T’Sou-ke (pronounced SOWK) Nation is a west coast Indigenous community living on T’Sou’ke territory on Vancouver Island. Located just outside of the city of Victoria in the town now known as Sooke, T’Sou-ke Nation Elders and knowledge keepers are key participants in this project. T’Sou-ke Nation is known for its food and energy sovereignty and leads in the area of green technologies, such as solar power.
Meet Chief Gordon Planes
Chief Planes (pronounced PLAN-iss), an elected chief and hereditary leader of T’Sou-ke Nation, has extensive knowledge of the ecology, geography and traditional practices of southern Vancouver Island. He has strong interests in T'Sou-ke arts and culture, Indigenous land rights and governance, traditional ecological knowledge, and alternative energy systems. Regularly taking T'Sou-ke dancers abroad to share their art with international audiences, Chief Planes is himself a traditional singer and visual artist. He is also an active leader in the annual international Tribal Canoe Journey along the British Columbia and Washington coasts.
Meet Christine George
Christine George is a specialist in Indigenous plants used for medicines and foods. In addition to her work teaching school groups about Indigenous plant and land use, she is the founder and lead farmer at the T’Sou-ke Nation's community food garden. She shares her deep knowledge of the cultural uses of plants and which practices have been lost, or reduced, due to land loss.
See the participants and the setting by looking at the video clips.
For More Information:
Welcome to T’sou-ke Nation
By T’sou-ke First Nation
T-sou-ke First Nations
By Vancouver Island Wilderness and Historical Conservation
By Encyclopaedia Britannica. Very comprehensive look at different aspects of life in Canada.
By Nations Online. General overview. Similar to Britannica, above.
See more about this setting by looking at the playlists on YouTube.