First Foods Camp
First Foods Camp
Looking out over the landscape, a shimmering mix of blues, purples and greens covers the ground. Like heat waves over pavement, a kind of optical illusion can be observed making the Camas look like a giant lake as the wind brushes the amethyst colored flowers back and forth like waves. A mix of conversation and laughter can be heard over the dull thuds of shovels hitting dirt. Out in the distance, Acorn Woman sits proudly watching over all with her crown of snow.
This was only part of the experience participating in Camas Camp last spring. While the event focused on Camas, one of our important First Foods, so much more happened over that weekend. The camp was hosted by the Indigenous Gardens Network (IGN), a collaboration between our Tribe and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz. Siletz is one of our cousin Tribes, with many of our peoples sharing families and connections across both communities. The IGN allows us and Siletz to bring our communities together to get our peoples reconnected with our shared homelands in Southern Oregon. As a Cultural Protection Specialist in our Cultural Resources Department, I have a special opportunity to support the initiative by being a member of the IGN Steering Committee. As a member of the Steering Committee I help to plan events and outings for our communities, and coordinate with our other partners in Southern Oregon like the nonprofit Vesper Meadows, where our Camas Camp activities were hosted. Our other host for this gathering was Willow-Witt Ranch. Located close by to Vesper Meadows, Willow-Witt is a beautiful farm stay with large group accommodations including an outdoor kitchen, wood stove, wall tents and cabins.
The camp lasted only 3 days, with folks mostly arriving Friday night, a full day of activities on Saturday, and then morning activities on Sunday followed by everyone’s departure. By the end of the weekend one of the biggest pieces of feedback we received was people wanting more time to enjoy the camp! As people arrived at different times throughout the day on Friday, we kept the programming minimal. The biggest event on Friday was dinnertime, with some of our IGN members preparing and serving different kinds of chili, including bear meat, beef and veggie options. Even though our only plan was serving dinner, it quickly became apparent how much work it is to prepare and serve food for that many people! Kudos to all the cooks out there!
As Saturday rolled around, our real full day of activities began. Different Steering Committee members helped to host different activities that folks could engage in. Some of the activities included plant walks, learning about cultural fire, beading and weaving. I assisted another IGN member to facilitate gathering and re-planting Camas bulbs. The act of digging up and re-planting Camas bulbs actually helps the plants to thrive. When the dirt is dug up it is loosened and aerated, allowing the plants more breathing room to procreate. Also, when we re-plant the bulbs, it is good to break up the bulb clumps and spread them out. This practice also gives the plants more room to grow freely. We helped to teach these practices to everyone who came to learn! While we didn’t actually harvest Camas bulbs to eat at Vesper Meadows that time, still being able to help tend and care for the plants caters to our community's ever-growing relationships with these relatives.