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A Wall Worth Building.

On a small island off Canada’s west coast, a group of people is rebuilding ancient clam gardens.

For thousands of years, indigenous people all along the Pacific Northwest coast have cultivated clams by manipulating beaches to encourage the growth of more and bigger shellfish. These clam gardens supply a reliable and abundant source of nutritious food year round.

Russell Island is part of Canada’s national park system and one of two clam garden restoration sites. Parks Canada, together with the W̱SÁNEĆ and Hul’q’umi’num Nations have undertaken the five-year restoration project. Building a garden looks simple on the surface, but it takes ingenuity, a deep understanding of beach ecology, and patience—building is only possible during super-low tides, giving volunteers a short window of opportunity.

hakaimagazine.

Starting My Book. » « Don’t Call It Fashion.

Comments

  1. rq says

    Wow. “Domesticated clams” (or “cultivated clams”) is not a phrase you hear often.
    Then again, oyster farms are a thing, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.
    Best of luck to the project!

  2. Nerd of Redhead, Dances OM Trolls says

    Very interesting. I suspect there will be a bit of a learning curve, but they should be successful. I salute their attempt at reviving their peoples technological innovation to cultivate the clams. May they have some wonderful clambakes* for their efforts.
    *or traditional equivalent

  4. rq says

    Too bad god said shellfish are evil and unclean and mustn’t be et. He must’ve had a bad bunch at some point, because he’s certainly missing out on some goodness!

  5. says

    ShowMetheData:

    There was a time when humanity faced extinction and survived off of the fruits of the sea.

    Mmm. Pity we’re busy killing off the oceans and fishing just about everything to fucking extinction. Yeah, I’m just a bundle of joy today. Sorry.

  6. Nerd of Redhead, Dances OM Trolls says

    Too bad god said shellfish are evil and unclean and mustn’t be et. He must’ve had a bad bunch at some point, because he’s certainly missing out on some goodness!

    Several weeks ago, the Redhead sent me out, for Fishy Friday, to obtain some fried clams and French fried potatoes. Both obtained frozen, as we aren’t near the sea coast (which means $$$$ for fresh). She enjoyed the meals, and the packages allowed for one or two encores on ensuing Fishy Fridays.

  7. StevoR says

    Awesome. Reminds me of the ancient eel traps built by many of Australia’s Indigenous peoples too :

    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-08/preserving-the-oyster-harbour-fish-traps/5581956

    A number of fish traps built by Indigenous peoples over six thousand years ago remain sacred in the Great Southern of Western Australia.

    The traps, built by the Menang Noongar people, have been sitting in Oyster Harbour for an estimated 6500-7000 years.

    &

    http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2003/03/13/806276.htm

    Australia’s Aborigines, long considered a nomadic people, appear to have farmed eels and built stone dwellings in the southeast of the country for 8,000 years, according to an archaeologist.

    The claims, centred on the Gunditjmara people around Lake Condah -- about 350 km west of what is today Melbourne -- are made by archaeologist Dr Heather Builth ..

    & an update on that from a more recent article :

    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-20/budj-bim-ancient-aboriginal-site-closer-to-world-heritage-status/8197204

    The Federal Government has submitted a nomination for the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape at Lake Condah to be included on Australia’s World Heritage Tentative List.

    If the nomination is successful, Budj Bim would be the Australia’s 20th World Heritage site and the only place listed solely for its Indigenous cultural value.

    It marks a significant turning point for the Gunditjmara traditional owners who have worked tirelessly for several years to see Budj Bim gain a tentative World Heritage nomination.

  8. mostlymarvelous says

    StevoR

    Hah! You beat me to it.

    If ever you come across some lucky person who’s managed to get their hands on a copy of Bill Gammage’s book The Biggest Estate on Earth you are hereby obliged to “acquire” it by any means, fair or foul, and ensure that I’m the next owner. The damn thing’s been out of print practically from the month it was first published.

    Across Australia, early Europeans commented again and again that the land looked like a park. With extensive grassy patches and pathways, open woodlands and abundant wildlife, it evoked a country estate in England. Bill Gammage has discovered this was because Aboriginal people managed the land in a far more systematic and scientific fashion than we have ever realised.

    https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/books/general-books/history/The-Biggest-Estate-on-Earth-Bill-Gammage-9781742377483

    I understand there are similar books about management of forests, crops and grasslands in America before Europeans arrived. They also went to hell in a handbasket once the traditional management techniques were abandoned and thereby allowed undergrowth to crowd out previously well managed berries and nut producing trees and other food sources.

  9. says

    Wow. “Domesticated clams” (or “cultivated clams”) is not a phrase you hear often.
    Then again, oyster farms are a thing, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.

    The Southwest of France is famous for its mussel farming. I guess like all types of “farming” it is much more reliable as a food resource than hunting.

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