Yesterday was an all day expedition for Ground2Griddle Kitchen participants to the culturally rich area of Hazelton, BC. With our lunch packed we headed 67 km west on Highway 16 to take in the sites of Hazelton, South Hazelton and the Kispiox Valley.
Hazelton is one of the most beautiful places around. Situated on the banks of the Skeena and at the base of the stunning Roche de Boule Mountain Range we were suitably inspired by the end of summer breeze and the pristine waters of the Skeena and Bulkley Rivers. This region is rich in the cultural food traditions of the Gitxsan people of which Salmon is one of the most important. At ‘Ksan Historical Village, we toured the many longhouses, the museum and the “River of Mist” art exhibit. This exhibit is a moving documentary featuring current and archival photographs demonstrating the symbiotic relationship of the salmon, the people, the wildlife and the land of this region.
As we walked along the banks of the Skeena in “old town” we stopped to admire the 10,000 fish display organized by the Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition in their struggle to prevent Shell from establishing oil and gas industry in the Sacred Headwaters. With so much of our land, water and food at stake the struggle to preserve this area is imperative. Reconnecting people to their place within the food cycle is a vital part of this community and the community in which the Ground2Griddle kitchen operates.
It was inspiring to visit the youth educational garden behind The Learning Shop, lush with beets, squash and potatoes, and to admire their pop bottle greenhouse. Providing opportunity for people to “own” their community fosters the initiative required to maintain and protect cultural traditions and the land and waters on which they are dependant.
We at the Ground 2Griddle Kitchen are thrilled to be a part of a movement to bring back food into the hands of the people!
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