately identifiable—from ancient cave art to modern installations, the artistic impulse is the very thing that makes us human. But defining art is like trying to verbally explain the difference between left and right without referring to objects

The politics of humourFacundo Gastiazoro exudes approachability. The goateed and bespectacled artist is characterized by positivity and openness. A graphic designer by trade, the Argentinian artist came to Canada about a decade ago. Settling in Smithers with his partner, he’s a much sought after creator of captivating images.

by Matt J Simmons


Lost in definitionArt lives in Smithers

or landmarks. It can’t be done. And maybe art is best left undefined.

Northern BC has an incredible array of artists of every persuasion. Art here is so diverse, so concen-trated, and so good that a single article can’t do it justice. An entire magazine would only scratch the surface. Here, then, are three Smithers-based artists you need to know more about.

While Miriam Colvin performed a sequence of improvised movements, Perry Rath captured her motion using charcoal in a series of continuous gesture-drawing exercises.

Smithers-based art ist Perry Rath inher i ted the art ist ic gene from his grandfather.

About his medium of choice, art ist Mark Tworow says, “ I am a painter, through and through.”

Facundo Gast iazoro began explor ing art through pol i t ical graff i t i in his home of Buenos Aires, Argent ina.

mir

iam

co

lvin

subm

it ted

sub

mit

ted

mat

t s i

mm

ons


Growing up in culturally rich Buenos Aires, Gastiazoro was exposed to art from a young age. But it was family that instigated his early love for artistic creation.

“I was just a kid, no? My brother teach me to play,” he says in his thick accent. “The first time I consciously did art, it was primary school. I had a good teacher.”

His first real art experiences have their roots in political graffiti. “Literally, it was drawing on the walls. The other political parties would try to do their messages too, so it was a fight for the walls. The other parties hired soccer hooligans, so we went ready for a fight. We had security—two people on motorbikes and one car. The guys on motorbikes would stand watch while we paint,” he says.

Lost in definitionArt lives in Smithers

invigorating sauna

gourmet meals

ACMG Guides and CAA Instructors. Intro to Backcountry Skiing course: January 9 - 16, 2014

...for we have the Powder, the Vertical, and the Mighty Peaks.

These mountains are waiting for you....CoMe & GeT To know TheM !

Smithers • 250-847-3351 • www.BearMountaineering.ca

all in a new Provincial Park


Mark Tworow’s painting, Black Spruce According to the art ist , “A mountain paint ing should represent what a mountain is.”

Mark Tworow’s paint ing High Mounta in Meadow: McCabe Tra i l

sub

mit

ted

sub

mit

ted


For Gastiazoro, the message is an integral part of his work. “Graphic design is all about commu-nications, expressing your message.” University is free in Argentina, which allowed him to explore different areas of study. But being an artist in a densely populated city isn’t easy.

“In Argentina, it is way harder to be an artist,” he says. “In a small town it’s way easier to be

free wifi • non-smoking • a/c rooms • liquor store • computer / printing avail. • airport shuttle • private dining/meeting room • pet friendly • kitchen open 6am-11pm • microwave & fridges avail. • 32” flat screen tv’s • safe motorcycle storage • George’s Pub & Sports Bar w/ LIVE wknd entertainment & UFC pay-per view

3086 Hwy 16 East, Terrace BC 250-635-6375 • 1-800-663-3390 [email protected]

In the heart of the country!

Terrace, BC

shown and seen. It’s easier to be more relevant in people’s lives or the art history of a community.”

When he arrived in Smithers, art was the obvious thing for him to do. It was also necessary.

“I didn’t have a work permit so I did a gallery exhibition,” he laughs. “A big part of being an artist is being involved in the community.” He’s currently curating an art show called Life Expo-

sure, a community-based photography project that will be displayed in Smithers and Hazelton in October, and preparing for a November show at the Smithers Art Gallery.

Painting the sound of musicMark Tworow works in a Smithers bookstore and his enthusiasm for literature is contagious. But


The paint ing Hil l top , acryl ics on canvas, wi l l be part of Facundo Gast iazoro’s exhibit Home at the Smithers Art Gal lery.

For the piece Earthly Memories of Weight and Fl ight , art ist Perry Rath

worked with dancer Mir iam Colvin to do casts of

var ious body parts that were presented in an

instal lat ion that depicted “a f igure expanding into

space, moving out in var ious possible direct ions

from the core.”

submit ted

perry rath


your logo here

your logo here

& here

promote your team

Unit 9- 3167 Tatlow Rd, Smithers • 250-847-3799 www.smokescreengraphics.com • www.facebook.com/smokescreengraphics

check outour products online!

logo

books, despite his seemingly inexhaustible knowledge of them, are a lesser love for this soft-spoken Smithereen. Painting is his real passion.

“As a kid, I did the usual things,” he says. “Drew lots then went to art school. I graduated in 1991. Like a lot of artists, I was slow out of the gate after.” The problem, he explains, is that in art school, students are taught to think critically about art, to define it and analyze it. It stopped him for a few years. “But then my wife said to me, ‘I thought I married an artist.’” With that prompt, he started painting again.

Now, the artist is hitting his stride. He’s involved in exhibitions both locally and in other cities, he

Ruth Murdoch MC, CCC, RCAT

certified counsellorregistered art therapist

1012 Columbia St Smithers ph. 847-4989

www.ruthmurdochcounselling.com

experiments with different styles, and he’s dabbling in a kind of performance art—painting to live music.

