- This event has passed.
Special Event with Local Indigenous Plant Experts
for Luschiim’s Plants: Traditional Indigenous Foods, Materials and Medicines ($29.95,
Harbour Publishing).
The Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre will host the outdoor event on Sunday, October 3
from 3-4pm. Please dress for the weather, wear a mask and bring your own coffee cup if
you would like a drink. The book will also be available for purchase.
Luschiim’s Plants is an unprecedented collection of botanical information. Over 140
plants are categorized within their broad botanical groupings: algae and seaweeds,
lichens, fungi and mushrooms, mosses and liverworts, ferns and fern-allies, coniferous
trees, deciduous trees, shrubs and vines, and herbaceous flowering plants. Each entry is
illustrated with a colour photo and includes the plant’s common, scientific and
Hul′q′umi′num′ names; a short description; where to find it; and cultural knowledge
related to the plant. Additional notes encompass plant use, safety and conservation; the
linguistic writing system used for Hul′q′umi′num′ plant names; as well as miscellaneous
notes from interviews with Luschiim.
Dr. Luschiim Arvid Charlie was born in Quamichan, one of the Cowichan Villages, in
1942 and has lived in the Duncan area all of his life. From the age of three, he began
learning about plants and their various uses from the Elders in his family. Since then, he
has made it a personal priority to gather knowledge about the natural environment. In
2007, he received an Honorary Doctorate of Letters degree at Malaspina UniversityCollege in recognition of his extensive contributions to the teaching of Coast Salish
culture and traditions in a wide range of contexts, as well as his commitment to the
protection of the environment and preservation of the Hul′q′umi′num′ language.
Nancy J. Turner is internationally known for her work in ethnobotany, the study of
plants and cultures. She lives in Nanaimo.
The Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre is located at 1845 Cowichan Bay Rd. People
wishing to attend the event should meet at the front of the centre just before 3pm. For
more information about the event, please visit www.cowichanestuary.ca, call 250-597-
2288 or email info@cowichanestuary.ca.
