Author

Jared Qwustenuxun Williams

Jared Qwustenuxun's Latest Articles

A photo of a marsh in the Cowichan estuary with a mountain in the background.
First person: Indigenous agriculture and the Cowichan Estuary Restoration Project

Jared Qwustenuxun Williams shares the importance of revitalizing Indigenous agriculture in the Cowichan Estuary.

graphic art of a thunderbird and killer whale by Shawn Johnny
The story of S-hwu-hwa’us and Qul-lhanumutsun

Jared Qwustenuxun Williams explains how the Cowichan Tribes logo is rooted in a story that’s been passed down for generations

Qwustenuxun stands in the middle of his smokehouse, arms stretched out to the side and holding on to shelves that are shoulder height. Bright orange coloured smoked salmon hangs above him to the right and lays flat on the shelves. He wears a flat-brimmed ball cap and his head is tilted down in a way that his eyes are covered. All you can see is the lower half of his face. He's wearing a dark blue t-shirt.
How do you put a price on sacred foods?

I set out to tally the cost of a smoked salmon — its value is beyond measure.

The Cowichan River is int he bottom third of the photo. The rest of the photo is taken up by rocky cliffs that have some small trees and greenery growing on them. The top left corner of the photo is a patch of cloudy sky.
Sta’lo’ Mustimuhw: A story of the river people

The story of the Quw’utsun Sta’lo’ (Cowichan River) goes back well before the first Quw’utsun ancestor, writes Jared Qwustenuxun Williams.

A view of Cowichan Bay as seen from atop a mountain. Blue water on the left meets green land and a river is seen flowing into the land. Hills are in the background.
It’s all connected: A Quw’utsun watershed story

Jared Qwustenuxun Williams shares an Indigenous perspective on Cowichan land, trees and water.

maple bay fire July 7 2021 Duncan
Reporter’s Notebook: Fire at 1580 Maple Bay Road

‘The idea of a forest fire is terrifying to me. One on our sacred mountain is even more terrifying, if that's at all possible,’ writes Jared Qwustenuxun Williams

lee's chicken Duncan
Coast Salish foods of today: Evolving towards a new path

Knowledge keepers share what has been lost, and what has been held onto, in Coast Salish food culture.

clam garden penelakut island
How colonization dismantled Coast Salish food systems

Environmental destruction, colonial rules and new expectations ripped Cowichan people from their food and culture.

bentwood box coast salish cooking
Coast Salish food and cooking: a taste of yesteryear

A Cowichan Tribes chef consults knowledge keepers on the tools, techniques and relationships of the old food world.

Indian Road Cowichan water construction
Clean water coming to Indian Road homes, at last

My neighbours and I will have clean drinking water piped to our homes for the first time later this year.