“If I had to define what I am as a painter, I’d lean towards abstract expressionist,” he says.

“Responding to music is very expressionist.” Tworow’s paintings also include

incredible landscapes. “In northern BC it’s hard to avoid landscapes,” he says. He’s quick to qualify his approach, though. “I avoid very much what I would call postcard images,” he says. “A mountain painting should represent what a mountain is.” Tworow’s current works include images of local bands performing, local scenery and, as he puts it, a “full blown abstract.” Despite juggling different

styles and approaches, the medium is always the same. “I am a painter, through and through.”

Lately, Tworow has opened up his studio online. “Facebook’s been really good for me,” he says, smiling. “People have to friend me, but I only use Facebook for my art; I don’t post pithy sayings or pictures of cats.” He posts pictures of partially completed pieces as he works on them. “It’s a great way for people to participate in art on a daily basis,” he says. “I have to fight a tendency to be influenced by likes. I do really like the comments, I just don’t want to be influenced by it.

marktworow.com

Art is everywhereSmithers Secondary School art teacher Perry Rath is about as grounded and likeable as a person can be. His art is striking, intensely creative and filled

It was drawing on the walls. The other political parties would try to do

their messages too, so it was a fight for the walls.

Facundo Gastiazoro


Perry Rath’s paint ing, Bodies and Heart .

sub

mit

ted


with expression. The office beside the art room is decorated with student art and notes, including one that says, “I’m really gonna miss your class—you’re the best teacher EVER.”

“My mom’s dad was an artist,” he says. “My granddad was my first big artistic influence.” He was also a spiritual influence on the young Rath. “My granddad taught me about the ideas of multi-dimensionality,” he says. “Art is a way for me to escape things. It’s a way to step out of this dimension and exist only in the realm of the creative.”

In school, Rath started exploring his artistic inclinations early and his parents were supportive. After graduating, he continued studying art. “Art school was a great milieu of art craziness!” he smiles. “But right after art school, I found it really hard to make art again. It took me a bit to balance the intuitive nature of art with the cerebral side of things you study in art school.”

When he found that balance, Rath never looked back. His pieces are now shown all over the world.

“Art-making is a compulsion,” he says. “I carve it into the wee hours. I definitely sacrifice sleep for art. But if I go too long without making art, I feel a sort of vacantness.” Art is life—literally.

Rath’s art often expresses intan-gible ideas, but he also participates in projects that actively convey a message. These range from shows on pipelines to installations and collaborations with scholars and

dancers. He speaks fondly of collaborating with dancer Miriam Colvin. “Miriam saw a show of mine, an installation that explored the ideas of

absence and presence. She found in that a connection to dance.” He adds, laughing, “We also really wanted an excuse to work together.”

In everything he does, Rath is quietly passionate and humble. “As an artist, you allow yourself the permission to notice artful things,” he says. “I look at the world through visual and artistic eyes. There is art everywhere, you just have to notice.”

perryrath.com N

I definitely sacrifice sleep for art. But if I go too long without

making art, I feel a sort of vacantness.

Perry Rath


Perry Rath’s paint ing, I f Only to Hear an Echo .

sub

mit

ted


Their hard work in artistic and literary culture is making

spaces for that art to happen.

N

Prince George literary heroes

colu

mnTop Culture

One of the lessons I have learned in my travels through different cultural communities (previously in Winnipeg and Calgary) is that a healthy environment for art and culture takes work behind the scenes. I have learned to appreciate those individuals who, while not in the cultural spotlight, play a huge role in the development of a culture that is conducive to new art and writing.

Two individuals come to mind when I think about behind-the-scenes advocates for the cultural life of Prince George: Jim Brinkman (owner and manager of Books & Co.) and Amy Dawley (Teen and Young Adult Librarian at the Prince George Public Library). In very different ways, these two make our city a richer place.

Amy Dawley came to the PG Public Library in 2009 and has since instituted an exciting and impressive array of programming for young adults. Along with advising teens on their reading choices and dealing with hordes of Hunger Gamers, she also has been instrumental in getting teen writers together to share and improve their work. Dawley was recently recognized for her excellence with the Young Adult and Children’s Service Award at the British Columbia Library Association confer-ence in Richmond, BC.

I have personally run across numerous teens who have benefited from Dawley’s advice and networking, and she has given teen readers and writers a place to call their own at the library. The idea that her activity might produce more and more confident young writers in Prince George gives me great comfort. I wish she was at my public library when I was a teen because some-

times it is agonizing to be the only avid reader/writer in your junior high or high school classes. I know.

Independent bookstores are a rare and beautiful thing in Canada these days and Prince George is lucky to have one of the best in Books & Co. This book-store is owned and run by Jim

Brinkman who has lived in Prince George for 17 years. Not only is he responsible for an alternative to the chain bookstores (Coles, Chapters, Amazon, etc.) that have hobbled the Canadian publishing industry, but he also runs Café Voltaire and Art Space, two important venues for all things art and performance in Prince George. While Brinkman is a businessman, he also has been irrationally generous with his space and time over the years, helping out arts organizations and individual artists alike. Prince George and northern BC should cherish this and other independents.

Their hard work in artistic and literary culture is making spaces for that art to happen. These spaces might take the form of physical places like Books & Co., but also might mean meeting rooms, forums, opportunities, presses, publications, concerts, organizations, collectives—any activity that provides the artist or writer a chance to do what they do.

