Stqeeye’ Learning Society: Restoration and Reciprocity within Xwaaqw’um
Tony and Jordan between Xwaaqw’um Welcome Figures (Carved by Quw’utsun Carver, Harold Joe).
Nestled in the heart of Xwaaqw’um (also called “Burgoyne Bay Provincial Park") on Salt Spring Island and on the traditional homelands of the Quw’utsun Peoples, a community-led initiative is quietly nurturing the relationship between the land and its caretakers.
Last September, the Indigenous Watersheds Initiative team visited with the Stqeeye’ (STAH-KAY-AH) Learning Society team to learn about and witness the transformative work unfolding in this place, which In Hul'q'umi'num' means the "place of the female Merganser duck."
In recent years, Xwaaqw’um has returned to being home for a diverse array of ecological restoration and land-based learning initiatives, under the guidance of Stqeeye’. This Indigenous-led society is centred on self-determination and relationship building through ecological restoration and land-based education programs, including the P’hwulhp (Garry Oak) restoration project, their ‘Youth on the Land’ program, and their wetland restoration work. What began as standalone projects has been woven into a rich tapestry, braiding wetland revitalization, food sovereignty, intergenerational knowledge sharing, and a deep commitment to the past and future. The Indigenous Watersheds Initiative supports Stqeeye’s Hwial'asmut tu tumuhw (Taking Care of the Earth) project, which spans various aspects of their work within Xwaaqw’um.
Today, Stqeeye’ has secured a 10-acre property within Xwaaqw’um with the holistic vision to not only build upon their existing programming but also to create a permanent space for cultural revitalization, community engagement, and ecological stewardship. Stqeeye’s mi tse’ t’akw’ (Coming Home) campaign centres on the truth of bringing Quw’utsun (Cowichan) Elders and youth back to live in their traditional homelands in Xwaaqw’um for the first time in 150 years.
Talking Outside the P’hwulhp Restoration Garden and Nursery
Walking the Land.
In the fall of 2024, the Indigenous Watersheds Initiative visited with the Stqeeye’ team. Our site visit was guided by Rachel – Stqeeye’s Restoration Coordinator – alongside Tony and Jordan – two Quw’utsun land stewards. We first made our way slowly to the P’hwulhp Restoration Garden and Nursery. Here, Maiya Modeste (Sulatiye’), a Quw’utsun youth and the P’hwulhp Restoration Project Coordinator, dedicates her days to nurturing and restoring a 50-square-metre degraded former agricultural area. As part of her restoration work, Maiya plans to plant over 80,000 native and culturally important plant species to return the area to abundance. At the center of the fenced area sits the Grandmother Garry Oak, which stands solitary in one of the decommissioned agricultural fields.
Stqeeye’s wetland restoration work is a core initiative within Xwaaqw’um, which has been marred by the impacts of industrialism, including extensive logging and agriculture. Key restoration points include restoring logging roads, riparian cedar forests, wetlands, and monitoring creek health, ensuring sustainable land management and ecological balance. Rachel, Stqeeye’s Restoration Coordinator, shared insights into the diverse ecological restoration efforts currently underway, ranging from the reclamation of crumbling estuary infrastructure—affecting Xwaaqw'um Creek and Lee Creek— to the restoration of up to 4.8 hectares of riparian cedar forest. There is a concentrated effort on wetland restoration within the Nature Smart Area, alongside revegetation covering 0.67 hectares of a possible 15 hectares. Their work in wetland, stream, and forest restoration focuses on carbon storage, hydrology restoration, and improving conditions for salmon, cedar, and beaver. Some associated activities thus include fencing, invasive species control, new wetland creation, mulching, and ditch and road deactivation. They also plan to plant up to 100,000 new wetland plants and trees and deactivate 7.5 km of roads inside the park.
Rachel amongst the Alders and Horsetails
Jordan kneeling by the creek.
Grandmother Garry Oak at the Centre of the Food Gardens.
