camosun bog restoration assignment -tk

Camosun Bog Restoration

As early as 5000 years ago, the Camosun Bog started as a lake to a swamp and ending as a bog due to a depression in the land. The bog thrived, until 1929, when drains were installed, completely drying out the bog. The lack of water and nutrients caused the sphagnum moss to die, outcompeted by other invasive species. As a result, in order to restore the bog to its previous glory, volunteers had to remove many hemlock trees, lower the ground, and plant many sphagnum mosses. 

The Camosun bog was important to Musqueam people. Urbanization was a means of calling the bog useless, unusable to Western people. However, to Musqueam people, it was an essential part of their history. To them, the bog told stories, memories, and was so full of life. Through the loss of the bog, it destroyed all traces of their previous history, as it was something that was always there before urbanization and everything else. It was a part of the land for so long, and to have the origin removed was devastating for Musqueam people.

Larry Grant is a Musqueam-Chinese elder whose father originated from Guangdong, China, immigrating to Canada in 1920. As a teenager, his father worked on the farm and eventually met his wife there. Despite the Indian Act that forbid them from associating with each other, they soon had four children together. In both of his parents’ cultures, the oldest son would inherit everything; this caused Larry to realize he should be more aware and connected to his culture. Realizing that his older brother would be the one to be in control, he began to question his future as he would not inherit any of his father’s belongings. Growing up, Larry had many struggles coming to with his identity. He wasn’t able to attend indigenous schools because of his Chinese background, but he didn’t feel as though he belonged among the Chinese community. His grandfather was a logging contractor who helped clear Point Grey and Vancouver and was well-off. Despite his wealth, Larry’s mother claimed that his grandfather threw everything away for money. Larry didn’t understand what his mother meant, and for his whole life he pondered over it until he came to the conclusion that being rich doesn’t necessarily mean you have a lot of money, it can mean that you have a lot to share.

The pole carved by a Musqueam artist tells the story of where their name originates. The elders spoke of a double-headed serpent who resided in the Camosun Bog, warning the youth to be careful. Contrasting its destructive description, it created the creek that passes through Musqueam territory and a plant called məθkʷəy̓. Musqueam people were named after this plant, symbolizing the rich history and connection to the Camosun Bog.