It is for enabling art activity in this way that I call Amy Dawley and Jim Brinkman heroes, even though their shy natures would have them shudder at this label. Bravo you two! And make sure to acknowledge your behind-the-scenes local cultural heroes wherever you are in northern BC.

by Rob Budde

[email protected]


I cross the border into the Northwest Territories leaving the paved road behind in BC, obscured by a tumbling cloud of gravel dust. I squint into the haze as I hurtle down the Liard “Highway” at a hundred. The road narrows to cross a bridge and emerging from the dust are two indistinct shapes. I slow down slightly—watching for bison—and the shapes slowly coalesce into recognizable forms: an old man leaning against the bridge rail, peering into swampy boreal forest; on the back of a battered quad sits his wife, a tiny, deeply wrinkled lady of advanced years. She could be 100 years old

or 50—here, years etch themselves into your face like decades.

Neither raises a hand in greeting nor even acknowledges me as I skitter by, kicking up gravel. They disappear into the dust in my rear-view mirror and I wonder if they were really there or just some kind of spirit greeting to a strange land-scape. And if they were spirits, what omen did they have for me?

When, several hundred kilometres later, I roll into Fort Simpson (pop. 1,200) at the confluence of the Mackenzie and Liard rivers, with sagging

eyelids and a flat tire, I guess the spectre must have been a warning of some kind. At midnight, the smoke from nearby forest fires has turned the usually understated northern sunset into a display of intense colour.

Into the unknownWhen I first proposed a book about BC’s four corners, I had only a vague idea what I was up against. The northwest gripped me most: Next to Kluane Park in the Yukon and dwarfed by Wrangell-St. Elias Park in Alaska, Tatshenshini-

by Matt J Simmons


Lost in the borealIn search of BC’s northeast corner

AcupressureshiAtsu • reiki

your journey in healthA helping hand along

250.643.3477 • Full Circle Studio • 1283 Main St. Smithers

Julie chaplin chhp, FeAp

5 element Acupressure & holistic health practitioner

Acupressure Bodywork for wellness, preventative health care & bodymind connection from an Oriental healing arts perspective.

fac

un

do

ga

stia

zoro


N

ExtraordinaireSTONE

GROUND BREAD

• NO Fat• NO Sugar• NO Dairy• NO Preservatives

JUST GOOD BREAD!

Organic Grain Milled DailyWE ShiP AlONG hWy 16 - cAll FOR DETAilS4630 Park Ave. Terrace (across from Dairy Queen)

For orders 250-615-0419 / 1-877-775-3535 Tues.-Sat. 9am-5pm

Need help finding exactly what you want?Residential • Recreational • Commercial • Land

Calderwood Realty 1175 Main Street. Smithers, BCt/f 1.800.360.3268 cell (250) 877.9040 [email protected]

Niomi Mio Realtor

Alsek Provincial Park is mostly alpine, protected in the 1990s for its namesake rivers. Together with its neighbouring national parks, the “Tat” is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the largest protected area in the world. Finding information was simple: books, photos, trails and guided raft trips. In 2010, I spent over a week exploring the park’s natural and cultural history.

BC’s northeast is a different beast. It’s a land-scape pockmarked by little lakes, innumerable creeks and rivers, and massive tracts of muskeg. The boreal region covers about 60 percent of Canada; it’s the only continuous eco-region span-ning the entire globe. When you consider its scale, you realize just how small we are.

The exploitation of this gargantuan landscape is equally staggering. Northeast BC is etched with the ruler-straight lines of oil and gas development; seismic lines and winter roads traverse thousands of kilometres, crisscrossing the lightly undulating terrain like a giant game of pick-up-sticks.

Accessing the area is a challenge. If you have deep pockets, you can get to the corner by air, not that anyone really goes there. I call up the BC Parks contact for Thinahtea Protected Area and he tells me that in 20 years of working for Parks, he’s never had to issue a visitor permit. The closest recreational areas are hundreds of kilome-tres away and used mainly by sport fishers paying thousands of dollars to get away from it all. I can’t afford to hire a helicopter.

I worked out a plan to get as close as I could by travelling roughly in a circle around the corner through BC, the Northwest Territories, and northern Alberta. I left in my little Subaru Impreza armed with maps, a large jerry can, a vague idea of what I’m doing and no idea of what I’ll find when I get there.

The caribou conundrumAfter a sleepless night in the company of bugs and bears, I leave Fort Nelson, BC and head out into the oilfields, bearing roughly northeast. The

wide, well-travelled gravel road is heavily rutted from massive trucks, oil tankers and growling diesel pickups. Feeling dwarfed, conspicuous and vulnerable, I turn up my stereo, grin and wave to construction crews and oncoming traffic.

For 200 km, I grip the wheel as I skid around in the dusty wake of big trucks. This is the traditional territory of the Dene Tha’ and Fort Nelson First Nations, but the only indication I can find is on a map—an ancient village site on the shore of Kotcho Lake. Every now and then, I pass a clearing, marking one camp after another. In the otherwise monotonous landscape are regular seismic paths, unwavering lines cut into the bush that stretch as far as the eye can see.

Development’s impact on the landscape is jaw -dropping. In a research project commissioned by the David Suzuki Foundation, Peter Lee, ecolo-gist and executive director of Global Forest Watch Canada, reported that “there are 16,267 oil and gas wells, 28,587 kilometres of pipeline, 45,293 kilo-metres of roads, and 116,725 kilometres of seismic lines packed into the Peace Region. If laid end to end, the roads, pipelines and seismic lines would wrap around the planet an astonishing four-and-a-half times.”

