First View
of Vernon
Looking north
from the new
Hwy 97 that follows
Kalamalka Lake.
Kalamalaka
Lake
View of orchards and
forests on northeast
shore of Kalamalka
Lake.
Fawn
resting
Caetani
Arts
Centre
Garden
A rare visit by a mother
deer with two fawns to
the garden of Caetani
House on Pleasant
Valley Dr. in Vernon, BC.
Okanagan
Grapes
Three varieties
of table grapes
grown in the
Vernon area.
Okanagan
Apples
The orchards of
the Okanagan
are justly famous
with many varieties
of apples and
other fruit available.
Irrigation is required
to grow these
types of crops in
the Vernon area.
Market
Garden
Produce
Vegetables
are grown to
be sold at local
farmer's markets
and produce stands.
Direct marketing
to consumers
can be
profitable
Bees in
the Hive
Pollination of
crops is of primary
importance for
the farmers and
orchardists in
the Vernon area.
Honey is a
welcome by-
product of the
process.
Home
Garden
Produce
Gardening is
rewarding in
the Okanagan
because such
a variety of
crops can
be grown.
The first story that I heard when I began my residency at the Allan Brooks Nature Centre was the Okanagan Nation (Sqilxw) legend of the Four Food Chiefs. There are many versions of the legend and I will provide some links to those who are entitled to tell it to you at the end of the page, because what I heard is only a portion of a larger creation story that links the human Sqilxw population to the other living creatures who inhabit the Okanagan.
The first moral of the story, from my perspective, is that humans are dependent on our environment for survival. We can only survive with the cooperation and permission of the beings, plant and animal, that we require to nourish us and we must give thanks and make sure that the amount we take is sustainable.
The Chief of each of the tribes of beings that humans consume as food gave permission for their lives to be taken to support human existence before the humans-to-be could come into the world.
- The Bear is the oldest and wisest of the four Food Chiefs and is leader of all of the animals that live on land
- The Salmon is the Chief of all beings who live in water
- Bitter Root is the Chief of all food that grows beneath the ground
- Saskatoon Berry is the Chief of food that grows above the ground
The next workshop I attended featured the same story and brought a different perspective to mind. The more I thought about this legend, the more dimensions were revealed. The story of the discussion at the meeting of the Four Food Chiefs was to prepare for the humans-to-come at a time before humans, but now we can take this as a guideline that we must also prepare for future generations of humans-to-come. This concept, that seems so important to any family, is sadly lacking in our Canadian society as greedy individuals and corporations are removing the resources of the land as quickly as they can. The wealth of our planet is not here to be used in one generation! The story of the Four Food Chiefs contains important lessons that speak directly to the sustainable values that many of us are supporting.
At the same time, I was seeking the form of my site specific art work and exploring to find resonant points that would guide the form and content. The story of the Four Food Chiefs is deeply significant to the Sqilxw people who have lived in the area from time immemorial so I knew that in some way, it should be a foundation for my work.
My final decision was to create this web installation as a place to show Vernon in the words and images of those who live in the community. I chose the legend of the Four Food Chiefs as an organizational framework, but my decision to place each of my interview subjects into one of the four categories is based on my own whimsical reasoning. There will be a bit of text from me on each page to explain the categorization, but it may change if any of the subjects object to their placement!
The natural abundance of the Vernon area is limited by the supply of water for irrigation and human use. The Okanagan valley is an extremely valuable part of Canada because crops can be grown such as: peaches, apricots, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers and other delicacies. These are foods that require warmer weather and a longer growing season than is available in most of Canada, so it is essential that farmland is preserved as agricultural and water supplies are controlled. If Okanagan residents learn the lesson of the Food Chiefs and always consider the future generations of people-to-be, then greed will not destroy the ability of this land to sustainably support the people.
Four Food Chiefs Story Sources
William Alexander Cohen: PhD Dissertation, School Failed Coyote, So Fox Made A New School: Indigenous Okanagan Knowledge Transforms Educational Pedagogy 2009. p 116-123
Okanangan First Peoples, describes many of the native animals, insects and plants that are important to the Sqilxw people
This website is a demonstration of a concept that may grow if the individuals I interviewed are interested in adding to their profiles and creating a community here. If you would like to be included as a member of the Vernon site, please contact me.
