My family and I went for a bike ride the other day, our only destination in mind to meander along the Galloping Goose trail to see what kind of options are available for food these days. Bored with our own cooking and out of groceries, we picked up takeout (in compostable packaging) and then biked to Portage Park to enjoy the beach - using our physical distancing skills of course! A little dog named "Zuma" was not so respectful and came to check out our food, then moved on to something small and silver lying on the sand. It was a herring! We looked more closely at the surface of the water and realized that many of these small fish were flipping and skipping in and out of the waves. Have you ever seen or eaten Herring? Although it hasn't been a part of my regular diet, I have fond memories of eating them with Mr. Wilson. We have eaten herring eggs on kelp up in Prince Rupert among his Tsimshian family at his grandma's settlement feast, and pickled herring is a feature course at the annual Seafood Feast with his Hwlitsum family on Galiano Island every April. Herring are a key food source for many humans, chinook salmon, orcas and other species around the world! Here is an amazing video about the place many of you call home... but do you know it is called "Lekwungen" which means the "Place to Smoke Herring"? Find out why by learning from the relatives of many of Shoreline's students, such as Cheryl Bryce and Butch Dick: https://vimeo.com/275788251
My challenge for you this week is to watch this video, then see if a parent / guardian / other adult will bike, scooter or walk with you to one or some of the places shown in this video to look for herring. Send me an email, photo or video if you can! Bonus points if you can tell me why herring are critical to the survival of resident KELL̵OLEMEĆEN (killer whales / orca / blackfish) and / or whether the First Nations "spawn on kelp" method of harvesting herring eggs is more sustainable than the roe herring fishery designed for export. Email [email protected] for school credit! Həyšxʷq̓ə, Ms. Menzies Comments are closed.
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Ms. MenziesTeaches the Sustainability Exploratory class at Shoreline Middle School. Sustainability = the ability to survive and thrive... over time!
In this class we learn how to keep healthy through ensuring we have access to clean air, water, food, shelter, medicine, community, education, materials, energy, governance... ArchivesCategories |
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