Studies on declining caribou populations show that the linear nature of seismic lines is likely affecting how caribou travel and, in turn, how predators hunt the iconic ungulates. Caribou tend to avoid linear features. Wolves, on the other hand, have no qualms about travelling the easiest path, whether natural or constructed by humans, letting them easily track migratory herds. The rate of development is so extreme that by the time science catches up, it will probably be too late.

After a few white-knuckled hours, I pull off just northeast of Helmet Camp, when the road

narrows and signs warn me to use a radio I don’t have. A small oil well monoto-nously pumps its product from the ground. I glance at my car guiltily. The occa-sional truck thunders past and I wave with one hand, swatting away a cloud of bugs with the other. There’s

not much to see so I spend a few minutes trying to understand what it is I’m doing out here, then climb back in the car and head south again.

The aftermathAfter regrouping back in Fort Nelson, I head toward the Territories, planning to circle the corner from the north and approach again from the Alberta side. That’s when my car’s flat tire changes my trajectory. I’m a full three days in Fort Simpson, on the banks of the Mackenzie River.

Forced into inactivity, I walk, read, write, listen to Dene programs on CBC, and think. Despite everything I know about the oilfields and the industry’s short-sightedness, what sticks with me most isn’t the absence of nature, it’s how much nature is still there. I may have felt like I was in rush hour in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by the wheels and cogs of big business and intense industry, but at the same time I was encircled by an enormous natural world, one that I’d never seen before. And the lasting impact of that? I like that world.

Which raises another question: what happens next, when you fall in love with a landscape whose future is uncertain? Worse yet, when that landscape is so big and so far away, how do you hold onto that memory, keep it safe? The north-east corner of BC is in no one’s backyard—it’s so far from any populated centre that it’s easily forgotten, ignored, unknown. But it is there and it is beautiful… for now.

I call up the BC Parks contact for Thinahtea

Protected Area and he tells me that in 20 years

of working for Parks, he’s never had to issue

a visitor permit.


Before ordering seeds from a catalogue was common, seed-saving from the backyard and trading with neighbours was a tradition that generations of gardeners followed to keep harvests plentiful. Our grandparents’ reasons for saving seed were practical—seeds from a catalogue were expensive, and the generations steeped in war time and the Depression were socialized to save just about everything.

For our great-great-grandparents and their ancestors, commercial seeds were simply not available; seed-saving was the only way to main-tain a garden. By saving seed from their best performing vegetables, gardeners and small-scale farmers developed varieties suited to their specific tastes and environmental conditions. As they traded their seeds with neighbours and nearby villages, genetic diversity increased from one year to the next, resulting in thousands of varieties of edible plants.

In 1866, a cabbage crop on Long Island, New York was the first commercial crop grown for seed in North America. Since then, home seed-saving has been almost entirely replaced by the seed industry. As the worldwide industrial food system shifted into high production, seed companies concentrated on selecting for plants with high yield, uniform size and shape, and long lasting storage qualities. Over time, fewer and fewer gardeners and farmers saved seed, instead favouring commercial varieties from catalogues. While this shift seems like a natural evolution toward convenience, the practice has systemati-cally decreased the diversity in the world’s food crops. It is estimated that over 90 percent of the fruit and vegetable varieties once available in North America are now extinct.

Genetic diversity is nature’s crop insurance system. When disease, pests, drought or wet weather overwhelm certain crops, a group of

plants with genetic diversity will include individ-uals with unique, unseen characteristics that will help them survive. As the climate changes, as bee populations diminish, and plant diseases become more prevalent, it becomes increasingly important to have as much genetic diversity as possible to create a resilient food supply.

Caring about extinct heirloom varieties runs deeper than a sense of nostalgia; each variety is a specific, evolutionary solution to a series of unique growing condition challenges, and each loss makes our food system weaker.

Beginner to advanced techniquesFortunately, saving seed from your garden is still possible. Beginner seed savers should start with beans, peas, lettuce, peppers and tomatoes. All of these plants are annuals, which means they produce seed in one season. They are also all self-pollinating, creating seed from one single flower, which reduces cross-pollination and results in offspring that look like the parent plant.

To save seed from any annual plant, allow the plant to mature beyond the eating stage. Lettuce will turn into a tall spike and radishes will get gigantic; both will start to flower. When the plant is brown and looks dead, collect the pods or seed heads that formed where the flowers were last seen.

Intermediate seed savers can try cucumber, radish, spinach, squash and pumpkin. These are annuals as well, but require separation from other plants of the same type to keep the seeds “true,” or looking like the parent. For example, two different species of squash or pumpkin can be planted next to each other, but two varieties of the same species will cross-pollinate. With cross-pollination comes more genetic diversity and the risk that the seeds would produce plants that look different from the parent—some of the characteristics you might like

by Emily Bulmer

adventuremi [email protected]

Books & Cappucino

The Book...• finest used & collector

book stock in the north

The Steaming Mug...• best coffee & chai

Cool Sips• for warm days

The Bowl of Soup... • best homemade soup

in town

3775 3rd Ave., SMITHERS. Tel: (250) 847-5245 or 1-800-668-5119

Gifts of all kinds... • for all kinds

Cards to Give... • like nowhere else

Music to Hear...• all our local musicians

& more

Tickets & Info...• for what’s really

happening

Check out our new selection of Woolies!

Mountain Eagle2014 calendars and date books. Gorgeous selection -- get yours before they’re gone!