Throughout our visit, the team provided us with a glimpse into the remarkable array of traditional foods derived from this Garry Oak ecosystem — Speenhw (Camas), Balsamroot, nodding onion, hooker’s onion, chocolate lily, tiger lily, and acorns. Only three percent of Garry oak ecosystems remain in their natural state, making them increasingly rare.
Prior to contact, the Indigenous People of Xwaaqw’um lived in reciprocal relationship with the land, harvesting from the abundant natural food systems and tending the land and waters with great care. Families passed down the responsibility to tend to these important areas to their children, and many members of Stqeeye’ Learning Society are direct descendants of the last Indigenous stewards of the land. With this direct connection to this place, Stqeeye’ Land Stewards and Knowledge Keepers are intimately tied to the land and ecosystems at Xwaaqw’um. This deep-rooted connection to the land informs the vision and activities of Stqeeye’ today.
“The [Hul'q'umi'num] word for our people, Mustimuhw, literally means ‘People of the Land’. We have, for thousands and thousands of years, had such a deep relationship with our plant and animal relatives and with the land and water. We share our responsibilities to the land, sea, and each other in this spot, as we always have.” — Maiya Modeste (Sulatiye’)
It is a shared vision among the Stqeeye’ community that one day the youth and Elders will be able to harvest these bounties from Xwaaqw’um and once again share in meals on the land.
Engaging young people has hence been a central focus of Stqeeye’s programming. Through their ‘Youth on the Land’ program, Stqeeye’ fosters relationship building and reconciliation through community and intergenerational knowledge sharing. With a dedicated team of 7 full-time and 5 part-time employees, their initiatives include Indigenous land-based education in collaboration with the local school district, curriculum development, youth mentorship programs, and youth summer camps. The ‘Youth on the Land’ program engages Indigenous youth to bring stories, skills, and traditional knowledge to life through activities such as harvesting, cedar weaving, drumming, and storytelling, while also teaching about the seasons and the history of the land.
Protecting native plants from deer with wire netting.
Looking across the bay towards Hwmet'utsum.
Rachel walking the Golden Fields of Xwaaqw’um.
Our conversations continued as we wandered the land, witnessing the restoration work well underway. Through the valley adjacent to Hwmet'utsum, commonly known as Mount Maxwell, we found ourselves beneath towering alder trees and alongside streams once filled with coho and cutthroat, now dried up. Despite invasive species and water scarcity, the landscape teemed with life, revealing signs of recovery and the impact of ongoing restoration efforts.
As we approach the Bay, we find ourselves in the estuary overlooking Hwmet’utsum (Mount Maxwell). It is the largest bay estuary amongst the Gulf Islands that remain un-developed – a place where salmon and other species can return home each year.
The homecoming of Quw’utsun community members is a central part of Stqeeye’s vision for Xwaaqw’um, leading the team to embark on the mi tse’ t’akw’ (Coming Home) campaign. While Stqeeye’ has successfully acquired an extraordinary 10-acre property, their fundraising campaign is currently in progress to develop food security projects on this land, while also enabling Stqeeye’ to expand their programs for youth, create employment opportunities for community members, and enrich the quality of life through their enduring presence at Xwaaqw’um.
As one wanders through Xwaaqw’um — enveloped by the chorus of birds and the scent of cottonwoods and ocean air — a palpable sense of reciprocity emerges: the people nurturing the land, and in return, the land nurturing the people. We extend our deepest gratitude to the Stqeeye’ team for taking the time to bring us out on the land and for their invaluable work in caretaking the land and people of Xwaaqw’um.
You can learn more about how you can support their mi tse’ t’akw’ Campaign by visiting Stqeeye’s website.
Hul'q'umi'num' Words
Quw'utsun Mustimuhw (Cowichan Peoples)
Xwaaqw’um (Female Merganser Duck Place)
Speenhw (Camas)
Hwmet'utsum (Mount Maxwell)
P’hwulhp – Garry Oak
To learn more, explore Stqeeye’s Syuw'em (history) of Xwaaqw’um page and Jared Qwustenuxun Williams’ Hul'q'umi'num' language videos.
