2062

"You know", says Kenny, " It is just amazing how the First Nations people were able to survive here in this region with none of the imported or fancy or convenient foods we all take for granted.  They hunted and fished with incredible skill, knew what plants to eat, what not to eat, how to prepare and preserve their food without gas or electricity, or microwaves, or food processors or juicers nor any of the fancy gadgets we all take for granted.  No refrigerators or freezers, hell they didn't even have polished granite or marble countertops." "And yet, if you or I found ourselves stranded anywhere in the coastal wilderness", say I, "we would likely starve to death if they didn't find us in time."   "Do you know how to make a fire without matches or a lighter?" "Exactly so.  How did they do it?" "And to think that they lived this way and thrived for thousands of years.  And not to mention their incredible knowledge of medicinal plants." Say I, "With colonization, genocide, cultural eradiction, and so many elders dying before they could pass on the knowledge, how absolutely poor we are now." Suddenly Kenny is pointing to his right.  "Do you see it?  Over there, on that bare branch, the bright yellow bird.  A western tanager..."