& BEAN NORTH COFFEE to take home!

seed-saving— a heritage tradition for the future

Radish seeds need to be removed from their pods for storage. Many di fferent storage containers work wel l , as long as the seeds are dry.

em

ily b

ulm

er

em

ily b

ulm

er


and some you might not. The results are unpredictable.

Top tips for all seed saversHybrids versus open-pollinated: Open-pollinated varieties are stable varieties resulting from the pollination between the same or genetically similar parents. Seeds from these plants produce new generations that are “true to type” (when not exposed to cross-pollination). F1 hybrids are the result of intentionally crossing two highly inbred lines of parent plants in a carefully controlled environment. Seeds of F1 hybrids are called F2 hybrids and often do not resemble the F1 plant. You can save seeds from F1 hybrids, just be prepared for inconsistent results.

Save the best: Resist picking the earliest fruit to eat—mark them for saving and let them mature instead. If you only save the seed that sets late in the year, you are inadvertently selecting plants for late, rather than early, ripening. If you see a plant that is producing many fruits, is especially tasty, or has a great colour, mark the plant with a ribbon and save some of the seed. Conversely, rip out plants that look sick, attract pests, mould or bear fruit that you don’t like.

Ripeness: Make sure the fruit or flower is fully mature before you harvest it for seeds, which is often far riper than what you would pick to eat. For example, to save seeds from a tomato, wait until it is slightly rotting on the vine. Allowing this extra time ensures the seed coats and embryos are fully formed.

Save the biggest seed: Plants from bigger seed tend to be more robust than plants grown from smaller seed. Selecting the largest seeds in crops

N

SIPs are a high performance Green building system for residential, commercial and industrial construction that result in buildings that are strong, energy efficient and cost effective. Building with SIPs will save you time, money and labor.

www.net-zerostructures.com 250-877-8678 • [email protected]

Net-Zero Structures Ltd. • Box 5184 Smithers, BC VOJ 2N0

Residential • Commercial Industrial • First Nations

Green Building with SIPS

Cost effective.

Healthy.

The right thing

to do.

Good for your Family Good for the Environment

Easy on your Wallet Manufactured in NW BC

such as peas and beans is easy to do just by looking at the cleaned seed. For small seeds such as tomato and tomatillo, blend the ripe fruit in a food processor with enough water to make a slurry. Once blended, put the mix into a bowl, add more water, stir, and allow the mixture to separate. Skim off and discard the pulp and seeds that float. The seeds that sink to

the bottom are the best for saving; strain and dry them on a cookie sheet.

Clean and dry: Ensuring the seeds are dry and clean of chaff and other plant parts is important for successful storage. Any moisture present in the seeds will encourage mould growth, which will damage the seeds and reduce germination.

Label and store: To store seeds for one winter, a dry, cool room in containers such as paper enve-lopes, brown bags, glass canning jars, or plastic or metal containers works well. If your house is humid, dry the seeds well and store them in sealed containers. For longer periods, seeds can be stored in the freezer at -18ºC. When freezing seeds, it is even more important to ensure that they are dry, as any ice crystals that form inside the seed will destroy the embryo.

Seed saving can be complicated or simple, depending on your level of knowledge and personal goals. It is a satisfying activity that increases the knowledge of your own garden, creates your own crop insurance system, and contributes to long-term food security both locally and globally. Over time, you may even create a new plant variety!

Caring about extinct heirloom

varieties runs deeper than a sense of nostalgia.

em

ily b

ulm

er

Heir loom tomatoes come in al l shapes and sizes and their seeds produce true-to-type plants.

www.gegreene.com

Trials and Appeals, Criminal Law, Estates, Family Law, Company Law, Negligence, Litigation, Personal Injury, Collection

General Practice & Real Estate:

G.E. Greene Law Corporation3895 Alfred Ave., Smithers, BC

250-847-4777 • [email protected]

G.E. GreeneLawyers, Barristers & Solicitors

Glen Greene

Kelly Pollock


Our horses walked slowly into a biting winter wind, making fresh tracks across the sparkling snow. Withered grass, lichen, sharp rock and snow patches extended across the rolling plateau while distant high mountains were visible in all directions. We were hunting caribou high up in Spatsizi Plateau Wilderness Provincial Park, which is located east of Hwy 37, approximately 370 km north of Kitwanga and 150 km southeast of Dease Lake.

Spatsizi Park forms the backbone of an inter-connected wilderness region that is geologically unique and supports one of the few healthy large

-mammal ecosystems in BC. The park, and Gladys Lake Ecological Reserve within it, was created in 1975 in response to pressure from outfitter Tommy Walker and Vladimir Krajina, a visionary of BC’s ecological reserves who recognized the area’s value. Following its creation, well-known ethno-botanist Wade Davis became one of the first park rangers.

tionally important, as most of the world’s population of this species lives in the province.

Spatsizi’s plateaus are particu-larly significant to the caribou and Stone’s sheep, which require high elevation areas with minimal snowpack both for safety from predators and for access to underlying lichens and grasses in winter. In contrast, the steep-sided valleys of the Eaglenest Mountains dominate the western portion of the park and provide ideal terrain for mountain goats. It’s these goats that Spatsizi was initially known for, as the Tahltan named the area “Spatsizi” or “red

goat” for the mountain goats that roll in swathes of iron oxide on the hillsides of the Eaglenest Mountains, staining their coats red.

by Tania Millen

tan ia.mi l len@gmai l .com

The park’s geology includes volcanic and sedimentary rock that has formed striated moun-tains capped by rolling plateaus. Over thousands of years, these plateaus were cut by glaciers and rivers, forming the open grass-lands and meandering rivers unique to the Spatsizi and Stikine valleys. It’s these valleys and plateaus that sustain woodland caribou, Stone’s sheep, mountain goat, moose and elk, and which subsequently allow predators such as wolf, wolverine, grizzly and black bear to flourish. Three of these mammals—wolverine, grizzly bear and woodland caribou—are “blue listed,” meaning that they’re of special concern and particularly sensitive or vulnerable. Plus, BC Stone’s sheep are interna-

The Tahltan named the area

“Spatsizi” or “red goat” for the mountain

goats that roll in swathes of iron

oxide.

