Jared Qwustenuxun Williams, Author at The Discourse.

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

By Jared Qwustenuxun Williams ● Cowichan Valley ● May 23, 2025

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

By Jared Qwustenuxun Williams ● Cowichan Valley ● April 6, 2023

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?

By Jared Qwustenuxun Williams ● Cowichan Valley ● December 15, 2022

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

By Jared Qwustenuxun Williams ● Cowichan Valley ● November 17, 2022

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

By Jared Qwustenuxun Williams ● Cowichan Valley ● November 10, 2022

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

Reporter’s Notebook: Fire at 1580 Maple Bay Road

By Jared Qwustenuxun Williams ● Cowichan Valley ● July 8, 2021

‘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

Coast Salish foods of today: Evolving towards a new path

By Jared Qwustenuxun Williams ● Cowichan Valley ● April 13, 2021

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

How colonization dismantled Coast Salish food systems

By Jared Qwustenuxun Williams ● Cowichan Valley ● March 2, 2021

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

Coast Salish food and cooking: a taste of yesteryear

By Jared Qwustenuxun Williams ● Cowichan Valley ● February 17, 2021

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

Clean water coming to Indian Road homes, at last

By Jared Qwustenuxun Williams ● Cowichan Valley ● January 26, 2021

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

Jared Qwustenuxun Williams

First person: Indigenous agriculture and the Cowichan Estuary Restoration Project

The story of S-hwu-hwa’us and Qul-lhanumutsun

How do you put a price on sacred foods?

Sta’lo’ Mustimuhw: A story of the river people

It’s all connected: A Quw’utsun watershed story

Reporter’s Notebook: Fire at 1580 Maple Bay Road

Coast Salish foods of today: Evolving towards a new path

How colonization dismantled Coast Salish food systems

Coast Salish food and cooking: a taste of yesteryear

Clean water coming to Indian Road homes, at last

Nanaimo Affordable Housing Society name change to Ballenas ‘in discussion’ for years,’ says CEO

10 ways to better support tenants with vulnerabilities due to income, age or disabilities

‘I want it to stop’: Tenants and advocates allege bullying by non-profit housing provider

Q and A: What are vulnerable tenants rights in non-profit housing?

Who will protect low-income seniors from dying in extreme heat?

Seniors left in distress — or dead — for days in Nanaimo Affordable Housing Society units

Jared Qwustenuxun Williams

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