Exploring the Rich Tradition of Berries in Coast Salish Culture
The Coast Salish people have maintained a deep connection with the bounty of the land including its ample forest resources. Since time immemorial, the Coast Salish people have inhabited the coastal regions of the Pacific Northwest and harvested a variety of berries for sustenance, bringing family and community together, to provide nourishment, and use as medicine.
Cultural Significance and Uses
Berries hold much significance within Coast Salish and Indigenous culture. Beyond its nutritional value berries played a role in family and traditional ceremonies that teach resilience and interconnectedness with nature. The act of harvesting berries is an expression of respect for the delicate balance of the ecosystem and bring the family and community together.
Some berries such as salmonberries and thimbleberries often flourished in the late spring to early summer. A good crop of salmonberries, we are told, is an indicator that the spring salmon run will soon begin and a bountiful harvest season is near.
“My gran used to take us to an area near Nanaimo Lakes and other areas to harvest many varieties of berries including salmonberries, thimbleberries, huckleberries, blackberries, raspberries and salal berries throughout the summer” shares Gary Smith, “Some of the berries were eaten fresh, while some were used to make jam, syrup, and baked goods. She also shared that the berries and leaves and bark were dried and made into teas and also utilized as natural dyes.”
Long ago our ancestors would make the berry cakes or fruit leather by steaming and mashing, then shaping into cakes until dried. This would ensure the ability to store indefinitely. Large cedar box containers were utilized and the food would then be stored in the coldest part of the house and sometimes even placed in the ground (covered) to keep cool prior to refrigeration and modern day appliances. In the winter, before being used, our people would pull portions of the dried berry cakes out of the container and soak in water one evening before use. The berries were eaten along with soups and stews, and were mixed with other nutrient rich traditional foods such as oolichan grease (which was trade commodity from the north Island, central and northern BC coast).
Berries, the leaves and sometimes bark would also be dried and utilized as tea and used as medicines to treat cuts, anti-inflammation, burns, gastro-intestinal ailments, aid in heart health by controlling cholesterol and for helping control blood sugar levels to preventing skin infections and even premature aging due to high levels of vitamins, minerals and their many healing properties.
Harvesting Techniques
Historically, berries were gathered as early as the late spring and throughout the hotter summer season when they are fully developed. Families would go out together along the coast line, into forested areas, near river banks, near swampy areas from sea level to higher alpine areas – especially along the sunny edges of the coniferous forests and rocky bluffs along the seashore.
Researchers from Simon Fraser University published an article in 2021 highlighting what may be surprising to many, but that our families have known for hundreds of years: that the Coast Salish people didn’t just randomly gather berries and other foods from their territories, but many actually maintained “forest gardens”. These carefully managed spaces used our deep understanding of and respect for the interconnectedness of all living things in order to not only produce a source of food for the community, but also increased the biodiversity in the spaces where they were maintained.
Coast Salish peoples would make special cedar bentwood boxes and baskets that were used for collecting the berries, cooking and storing this important food. The cedar bentwood boxes were made for the storage of the large berry cakes and fruit leather while baskets were used for collecting the berries and some were even used for cooking.
The baskets were mostly woven out of cedar bark and were used for transporting, gathering and storing the berries. Some of the baskets contained intricate and beautiful designs while those used for cooking were plain and did not have intricate designs.
The easiest way to harvest is to pick by hand by pulling the berries off each stem and placing them in the basket or container all at once off the stem. One could pop the berries off by pinching them at the base with your thumb and pointer finger or pull them off sideways instead of pulling straight down from the stem. For Blackberries which have a thorny stem a curved or hooked branch was used to minimize contact with the razor sharp thorns and gain easier access to the berries.
Common Harvests
Lila’ (Salmonberry)
The lila’ shoots are among the first greens and berries tend to be first of the season. The tender shoots can be peeled and eaten as a snack or taken home and boiled or steamed and eaten like asparagus.
The lila’ has pink to magenta-coloured flowers and the leaves are similar to a raspberry. The berries range in colour from gold to deep red and has a mild to sweet taste and contains many seeds.
T’uqwum’ (Thimbleberry)
The t’uqwum’s young green shoots (the’thqi’) similar to the Salmonberry were considered an early spring delicacy. The plant contains large fuzzy leaves and white flowers while the ripened red berries are very seedy and range in taste from sweet to tart tasting.
The t’uqwum’ leaves were also used as a medicine for upset stomachs and for anemia, and to heal skin problems like acne or burns.
Sqw’uqwtsus (Huckleberries) and Blueberries
Sqw’uqwtsus and blueberries are closely related and there are dozens of species that grow in our territories. Both berries range in taste from sweet to tangy and are high in antioxidants. They help lower cholesterol, do not raise blood sugar (important for pre-diabetes and diabetics), and are excellent for heart health.
The leaves can be also be used to make teas and used as a preventative treatment to fight bacteria that usually causes urinary tract and bladder infections.
Salal berries
Perhaps one of the most widely abundant and under-appreciated wild berry within our region, Salal’s dark blue berries and young leaves are both edible. The Salal berries are small to medium in size, blue with hairy strands with the taste ranging from exceptionally sweet to bland (like a cross between a blueberry and a black currant).
Considered a significant food resource for the Coast Salish peoples who ate them and dried them into ‘cakes’ of up to 10 to 15 pounds. The berries were also dried similar to raisins and stored for use in the cold winter months and eaten along with soups and stews and at winter feasts and celebrations.
As we reflect on the rich history, cultural and spiritual significance of berries in Coast Salish culture, let us take a moment to acknowledge and appreciate and celebrate the wisdom of our ancestors. So, the next time you are out harvesting and savoring the sweet taste of berries, or enjoying some fruit leather or baked goods containing delicious berries power-packed in abundance with minerals, vitamins, remember its important and varied nutritional and medicinal uses, remember the many treasured traditions and cultural wisdom from the elders “Food is our culture, food is our medicine, food is to be respected and remain sustainable for the next generations”.
Lila’ Jam
Canning and preserving summer’s bounty
Ingredients
4 cups prepared lila’ (salmonberries)
6 1/2 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl
1 pouch pectin
Instructions
Step 1
Bring boiling-water canner, half full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.
Step 2
Crush berries thoroughly, one layer at a time. (Press half of the pulp through a sieve to remove some of the seeds, if desired.) Measure exactly 4 cups prepared fruit into large saucepot.
Step 3
Add sugar; stir. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in pectin. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.
Step 4
Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 min. Remove jars and place upright on towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middle of lid with finger. (If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)