Spectacular SpatsiziVast wilderness with a

rich history and uncertain future

paul colangelo

Todagin Mountain plateau, west of Spatsiz i Park, boasts the largest lambing herd of Stone’s sheep in the world.


The Tahltan people have lived and hunted in Spatsizi since time immemorial and by the late 1800s most of the Stikine River drainage had been explored by non-native gold seekers and trap-pers. During this time, Andrew J. Stone collected specimens of large mammals for the American Museum of Natural History and subsequently announced a “new” species of sheep (now known as Stone’s sheep).

In the 1920s, the Hyland brothers constructed Hyland Post to trade on the banks of the Spat-sizi River; it still exists as a private holding within the park. Tommy Walker was the first outfitter in the Spatsizi area in the 1940s, and the story of his overland pack trip from Bella Coola to Spatsizi provides an interesting account of the time.

For over 40 years, Collingwood Bros. Ltd. of Smithers has operated an internationally renowned guide outfitting business within the park. As with all guide outfitters in BC, Colling-wood Bros. has strict big-game quotas that limit them to a minor portion of the game available. BC’s Resident Hunter Priority Policy ensures that the majority of harvestable big-game species are available to resident hunters. But recent manage-ment changes have increased the number of hunting tags available to BC residents for Spatsizi game. As a result, Reg Collingwood reports that there is greater pressure on wildlife populations.

Of the big-game species, Stone’s sheep are

prized by hunters worldwide—which is reflected in the price tag for a guided sheep hunt. In BC, sheep hunts sell for approximately $40,000 US, employ local staff and taxidermists, contribute to BC wildlife conservation through trophy fees, and support regional tourism infrastructure. In contrast, BC resident hunters are eligible to apply for a $25 sheep hunting tag every year and arrange their own hunts. This disparity in valu-ation of a Stone’s sheep has some outfitters and conservationists worried. Exacerbating concerns

is the lack of information regarding Stone’s sheep in northwest BC—most of the research into these animals is completed in the Muskwa-Kechika area of northeast BC.

Even population numbers appear uncertain. In 2007, the Stone’s sheep population in the Skeena Region (which includes Spatsizi) was estimated at 4,000 to 7,000 animals, according to BC Ministry of Environment’s website. These numbers include the largest lambing herd of Stone’s sheep in the

SANDRA -- THIS IS CONTINUED ON P 28.

Sign

For more driving tips and to make a tax deductible donation, check outwww.wildlifecollisions.ca250.828.2551

Animals are unpredictable. Actively watch for them, especially from duskto midnight.

In fall, animals are on the move during mating season. Slow Down. Watch out for wildlife!

Slow Down 24,400 animals are killed each year


paul colangelo

Todagin Mountain plateau, west of Spatsiz i Park, boasts the largest lambing herd of Stone’s sheep in the world.

Imper ia l Metals has proposed a controversia l mine for the east end of Todagin Plateau.

26 | OCT/NOV‘13 | www.northword .ca

Resource DirectoryCOMMUNITY

COUNSE L L ING

HEA LTH & WE L LNESS

HOME

ACCOMMODAT ION

ARTS & CRAFTS

BED & BREAKFAST


Resource DirectoryL EGA L

MARKETP LACE

MUSIC

MUSIC

Appointments required -- Prince George

Watch for it in our Dec/Jan issue!

In the meantime, check out our

Even ts -- On lin e(and enter yours!)

at:

www.northword.ca

Even tsRegional happenings from Haida Gwaii to Jasper

28 | OCT/NOV ‘13 | www.northword .caN

ALL OUR COFFEE IS CERTIFIED 100% FAIR TRADE ORGANIC

www.beannorth.com • 867-667-4145

Fort NelsoN: Down to earth Health shopBurNs lake: Health In order smItHers: mountain eagle Books & Café muNCHo lake: Northern Dreams terraCe: sidewalkers PrINCe GeorGe: spruceland News PrINCe ruPert: muskeg CoveFestIval veNDor: Nomad’s kitchen

mail order or purchase coffee at any of these fine NW BC retailers

Clothing Boutique + Shoe Boutique side by side.

4548 Lazelle, Terrace 638-1711

Road Trip to Ter race!! Come see our Autumn Col lect ions

. . .and our new mural!

world, which is located on the Todagin Mountain plateau west of Spatsizi Park. Todagin South Slope Provincial Park was created on the south and west portions of Todagin Mountain primarily to protect the lambing sheep herd; however, Imperial Metals Corp’s Red Chris open pit mine is under construc-tion on the east end of the same plateau. Many following the mine’s development—including Wade Davis, whose wilderness lodge is within three kilometres of the mine site—are concerned about the mine’s effects on the sheep population, plus potentially reduced water quality down-stream of the proposed tailings pond.

But it’s not just Todagin Plateau that Spatsizi Park is connected to. The interconnectedness of the Spatsizi region is well recognized, with over one million hectares—an area the size of Jasper National Park—covered by parks and protected areas. Spatsizi Park is bounded by Stikine River Provincial Park and Pitman River Protected Area to the north, Chuckachida River Protected Area to the east, and Tatlatui Provincial Park to the south-east.

Stikine River Provincial Park encompasses the 80-kilometre-long Grand Canyon of the Stikine—a geological phenomenon up to 300 metres deep that narrows to two metres across at one point. The canyon is considered un-navigable; however, it’s also known as the “Everest of Whitewater Kayaking” and about 40 world-class whitewater kayakers have survived its waters. The Pitman and Chuckachida River protected areas encom-pass wildlife corridors that connect to surrounding parks, while Tatlatui Park includes the headwaters of the steelhead-rich Firesteel River.

While these parks and protected areas help prevent impacts to wildlife and wilderness areas within their boundaries, Spatsizi may be affected by activities in the Sacred Headwaters area located immediately south of the park. The Sacred Head-waters encompasses the headwaters of the Stikine, Skeena and Nass rivers and has shaped Tahltan Nation culture for centuries.

However, Fortune Minerals Limited has proposed an anthracite (metallurgical coal) mine for the Sacred Headwaters, whereby Mount Klappan would become an open pit mine. The proposed transportation solution for getting the coal to market is to place railway tracks on an abandoned railway grade alongside the Klappan and Skeena rivers. Colloquially known as “the grade,” this railway bed was constructed by the BC government in the 1970s and subsequently abandoned prior to completion. It is currently a gravel road with seasonal washouts and accessible via Ealue Lake Forest Service Road from Highway 37 near Tatogga Lake.

But regardless of the potential threats to the area, Spatsizi remains renowned for its stunning scenery, wilderness values and wildlife, which adventurers are fortunate to experience during privately organized canoe, horseback or hiking trips. Some, like me, are drawn back again and again, to experience the wild places and watch caribou herds on the vast, snow-sprinkled plateaus. Spatsizi is simply one of those special places that those who visit never forget.


Hunting and outf i t t ing has a long history in the Spatsiz i area and cont inues today.

tan

ia m

ille

n


Trail Map sponsored by Dawn 2 Dusk

www.dawn2dusk.netsee ad page 31

FORESTS FOR THE WORLDA bit of Nature, nestled in a northern city

N

Forests for the World is a tiny bit of wilderness park embedded in the city of Prince George. With nearly 18 km of trails packed into about 1.5 square kilometres, it offers everything from a flat, short stroll to Shane Lake, where you can enjoy a picnic or a bit of fishing from its two docks, to a hilly challenge up and down the park’s western ridges.

From Prince George, Forests for the World can be reached by driving up Cranbrook Hill Road 1.4 km from the intersection with Foothills Boulevard and turning left (south) onto Kueng Road. From there, drive two kilometres to the end, where you’ll see the Forests for the World parking lot.

The trails begin on old roads and continue as single-track the farther you walk. As the single-track trails can be overgrown, keep careful track of your distances because it can be a challenge to see the junctions. So many trails in such a small park make for lots of twists and turns, and intersections that are close together. Whatever your trail choice, you can keep track of your location via the maps and markers located at many of the park’s trail junctions.

The Lookout Viewing Platform affords views across the city and, in the distance, the Rocky and Cariboo mountains. The ridge trail, including the

“highest spot in Prince George,” offers glimpses north to the distant slopes of the Nechako River. The western-most trail, Who’s Home, climbs and descends one of several ridges found in the area. You can get a sense of the relief in the park by noting the “spot height” labels and contours on the accompa-nying map.

For an hour of steady walking (3.5 km) over lots of hills, you might enjoy following the Ridge Trail Loop. Begin from the north side of the parking lot and walk north along the trail marked for the Lookout (trail marker at gate). Keeping right at the next two junctions, watch for the trail along the ridge (labelled Highest Spot in Prince George on map). Keep left at each of the two Who’s Home panels and 50 metres along the

by Nancy Alexander

ndigart@gmai l .com

trail the ridge proper is right at the next junction. You can return to the parking lot by following the trails just north of Shane Lake.

This 3.5-km loop’s hill climbs a total 120 metres (equal to about 40 flights of stairs). If you were to add the Who’s Home trail this will give you a total

of 90 minutes of steady walking over a 4-km distance with 200 metres of total hills climbed (about 65 storeys).

If you prefer something gentle, from the parking lot it’s a level five- to seven-minute walk one way to Shane Lake. If you throw in a walk around Shane Lake, expect an additional 30 minutes and 50 metres elevation.

Forests for the World is truly a bit of wilderness in the city of Prince George: including bears, cougar and moose (so make lots of noise if you visit). Along with offering both exercise on its longer trails or just a short stroll to relax at Shane Lake, it’s also a great place for birding and checking out the wild flowers.

The Lookout Viewing Platform

affords views across the city and, in

the distance, the Rocky

and Cariboo mountains.

na

nc

y a

lexa

nd

er


Warm up with your favourite cup of coffee.

DaVinci flavoured syrups available at Lund Ave. location

www.chickencreekcoffee.co m

Organic and Fair Trade cOFFeesMail Orders Welcome. 250-877-7790

SmitherS

teLKWAmASSetttLeLLterrAce

BV Wholesale, natures Pantry, schimmels Fine Pastries, at our artisan roasting studio @3885 Lund rd. rudolph’s Pure sausage green gaia sitka studiosave-on-Foods

available here:

Locally owned and operated

colu

mn Ba rometer

by Charlynn Toews

edi tor ia [email protected]

N

OK, so barbecue season is over—quit your whining and go chow down at a locally owned and operated eatery.

I am here to help, so I offer a few options for you across my neighbourhood. In Masset, you must go to Bud’s. It’s a new 1950s-style diner with beau-tiful chrome-trimmed tables and chairs, spin-able stools and banquets in the most fabulous turquoise colour—the fridges of that era really rock and rolled. On the day I was there, I was disappointed they didn’t have chicken and waffles, an American diner staple, but was very happy with the classic cheeseburger.

My little family are creatures of habit in Rupert. We go to Smile’s if it is lunchtime, the Crest if it is supper, then like to stop in at the Cow Bay shops and walk on the docks of Rushbrook Harbour to look at boats. When our teenager took his first

“N” drive to Rupert, we put our GPS locator in the

truck and watched the emailed blips as he and his girlfriend safely travelled along the Skeena. Their first stop? Parked right outside Smile’s. Then, yup, a few hours later, drove to the harbour to look at boats as an aid to digestion. He had the Fisher-man’s Combo, a huge dish with halibut and scal-lops and shrimp.

Speaking of fish, Blue Fin Sushi Bar in Terrace or Smithers is very yummifying. In Terrace, you must lunch at 11:30 a.m. or you will be disap-pointed that all the tables are full. I don’t like sushi, so I gorge on tempura seafood and fish. This is my theory: I can never make battered fish at home taste as good, with that super crispy finish, because I do not have a commercial deep-fryer. Or a thermometer. Or a good batter recipe. Let’s just say it’s better out there.

And would someone please re-open SeaMasters Restaurant in Kitamaat Village? Excellent seafood, right on the waterfront! I suspect the hot new industrial jobs have drawn away all their staff.

I saw a cool poster on Facebook. It says, “Old Hazelton—Time for a road trip! Shop at Art + Antler, eat at BC Café.” That is an excellent idea, because that is exactly what my co-worker and co-foodie Carrie and I did. Except we ate first—of course.

Carrie told me the lovely story of a couple from Hazelton who moved to Kamloops. When they heard the historic BC Café was closed and up for sale, they came home to run it. Ain’t that romantic? The menu is a combo of urban-hip and home-fried. Their veggie burger gets rave reviews.

Carrie also knows Leah Pipe, the très-chic woman who opened up a “part-art-studio-part-shop.” You know the kind of store where you fall in love, where you want to buy every single item in it, or possibly move in and sleep on the floor at night? That was my reaction to Art + Antler. First, there’s Leah’s own artwork. I am crazy for her modern take on northern themes. If I had the nine grand she was asking for the biggest piece, I would’ve plunked it down on the spot. Well, first buy a bigger house to put it in, but it would have all been worth it.

I satisfied myself with buying an antique silver spoon. There is a woman after my heart, who knows to stock ancient cutlery! (Not enough stores do, you know.) I admitted to Leah that I collected old silverware. “And what do you do with the pieces?” she asked me. “Oh, I eat with them.”

All this is making me hungry. I think I will go to Don D’s tonight. I dream about their burritos.

Feel good.Do yoga.

www.full-circle-yoga.caPhillipa Beck, C.Y.I, Y.Ed.• 250-877-3387

SMITHERS LOCATION Full Circle Studio–4th & Main St.TELKWA LOCATION 1613 Riverside St.

Over 20 classes in SMITHERS and TELKWA...

HOT yoga • KID yoga • PRENATAL yoga LUNCHTIME yoga • HATHA yoga

STRETCH & STRENGTHEN yoga GENTLE yoga • yoga for STIFF GUYS

EFT & Energy Healing

[email protected] • 250.877.7708www.twosisterscafe.ca • 3763 4th Ave Smithers

Holiday Parties!

Need to book a holiday party this winter? Don’t wait - our phone has already started ringing!

Call or e-mail for menus and to secure a date. Our space is perfect for parties of 10-30 people.

two sistersDAily freSh mADe SoupS with local, organic ingredients • New luNch feAtureS all week!All-DAy breAkfAStS oN SAturDAyS!


1515 Main Street, Smithers, BCTel: 250.847.2208

Centrally located on Smithers’ Main Street, the Fireweed Motor

Inn is the place to stay! We‘re walking distance to the town’s

best restaurants. Or book a kitchenette and fill the fridge with

groceries from one of Smithers’ two grocery stores, literally

across the street.

in Smithers, base yourself at the

[email protected] • www.fireweedmotel.com

Free wireless internet & pet-friendy rooms available. NEW! Coin laundry on-site for customers

Built for Your Style, Your Life & Your Budget... 3173 Tatlow Road, Smithers • 250-847-5472 • [email protected]

www.nwkitchens.com

Dawn 2 Dusk

Heated Insoles• thermacell...

keep your feet warm• Remote control

insole foot warmer

nICHe snowboaRds• IsPo winner of

eco Responsibility• stewardship sustainably

harvested wood

PICtuRe oRganIC• 1st ever

fully recyclable winter gear

• 50% recycled material

And many more great brands like DALBELLO, LA SpOrtivA BOOtS, WEStcOmB OutErWEAr

Dawn 2 Dusk — North America’s first and only Fully SOlAR powered gear store with the best gear and beat prices for the Conscious Consumer.

www.Dawn2Dusk.net

New At


Documents

Northword 2013 - 10